Enhancing Photography with AI Denoise: Discover how AI technology improves image quality.

Regarding photography, I do not possess extensive technical knowledge about cameras and lenses. Consequently, I will refrain from discussing the technical aspects. Instead, I intend to share my personal experiences with photography, emphasizing my perspective and understanding of the subject. After acquiring my Lumix G85 camera, I found its handling so impressive that it has significantly increased my enthusiasm for using it frequently. I have not observed substantial noise at ISO 1600. However, I prefer not to exceed ISO 3200, so I have set the ISO limit of my Lumix G85 at 1600 to avoid overburdening it. Nevertheless, these settings constrain my ability to use the camera in indoor and low-light conditions. At ISO 1600, I am encountering slow shutter speeds and am unable to increase them further. 

As a result, I acquired a Godox V350O TTL Wireless Camera Flash Speedlite to meet my lighting needs. Using an external flash for indoor and low-light photography can considerably enhance image quality. However, mastering the efficient use of an external flash required substantial time and effort. Although the Lumix G85 has a built-in flash, acquiring an external flash is advisable to further improve your photographs. Additionally, external flashes can produce even lighting on the subject because it is easier to attach a good diffuser to them. Using flash allows for a lower ISO setting, which helps reduce noise in photographs. 

As technology advances, particularly with the rapid development of artificial intelligence, Adobe Photoshop has introduced AI Denoise. This feature allows users to reduce noise in photographs, ranging from minimal to excessive levels. You no longer need to be concerned about using high ISO settings with your camera. It is now possible to correct noise even when increasing the camera ISO to as high as 25600. This feature allows you to increase your ISO when a faster shutter speed is needed, without concern for digital noise. 

Let's look at some examples I've captured. The following images were captured using my Lumix G85 camera, handheld, using only ceiling light and no tripod or studio lighting. 

This series of photos demonstrates how AI Denoise effectively addresses the issue of excessive noise that arises from high ISO settings. The settings were adjusted from low ISO to the highest ISO possible with my Lumix G85 camera. 

Panasonic DMC-G85 50mm f/3.9 1/8 sec ISO 200 EXP 0 No Flash

At ISO 200, there is no significant noise in the image, although it requires setting the shutter speed to 1/8 or lower for proper exposure compensation. Increasing the shutter speed results in a darker exposure. 

Panasonic DMC-G85 50mm f/3.9 1/13 sec ISO 400 EXP 0 No Flash

I increased the ISO to 400, which allowed me to increase the shutter speed from 1/8 to 1/13. This adjustment resulted in a slight increase in shutter speed, as the only light source is one ceiling light. Our photo is now much brighter than the first one, but there is still no significant noise in the image that affects its quality. 

Panasonic DMC-G85 50mm f/3.9 1/30 sec ISO 800 EXP 0 No Flash

I increased the ISO to 800, despite also increasing the shutter speed to more than double that of ISO 400. The image may exhibit slight graininess, but the quality remains acceptable and is fairly good.

Panasonic DMC-G85 50mm f/3.9 1/50 sec ISO 1600 EXP 0 No Flash

At ISO 1600, we achieve sufficient speed for the shutter, but noise becomes apparent. The image shows visible grain, which may impact its quality. The presence of grain in images can be a point of contention. While some photographs benefit from grain to enhance their dramatic effect, in other instances, it can be visually displeasing.

Panasonic DMC-G85 50mm f/3.9 1/100 sec ISO 3200 EXP 0 No Flash

At an ISO level of 3200, the image begins to degrade as colors start to deteriorate. Noise becomes noticeable, negatively impacting the image quality. Furthermore, sharpness diminishes.

Panasonic DMC-G85 50mm f/3.9 1/200 sec ISO 6400 EXP 0 No Flash

At 6400 ISO, digital noise becomes excessive, with grainy textures visible even without zooming. The overall image clarity and sharpness are reduced, especially in darker areas where random brightness and color variations are more noticeable.

Panasonic DMC-G85 50mm f/3.9 1/320 sec ISO 12800 EXP 0 No Flash

In low light, achieving a 1/320 shutter speed with an MFT system requires a much higher ISO. However, this often leads to an image rendered unusable due to excessive noise throughout the photograph. As shown in the image above, the noise level has increased to the point where the clarity of the image is no longer acceptable.

Panasonic DMC-G85 50mm f/3.9 1/800 sec ISO 25600 EXP 0 No Flash

At ISO 25600, the image quality with the Lumix G85 is significantly degraded. Therefore, I aim to keep the ISO settings at or below 1600 to maintain better image quality. In my experience, ISO 1600 remains acceptable with my Lumix G85. Therefore, under low light conditions, I consistently use an external flash to ensure optimal results.

Adobe AI Denoise

Since acquiring my Lumix G85, I have been cautious about exceeding an ISO of 1600 due to concerns regarding digital noise. In my opinion, digital noise can make photographs appear unprofessional and may reduce their appeal to viewers. Upon learning about the Adobe AI Denoise feature, I decided to investigate further. I was astonished to discover that it effectively addresses issues of excessive noise in photographs.

Simply configure the settings, and allow the AI to process your photos, effectively eliminating all digital noise. I'll show you the processed images with AI Denoise in the same order as above.

These are the settings I typically use with AI Denoise.

Here are the results of the processed images.

Panasonic DMC-G85 50mm f/3.9 1/8 sec ISO 200 EXP 0 No Flash

Panasonic DMC-G85 50mm f/3.9 1/13 sec ISO 400 EXP 0 No Flash

Panasonic DMC-G85 50mm f/3.9 1/30 sec ISO 800 EXP 0 No Flash

Panasonic DMC-G85 50mm f/3.9 1/50 sec ISO 1600 EXP 0 No Flash

Panasonic DMC-G85 50mm f/3.9 1/100 sec ISO 3200 EXP 0 No Flash

Panasonic DMC-G85 50mm f/3.9 1/200 sec ISO 6400 EXP 0 No Flash

Panasonic DMC-G85 50mm f/3.9 1/320 sec ISO 12800 EXP 0 No Flash

Panasonic DMC-G85 50mm f/3.9 1/800 sec ISO 25600 EXP 0 No Flash

As demonstrated in the images processed with AI Denoise above, the tool effectively eliminated noise and grains. Consequently, your photos have been transformed from unusable into professionally polished images. You can now use higher ISO settings without significant loss in image quality, allowing you to increase your shutter speed for improved photographic results.

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What are your thoughts on this technology? Will you use it in your photography?