Bandrick.
Try this for lower noise
1. ISO 400 max. this is conservative max.
2. fast shutter 1/100 or faster
3. shoot flat (in camera stuff dialed off, sharpness off, contrast off, and desat -2)
4. Clean sensor/lens, use a hood in daylight.
5. Avoid digital zoom.
6. Ensure there is some light somewhere in the shot, shots of minimal light are nosier on aps-c.
Ofcourse you could shoot with the zoom 3X (or 5X in ML), but its nosier by design.
Its a bigger set of tricks to get best out of it.