NeatImage

This is a fantastic piece of software - the best noise reduction program around. I do not have a lot of spare cash to spend, but this was my best buy as I was so impressed after running the demo version.

I use it at the start and sometimes at the end of my post-processing workflow. I use the Home+ edition so that I can batch process my photos and also use it from within photoshop when noise has been added by adjusting the image.

Even shots taken at 200 ISO benefit from being put through NeatImage. You can produce you own profiles, if you wish, so that shots taken at 6400 ISO (2-stops over highest ISO available) come out reasonably well!

Here is an example of some bracketed shots I took inside Exeter Cathedral (Coolpix 990 at 400 ISO) which had problems with exposing the stain-glass window and the dark walls.

The 'correct' exposure, but blowing the window

and 1-stop under, to preserve the window

200% screen shot, showing noise reduction inside the square

ditto for the 1-stop under, but having lighten the shadows in photoshop quite a lot of noise was introduced !

Actually I took 3 shots, 1-stop over and under as well as the normal exposure - combining them all to take the best exposure from each shot (I actually used CombineZ, as it is better than doing it by hand in photoshop) and reducing the noise gave me...

For this particular subject, I could have just cut and pasted the window from the under-exposed shot over the normal one, but it would not have been as effective as the 3 shots. Other subjects with more scattered highlights would take a long time if done manually - but there are several photoshop tips, on the web, showing you how 3 exposures can be combined; assuming you can align/scale/rotate 3 handheld shots (CombineZ will do that automatically)!