A Decade Old Plugin Beats Resolve's AI Noise Reduction

Let’s explore the most effective ways to apply Noise Reduction in DaVinci Resolve 19.

 

UltraNR

This is DaVinci Resolve’s latest AI-based Noise Reduction.

Before we start, here’s a pro tip: If you don’t have a reference monitor or a large enough screen to accurately assess the level of noise, avoid using Motion Effects.

 

Instead, apply a Noise Reduction OFX directly to your node.

 

Don’t worry about the parameters; they are identical, so you won’t miss anything.

 

Now you can work in full screen, giving you much more space to focus on your adjustments.

 

One of the latest features in DaVinci Resolve for noise reduction is UltraNR, a cutting-edge AI-based noise reduction tool. Apply the Noise Reduction to your node, and under the Spatial settings, select UltraNR.

 

The next step is to activate UltraNR by clicking Analyze and letting the AI process the footage.

 

By clicking Analyze, the AI identifies a flat surface with minimal tonal or color shifts and builds a noise reduction profile based on that area.

 

Now, with just one click, we can see how the AI effectively manages the noise reduction process.

 

BUT…

It doesn’t work in all scenarios. Let’s move on to the next shot and test how it handles noise reduction in this case.

 

It made some adjustments, but we still see noise in the image, which is unacceptable. The purpose of using a tool like UltraNR is to make our work easier and significantly faster. However, in this case, it didn’t deliver the desired results.

Professional Way

Let’s explore how a professional colorist approaches noise reduction using DaVinci Resolve’s native Noise Reduction tools.

Change the Motion Type setting to Better.

 

Set the Temporal Threshold to approximately 24.

 

By making this adjustment, you can clearly see the difference between the UltraNR method and the traditional method.

 

One potential issue with Temporal Noise Reduction is ghosting around moving parts. Here’s how we can prevent such occurrences.

Set the Motion parameter to around 25.

 

The next step is to set Spatial Noise Reduction to Enhanced.

 

Additionally, set the Spatial Threshold to 22. This is how a professional configures noise reduction using DaVinci Resolve’s native Noise Reduction tools.

 

The results are acceptable, but there’s an even better method we can explore. Before testing that method, let’s compare how UltraNR and the traditional approach render in real-time.

UltraNR is rendering at just 1 frame per second, which is far from acceptable.

 

Our traditional noise reduction method is rendering at 3-4 frames per second, which is an improvement but still not ideal.

 

Neat Video Plug-In for DaVinci Resolve

Neat Video is a powerful third-party plug-in designed specifically for advanced noise reduction in DaVinci Resolve. It offers exceptional control and quality, often outperforming native tools in challenging scenarios.

Let’s apply the Neat Video plug-in to our node.

 

Next, click on Prepare Noise Profile.

 

In the new module, click on Auto Profile.

 

When you click Auto Profile, it automatically selects the flattest area in the frame, which helps to remove as much noise as possible effectively.

 

Here is the result of Neat Video Noise Reduction.

 

Now, let’s compare all three methods to observe the differences in performance and quality.

 

This is a decade-old third-party plug-in, yet it continues to deliver impressive results.

Now, let’s take it a step further. Our goal is to focus the Noise Reduction on the edges of the image while undoing the NR effects from other areas.

To achieve this:

  1. Create a new node.

  2. Navigate to the Sharpening and Blur section.

  3. Adjust the Scaling settings to target the edges specifically.

 

Then, reduce the Scaling to around 0.04 to isolate the edges of the image. This adjustment ensures that only the edges are selected, without affecting any other areas.

 

This is an advanced technique to restore the sharpening lost after applying the Noise Reduction effect.

 

The next step is to apply the Film Grain effect.

 

Now we’ve added monochromatic grain to give the image some weight and texture. The results we’re achieving with this plug-in are incredible — it’s amazing how this level of quality can be achieved with just three nodes and minimal effort.

 

Not to mention, it’s rendering at approximately 14 frames per second, which is a significant improvement.

 

Feeling inspired but need professional help with your project?
Contact us for expert color grading services that bring your vision to life.

Nitin Mathur