Why do exported RAW files from Aperture show a square grid pattern in noisy shadows?
Asked 1/1/2013
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I have a RAW image in Aperture with heavy noise, especially in underexposed dark areas. In Aperture the RAW preview looks less obvious, but when I export to JPEG, TIFF, or 16-bit PSD, a square/grid-like pattern becomes visible in the shadows. Why does this happen, and is there a way to reduce or remove the grid pattern in the exported file?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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The basic problem appears to be that the photo, at least the top part where the two shelves are, is grossly underexposed. That means the signal to noise ratio is already quite low.
Look closely at the left picture and you will see some of the grid pattern evident. This is probably some repetitive noise in your sensor. Normally you wouldn't see it, but the actual image information is so small relative to the noise floor that the noise appears visibly in the picture.
The reason you see it more in the right picture is because someone attempted to brighten the picture a little or otherwise get more detail in the dark areas when there was little to be had. This amplified the grid noise to make it more apparent, but it was there all along.
The solution is to use proper exposure. There is basically nothing you can do to recover from low signal to noise ratio unless you are willing to give up spacial resolution. Put another way, the information to make a good picture simply isn't present in the original.
Originally by user7603. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user7603
13y ago
0
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This usually happens when the image is severely underexposed and the shadow areas are being lifted during processing or export. In that situation, the real image signal is very weak, so fixed-pattern sensor noise can become visible as a repeating grid or block pattern. The export itself is not necessarily causing the problem; it is making existing shadow noise easier to see.
The main fix is better exposure at capture so the shadows do not need such aggressive brightening later. For the current file, your options are limited: reduce how much you brighten the dark areas, apply noise reduction, or use a small amount of blur to hide the pattern. As noted in the answers, a Gaussian blur around 0.9 px can make the grid less visible, though it will also soften detail.
In short: the grid is likely amplified sensor/fixed-pattern noise from underexposure, and prevention through proper exposure is the best solution.
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