# Unusual Banding on Picture File



## dpc (Apr 29, 2016)

I took this picture yesterday with a 5D Mark II + 16-35 f/4L. I processed it with DXO OpticsPro 10 and Lightroom 5. I noticed after running it through Lightroom that there is an unusual banding phenomenon in the bushes just above the fire hydrant. I've never encountered it before and I've used this camera/lens combination and the DXO/Lightroom process scads of times. When I leave the file at its full size, the banding appears whether saved as a TIFF or JPEG. When I reduce the size of the file to 2000x1300, the banding isn't present.


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## neuroanatomist (Apr 29, 2016)

dpc said:


> When I leave the file at its full size, the banding appears whether saved as a TIFF or JPEG. *When I reduce the size of the file to 2000x1300, the banding isn't present.*



In that case, posting your example at 2000x1300 where you state the banding is not evident is probably not going to be very helpful.


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## Maximilian (Apr 29, 2016)

Hi dpc! 

You say that one cannot see the banding in the resolution you have uploaded the pic here. 
So maybe you could provide a crop of the part with banding in higher resolution or the original files somwhere.
Then the experts could probably find something. 

I am no specialist on these phenomenons but my first guess would be what happens if you process the pic with another raw converter. Did you open the file with DPP for example?

I hope someone could help more if you can give them access to the original files...

By the way: with your JPEG posted here I feel more sidetracked by the effects in the sky because of downsampling.

_Edit: Neuro was just faster. _


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## dpc (Apr 29, 2016)

Here's a crop. I just can't produce a size that the site will accept where the banding shows, but it is very evident on my computer (27" 5K iMac). I'll just have to give up on this one unless the phenomenon occurs again. As an aside, I do have the picture stored in Photos. When I open photos the banding isn't evident, but when I go to full screen it is. As I said, I've not encountered this type of banding before. Neuro: I know posting the picture without the banding evident isn't much help but I thought someone might have a general idea as to what might have caused it (part of the picture in which it occurred, for instance). Anyway...


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## neuroanatomist (Apr 29, 2016)

Almost looks like a moiré type of effect, and that's consistent with it changing with display size.


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## dpc (Apr 29, 2016)

neuroanatomist said:


> Almost looks like a moiré type of effect, and that's consistent with it changing with display size.




I wondered about that. I thought the AA filter on the camera would have dealt with that.


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## neuroanatomist (Apr 29, 2016)

dpc said:


> neuroanatomist said:
> 
> 
> > Almost looks like a moiré type of effect, and that's consistent with it changing with display size.
> ...



Depends on the subject. I have seen visible moiré in some of my 7D and 1D X images.


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## dpc (Apr 29, 2016)

Neuro and Maximilian: Thanks for your responses. I appreciate it.

I just reprocessed the RAW file. It did it twice, once just in Lightroom and once in DXO+Lightroom. There's now no banding with either process. I can't explain it. Maybe just one of those software glitches that raises its head every now and then. Anyway, thanks again...


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## zim (Apr 29, 2016)

Those fine twigs remind me of bird feathers which can get moiré but that would be baked into the image when dx0 processes it (incidentally do you see it at any zoom level in dx0 before processing output?) 

I suspect that the moiré isn't in the image but rather an unfortunate clash between the photo at a specific zoom factor and your display. I wonder if, just for a test, changing your display's frequency would have any effect?


Edit: just read your last post (properly!) interesting can't help but think something must have changed but good the issue is resolved


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## Maximilian (Apr 29, 2016)

dpc said:


> Neuro and Maximilian: Thanks for your responses. I appreciate it.
> 
> I just reprocessed the RAW file. It did it twice, once just in Lightroom and once in DXO+Lightroom. There's now no banding with either process. I can't explain it. Maybe just one of those software glitches that raises its head every now and then. Anyway, thanks again...


First of all great that it's gone now, although not knowing why is frustrating.
If it's gone now I wouldn't think it's moiré, cause as zim said then it should still be in the data.

Second, when I looked at the crop you posted, my first thought was "_too much sharpening_" but I am not sure if it's that. Maybe you could give it a try and copy that now good picture and look what happens when you increase the sharpening.


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## dpc (Apr 29, 2016)

Maximilian said:


> dpc said:
> 
> 
> > Neuro and Maximilian: Thanks for your responses. I appreciate it.
> ...




There was no sharpening applied at all in DXO and just a tiny bit in Lightroom (Amount = 25; Radius = 1.0; Detail = 25; Mask = 0). I probably could have gotten away without any sharpening. I admit that the file does look uber sharp, but that's the lens and the camera, not me in post processing. I've run the file again through DXO+Lightroom twice. No sharpening in DXO or in Lightroom and then with the following parameters in Lightroom: Amount = 100; Radius = 1.0; Detail = 25; Mask = 0. The banding doesn't occur in either case. It's a mystery to me.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Apr 29, 2016)

Unfortunately, when a file is uploaded to CR, its affected by the processing of the website, so the fine details and artifacts that appear or disappear are normal. A photo needs to be hot linked from a reliable photography website or a copy uploaded to the likes of dropbox where it can be downloaded and viewed.


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## Maximilian (Apr 29, 2016)

dpc said:


> Maximilian said:
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> 
> > ...
> ...


Thank you for your reply. Seems that my guess was wrong.


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## dpc (Apr 29, 2016)

Maximilian said:


> dpc said:
> 
> 
> > Maximilian said:
> ...




Your welcome! I'm no wiser than I was but at least the artifact, whatever it was, is gone. For now anyway...


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