A new iNovaFX color noise and grain reducing Photoshop Action Filter is available now for Beta testing by Photoshop 6.0 owners. Free to all digital photographers.

Called the "iSORemover1.ps6", the Action seeks to reduce the grain artifacts and color noise artifacts of high ISO images by at least one stop of ISO without impairing fine color detail or painting the image with an unrealistic airbrush effect.

"Doing surgery on a troubled image always runs the risk of making the wrong compromises," said Peter iNova, author of the iNovaFX Photoshop Action Filter series, "but I think this one is very close to right. A few early users have tried it with low ISO images and tell me results are good there, too."

Color noise is usually not a problem with low ISO shots, but every little bit may help. Photographers who enjoy available light photography know that high ISO is both their friend and enemy. The increased sensitivity helps capture the shot, but the build-up of color inaccuracies (noise + blotches) and grain can become distracting and undesirable.

The filter does four things in a particular sequence. It captures fine color detail and holds that aside while it lowers color noise, then diminishes rough grain without removing most of the subtle texture in a shot. When that is finished, it replaces the fine detail areas and restores the shot's chroma, since the other operations tend to reduce image chroma unevenly.

"At over 20 seconds to do its work, it's not terribly fast," iNova said, "but it makes ISO 800 shots look a lot more like ISO 400. ISO 400 originals look more like ISO 200 shots, etc. You can view the before and after images color by color and see dramatic differences in the blue and red channels. I designed it to help with Nikon 995 ISO 800 images in particular, but I want to know how well it works for other cameras and film speeds. Therefore, this public Beta test."

The filter can be accessed for free through the DigitalSecrets.Net Web Site at:

http://www.digitalsecrets.net/secrets/denoiseISO.html

iNova is also the author of "Mastering Nikon� Compact Digital Cameras" an eBook on CD detailing Nikon 950/990/995/775 cameras. He is soliciting feedback from users who try the PS Action Filter. The Beta version will be available through the end of the year. Future eBooks for Nikon and other cameras will include the final version(s).