e-510: Banding noise

What is banding noise?

Banding noise consist of horizontal or vertical lines which look like this:


It is created when the camera reads the imager's data. Don't worry too much, this image has been voluntarily under-exposed and readjusted to increase the banding noise.

When does it appear?

Great question. Here are a few tests. The banding pattern is different from one picture to another, but the amount of banding noise at a given setting is constant.

Does ISO influence it?
Clearly, yes. It actually only appears when the highest ISO settings are used. Here are three picture at respectively 1600, 800 and 400. They were under-exposed, and have been reajusted (+1EV) using Aperture.




Does shutter speed and aperture influence it?
Not directly. Only exposure is important. The following pictures have the same exposure, but a different shutter speed / aperture combination. My personal opinion is that all these images have the same amount of banding noise. The exposure of these pictures has not been modified. All ISO 1600.

  • 1/2 sec, f/6.7

  • 1 sec, f/9.5


  • 2 sec, f/13


  • 4 sec, f/19



Does white balance influence it?
coming soon

Do high luminance pixels influence it?
It is a often said that a very bright pixel in an image will cause banding. I have not noticed it so far ; no banding appeared near spotlights in any of the picture i shot.

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