(A)
Const.
sensor
noise
(B)
Const.
pixel
noise
(C)
No
noise
(D)
Canon
EOS-10D
ISO 1600
Noise in photographic images
Introduction
Noise is a random variation of image density, visible as grain in film and pixel level variations in digital images. It is a key image
quality factor; nearly as important as sharpness. Since it arises from basic physics— the photon nature of light and the thermal
energy of heat— it will always be there. The good news is noise can be extremely low— often impreceptably low— in digital
cameras, particularly DSLRs with large pixels (5 microns square or larger). But noise can get ugly in compact digital cameras with
tiny pixels, especially at high ISO speeds.
In most cases noise is perceived as a degradation in quality. But some Black & White photographers like its graphic effect: Many
favor 35mm 35mm Tri-X film. The pointillist painters, most notably George Seurat, created "noise" (specks of color) by hand; a
task that can be accomplished in seconds today with Photoshop plugins.
But by and large, the majority of photographers, especially color and large-format photographers, dislike noise with good reason.
Noise is measured by several Imatest modules. Stepchart produces the most detailed results, but noise is also measured in
Colorcheck, SFR, and Light Falloff.
Appearance
The appearance of noise is illustrated in the stepchart images on the right. Noise is usually
measured as an RMS (root mean square) voltage. The mathematics of noise is presented in a
green box at the bottom of this page.
The stepcharts in columns (A)-(C) are simulated. They are assumed to have a minimum
density of 0.05 and density steps of 0.1, identical to the Kodak Q-13 and Q-14. They have
been encoded with gamma = 1/2.2 for optimum viewing at gamma = 2.2 (the
Windows/Internet standard). Strong noise— more than you'd find in most digital cameras—
has been added to columns (A) and (B). Column (C) is noiseless.
The fourth column (D) contains an actual Q-13 stepchart image taken with the Canon
EOS-10D at ISO 1600: a very ISO high speed. Noise is visible, but admirably low for such a
high ISO speed (thanks, no doubt, to software noise reduction).
The noise in (A) is constant inside the sensor, i.e., before gamma encoding. When it is
encoded with gamma = 1/2.2, contrast, and hence noise, is boosted in dark areas and
reduced in light areas. The Kodak publication, CCD Image Sensor Noise Sources,
indicates that this is not a realistic case. Sensor noise tends to increase with brightness.
The noise in (B) is uniform in the image file, i.e., its value measured in pixels is constant.
This noise must therefore increase with brightness inside the sensor (prior to gamma
encoding), and hence is closer to real sensor behaviour than (A). Noise appears relatively
constant except for the darkest zones, where it's not clearly visible. Noise is often lower in
the lightest zones, where a tonal response "S" curve superimposed on the gamma curve (or
saturation) reduces contrast, hence noise.
For this reason the middle zones— where noise is most visible— are used to calculate the
average noise: a single number used to characterize overall noise performance. We omit
zones where the density of the original chart (hence display density in an unmanipulated
image) is greater than 1.5 or less than 0.1.
Noise measurements
Noise measurements should ideally
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