Simulating Film Grain with a digital picture

[JeremyLangford]

I have been trying to find the best way to simulate the grain that film gives, using a digital slr instead of film.

I have Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop CS.

In Photoshop CS, there is a Film Grain filter (Filter>Artistic>Fim Grain) but it seems like it couldn't do a very good job since a true film picture has different amounts of grain for different areas and levels of light.

Any Ideas?

 

[IGMeanwell]

Alien Skin exposure plugin so far is the best I have found in terms of film emulation ... not just color profiles but grain structure

but its not something I use all the time, only in specific applications

Nikon capture NX has a plugin that is pretty good its specific for grain

 

[Trius]

Probably the best way is to use film in the first place. 😛 😀

 

[Keith]

Probably the best way is to use film in the first place. 😛 😀

A simplistic statement Earl ... but so true! I must be missing something or I'm confused but I can't see the logic in getting digital images to look like film. The images from my M8 at ISO 320 are digitally sharp and seamlessly precise which I don't mind at all. To introduce grain seems counter intuative to me and the average layman may look at the end result and say ... "Wow, what's wrong with your digital camera?"

Personal choice I guess! 🙂

 

[IGMeanwell]

A simplistic statement Earl ... but so true! I must be missing something or I'm confused but I can't see the logic in getting digital images to look like film. The images from my M8 at ISO 320 are digitally sharp and seamlessly precise which I don't mind at all. To introduce grain seems counter intuative to me and the average layman may look at the end result and say ... "Wow, what's wrong with your digital camera?"

Personal choice I guess! 🙂

With a program like Alien Skin Exposure ... it ends up being more about the color profiles that the grain structures (although they are very accurate)

again personal preference

 

[gavinlg]

It's very difficult to get a convincing film style grain on a digital photo. I'm currently playing around with trying to get the darker areas in images to have more grain than the lighter areas.

 

[J. Borger]

Alien skin Exposure gives you all the controlls necesary ........... their grain is very realistic ... especially if you print the files ..

 

[hofrench@mac.co]

To me, printing is the best argument to adding grain.
My M8 files look great on a computer screen unadulterated, but they print far better after a little grain has been added with Alien Skin Exposure, with far better blacks and shadows and an overall crisper feel.