New update for Lightroom Classic enables AI noise reduction

Thursday 20 April 2023, 20:02 by Nando Harmsen | 8,615 views | 12 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

Adobe has released a new update for Lightroom Classic. The most notable new option is AI-powered noise reduction. At first glance, this update promises to make other software for smart noise reduction completely unnecessary.

A notification from LrC about the new features.
Until recently, you had to rely on third-party software for advanced noise reduction. The existing noise reduction options worked perfectly well in most cases. But they still fell far short of what was possible with smart noise reduction using machine learning techniques.

Reduce noise with AI. The result is saved as a separate DNG file.
The latest update to Lightroom Classic has finally made AI noise reduction available. The result is saved as a separate DNG file, leaving the original file untouched. Non-destructive editing is therefore maintained.

The results of my own first attempts look fantastic. It is easy to use, with just one slider. Details are preserved very well, and at first glance it seems to perform better than the competition.

A comparison of an edited photo taken at ISO 10,000. On the left without noise reduction, in the middle with manual noise reduction, and on the right with AI noise reduction. Pay particular attention to the preservation of details, such as the wrinkles on the forehead and the loose hairs and eyelashes.
Noise reduction is not the only change Adobe has introduced with the update. The masks have also been updated, and automatic detection for people can now recognise facial hair and clothing. You will also see these masks listed as an adaptive preset.

AI masking for people can now also recognise facial hair and clothing. This is available as an adaptive preset.
The adjustment options for masks now also include curves. Until now, this was only available in Camera Raw. You can now apply curves to every mask in Lightroom Classic as well.

Curves are now also available in a mask. Finally.
With this update, Adobe has made third-party noise reduction software almost unnecessary. However, there is one important limitation.

AI noise reduction currently only works with raw files. If you have a JPEG or TIFF file, AI noise reduction is not yet available. We will have to be patient a little longer for that.

Haven't installed the latest version of Lightroom Classic yet? Do it soon, because the features you get with it make it well worth doing.

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About the author

Nando Harmsen has been photographing for more than 40 years. He specialises in wedding photography and landscape photography. Nando also gives talks, workshops, masterclasses and photo trips, and regularly reviews new and interesting equipment.

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12 comments

Ellen Keizer wrote on Tuesday 25 April 2023 at 10:18 | reply
Hartelijk bedankt voor de duidelijke toelichting. Na het lezen meteen de update uitgevoerd. Helaas krijg ik de melding “ruis verminderen is momenteel niet compatibel met de indeling van deze foto”. Het gaat om RAW-files, gemaakt met Canon R6. Hoe los ik dit op?
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.

wilmers wrote on Tuesday 25 April 2023 at 10:22 | reply
Dat is vreemd Ellen, wij hebben exact dezelfde combi ook een R6 en zowel in photoshop als lightroom is de nieuwe functie volledig beschikbaar.
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.

Nando wrote on Tuesday 25 April 2023 at 10:27 | reply
@Ellen:
Ik heb AI ruis verminderen zojuist geprobeerd met de raw bestanden (c-raw om precies te zijn) van zowel de Canon EOS R6 als de EOS R6 mark II. In beide gevallen werkt het perfect.
Waarom het bij jou niet lukt is even de vraag. Daar weet ik (nog) geen antwoord op.
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.

guest wrote on Tuesday 25 April 2023 at 11:39 | reply
Ik heb dezelfde ervaring als Ellen. RAW-files met de Sony @7MIV en ook RAW in HDR.
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.

rob vosse wrote on Tuesday 25 April 2023 at 12:01 | reply
Dit is al lang mogelijk bij Luminar Neo maar daar hoor en zie ik heel weinig over, altijd Photoshop en of Lightroom!!
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.

fotosvanrob wrote on Tuesday 25 April 2023 at 12:15 | reply
Met een RAW-foto van mijn Canon R5 heb ik een vergelijking gemaakt tussen de nieuwe ruisreductie van Lightroom en die van Topaz Denoise. Hierbij heb ik ten behoeve van Topaz vanuit LR een tiff gemaakt en Topaz op de tiff laten werken. Hier kon ik twee conclusies uit trekken.
1. De ruisreducties van de twee resultaten waren vergelijkbaar, maar de Topaz foto was scherper
2. Lightroom deed er een half uur over, terwijl Topaz ruim 5 minuten nodig had.
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.

Frans Visser wrote on Tuesday 25 April 2023 at 12:17 | reply
Ik idem dito als Ellen. Vreemd is dat ik bij een eerste poging wel succes had, maar bij volgende RAW-foto's krijg ik dezelfde boodschap. (EOS R7).
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.

Gerhard wrote on Tuesday 25 April 2023 at 12:40 | reply
RAW-files genomen met mijn Sony A7iv worden in LrC prima verwerkt en 'ontruisd'. Erg tevreden met het resultaat.

This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.

Paul wrote on Tuesday 25 April 2023 at 13:38 | reply
Zowel met mijn eos R5 als eos R6 mkII werkt het perfect met de raw files.
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.

Cees wrote on Tuesday 25 April 2023 at 15:02 | reply
Mijn ervaring met de nieuwe mogelijkheden voor ruisvermindering in Lightroom (Classic) is wel positief v.w.b. de resultaten. Echter wat wel een probleem is dat L.R. er wel hééél veel tijd voor nodig heeft terwijl ik een computer heb die best wel snel is met de overige bewerkingen in Lightroom.
Blijkbaar is het essentieel dat je computer beschikt over een snelle processor maar vooral de videokaart schijnt veel invloed te hebben op de bewerking "ruisvermindering".
Dit is ook zo bij gebruik van de software van Topaz Photo A.I. maar die doet er toch veel minder lang over bij mij dan Lightroom.
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.

Ellen Keizer wrote on Tuesday 25 April 2023 at 15:26 | reply
Het lijkt erop dat ik het probleem heb ontdekt: ik haal mijn foto’s altijd binnen om ze op een NAS server op te slaan. Als ik vanuit deze opslag de foto’s in LrC inlaad, werkt ruisverbeteren niet.
Zojuist foto’s direct vanaf geheugenkaart naar LrC geïmporteerd, en de ruisverbetering werd direct actief.
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.

Lotte wrote on Monday 29 May 2023 at 14:20 | reply
Ik probeer dit toe te passen op mijn foto's maar telkens als lightroom bezig is met het verbeteren van de foto treed er een onbekende fout op. En wordt het proces afgebroken. Ik heb geen idee waar het aan ligt. Op een andere computer / laptop werkt het wel dus het kan niet aan de foto's liggen.
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.

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