Denoise
Also known as: noise reduction in post, video denoising, temporal denoise
Editing tools that reduce grain and color speckles in footage shot in low light, using spatial and temporal analysis. Strong settings soften real detail.
Updated
What it means
Denoising in post removes noise that the camera did not clean up, or replaces weak in-camera processing with a more careful algorithm. Spatial denoising looks at neighboring pixels in one frame, while temporal denoising compares several frames to separate random noise from real detail that stays consistent over time.
Desktop tools are much more powerful than the quick in-camera noise reduction a small action camera can do while recording. They can clean dusk, indoor and underwater footage considerably, at the expense of long render times.
Some modern denoisers use AI models trained to recognize noise, which can preserve more texture than traditional filters.
How it works in practice
Apply denoising early in the color workflow, before strong contrast and saturation changes, since grading amplifies noise. Start with temporal denoising at moderate strength, then add a little spatial denoising only if needed.
Preview at 100 percent and compare before and after on textured areas such as hair, grass and gravel. The goal is a natural image, not a perfectly clean one. A little remaining grain often looks better than a plastic, smeared result.
Because denoising is slow, render or cache the denoised clips before continuing to edit, and use it only on the clips that need it, such as low-light scenes.
What to watch out for
Too much denoising makes faces waxy, removes fine texture and creates a painted look. Temporal denoising can also smear fast-moving objects, leaving trails behind riders or water spray.
Denoising footage that was already heavily processed in camera often brings little gain and more smearing. Footage recorded with lower in-camera noise reduction benefits the most.
Noise is a symptom of not enough light. Brighter scenes, a lower frame rate or a larger sensor reduce noise at the source, which no software can fully match. Planning the shoot around the light is always the best denoiser.
How RawClip handles it
RawClip does not denoise footage. If some clips are noisy, clean them in your editor before upload, or simply let the AI focus on your best-lit moments when it builds your highlight.