HG10 "fixed pattern" noise on dark shots at DVinfo.net
DV Info Net

Go Back   DV Info Net > Canon EOS / MXF / AVCHD / HDV / DV Camera Systems > Canon XA and VIXIA Series AVCHD Camcorders > Canon VIXIA Series AVCHD and HDV Camcorders
Register FAQ Today's Posts Buyer's Guides

Canon VIXIA Series AVCHD and HDV Camcorders
For VIXIA / LEGRIA Series (HF G, HF S, HF and HV) consumer camcorders.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old November 23rd, 2007, 12:07 PM   #1
Major Player
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Southern Cal-ee-for-Ni-ya
Posts: 608
HG10 "fixed pattern" noise on dark shots

My HG10 has fairly noticeable fixed pattern noise at low light.
Fixed pattern noise is this: A type of noise that is the same frame after frame. So when you pan a shot across a dark background, the noise stays there as if you had a dirty screen or sensor. It does not move or twinkle like normal noise.
I have a feeling that all HG10s have this, but I'm not sure. FPN can be calibrated out, but Canon may have not done this.
Shooting conditions I noticed it on: 24P 1/24 sec in shadows in a night city street shot. Slow pan. Look in shadows near black. The HV20 may also do this, since they share sensor types.
Any one else notice this?
I can come up with a filter to fix this
-Les
Les Dit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 23rd, 2007, 12:22 PM   #2
Major Player
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Posts: 393
Isn't that normal for AVCHD cameras? It sounds like normal temporal noise reduction. IE, it doesn't change pixels that don't change enough between frames. The downside is that there will be ghost images if the noise reduction is set too high.
Mikko Lopponen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 23rd, 2007, 12:39 PM   #3
Major Player
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Southern Cal-ee-for-Ni-ya
Posts: 608
It's noise not compression blocking. The compression blocking is there as well, on top of the fixed pattern noise. The FPN is much more noticeable than the compression effects. In fact, the AVCHD compression is doing a swell job of preserving the dark FPN I am talking about !

I know most people will not be shooting in dark conditions much, and most users probably wont see this issue, but users at this forum are a bit more demanding.



Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikko Lopponen View Post
Isn't that normal for AVCHD cameras? It sounds like normal temporal noise reduction. IE, it doesn't change pixels that don't change enough between frames. The downside is that there will be ghost images if the noise reduction is set too high.
Les Dit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 27th, 2007, 08:01 PM   #4
Major Player
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Posts: 220
so is there a post-fix for this? I just recently shot a winter show in a night club and I have fixed noise (more prominent in shadows).
Jason Burkhimer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 28th, 2007, 12:48 AM   #5
Major Player
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Southern Cal-ee-for-Ni-ya
Posts: 608
Yes, there is a way to fix it, you make a picture of the dark pattern with the camera pointing at black, or near black. Saving that image, you subtract that image from the moving video image, tuning it with a luminance keyer to only effect the blacks. That should get rid of most of it.
Too bad Canon doesn't do this themselves as you shoot, it's not that hard to do compared to compression.
-Les
Les Dit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 28th, 2007, 07:37 AM   #6
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 4,222
There is also the Neat video filter. http://www.neatvideo.com/examples.html

Ron Evans
Ron Evans is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 28th, 2007, 08:58 AM   #7
Major Player
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Posts: 220
wow, the neat video filter works pretty well! thanks for the input guys!
Jason Burkhimer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 28th, 2007, 02:49 PM   #8
Major Player
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Southern Cal-ee-for-Ni-ya
Posts: 608
Neat video works on random noise. fixed pattern noise is not distinguishable from real image detail without special input of a dark only frame.

Example: Say the FPN looks like a brick wall pattern. Now shoot video of a brick wall. How does the filter know the difference between the brick wall and the FPN ? It does not. It would remove the brick wall pattern and leave you with a blank screen!

The filter has to have prior image data of the FPN ( the dark image ).
Neat Video is a good filter for random noise, for sure.
-Les
Les Dit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 28th, 2007, 03:21 PM   #9
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 4,222
It is my understanding that Neat builds a profile...
"Neat Video builds and uses device noise profiles to make noise reduction custom-tailored to video capturing device
A device noise profile is a reusable analysis of noise properties of a video capturing device (digital video camera, film digitizer, etc.) working in a certain mode. Using a noise profile for a video capturing device in effect makes noise reduction custom-tailored to this device. Neat Video can automatically build noise profiles by analyzing the input video data."

Ron Evans
Ron Evans is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 28th, 2007, 09:29 PM   #10
Major Player
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Southern Cal-ee-for-Ni-ya
Posts: 608
The profile has no spacial information, it's only for random noise.
It does a great job of removing the random noise, leaving the fixed pattern ( non random ) there, now
the fixed pattern is even more noticeable, since it does not get masked by the random video noise.

-Les


Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron Evans View Post
It is my understanding that Neat builds a profile...
"Neat Video builds and uses device noise profiles to make noise reduction custom-tailored to video capturing device
A device noise profile is a reusable analysis of noise properties of a video capturing device (digital video camera, film digitizer, etc.) working in a certain mode. Using a noise profile for a video capturing device in effect makes noise reduction custom-tailored to this device. Neat Video can automatically build noise profiles by analyzing the input video data."

Ron Evans

Last edited by Les Dit; November 29th, 2007 at 12:43 AM.
Les Dit is offline   Reply
Reply

DV Info Net refers all where-to-buy and where-to-rent questions exclusively to these trusted full line dealers and rental houses...

B&H Photo Video
(866) 521-7381
New York, NY USA

Scan Computers Int. Ltd.
+44 0871-472-4747
Bolton, Lancashire UK


DV Info Net also encourages you to support local businesses and buy from an authorized dealer in your neighborhood.
  You are here: DV Info Net > Canon EOS / MXF / AVCHD / HDV / DV Camera Systems > Canon XA and VIXIA Series AVCHD Camcorders > Canon VIXIA Series AVCHD and HDV Camcorders


 



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:46 PM.


DV Info Net -- Real Names, Real People, Real Info!
1998-2024 The Digital Video Information Network