NR adjustable in firmware, can it be done?

I've had my S600 for a while now, and while it's a very nice camera to take everywhere, I'm a bit dissappointed with the image quality. What annoys me the most is the heavy in-camera noise reduction. It leads to all kinds of detail smearing and unnatural looking pictures (even at ISO 50 and 100). The review of the Panasonic FZ50 on this site shows the same effects I'm seeing with my Casio. However, with the FZ50 noise reduction can be adjusted just like sharpness, contrast and saturation. I'd love a setting like this for my S600. Is this something that could be done with a firmware upgrade? Not that I have high hopes that Casio will arrange this for me, but one can always dream...

hmmm... i wonder if the z600's image quality is what we would see from a nr-disabled s600.

I don't think so if it's the same sensor. It's just Casio's approach to image quality: less noise at the expense of loss of fine detail and watercolor look.

Does anyone know which brand of sensors Casio uses?

As far as I know, Casio has been using Sony sensors for their digital cameras for some time now (possibly since the very beginnings of their digicam business).

JHaagsma said:

Does anyone know which brand of sensors Casio uses?

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Elia Vecellio
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http://www.eliavecellio.com

If that is true, it must be possible to get more out of the sensor of the S600. I preferred the pictures of the Sony DCS-W50 for a more natural, less processed look. Also did better at higher ISO's (200 and 400), not the destructive effects of heavy NR to keep the pictures clean, better to leave a bit of speckly noise.

s600 uses a casio lens. i think the z850 uses sony.

sorry...wasn't paying attention