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Noise reduction software like Topaz Denoise or Lightroom's built-in tools actually work better than you'd think if you shoot in RAW and dial it in carefully - the key is knowing when to use it *after* the fact rather than trying to avoid noise altogether. The prevention angle matters, sure, but honestly relying only on faster glass or higher ISO limits can leave you stuck if your gear is what it is; a good denoise pass preserves way more detail than you'd lose, especially if you're not pushing it too hard. What camera are you shooting with, and are you currently shooting RAW or JPEG?
coder_sandra asker
Canon R6 Mark II, RAW mostly. Haven't tried Topaz yet - is the learning curve steep?
The thing is, noise reduction isn't always the first move - sometimes you're better off preventing the noise in the first place by bumping up your ISO limit and using a faster lens or tripod. If you're already stuck with noisy shots, shooting in RAW gives you way more control when you're editing, and most software (Lightroom, Capture One, that kind of thing) has decent noise reduction sliders that won't turn your photo into a blurry mess if you're careful. The trick is not going overboard - a little noise often looks better than a photo that's been over-smoothed and lost all its detail.
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