Cleaning is denoising really necessary? alternatives?

[pokopori]

I've gone through the wonderful but also complicated denoising tutorial set up at MH and for someone like me who has a hard time learning/understanding the program details without actual physical help, its very very hard for me to actually pull off denoising (I need a step-by-step procedure with screen shots as a bonus ^^).

I've been practicing editing by doing the tests that most groups send out and I've come across a scan where, after levelled, there are faint white spotting in the black areas. I don't think its "noise" as it doesn't resemble the noise in the tutorial pictures but I'm not sure how to deal with this other than to just paint over the parts with a similarly (using eyedropper) black brush.

If it IS noise, would someone be able to help me through using NeatImage (I've got the demo version but if I need the actual version, I can get it)? And if possible, is there an alternative to using denoise?

If it ISN'T noise, is there a way for me to remove it?

Thanks, I know this was a longass post
Poko

 

[Vato Loco!]

Yeah... Don't use denoiseners now unless you wanna turn out the same lq/mq stuff that everyone else does. Really, I recommend learning how to manually clean first before looking for the easy and bad way out. Go here to learn how.

It seems using it completely went over most peoples heads and most are just completely destroying the images.

 

[pokopori]

ok thanks! just the answer i wanted to hear! i really didn't wanna learn another program when i'm still such a PS noob i don't really mind the manual stuff (so far anyways ^^). i actually find the manual stuff FUN course, i'm new to it, maybe that's why! thanks!

 

[ddadain]

Join minna-scan and I'll train ya LOL

 

[yoniekai]

YES MAN LEARN THE BASIC WAY this is the first time i'm expressing this, but ever since i posted that tutorial and a lot of people used denoising..... i dont know, some of them look great, but most of them arent. REALLLLY! i was planning to take down that guide ever since then but its too late anyway.

see the concept is totally taken wrong.... denoising should not destroy the image. it should just be a smoothening/sharpening process for the raw, like putting a clear plastic over the image. like unsharp mask gone smooth. i even gave my general profile to use as an example for what i consider non-destroying profile. but most users used neatimage wrong, notably in the gray areas. the tones are killed. streaky lines everywhere. to me that just not right man. also some images are too hazy or blurry. i use unsharp mask after denoising, i didnt mention that in the guide but i hoped it would be.... on instinct. i have other gripes about the results to the community but....... wah

i guess i said the wrong concept one way or another, so i put a notice in that guide before anyone new uses it.