Long Exposure Noise Reduction?

[nvchad2]

I've been confused about my camera lately so I started doing a little research. it was irritating that my camera spent just as much time processing and image as it did taking one. 30 minutes of exposure would take me an hour to capture! Apparently this is a function called long exposure noise reduction which if I understand correctly is the camera making a dark frame and merging it with the image to reduce noise.

I assume this is less precise than manually taking darks and letting DSS do its thing, but I could be wrong. If someone would like to explain it to me or show me where to look, id love to learn a bit.

The noise is terrible with my camera, even with the noise reduction on, so I'm just trying to see what I can do to get the most out of my equipment.

[Bizibilder]

You need to take darks seperately.  Not only is the in camera noise reduction wasting half your valuable imaging time, but the inbuilt software is most likely not necessarily doing the same as the Astro stacking software will do.  It is also likely that your final image will be in JPEG format (which is a lossy compression) that will degrade your image.  You should shoot in RAW mode (if your camera has it) for both "lights" (your images) and darks.  One good thing is that you can take your darks whenever convenient - they must, however, be taken at the same exposure length and temperature as your lights.  (generally + or - 5°C will do).

I have taken a whole library of darks (I do it on cloudy nights) every 5°C from -5C to +20C and simply use the nearest set when processing my images.  I replace my darks roughly once a year.

[nvchad2]

You need to take darks seperately.  Not only is the in camera noise reduction wasting half your valuable imaging time, but the inbuilt software is most likely not necessarily doing the same as the Astro stacking software will do.  It is also likely that your final image will be in JPEG format (which is a lossy compression) that will degrade your image.  You should shoot in RAW mode (if your camera has it) for both "lights" (your images) and darks.  One good thing is that you can take your darks whenever convenient - they must, however, be taken at the same exposure length and temperature as your lights.  (generally + or - 5°C will do).

I have taken a whole library of darks (I do it on cloudy nights) every 5°C from -5C to +20C and simply use the nearest set when processing my images.  I replace my darks roughly once a year.

Thanks.  I have it set to shoot RAW. I don't like shooting JPEG unless its just stuff around the house.  I'll definitely be turning it off when I get home (assuming that's an option).  If I had known about this when I started imaging a few weeks ago, it would never have remained on.

I've wasted so much time waiting for the camera to finish "Processing..."  

[pixelsaurus]

Page 118 of the manual tells you how to disable NR.

[nvchad2]

Page 118 of the manual tells you how to disable NR.

Thank you.  I will look the manual up when I get home and go ahead and get rid of that.

[JB80]

I don't know the Sony's options but on my Canon I also turn off the "High ISO noise reduction" setting for pretty much the same reasons as above. Darks can always be taken after you have imaged so you aren't sitting around waiting.

[nvchad2]

I don't know the Sony's options but on my Canon I also turn off the "High ISO noise reduction" setting for pretty much the same reasons as above. Darks can always be taken after you have imaged so you aren't sitting around waiting.

I've turned off both of the noise reduction settings on my camera now.  I should be good to go now.  Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply.