Why do vertical lines appear in low-light photos or video on a Canon 6D?
Asked 8/26/2017
1 views
2 answers
0
I’m new to DSLR shooting and noticed faint vertical lines in low-light footage/images from my Canon 6D, mostly on the right side of the frame. One example was shot at 50fps, f/1.8, ISO 200. If I brighten the exposure, the lines mostly go away, but I’m trying to keep a dark, low-light look. Is this normal low-light noise/read noise, or could it indicate a sensor problem?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
8
The vertical lines are a type of noise called 'grid noise' or 'read noise'. It is noise caused by 'dark current' in the electronics of the sensor and the camera's electronics that amplifies the analog signal from the sensor before it is converted to digital information. It is caused by electrical current that is not created by a photon striking a sensel (pixel well) on the image sensor, but is included in the sensor's readout as if it were.
There are other kinds of image noise in digital photographs, most notably "Poisson distribution" noise that is a result of the random distribution of photons in light due to the way light travels in waves instead of straight lines. This is often called 'photon shot noise' with regard to digital photography.
Read noise (or grid noise) is fairly constant in digital cameras. When there is plenty of light striking the sensor it is usually masked by the abundant light and is not detectable in images. When there is very little or no light striking the sensor it is much easier to see because the same amount of grid noise is not competing with much stronger signals created by brighter light. Changing the ISO setting of your camera changes the amount of amplification applied to the signal coming off the sensor. The signal caused by electrical 'dark current' is amplified along with the signal created by photons striking the sensor.
Poisson distribution noise (or shot noise) varies with the amount of light striking the sensor, but it varies with the square root of the change in the amount of light. It takes four times as much light striking the sensor to create twice as much shot noise. Thus, the brighter the image, the harder it is to see the shot noise because it, too, is masked by the stronger image signal created by the brighter light.
Taken together, both types of noise are most easily seen when a weak light source is amplified by a high ISO setting. The difference is that read noise usually stays in the same location from one shot to the next, while shot noise will appear randomly in various locations from frame to frame.
One way to avoid read noise is to shoot the scene with a brighter setting (more light, longer shutter time, etc.) and then reduce the brightness in post processing. This is very easy to do shooting still images in raw format. It's a little tougher with most cameras when shooting video unless your camera can output raw video.
Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user15871
8y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
This is most likely normal low-light sensor noise, often described as read noise, fixed-pattern noise, or “grid” noise rather than a defective sensor.
In very dark scenes, the sensor receives little real signal. The camera still has to read and amplify that weak signal, and the electronics can introduce patterned noise that may show up as vertical lines or banding. It can be more visible in underexposed areas and may appear stronger on one side of the frame.
That’s why the lines lessen when you expose the image brighter: a stronger real signal hides the noise better.
If you want a dark look, it’s usually better to expose a bit brighter and then darken in post, rather than heavily underexposing in-camera. This preserves image quality and reduces visible banding/noise.
So yes, this can be normal behavior in low light, especially in shadows and underexposed footage, not necessarily a sensor fault.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI8y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
What causes vertical banding noise in brightened shadow areas?
Should I upgrade from a Canon Rebel T2i to a 6D, 7D, or 70D for lower-noise low-light performance?
Why is my video noisy at ISO 200 on a Sony A58, especially in dark areas?
How can I reduce visible noise in low-light sports photos on a Canon EOS R5?
For indoor low-light shots of moving kids, should I upgrade my flash, lens, or camera body first?