Image sharpening - why use different software - what is it for - what works best
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- Опубліковано 15 лис 2022
- Sharpening images for print, web and fixing lens problems. How Keith uses different software packages for different types of image sharpening. Three different software packages from old to new still have their place.
There is much more info and examples of using the software packages in Keith's reviews:
Focus Magic:
www.northlight-images.co.uk/r...
Nik Sharpener Pro 3 - shows different ways of sharpening and what the settings do:
www.northlight-images.co.uk/r...
DxO Nik Collection - current versions of the Nik collection:
www.northlight-images.co.uk/r...
Topaz Sharpen AI - each of these reviews has different examples showing where I'd use the software:
www.northlight-images.co.uk/t...
www.northlight-images.co.uk/t...
www.northlight-images.co.uk/r...
Sharpening and enlargement - looking at upsizing and sharpening:
www.northlight-images.co.uk/u... - Фільми й анімація
This video and comments on here have really opened my eyes. I use photoshop and only just finding out about the other Sharpening software outside PS. I’m not a pro photographer but this is very informative and also a form of keeping a special type of art alive. Thanks Keith
Thanks - glad to have helped!
Thanks Keith, I've been looking for sharpening software for some time. Appreciate the time you spent on this review.
Glad it was of use!
There’s something about gathering info and in the process gaining confirmation for what one is doing. As I was debating Topaz’s and DXO’s Black Friday software update deals, I appreciated your nuanced explanations of each. Now off to see what’s in the actual updates. Thought since I have a new computer probably time to consider updating. TY for sharing your expertise.
Thanks - Like many. I only update every so often.
Sometimes my kit is too old, so I wait until I absolutely need to update the computer for a particular important application
I've bee using NIK since they developed for Nikon but I don't care much for Sharpener Pro. I probably never gave it proper attention. I've used all the PS presets with fairly reasonable results. Recently I've been using High Pass sharpening in PS which works surprisingly well. Here's how: Create a layer > Filter > Other > High Pass. Your going to be able to select a Radius. I keep mine usually between 0.1 to 0.8 > OK > You're layer is now going to look gray with faint outlines. With the layer selected in "Layers" click on the drop down mode and select anything under "overlay". Now you can choose any degree of sharpening you want with the added benefit of being able to use masks to even further refine the sharpening. It seems like a lengthy process but it's a snap once you do it a few times and you have much more control than using apps like Nik or Topaz (which produce very good results if used properly) You can also create an action to further expedite it. As you mentioned sharpening needs to be applied with a light touch and selectively. Not every image needs nor every part of an image. Happy Holidays!
Ah yes, I've used Nik since they were an independent company
I'll admit though, it's been 15 years since I last used high pass filtering in Photoshop! ;-)
Amen, brother.
The other option, which works very similarly to High Pass is Emboss. It yields a slightly different effect, but benefits from a gentle hand - just like High Pass.
Oh, the only other comments that might be helpful:
- convert the layer for High Pass or Emboss to be a Smart Layer - this way, you can go back and adjust the radius value to dial in the effect that you want
- use the layer Opacity slider to further dial in the effect - this _really_ lets you gently apply the effect
- lastly, make an Action out of these - one for High Pass Sharpen and one for Emboss Sharpen - this will greatly speed up your post-processing if you're working through a pile of images. I'm a huge fan of Actions
Cheers, mate!
J
A thoughtful talk about sharpening. How many old pocket camera jpeg only files have I used clone darken to eliminate halos? Tons..How many of you out there watch a news show and start applying retouch to the background of the announcers in your mind while watching? That's how much retouch I've done. Now, all I need is an A.I. bathroom mirror...
Thanks!
Hi Keith thanks for another very interesting Video! I use Sharpen AI and it work good. P.S. I like your Videos very much
Glad you like them - thanks.
Keith -- thanks again for another great vid -- AND you are not alone -- I routinely use Topaz AI tools to "polish" my images -- like you I have used many tools over the last 2 decades - since moving to digital. I find LRC and PS far too generic and like the fact that Topaz Sharpen AI allows one to "focus" sharpening on specific parts of the image. Niko has 2 sharpening tools - I only use the Output sharpener.
Like you I NEVER sharpen or denoise RAW files -- I do find that processing RAW files from a Nikon Z9 using DxO Pure Raw 2 Deep Prime leads to the best starting point for edits.
Whereas Phocus and Capture One work best for Hasselblad and Phase One -- I use these but do not apply Noise Reduction or Sharpening.
I finish the edit of RAW processed images in LRC (occasionally PS) and as noted then use Topaz tools as necessary to clean up noise and sharpen the only the subject.
-- I am playing with Topaz Photo AI -- but still prefer the control I get from the individual Topaz AI tools.
Thanks - I need to check the Photo AI stuff. It's currently a case of "if it ain't broke..."
Thank you Keith for another interesting video.
I remember from one of your written articles about a software called Piccure+ ... Do you still use it for sharpening ? Seems hard to find youtube videos about this one
Ah, extremely good software - unfortunately the company ceased trading.
It also means that my copy, now on a different Mac than when I reviewed it cannot be registered/activated
Thanks--you make great points (as usual). I recently got the Topaz "suite" which gave me Photo AI (which of course combines DeNoise, Sharpen, and Gigapixel), but do you know if there's any difference in using Sharpen AI on its own or from within the Photo AI space? Also, I process RAW in DxO PhotoLab (but don't use Unsharp Mask) and I also have Nik, so Sharpener Pro 3 (which I rarely use, in part as I'm not sure about the best way to use Pre Sharpener and/or Output Sharpener). With all of these (and other) options, it's hard to know when and how to apply which tool! Since getting Topaz, I've generally been exporting from PhotoLab (either to disk or Nik, such as Silver Efex Pro) and then used Sharpen AI from within Photo AI, printing from the resulting TFF (that's another thing--I wonder if it would it be better go save as JPG at that point) and it seems to work well enough, but my goals exceed "well enough," so I'm always trying to improve my process. On the one hand, I know that I need to find the time to experiment but on the other hand, it's great getting insights from very knowledgeable people such as yourself to speed up the process!
Also, I recently got an Epson V600 scanner, primarily in order to digitize my "20th century film archive" (prints, negatives, and tranparencies), so I'm very much looking forward to your upcoming tutorials on that.
Thanks - I've not tried the suite version properly.
See the written reviews for far more detailed usage examples - these videos are much more of an overview ;-) This applies particularly to the sharpener stuff [I've no use for the pre-sharpen]
I try not to include jpegs at any stage of my print workflow - they are for the web or sending files to clients ;-)
For scanning, my initial video will be the video supplement to my [very] detailed written review:
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-v850-film-scanner-review/
I need to find some film in the archives to think about making prints.
Oh, and there is nothing better at making you 'curate' a film collection than deciding to scan it... ;-)
@@KeithCooper Thanks so much for your thoughtful, comprehensive reply. Yeah--curation is the most challenging part of the process for me. It's tough to be your own critic and I shudder to think about unboxing and sorting through all of those images (especially the negatives--it's not like I can click on a folder and scroll through them--I'd need to scan them just to evaluate them, especially 135 and even smaller). Hey, if it were easy, it wouldn't be as worthwhile (that's BS--it would be great if it were easier!). I just hope that the V600 will suffice (I expect that DxO and Topaz will play a larger role than Epson's software in refining the images), as once I process the film-based images I have, I don't expect to have a significant ongoing need to do so.
Thank you Keith, any thoughts on sharpening for film scans? I try and do most adjustments after the scan so no sharpening out of the scanner.
Well... It just so happens that Epson have lent me a V850 scanner to make a video to supplement my detailed review from a few years ago ;-)
That means I'll be delving into the 20th century film archive [last time I used film] and looking at editing film images again - no ETA but it should be in the next few weeks.
At the moment Im working on scanner profiling - it comes with refl/transm targets and a copy of i1Scanner [i1Profiler] ... unfortunately it's on DVD and old software [my original review was from 2014] BUT those targets are supported in VueScan.
Email me at Northlight if you like - it's been quite a while since I've looked at scanned film images [long before I started these little videos]
Takk!
Thanks! that's much appreciated
Thanks, Keith, for another excellent tutorial. After watching your videos and reading you articles, I used your purchase link to get an Epson SC-P900 which I am thrilled with. Your video on sharpening came right on time in my learning curve. You have said that "resizing" and image for printing is no longer necessary with our modern printer software. So what settings do you recommend in NIK Sharpener Pro? For output sharpening of prints, NIK Sharpener Pro has sliders for printer resolution and image size; what should we do? When sending an image from DXO Photolab to NIK Sharpener Pro as a tiff file, the image can be resized in dpi and length/width dimensions; should we use these? Thanks, Bob
Thanks!
I'd suggest looking at the written reviews linked from the video notes. There are quite a few examples of settings - the printer settings section is just set to match the printer driver settings.
For printing I just make sure the image resolution is higher than 300ppi - just make sure to appreciate the difference between ppi and dpi ;-)
See www.northlight-images.co.uk/driver-settings-and-print-detail/
@@KeithCooper Terrific, Keith. You are a wealth of clear information. Thanks
Hi Keith, thanks for the interesting video on sharpening. Could you make a similar video but about correcting chromatic aberrations; LoCA, LaCA, Fringing, etc? I have several applications with these features but none of them fully satisfy me. Maybe I still haven't found the most competent one. Thanks.
I'll have a look - for me, mostly its ACR and then Sharpen AI - DxO PL is useless for most lenses I want to correct :-)
Little variation to that - ACR does all I need most times. I only use a few 'poor' lenses seriously
@@KeithCooper Thank you Keith. I use DxO PL5, Affinity Photo 1, Capture one 22. None is "perfect" correcting aberrations. Looking forward for your video. Cheers.
Possible video ... that's all 'I'll have a look' means ;-)
I'm rarely interested in the sorts of custom corrections DxO and their ilk provide, since they don't support the lenses I use the most.
ACR handles chromatic aberration good enough and Sharpen AI [masked] is now my preferred fix for peripheral sharpness
'Perfect' never gets a mention in this house...
@@KeithCooper Thnaks a lot.
I only use Lightroom and in export I set sharpening to high for print glossy or matt.
Well, that is one way of doing it - For me far far from optimal, but it it suits you then fine ;-)