How can I reduce noise in indoor photos with a Nikon D90 and 18-55mm lens?
Asked 8/11/2014
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2 answers
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I’m shooting indoor lifestyle/mockup photos of a person using a tablet around the house with a Nikon D90 and the 18-55mm kit lens. The room has natural morning light, I’m shooting close to the subject, and I used Aperture Priority at f/5.6. My files show a lot of visible noise/grain, especially when ISO goes high. What settings or techniques will help me get cleaner, sharper indoor photos?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
1
Light is made up of particles emitted randomly from a lightsource. If the camera doesn't collect enough light this randomness causes neighboring pixels to be either too light or too dark which is perceived as grain in the image.
So to get less grain you need more light. This is achieved by either:
opening the shutter for longer, if your subject is stationary using a tripod will allow much longer shutter times.
opening the aperture further (this will probably require upgrading to a faster lens, ideally a 30mm f/1.8 or 50mm f/1.8).
using a flashgun (the onboard flash will give a harsh non-flattering light unless you diffuse it somehow, or use a hotshoe flash in bounce mode).
Originally by user1375. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1375
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The grain/noise is mainly from not getting enough light, which forces the camera to raise ISO. On a D90, high ISO indoors can get noisy quickly.
To reduce it:
- Turn off Auto ISO if it’s enabled.
- Set ISO low, like 200 or 400.
- Since you’re in Aperture Priority, the camera will use a slower shutter speed at low ISO, so use a tripod if the subject is still.
- Add more light if possible.
- Open the aperture more. Your 18-55mm at f/5.6 is not very bright; a faster lens such as a 30mm f/1.8 or 50mm f/1.8 can help a lot.
- Use flash if appropriate. A hot-shoe flash bounced off a ceiling/wall gives much nicer light than direct onboard flash.
In short: lower ISO, gather more light, and stabilize the camera. If your subject moves, better lighting or flash is usually the best fix.
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