Sharpen, reduce noise, in-camera, ugh!

Hi,

I have been online looking at the images from some digital cameras and
reading reviews. Some of the "better" cameras have relatively soft images -
which is explained as being the result of in-camera noise filtering. Some
of the cheaper (and / or more compact) camera images look relatively
sharper - but that is explained as being the result of in-camera sharpening.

This situation discourages me from buying a new digital camera.

I would like to have a camera that does minimal filtering but still saves
images in some low-loss compressed format. I would like to sharpen and/or
reduce noise using image processing programs on my computer - after the
fact, as I choose.

Any ideas, suggested links to information? Can one turn down or turn off
image filtering on any modestly priced compact cameras?

I would prefer a compact or sub-compact camera. I am tired of carrying
around an old SLR.

Thanks,

DaveC

 

Some compact cameras support RAW formats, which would let you do all of
the image processing after downloading to your computer. Off-hand, a
few models: Canon S70, Canon G6, Panasonic LX1, a bunch of Fuji
cameras, etc.

-dms

 

Get a camera that allows you the option of saving the RAW sensor data
then you can control the sharpening, etc yourself.


**********************************************************

"A combat photographer should be able to make you see the
color of blood in black and white"


David Douglas Duncan
Speaking on why in Vietnam
he worked only in black and white
http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/exhibitions/online/ddd/

 

Thanks for the suggestions about "raw". I knew about raw, but I always
thought that the raw format is really, really bulky. Maybe with the new 1
gig storage cards this isn't such a problem anymore.

Do any cameras let you automatically store in raw, then let you review your
images, in the camera, and decide to re-store the less important images in
..jpg? - and delete the raw to save space? I probably would like to preserve
the raw version for only 10% of my pictures.

Dave C

 

Storage is cheap. Some spot-checking indicates that RAW formats run
about 1-2 bytes/pixel, depending on manufacturer (highest-quality JPG
tends to be 0.5 bytes/pixel or thereabouts). Even in the worst case
scenario for file size, you can still fit fiftyish pictures on a 1
gig card.

There are some cameras that can save RAW + JPG. I would assume that such
cameras allow for deleting one or the other, but I don't have any
first-hand knowledge of that.

-dms

 

Whatever the pro's and con's of raw mode it doesn't come with many lower
priced models. Since most images benefit from some degree of post
processing, sharpening isn't that much of an issue.
Dave Cohen

 

Actually, RAW takes up somewhat less storage space than .TIFF. It is
fairly compact, but still takes much more space than .jpg format. You
pays your money, and you takes your choice....

 

None of my Canon dSLR's (20D and 5D) allow that. Just process the
raw. You'll get better pictures.


**********************************************************

"A combat photographer should be able to make you see the
color of blood in black and white"


David Douglas Duncan
Speaking on why in Vietnam
he worked only in black and white
http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/exhibitions/online/ddd/

 

Yes, but sorry, I don't recall the camera. I read a mini-review
recently of one that did allow copies to be made within the camera
using one of the alternative jpg formats. You might find it if you
check the most recent "news" articles at dpreview.com but I can't
guarantee it.


[from your previous message]

It's not unusual to have a choice of these options in P&S cameras.
My Fuji S5100 has menu options allowing you to select sharpness
settings among Hard, Normal and Soft, and it (as well as many other
P&S cameras) allows for a choice of less or more jpg compression. I
very rarely take pictures using RAW, but I suppose it would be very
useful in situations having lighting that's unusual, non-uniform or
changing. The most convenient place to see whether a particular
camera has sharpening options would be dpreview.com's full reviews.
If it's not mentioned there, someone in this newsgroup that has the
camera might provide that information, or you could download the
camera's manual from the manufacturer's website.