a tool for reducing noise banding
How to Use StripeStripper
Typically, you take a JPEG or TIFF file from your camera or from your RAW development application (e.g., Lightroom, PhotoShop CS3, Bibble), run the image through StripeStripper to remove the worst of the noise banding, then apply your noise reduction software at the end.
To open an image, click File - Open...
StripeStripper is donationware. It is free to download and use for any legal purpose.
If it saves your photograph, or extends your usable ISO, please consider making a donation.
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User Guide
StripeStripper displays the image on the right.
NOTE: StripeStripper is optimized to remove horizontal bands. If your bands are vertical, rotate your image so that the bands are horizontal.
If your image requires rotation, you can rotate your image before loading it into StripeStripper or use the Image - Rotate Left function on the menu.
Reducing Shadow Noise
Identify the predominant color channel for the noise. For example, on the Olympus E-510 DSLR, most of the shadow noise is in the blue channel.
Using the gauge below the Blue channel button, slide the slider downward to remove blue noise from the shadows.
Calibrating Shadows with the Mouse
Click on the color selector corresponding to the color you want to calibrate, then left-click on image at the boundary between shadow and midtones. This adjusts the corresponding gauge.
Using the Line Tool
With the line tool, you can tell StripeStripper what areas of the image should have a smooth (linear) or uniform color variation.
NOTE: If your image has no smooth or uniform areas of color, the Line Tool will not work.
Click the color selector (Red/Green/Blue) corresponding to the color of the noise band you want to remove.
Click the Line tab to activate the Line Tool.
Click and drag to draw a line through the image where color ought to be flat or vary smoothly.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
Combining Methods
You can use the Shadow Tool and the Line Tool together. When you do this, the Shadow Tool is applied first, and the Line Tool applied second.
Comparing Changes
Right-click on the image to see a snapshot of your original image. Release the right mouse button to return to the modified image.
Saving the Results
To save the results, click File - Save As...
The saved file contains the final image only, without the lines and without any StripeStripper settings.
The default filename is the original filename with "_stripped" appended to the name.
NOTE: When you save, the noise reduction is applied to the full size image. This can take 15-90 seconds.
Copyright 2008 Ivan Phillips.
StripeStripper is a trademark of Ivan Phillips.