How would you deal with this?

[fotoflare]

The problem:
I've shot a couple of events in very low light situations so I've obviously cranked up the ISO and shot everything RAW so I've got the best chance of saving them in photoshop. My attempts have left me..... well unhappy. All RAW photos are in need of sharpening but my dilemma is that If I sharpen them to any point I will just be adding to the noise, and If I just use noise ninja then they become softer.
What I've been doing so far (and let me know if I'm way off base) is using noise ninja so the noise is bearable then sharpening just a little for the edges.
I know a lot of people are dealing with this so please let me know how your overcoming it.

Thanks,

[Old Geezer]

Hi and welcome to Planet.

It is very difficult to give an answer without seeing a Photo, so if you can give us an example !
There is a way to sharpen with Channels, reducing noise, so I will try and find it for you.

[NEMESIS]

Well nice way of sharpening is also when you convert to LAB and you do apply sharpening only to Lightness channel. By doing this you are not sharpening the color since color is stored in a and b channel. In Lightness channel is stored detail and luminosity so sharpening is always better doing it this way. But as Old Geezer said post some reference and we'll see what is best to do.

[fotoflare]

As the title says.... how do I post a picture?

And thanks for the replys :)

[mitzs]

As the title says.... how do I post a picture?

And thanks for the replys :)

You have to set up an account with flickr or photobucket. Then upload your pictures there. I prefer photobucket when I am going to post in a forum because it will give you the code needed to post here. Just make sure your photos are no bigger then 800x600 or they will blow our frames for the post out and we will have to delete them.

[fotoflare]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29267850@N02/3176431551/

hope this helps

[NEMESIS]

Same stays as before. Sharpen your images in Lightness channel in Lab and to remove like color noise then add some blur on a and b channel. Add that much blur that blurs enough some shape sharpness. Do not over do it with blur.

If your goal is to remove Luminance noise then don't sharpen image in Lightness channel since you will use that channel for blurring to remove Luminance noise. Use Smart Blur because Smart Blur preserves sharpness of details and blurs out what needs to be blurred. Smart Blur have pretty sophisticated and accurate algorithm. After you have removed Luminance noise then you can go back to RGB and do Unsharp Mask, Smart Sharpen or to use High Pass filter for sharpening.

If you have lot of images and all are taken in same light conditions so you have like repetitive process to edit them then you can make set of actions to automate your workflow and batch all images taken at same light conditions.

If you have more questions or this wasn't clear enough i will see to make some video tutorials.

Cheers ;)

[Old Geezer]

This is one way to do it.

Go to IMAGE - MODE - LAB Color.

In the Channels pallet click on the lightness channel.
Go to FILTER - BLUR - SURFACE BLUR. (see settings in picture below)
When done click OK, and still on LIGHTNESS Channel. go to FILTER - SHARPEN - UNSHARP MASK. (Amount 60, Radius 1, Threshold 0.)
This can also be done in RGB mode and doing the same on each RGB channel.

All settings should be played with till you see what you want, and at this size you cant really see it but at full size you will see it better.

[fotoflare]

Nice tip Old Geezer.... thanks