Can Aperture use plug-ins for noise reduction comparable to Lightroom?
Asked 1/31/2012
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2 answers
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I’m comparing Aperture and Lightroom as a replacement for iPhoto. One big difference I’ve noticed is noise reduction: Lightroom does a much better job on my long-exposure northern lights photos, while Aperture’s built-in noise reduction seems weak. I prefer Aperture’s library and workflow, but I’m concerned about image quality. Are there third-party noise reduction plug-ins for Aperture that can get results close to, or better than, Lightroom’s built-in noise reduction?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
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Yes Lightroom 3.6 noise reduction is quite good but not great. You can get better results with dedicated software. I've read a number of reviews of various software packages and plugins but there is only one I personally use: NIK Dfine 2.2
I found it to be FAR better then Lightroom and NIK is also available for Aperture. How it works in Lightroom is that you have to select your image then right-click and choose edit in NIK Dfine. This opens your image in the plugin application where you work on the noise reduction. Once your work is completed, your image is added into the Lightroom library. You can choose to edit the original or a copy of the image with adjustments. The plugin is not seamlessly integrated within the application framework as the word "plug-in" would suggest, but it is not very cumbersome to use. Personally, I use Lightroom tools for most of my work and only use specialized plugins such as this one for selected photos.
After your noise reduction is complete I would also suggest to use more advanced sharpening utility. Again, I use a NIK plugin Sharpener Pro 3.0 for the occasional photo i deem worthy.
Originally by user4977. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4977
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes. Based on the community feedback, Aperture’s built-in noise reduction is generally considered weaker than Lightroom’s, but you can improve Aperture results with dedicated noise-reduction plug-ins.
Two options mentioned are:
- Nik Dfine: reported as better than Lightroom 3.6’s built-in noise reduction, and available for Aperture.
- Noise Ninja: also available for Aperture, easy to use, and capable of good results.
In practice, these tools usually work as external editors or plug-ins rather than feeling fully built into the host app. You send the image to the plug-in, do the noise reduction there, and the processed version is added back to your library.
So if you prefer Aperture’s organization and workflow, you are not limited to its native noise reduction. A dedicated plug-in is the usual way to get noticeably better results, especially for difficult files like long exposures and high-noise night images.
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