Median filter for rgb images

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FIR
FIR on 8 Sep 2012
Edited: DGM on 9 Jan 2023
For 2d images for performing median filtering we have inbuilt function medfilt2
is there any function for performing median filtering rgb images

Accepted Answer

Image Analyst
Image Analyst on 8 Sep 2012
The help is a good place to look for this information. If you type in median there, you'll see that you can use medfilt2() in the Image Processing Toolbox. I have a demo that uses medfilt2() to remove salt and pepper noise in RGB images, if you want to see it.
  9 Comments
Image Analyst
Image Analyst on 13 Jul 2017
Your salt and pepper noise is not the same in every channel if you do it separately. So while a particular (row,column) might be 255 for red, you may not have it also be 255 for green and blue. Thus your "salt" will be colored salt, not pure white salt.
I believe you can use psnr either way, either on each color channel separately, or on the RGB image together, in which case I think it gives you one overall number rather than 3 psnrs.
Latha
Latha on 14 Jul 2017
Thank you Analyst!!!

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More Answers (3)

Jürgen
Jürgen on 8 Sep 2012
Hey,
I would perform it on one of the channels depinding on which features afterwards you want to extract, or perform it on each channel.
or first transform to an other color space
regardsJ

Noor Abbas
Noor Abbas on 16 Oct 2016
Hello every one, Could you please help with code for adaptive medium filter. Thanks
  3 Comments
Noor Abbas
Noor Abbas on 12 Sep 2017
thanks for your consideration(Image Analyst) I would like to use the adaptive median filter with mammogram images
Image Analyst
Image Analyst on 12 Sep 2017
So start a new question and attach your/my code, and your image, and explain what help you need, such as why it's not working the way you like, or some error that your code (after you modified mine) is throwing.

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DGM
DGM on 9 Jan 2023
Edited: DGM on 9 Jan 2023
If you want something akin to medfilt2() that works with multichannel images, then you have a few options.
% an RGB uint8 image
inpict = imread('peppers.png');
inpict = imresize(inpict,0.5);
% window size
ws = [11 11];
% using nlfilter() (slow)
sz = size(inpict);
op1 = zeros(sz,class(inpict));
for c = 1:size(inpict,3)
op1(:,:,c) = nlfilter(inpict(:,:,c),ws,@(x) median(x(:)));
end
% using medfilt2()
sz = size(inpict);
op2 = zeros(sz,class(inpict));
for c = 1:size(inpict,3)
op2(:,:,c) = medfilt2(inpict(:,:,c),ws,'symmetric');
end
% using medfilt3() (R2016b or newer)
op3 = medfilt3(inpict,[ws 1]);
% using MIMT nhfilter()
op4 = nhfilter(inpict,'median',ws);
Note that the last three examples have identical output for the specified options, whereas nlfilter() has no padding options, and will exhibit edge effects (pay attention to the corners). IPT medfilt2() will behave similarly with the default padding option.
Using nlfilter() for something simple like a median filter isn't really practical in comparison, but it is an option.
The first three tools are from the Image Processing Toolbox, whereas nhfilter() is from MIMT. While nhfilter() does not require IPT, it will run much faster if IPT is installed.
If instead of what OP asked, you want a noise removal filter instead, you have a few options. You can either reimplement the whole thing, or you can find one. MIMT has two options.
% an RGB uint8 image
inpict0 = imread('peppers.png');
inpict0 = imresize(inpict0,0.5);
% add noise
inpict = imnoise(inpict0,'salt & pepper',0.2);
% use a fixed-window median noise removal filter (similar to IA's demo)
op1 = fmedfilt(inpict,11);
% use an adaptive median noise removal filter
op2 = amedfilt(inpict,5);
See also:

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