noise reduction

[tonymidd]

Here's a method that costs now't if you've PS, may work with GIP or PSP

open image>image mode>lab color

open channels palette, you have from top to bottom Lab, lightness, a &b channels

highlight 'a' channel, this contains the colour data,
filters> gaussian blur. increase the radius until you see the noise in the preview box reduce to an acceptable level >OK

highlight 'b' channel>Ctrl-F, this applies the same amount of blur used in 'a'>OK

image>mode>RGB

[Wineman]

Great tip Tony - thanks. I use something similiar for sharpening as well.

[tonymidd]

Great tip Tony - thanks. I use something similiar for sharpening as well.

For USM use the lab channel which holds the image data that way you avoid colour artifacts from sharepening. One advantage is you can apply quite hard sharpening more than once without problems like artifacts.