A Breakthrough For High ISO Noise!!

I know that many people are having trouble with noise levels at higher ISO's. I don't like to use flash if I don't have to. What do we do???

Like many 50D owners, I've been less than impressed with the high ISO performance of my new camera. I was beginning to think either I was expecting too much or Canon was full of it.

Slowly I've been getting better at working this camera to it's abilities, which by the way are more than my abilities as a photographer LOL. I've gotten better and better results as the months have passed. But today, well today I had a major breakthrough. I was reading some of the threads on groups I'm in here on Flickr and there was a fantastic suggestion on how to handle noise on any make or model camera. I wish I could find that thread to give props to the person who pointed it out. I'll keep looking for it. Here's what the breakthrough is.

Shift your exposure to the right and bring it back down in post. That's it. I tried at ISO 3200, 6400 and 12800. I overexposed 1 and 2 stops then brought them down that amount in post. The noise disappeared. Well enough of it to make even my ISO 12,800 usuable. Look at these shots at full size and see what I mean.

I love my 50D again!!

ISO 6400, normal exposure. Noise not too bad here.

Now the same shot but over exposed 2 stops then pulled back down in post.

Here is ISO 12,800 normal exposure. Pretty much useless. My cell phone looks better.

Now ISO 12,800 over exposed 2 stops then brought down in post. This I could use. Still has some noise but ISO 12,800!! Wow.

I'm pretty sure this will work for any make and model. Let me know if it works for you.

Chris.