R5 and RF 100-500 Noise

[PietPienaar]

Hi Everyone. I use a R5 with a RF 100-500 lens. Great gear. I am experiencing a serious noise build up starting from ISO 640 onwards. To keep the noise levels down I shoot at slower shutter speeds but sacrifice quality in the process. I do not do any in body cropping anymore. Today I did a test shoot in moderate light conditions with Shutter speed at 1000ths of a second with Auto ISO at 1000 as well. The results were populated with noise and not useable. Even the latest version of DeNoise AI struggled. Anyone with the same or similar problem?

 

[Kwazy]

Hello and welcome.
Please post a sample (cropped out portion of your image at full resolution).

 

[PietPienaar]

Thanks for the speedy response. I tried cropping in Lightroom and exporting as DNG but cannot upload as the file size is too large. could you help with instructions?

 

[Kwazy]

Try .JPG

 

[PietPienaar]

Thanks for the help. Both were at ISO 1600 at about 200/2500ths of a sec. Both poor images but it is the noise which is an issue. Can it perhaps be IBIT competing with Lens stabilisation?

 

[Kwazy]

I think your images may have gotten downsized. If you upload a very large image, this site makes them smaller - which is why I specified that you should crop out a portion of your image. Crop a 1000x1000 pixel noisy region and post that please. I don't see any noise in the images you've provided, at least nothing Topaz couldn't fix.

 

[PietPienaar]

Thanks a lot. I had already deleted my images so I used some older ones of a few weeks ago. Tomorrow I will do a controlled shoot at 1000ths of a second with Auto ISO. It looks like it could be a cloudy day tomorrow so medium light conditions shoul prevail. Your assistance is really appreciated.

 

[Kwazy]

Alright.
Higher ISO does cause quite a bit of noise though. Did your results suddenly change to give cause for alarm?

 

[PietPienaar]

It has been like this since I got the R5. I do know that higher ISO causes noise but it should not be so at 640 to 800. In many cases my backgrounds tend to be cluttered or my subjects too far away or too small so I may be cropping excessively. I do wildlife so often I cannot choose the position of my subject. Tomorrow I will go to a small reserve NEAR ME with Lion, Wild Dog and Cheetah so I will need to shoot at 1000 sec. with Auto ISO so if cloudy the ISO will be above 800. I will see if I can upload some images. All three have fluffy coats so the test should be good.

 

[PietPienaar]

Larger animals seem to be ok but smaller ones and birds always seem to be noisy.

 

[Kwazy]

Noise is best seen on monotone backgrounds, like skies and water. What you're describing sounds normal though, and should be easily cleared up with DeNoise. Will await your results.

 

[PietPienaar]

Good day. I am back after being in the reserve and have uploaded two images. Both were taken resting on a bean bag from the car. It was a cloudy day with intermittent sunlight. The specs for the Cheetah are ISO 1600, Shutter Speed 2000, Focal Length 500mm, Metering Mode Spot and the Wild Dogs ISO 1250, Shutter Speed 2000, Focal Length 238, Metering Mode Spot with focus on the dog on the right. In both instances the animals were not excessively far away.

 

[Kwazy]

Welcome back.
Perhaps the dog picture got scaled down because there's no noise visible. It is, however, nice and clear on the cheetah. Looks like normal noise to me, and should be expected with ISO1600 on the R5. I'd even get noise on the R6 at that ISO. I'd challenge you to find an unprocessed image taken at ISO1600 that shows no noise.

Are you saying DeNoise can't clear that up? I've dealt with worse.

 

[PietPienaar]

Thank you very much. Both images were as shot so no processing. To conclude, I should accept that both the R5 and 100-500 do not perform well in low light but are excellent in good light. You have helped me a lot. Enjoy your day.

 

[Kwazy]

No problem!
Your F4.5L should perform better than my 100-400 F5.6 non-L. I was sorely disappointed by that lens' performance in low light. But in general, yes, I'm also much more pleased with R performance in bright conditions than low light as well. If it's of any help, DeNoise + turning up saturation in post-processing helps a bit.

Cheers.

 

[RedCobra]

I don't see excessive noise. I do see focus issues. Here's a shot taken at 1/1250 at ISO 40,000 f/7.1 500mm with the R5

• Canon EOS R5
• RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
• 428.0 mm
• ƒ/7.1
• 1/1250 sec
• ISO 40000

and cropped about 60% cleaned up in DxO Pure Raw.

 

[RedCobra]

Another at high ISO

• Canon EOS R5
• RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
• 114.0 mm
• ƒ/5
• 1/800 sec
• ISO 32000

 

[PietPienaar]

I don't see excessive noise. I do see focus issues. Here's a shot taken at 1/1250 at ISO 40,000 f/7.1 500mm with the R5 View attachment 10890and cropped about 60% cleaned up in DxO Pure Raw.

Stunning!! You give me hope. I have been struggling with focus for about three months and cannot trace the problem. I thought it may be the noise but clearly not. Without creating to much work for you is it possible to let me know what your AF settings are? Your post is really appreciated.

 

[Kwazy]

I do see focus issues.

I don't see focus issues. Are you talking about his shallow DoF? Where should I be looking?

 

[PietPienaar]

I recently purchased DeNoise AI. Is DxO Pure Raw so much better or will DeNoise do the trick. The sales blurb from both are just too good to be true.

 

[RedCobra]

Stunning!! You give me hope. I have been struggling with focus for about three months and cannot trace the problem. I thought it may be the noise but clearly not. Without creating to much work for you is it possible to let me know what your AF settings are? Your post is really appreciated.

For Wildlife, I consistently shoot: AI Servo, Evaluative Metering, Animal Eye Focus, Auto ISO, Shutter Preferred. For birds: 1/2500 or greater, For moving animals 1/1250 or greater, for stationary critters 1/800 or greater. IBIS always on.

Shutter speed should have been higher on this one, but he surprised me.

• Canon EOS R5
• RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
• 500.0 mm
• ƒ/8
• 1/1600 sec
• ISO 400

 

[PietPienaar]

For Wildlife, I consistently shoot: AI Servo, Evaluative Metering, Animal Eye Focus, Auto ISO, Shutter Preferred. For birds: 1/2500 or greater, For moving animals 1/1250 or greater, for stationary critters 1/800 or greater. IBIS always on.

Shutter speed should have been higher on this one, but he surprised me.View attachment 10892

Thank you. I use similar settings but sometimess Spot AF in poorer light. I have had the 100-500 for about 3 months so I want to investigate the electronic focus ring which is positioned close to the camera. Somehow i get the feeling that it may be the cause of my problem as my setting for this may be wrong. My older I00-400 did not have this ring.

 

[RedCobra]

I don't see focus issues. Are you talking about his shallow DoF? Where should I be looking?

Really, they are all out of focus. I am watching on a 27" calibrated monitor. What are you looking at them on?

 

[Kwazy]

What are you looking at them on

I'm not as fancy as you!

They look in focus to me. The focus is on the dog on the right and the cheetah's eye, but the depth of field is extremely shallow so most of the rest of the images are out of focus. However I see it as a settings choice, not a focusing issue.

I shall defer to your expertise.

 

[Dave Williams]

I wouldn't consider the noise levels in any of the shots as excessive and in my opinion the R5 and 100-500 performs exceptionally well in poor or dull light. That was my biggest fear, especially at f10 with the 1.4TC attached. The combination of in body and lens stabilisation allows very low shutter speeds and if the subject is fairly static you can get away with a much lower ISO than I have experienced in my previously owned DLSRs. The more pixels the more likely you will see noise so consequently the R6 probably produces cleaner images but I don't see anything much to worry about when a shot is correctly exposed at anything below ISO3200.
One option to also consider though is to wind the lens in so you get a wider aperture to improve your ISO options, you can then crop the image in PP.

 

[jwn]

Hi Everyone. I use a R5 with a RF 100-500 lens. Great gear. I am experiencing a serious noise build up starting from ISO 640 onwards. To keep the noise levels down I shoot at slower shutter speeds but sacrifice quality in the process. I do not do any in body cropping anymore. Today I did a test shoot in moderate light conditions with Shutter speed at 1000ths of a second with Auto ISO at 1000 as well. The results were populated with noise and not useable. Even the latest version of DeNoise AI struggled. Anyone with the same or similar problem?

run it through DPP4 for noise

 

[jwn]

Hi Everyone. I use a R5 with a RF 100-500 lens. Great gear. I am experiencing a serious noise build up starting from ISO 640 onwards. To keep the noise levels down I shoot at slower shutter speeds but sacrifice quality in the process. I do not do any in body cropping anymore. Today I did a test shoot in moderate light conditions with Shutter speed at 1000ths of a second with Auto ISO at 1000 as well. The results were populated with noise and not useable. Even the latest version of DeNoise AI struggled. Anyone with the same or similar problem?

run it through DPP4

 

[Dave Williams]

Canon's DPP automatically runs the images through DPP and it makes a mess of them in my opinion. I don't use it for PP, only for deciding which to keep and which to cull.

 

[GregO]

I also get a lot of noise with the RF 100-500 mm lens and R6. In most pictures in lower light I get it a lot. I typically use Topaz Denoise software which usually works great to remove the noise.

 

[PietPienaar]

I also get a lot of noise with the RF 100-500 mm lens and R6. In most pictures in lower light I get it a lot. I typically use Topaz Denoise software which usually works great to remove the noise.

Thanks. I guess noise with the R5 and R6 is part of our destiny. DeNoise does help but it adds anothe layer of work. Both cameras are excellent in good light so my shooting habits will just have to be realigned to that of my equipment.