DeNoise AI Brightening Image

AK_Terry · May 3, 2019, 6:31am

I understand DeNoise AI uses an Auto Brightening Preview to help us see and remove noise in the darker (shadow) areas, it claims it “Does not affect output”. Even with the Auto Brighten Preview turned off, the preview image is very much brighter than the actual image and this brightening of the image is clearly visible in the final, saved file, making the file unusable for my application (HDRi).

Also, Topaz claims DeNoise AI will save the edited raw data as a DNG file, but what I’m seeing tells me this is not true. Admittedly, I can’t find the original reference at the Topaz website making this claim, so there is a possibility I’m mistaken.

AiDon · May 3, 2019, 6:41am

You need to specify the output type in the Save as dialog:

Please raise a support request at the Topaz Labs Support page. The Auto-Brightness preview does not affect the output and the display of a input RAW image will be different on all applications that accept RAW as input because each application will apply their own tone curve.

AK_Terry · May 3, 2019, 12:36pm

I did specify as DNG on output.

Therein lies the problem, as it is definitely applying a tone curve that raises the shadows to an unacceptable level. We’ll definitely open a support request.

Thanks for your time and assistance Don.

AiDon · May 3, 2019, 2:02pm

Can you tell me what image format you are opening in DeNoise AI and, if so, what other application are you sending the image to Sharpen AI from.

AK_Terry · May 3, 2019, 2:07pm

The file is in raw (Canon CR2) format. I’m saving the image directly from DeNoise AI. The image thumbnail (when viewed in Bridge) shows the image much brighter than the “As Shot” CR2 file. Opening the image in ACR and then into PS, both show the same increased brightness.

Support request was submitted, ticket #175943.

AK_Terry · May 3, 2019, 2:13pm

AK_Terry · May 3, 2019, 2:14pm

DNG created by DeNoise AI.

AK_Terry · May 3, 2019, 2:15pm

“As Shot” CR2 file.

miguel.shutterbug · January 28, 2020, 6:01pm

Hello,

Was this ever resolved? I am beginning to test DeNoise AI v2 and seeing the same results, the output is brightened up beyond being usable. I would like to have DeNoise take care of the noise only.

Thank you,

Mike.

amgeer · May 6, 2021, 7:36pm

Any update on this issue? Mine is doing the same thing. I am running 3.0.3 and my output is significantly brighter. I have tried preserving the format which is NEF so it goes to DNG, directly to DNG, and JPEG all with the same results of a much brighter output. DNG is much brighter than the original, almost blown out, and JPEG is not as bright but still brighter than the original.

geko-grafx · May 8, 2021, 6:05pm

Hello,

I have the same issue here. I use DNG files from my Penty K-1 and and K-1 II.
Both show the same faulty brightening of the pictures.
Seem that this came up with V3 only.

Best
Georg

baboon_king · July 16, 2021, 9:34pm

I’m seeing issues too; every picture I’m running through is brightened and reds especially end up oversaturated and losing detail. Color profile information is being lost as well, even when saving using the “preserve source format” option. It’s bad enough that any outputs I’m getting on most of my images are completely unusable now.

Greyfox · July 18, 2021, 7:27am

Welcome to the forum.

It would have been helpful had you included details of your hardware, graphics card, operating system, graphics driver version, Denoise version and its preference settings, along with source image type, source color profile (if any) and your save settings. That would have given your post more meaning. It would also have helped if you stated whether the issues occur when you are using Denoise AI free standing, or as a plugin from a particular host editor.

For example, to clarify my reply, I’m using Denoise AI 3.2.0 on Windows 10 Pro version 21H1 Build 19043.1110. Hardware is Intel i7-10700, 32GB RAM, Graphics GTX 1660 OC 6GB, with 471.11 driver, and for the following Denoise AI is being used freestanding…

In terms of whether color profiles are being lost - I don’t know what you are basing this on.

The situation re the terms “color profiles” and “color spaces” (which are not technically the same, but are often interchangeably used) can be confusing, and made somewhat more so by conflicting views as to whether the EXIF standard for color space allows for just sRGB =1 with everything else as uncalibrated = 65535), or whether Adobe (1988) =2 is also allowed.

Anyhow, RAW images have no actual color profile, though the EXIF metadata may show a camera color space setting (which would apply to ex camera JPGs), so when using Denoise AI freestanding with a RAW source image, if you specify "preserve source profile"and save as a JPG, then there is no ICC color profile to preserve, so Denoise AI embeds the widest ICC color profile it can (ProPhoto) in the saved JPG. That will affect how that JPG is subsequently viewed if the view software supports color management.
Note that in this situation Denoise AI also sets the EXIF colorspace to uncalibrated.

If I use instead a source TIFF file which has an embedded Adobe RGB (1988) Color profile (with EXIF color space “uncalibrated”) as the source file, and save to JPG with the same “preserve source profile”, then the saved JPG correctly has an embedded Adobe RGB (1998) ICC color profile, and its Exif Color Space=2 (shows as Adobe RGB).

If I use the same TIFF file as the source file and save to a TIFF, then the saved file has an Adobe RGB (1998) color profile embedded (though it might be reported in some software as “Adobe98”). It has an EXIF color space=65535 (shows as “Uncalibrated”).

Perhaps to add to the confusion, it seems that some applications cannot read the EXIF metadata written into TIFF files by others, giving the appearance that it has been stripped, when that may not be the case. My reference when in doubt is ExifTool. And Exiftool has no difficulty reading the EXIF metadata written into TIFF file save from Denoise AI in freestanding mode.

Finally, the screenshot below shows a source TIFF image and the saved TIFF Image from Denoise AI. I don’t have a problem with the colors in the saved file, however I’ll leave it to others to make their own judgement.

For the sake of completeness, the original image was a RAW file from a Sony SLT-A77V camera. It was developed into a TIFF in Affinity Photo, with default settings other than disabling noise reduction and setting the Color Profile to Adobe RGB (1998). That TIFF image was then processed in Denoise AI (freestanding mode) using the Standard Model, RN=22, ES=1, ROD=0, CNR=10 and saved to TIFF, LZW compressed. using “preserve source profile”