Noob Looking for Advice for Cropping & Noise Reduction in CC

[Swanseajack]

I have only been into photography for 3-4 years and in all that time I have mostly been shooting in JPEG, never used RAW as such and have not processed any pictures until recently when I have been using Microsofts Editor. I currently have a Fuji XT1 and due to my disabilities my main attraction is the smaller birds that frequent our garden, as we have a lot as we back onto woodland. For me to capture the smaller birds I'm using a Tokina ATX 100-300mm f4 lens and a x2 teleconverter ( Manual Focus) and I have just bought my first tripod. Fuji have delayed there super tele by a year, so this is a about as good as it gets for me.

The Microsoft software I'm using now is in my opinion poor for cropping and nose reduction, would the CC be better for this before I start spending my money and comitting to £8.78 month. I had the trial earlier in the year and due to illness I didnt give it much of a go. I have tried to re-download and it's not letting me due to previous trial.

I have an example of a snap shot I did yesterday and if any body would kindly do a quick edit by cropping and reducing the noise it would be greatly appreciated, providing it's possible. I have no problems shooting in RAW if it's needed to help with cropping and noise reduction to enable keeping or pulling back some of the detail.

There are similar threads on here but I didn't want to highjack somebody elses thread.

Thanks
Simon


JPEG Below, EXIF data is probably wrong.

DSCF0185 by swanseajack2013, on Flickr

 

[petersmart]

May have gone a bit over the top with this one and probably overdid the crop and over sharpened a bit

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Robin 2 by petersmart on Talk Photography

Tried to sharpen it up as the original was slightly OOF.
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[Swanseajack]

Thanks Peter for taking the time and effort to process the picture, perhaps it wasn't the best to start with being slightly OOF.

Your version has kept more detail and less noise than what I'm getting from the Microsoft Sotware, which is more noticable on the fence wood grain and bird feathers. Would a RAW picture get even more detail??

Again thanks.

May have gone a bit over the top with this one and probably overdid the crop and over sharpened a bit

​

Robin 2 by petersmart on Talk Photography

Tried to sharpen it up as the original was slightly OOF.
.

 

[petersmart]

i

Thanks Peter for taking the time and effort to process the picture, perhaps it wasn't the best to start with being slightly OOF.

Your version has kept more detail and less noise than what I'm getting from the Microsoft Sotware, which is more noticable on the fence wood grain and bird feathers. Would a RAW picture get even more detail??

Again thanks.

I doubt it but you could try if you wish.

I used Neat Image on the original JPEG I downloaded from your flickr site and luckily it gave a 100% for both quality and match using the "keep more detail" preset.

Then edited it in PhotoPlus X2 which I've had for many years and sharpened it twice, once before cropping and then after reducing the original size to 1000px on the longest side.

May sound complicated but I'm used to working that way.
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