Do non-photographers notice image noise, or is it mainly photographers who care?
Asked 6/10/2019
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When comparing cameras, I often see claims like “only photographers care about noise; regular viewers don’t notice it.” I’m trying to understand whether that’s actually true.
Is there any solid evidence on how noticeable image noise is to non-photographers versus photographers? If there are no formal studies, what does real-world experience suggest about when noise becomes objectionable?
I’m especially interested in whether casual viewers notice visible grain, speckling, or roughness in prints or digital images, even if they don’t use the term “noise,” and whether photographers tend to be more sensitive because of editing, zoomed-in inspection, or training.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
7y ago
2 Answers
33
I do expect work has been done on noise perception to build perceptual models to compress images and compare image quality. However, I am unaware of any studies that compare photographer vs non-photographer perception of noise in digital images. I also did not see any in the first several pages of results of a Google Scholar search.
only photographers care about noise;
Photographers likely have a lower noise threshold because of factors, like pixel peeping. They are also more likely to edit images, which can enhance the appearance of noise, so it's worthwhile to minimize noise in the first place. They can also differentiate types of noise because of exposure and training.
How much one cares about noise depends on the photo and type of noise. For instance, I have low tolerance for chroma noise, but more luma noise isn't as objectionable. Since my current camera has well-controlled chroma noise, I don't mind pushing ISO to 12800. This has enabled more low light shots than I would have gotten with a DSLR that produces less overall noise, with more of it being chroma.
real people don't even notice
Non-photographers do notice noise, but may use different words to describe it. They may complain about color, sharpness, specks, etc. Some may recall the film days and call it "grain". Others may just think the image looks strange, but be unable to explain why.
There is a saying, The eyes do not see what the mind does not know. Point out the appropriate details and terminology to a layperson, and they will be able to see and describe it too. It's a learnable skill.
I'm sure noise becomes a problem for everyone at some point.
Originally by user75526. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user75526
7y ago
0
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There doesn’t appear to be a well-known formal study specifically comparing photographers and non-photographers on noise perception. Based on the answers here, the claim is too broad: non-photographers do notice noise sometimes, even if they describe it as “dots,” “roughness,” or “pixelation” rather than using the word “noise.”
A reasonable conclusion is:
- Photographers often notice noise sooner and care more about it.
- Non-photographers may still notice it when it becomes obvious or harms the overall look.
- Tolerance depends on the image, viewing size, subject matter, and the type/severity of noise.
Photographers are typically more sensitive because they inspect images closely, edit files in ways that can emphasize noise, and have more practice distinguishing image defects. Casual viewers are more likely to judge the whole image impression and may be distracted more by blur, color problems, or poor exposure before subtle noise.
So “only photographers care about noise” is inaccurate. A better statement is: photographers usually have a lower threshold for noticing and objecting to noise, but regular viewers can and do notice it when it becomes prominent enough.
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