How can I reduce visible noise when digitizing slides with a DSLR and slide projector setup?
Asked 11/13/2020
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I’m digitizing a large family slide collection by photographing the slides with a Nikon D5000 and a modified slide projector. The camera is set up with a reversed macro lens, and I’m capturing both RAW and JPEG.
Current settings:
- aperture: a couple of stops down from wide open
- shutter speed: 1/400
- ISO: 200 (also tested ISO 100 at 1/200 with no obvious improvement)
- exposure compensation: 0
- picture control: Neutral
- white balance: custom
The images look quite good overall, but I still see noticeable grain/noise, especially in smooth areas like blue sky and skin. I’m unsure whether this is noise already present in the original slides/film grain, or noise being added by my capture setup.
The light source is a cheap cool-white 50W LED, and I’ve added several layers of tracing paper as a diffuser.
Could the visible noise be coming from the original film, the LED, the diffuser, or my camera/capture settings? What changes are most likely to improve results without replacing the whole camera system?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
5y ago
2 Answers
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Perhaps not a total fix, but some ideas in hopefully a helpful direction.
I doubt the noise is camera noise at 100 or 200 ISO, if you are completely filling the frame of the D5000. My D5500 is newer, but I'm almost sure it couldn't be that much noisier than mine.
It is, btw, just about fixable in Photoshop, pic at the end of a quick 'fix' attempt.
To fix your focussing issue, shift the camera to Live View, then use the + [magnifier] button bottom right to zoom in as far as you can. Adjust manual focus whilst you can see one of the hardest-edged details in your slide.
[I've subsequently seen the new question & don't know why the reversing ring can't focus… unless it has no electrical connections]
You have some vignetting [a darker ring round the edges] - possibly because your diffuser isn't absolutely 'perfect' or your light source is too close behind it, or indeed that the lens itself [not designed to work that way round] is vignetting. You may not be able to fix this entirely, but you could perhaps swap out the tissue I previously suggested for some proper diffuser gel. You can get this for just a few $£€ on eBay. It is, comparatively, optically perfect. It may still not be quite enough to get rid of all the vignetting. This can anyway be fixed in Photoshop to an extent.
You also have a purple-ish colour shift. this might be the film or it might be your white balance, or even the LED. Probably film. It may well change between film batches too.
With some Photoshop 'magic' you could actually work out how to automate all of this - but that's definitely for another question [& someone better at Ps batch scripting than me].
Anyway - a quick attempt to smooth the noise, pull back some of the purple, punch up the remainder, knock back some of the over-bright centre & balance out the vignette. [It's not perfect, it's a 5 minute quick fix.]
eBay UK link to an example gel diffuser (not a recommendation, per se)
Originally by user57929. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user57929
5y ago
0
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At ISO 100–200 on a D5000, the camera is unlikely to be the main source of heavy noise if the slide fills the frame well. What you’re seeing is likely a mix of original film grain and capture/setup issues rather than sensor noise alone.
Most useful improvements from the answers:
- Check focus very carefully using Live View magnification and manual focus on the sharpest edge detail.
- Your setup may have uneven illumination/vignetting, so review the diffuser/light path. Too much or poorly placed diffusion can reduce clarity.
- The cheap LED light source could also be a contributor if its output or quality is poor.
- Changing from ISO 200 to 100 is unlikely to make a dramatic difference here.
- A larger sensor camera is not the first thing to try.
Also, some of the visible texture may simply be in the slide itself; film grain is normal and often most obvious in smooth areas like skies and skin.
So: optimize focus first, then improve the evenness/quality of the backlight and diffuser. After that, mild noise reduction in editing can help if needed.
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