The best thing about discovering that you were wrong about something is the moment where you discover what's right! Thanks for sharing that moment with us. Much appreciated!
At least you are humble and honest enough to admit you were wrong sir. You get a pass in my book!...but know that what you say goes with me and a lot more people....👍
Topaz has been on my list of things to get around to, and this video convinced me to finally make it happen. I used your code and got the bundle. And now I have to revisit all the old photos I've taken to see if I can salvage any good compositions that I had rejected because they were too soft or out of focus. I'm both excited and overwhelmed by that. :D Thanks for making great video, Matt.
On a real estate photo of a three story bay house that I edited yesterday the exterior first floor of a full house shot was very noisy in the darker recessed open areas below the house. After editing, I sent it over to Denoise AI and the results were literally stunning, even on auto. The Gigapixel AI gives you very good results when you have to do a major crop and need some more resolution. Sharpen AI is simply a game changer for some photos. I have become a solid proponent of the Topaz AI softwares.
Welcome to the club, Matt 😀 For me Denoise and Sharpen AI have become an essential part of my wildlife workflow long ago. Without them, my keeper rate would be significantly lower because I don't like to post noisy or blurry images. I'm shooting Olympus, mostly with focal lengths of 820/1200mm (full frame equiv) so camera shake is a major issue here, despite of image stabilization. Topaz plugins work like magic, it's just like a major cam + lens upgrade in terms of IQ. BTW, Dave Kelly - the Joy of Editing is a great source for in-depth tipps and tricks for Topaz. He has a video that shows how to use both Denoise and Sharpen on the same photo to get maximum results.
Excellent tutorial. Not too much, not too little, just right! I couldn't agree more with your assessment of Topaz's software and they are REALLY on the ball when you it's comes to customer service.
Welcome to the Topaz family. I'm also part of the DXO family because for some of my images I need to compare if DX0 Prime or Topaz will give me the result I'm trying to get. A nice thing about both products is that I can run the raw files through them first and then post process. I like having the option of doing it before or after post processing.
I do the same thing; I run them both to see which one is giving the best result. I have a question for you; Do you get a weird colour-shift after your noise reduction in Topaz DeNoise and saved as a DNG? The DXO DeepPRIME exported to DNG is not changing the colours like the DeNoise does. I know this is a real problem because there are several videos on UA-cam on that particular problem now. It appears to only happen to files being processed on the raw level and exported as a DNG though. And it becomes evident when opened in either Lightroom or Capture One.
@@freetibet1000 I haven't experience that before but that was a while ago. So I tried with a recent image I took using the latest versions of the software. The color shift was so bad that DXO was definitely better for that image. In the case of DeNoise the raw histogram (used RAW Digger) was shifted to the right and the color channels were smoothed out and equaled out whereas with DXO the color channels were closer to the original and the red channel was not shifted to match the green and blue channels which helped to explain why RGB rendering (in RAW Digger) of the DeNoise file actually had an pinkish color cast on it.
Thank you Matt. Nothing wrong with being wrong; a lot right about saying so. I took your advice, gave Topaz Sharpen a whirl and bought it. It is pretty amazing.
Great video. I agree with your assessments and love Topaz Sharpening - been a photo saver on many occasions. However, when it comes to the noise reduction / elimination I was less impressed by the Topaz solution and recently started to use the DxO Pure RAW with the "DeepPrime" tool. I think this does a much better job and has really blown me away with how effective it is. Well worth you reviewing this tool as well.
Hoi Matt, From the Netherlands: This video is exact wat I have experiment in the last weeks. I was not very happy with my photo’s I made with my Canon 7Dmk2. I bought the Canon R7 and I was still not happy with the results (noise and sharpnes). Now I discovered Topaz tools and WOW. I’am very happy with the kwality. Also older pixtures are now as I hopen to make them, Sharp and no Noise. Thans to the Topaz tools Sharpening and Denoise. Greetings Rob Stevens
Thanks Matt. The advantage of the specialty softwares over Photoshop is that they analyze the photo at the pixel by pixel level. Adjustments are made in thousands of locations in the photo. You just can't do that with Photoshop. I truly think that these programs bring out more detail from the raw file that the raw editor failed to convert. Now also the new AI programs (still glitchy, but improving) work to add detail that is missing by creating it. It is an interesting time to be a photographer.
I’ve been using Denoise AI for a little over a year now and have been really amazed at not only how well it gets rid of the noise, but also with the extra sharpening it adds. I recently downloaded and am evaluating Sharpen AI, and so far the jury is still out on that one. But I share your enthusiasm for Denoise for sure!
NR has improved greatly outside of what Lightroom has to offer. LR's noise reduction can be "good" but some of these products (I feel) are a tad bit better in some instances, especially when it comes to high ISO images (like those that exhibit a lot of luminance noise), and the biggest difference is detail retention when applying higher amounts of NR. Again, LR does a decent job, but if you have to push the NR slider higher (like past 40 or 50) you start to lose detail. Some of these other programs and plug-ins (I use DXO PhotoLab's built-in DeempPrime myself) do wonders for high ISO images, and retain more detail than LR would have. So there are some better options, and it's helpful to have one or two extra plug-ins in the toolbox for certain things. If it's light noise, then I just stay in LR most times because it's OK if I can keep NR reasonable (say under 30 on the NR sliders) but if I have to go higher, I tend to send it over to DXO to take care of (or I will start with DXO and then send a DNG back and finish up RAW processing that way). (I had DeNoise from Topaz but felt DXO was better when someone suggested I try their DeepPrime technology and so I don't use DeNoise for noise reduction anymore; plus I had some issues early on when the Nikon Z cameras were relased that it couldn't read uncompressed RAW although that has been fixed I think, along with random issues reading TIF files generated by Topaz, in LR Classic).
Thanks Matt! Good info! The technology moves so fast today. I got my first IBM compatible computer at work I think about 1984. 640K of RAM and a 10mb hard drive with a color monitor and I loved it. It was perfect for Lotus 123. We have come a long way! More to come!
Thanks Matt. Same basic story for me, started with landscape and now 50/50 landscape and wildlife (primarily birds in flight). Started using Topaz three years or so ago and have never looked back. I also use Gigapixel AI to upsize tight crops, worth the time and effort based on my results. FYI I shoot with a Nikon D850 w Nikon 200-500 lens. Thanks always for sharing, much appreciated.
Great results. I'm on an older PS (cannot use Topaz), one thing I do is use oilpaint at low settings (0.5 to 1 on the top two settings, and zero shine) followed by sharpening, and repeat. This can move the noise in the direction of the grain/structure in the image. It is useful if used in moderation, but probably cannot compete with the Topaz results.
Thank You. I have seen several proclaim the benefit of Topaz DeNoise. Never committed to that until now. I had a suite of Topaz products years ago. The denoise they had then did suit me. Thanks for sharing.
For noise reduction you now need to try DXO-Photolab Elite. The DeepPrime noise reduction beats Topaz denoise, I have both, and works on the raw file during demosaicing. DXO applies capture sharpening variably across the frame to match the lens sharpness characteristics, ie less sharpening in centre compared to edges. You can even use your LR dcp colour profile if you like. Send the lens corrected, capture sharpened and denoised DNG to LR/PS for final editing.
@@MattKloskowski Interesting, as they have been extensively tested on forums etc. Most complain about only being able to see the results of DeepPrime in the small preview window rather than on the whole image.
Hi Ian. Honestly, I'm happy with my workflow and there's a lot to be said for that. I'd rather not be in the software testing business if that makes sense. And really, I find a lot of people who frequent forums to be very technical and theoretical while comparing images at 800% - and buying every software out there. Personally, that's just not me and I find their results (while often technically correct) don't match up with what I consider practical. Everyone is different though, and what they have I'm sure works for them, I'd just rather get back to shooting and editing especially when I absolutely love the results I'm getting :-) Thanks!
Great video Matt. I've always done about 50/50 wildlife & landscape. A couple of years back I saw Anthony Morganti saying how good Topaz DeNoise AI was, but it wasn't until I saw one of our best bird photographers (Georgina Steytler) here in Australia talking about it that I decided to give it a go, and it's definitely been a game-changer for me too. Having said that, I usually set an upper ISO limit of 4500 on my Nikon D7500 - beyond this, images can sometimes look a little 'plastic'. Haven't tried the AI Sharpening yet but I might have to now!
Thanks Matt! I appreciate your honesty. I have been using both Sharpen AI and Denoise AI for the last year for my wildlife photography. I agree the results are amazing.
Just made my best buy---Topaz Denoise AI--- Shot a wedding yesterday, in a dark church and it was fairly dark at the party...Camera ISO between 3600-12800 (no flash was allowed) TopazDeNoise AI really saved me on this shoot for a fraction of the payment
Thanks for sharing your opinion on Topaz DeNoise AI. I have been purchased the entire Topaz package and have been using it since you posted this video. It does a great job of getting rid of the noise without compromising detail.
Thanks for this video, I have been using Topaz DeNoise for about a year and though I haven't really gotten a good workflow yet, I have found it to be very useful for increasing my keeper rate after any photo walk or event.
I ran the Trail version on just a couple of problem images with RAW inside LR-CC and JPG stand-alone, and I'm sold. Thanks Matt, I'm not usually a fan of plug-ins but this is slick and easy.
So glad you found my secret weapons. (although it seems everyone is now lol) I have found DeNoise to be amazing at denoise and ok at sharpening. Sometimes it over sharpens the image. Sharpen AI is simply amazing at recovering what would be a lost image and it just OK at denoise. I was using DeNoise for sometime and stumbled upon Sharpen when I took some company headshots and one group image. The girl in the back left never stopped moving. Not one image was clear of her and I didn't catch it before I left so I couldn't even photoshop her head in. I downloaded SharpenAI and masked her, as noone else needed it, and boom she was fine. If you zoomed in 1:1 and knew what to look for you could see some work was done to her but it sure saved my ass on that shot. I've since used it on a few wildlife shots that I just missed the settings for one reason or another and I'm just blown away with what it can pull out of it's hat. I haven't figured out which is best to use first if I need great denoise and great sharpening done. Still experimenting on that.
Trialled both the Topaz DeNoise AI and sharpen. Eventually purchased the DeNoise as I shoot a lot of sports in low light and it is certainly a game changer!
Just bought it using your code, thanks Matt! Boy you were right, outstanding plug-in. I’ve already been using Topaz Denoise Ai for a while and love it too.
Thank you very much, Matt. I don't do too much wildlife photography, but I'm a happy user of some Topaz plugins sice one year ago or so. It's always nice to know that an expert like you is happy with Topaz too.
Good video, Matt. One thing to note is that Sharpen AI will sometimes leave strange artifacts in odd places in the photo. Fortunately, the masking feature will permit removal of sharpening in these areas..
I just recently had that happen, there were parts of the background, trees with full leaves where random leaves were sharpen. I didn’t see it till later, after I had worked on the photo in PS. I was able to mask it in PS, of course, but I realized I need to check the whole photo and use the native masking if there are issues. Especially if I am working in LR where I can’t mask.
Thanks Matt. I also use Topaz. I’m selective with my use of their sharpen ai. It sometimes works but often creates it’s own funky artifacts. I saw that effect on the anhingas in the example you used. Still, it’s sometimes very handy.
I have been using Topaz products for a long time . You should also try Topaz Gigapixel Ai on your crops .Also ..to get the best out of Denoise Ai and Sharpen Ai turn off all sharpening and noise reduction in Lightroom or ACR before using the Topaz products . Anthony Morganti has great advice on using the Topaz products as does Dave Kelly
Hi. I have tried it and done many tests. Read through this article: petapixel.com/2021/03/25/petapixel-compares-photoshop-super-resolution-vs-topaz-gigapixel-ai/ It's exactly my experience. Gigapixel is better, but not enough better to warrant the time it needs. Nobody will ever see the before after that you see when comparing, and sometimes good enough... is indeed good enough :-)
This is why, I appreciate your way. Honest and humble.. I’m not going to jump over it coz I use another one and I’m still landscaper but I like the video.
Hi Matt, I have been using Topaz DeNoise ai and Sharpen Ai since they came out and I am still amazed each time I have to use them, also no other company responds as quickly to bugs and continuously updates their software so regularly.
I love photographing Osprey, but hand holding the camera(heavy) most often left me disappointed with the photos. Met a random fellow photographer on the beach who recommended Topaz. Really pleased with the results. Thanks for the info here. I kind of felt like I was ‘cheating’, but my photos are only for me,so I want them as good as I can get. 😉
Apology accepted, Matt ;) I was using Topaz DeNoise AI and Sharpen AI up until DxO released PhotoLab 4 with DeepPRIME noise reduction. I’ve consistently had better results with DxO since then. I always had an issue with funky grid like artifacts on low light, high ISO images with DeNoise AI. Now DxO have released PureRAW the process is even easier.
I've got both, but I just use "auto" for every photo because I'm not really sure what each slider is actually doing. Could you do a tutorial about DeNoise and Sharpen to help demystify it a bit? And do you use both on the same photo or just pick one?
Fortunately, the software is smart because you and I are in the same boat! Frankly, I would be in big trouble without the Topaz products. I have Gigapixel, DeNoise and Sharpen and find by playing around with them it becomes pretty evident what is best. I usually use Gigapixel as my last step figuring that if I enlarge the original with noise and or other artifacts it's just going to increase them as well. We are very lucky to be living at a time where such marvels are available for us to avail ourselves thereof.
Awesome video Matt. I too have resisted getting Topaz for the same reason--belief that LR and PS would/should get you to the same place...but clearly doesn't. What I do have is the NIK bundle, so before jumping in with Topaz I need to check out the additional tools I already have (but seldom use). And thanks again for the nudge--and the great comparisons you showed! Jon
Thanks for the vid. I concur. The results from DeNoise and Sharpen AI can be exceptionally good. It seems DeNoise is more consistent as Sharpen AI is good but not magic with some blurry images. Morganti sold me on it. :-)
I really appreciate this video. Your admission and then public acceptance of the available technology to improve your results is refreshing. Im going to go back and look at some "borderline" shots. Ive got Topaz DeNoise and don't even use it. I'm going to get Sharpen and try it out. Thanks
I agree. I’ve been using Topaz for a couple of years. In my opinion, worth every penny. I only use it for a small percentage of my photos but the results are worth it because I end up with photos I am proud to share. And Topaz keeps improving its software.
Thanks Matt. I was 100% where you were before you tried DeNoise (transition to wildlife, high ISO noise and trying to justify my LR/Ps workflow etc - I can hear myself going through the self same questioning 😂). Plus for me, my 8 year old iMac wasn’t up to handling some of the newer AI technologies anyway. However, having just upgraded my Mac, watching your video again was very timely. I can now start to look at the options out there and, still wanting to maintain the simplest possible workflow, the question for me now is which one to go for?
Best I can suggest is don’t spend time on this decision. It doesn’t matter. Pick one. Spend your time taking great photos and editing them quickly. Don’t spend time deciding on something that won’t affect how your photo resonates in any way :-)
I have been using Topaz Denoise but recently switched from ON1 to DXO Photolab 4 and find that DXO Deep Prime results are better than Topaz Denoise and it's much faster.
Matt, thanks for this video. I recently purchased a high megapixel camera which are known to pick up more noise. I was an the edge as to when to get Topaz DeNoise and Sharpen, but you have prompted me to go forth.
Welcome to the world of TopazDenoiseAI. It's an amazing program that has saved many many of my images from the trash heap. I also tried SharpenAI and while it does work well, I decided not to buy it. I feel the sharpening offered by the DeNoise program is quite good so it's the only Topaz product I use. Because I'm usually shooting in low light and high ISO I use it on almost every image.
That’s actually a great point. Sharpen is only really to “save” a photo. If you’re some one just starting out I could see that helping as your learn. But yes... I don’t use it nearly as often as I used DeNoise and the sharpening I get from it is great.
Matt. Have you discovered a Topaz workflow for the best results? 1.) ISO noise, hand held and major crop. Which order? DeNoise, Sharpen and then Gigapixel? ISO noise and hand held: DeNoise and then Sharpen? Thanks Mike
Hi Mike. I use DeNoise if I find the noise is work. I use Sharpen if I find the noise is tolerable but it needs to be sharpened. I rarely use both since each one will also help the other. Thanks!
I’m using Topaz and it’s amazing! It works for Aps-c like switching to full frame - one can pump up ISO at least for 2 stops still having usable picture at the end
Awesome ! ! I've been wondering about Topaz for a while thinking it was just commercial hype. I've got some spectacular night shots with my EVO II Pro that suffer from luminance noise and just need a little help. Thanks for this demo ! !
I use Affinity Photo. RAW photos go into the Develop persona first where changes are permanent. I might do simple changes, crop and move into the Photo Persona, similar to PS. Before I make any changes I submit my photo to the Filters/plugins, be it Sharpen or Denoise Ai. I photograph BIFs. Both filters allow masking. It usually detects and masks the bird. You can ADD or Remove details with edge awareness. You can mask other areas that you want sharpened. Apply the mask. Select what kind of sharpening you want. I usually start with Sharpen, Automatic. The program "speeds along' because you have limited the areas to enhance. When I do not mask, the fans in my video card go into overdrive. If I am satisfied, then I select apply and wait. If you had selected the Heron in your photo, everything else would have stayed untouched. I have a photo of 2 white ibises perched together. DOF at F/8 did not bring the farthest Ibis in focus. I did a regular Sharpen Ai and the ibis in front was tack sharp. I duplicated that sharpened photo and submitted to Sharpen Ai, I masked the distal Ibis and the program did it's magic. Both Ibises were very sharp. Some people say that you need the whole photo so that the program has more data to help along. As far as I know Ai just deals with your subject. No extraneous data that does not involve your subject is necessary. One of the great things with this software is that you can improve your subject and leave the background alone. BTW DeNoise is sometimes better than Sharpen Ai. This program has improved my photography tremendously. My Sigma C 150-600 is soft at the long end, 660 mm. No more! Thanks for the video Matt. Perhaps we will run into each other in our beautiful Tampa Bay.
I came to the same conclusion regarding Topaz AI. I’d tried using it a couple years ago but found the results made my photos look painterly. But now with the recent improvements, I’m a fan.
Welcome to Team Topaz Matt. I have been using Topaz products for years and have loved them. The new Denoise AI is out of this world awesome and I use it on all my wildlife images.
I agree, Topaz spanks Adobe in this arena. Sharpen AI has blown my mind many times and Gigapixel AI is amazing too. I haven't used DeNoise but definitely will when the need arises.
Just came across your vlog while trying to decide on Topaz Noise vs Sharpening as in which one to buy. Which one do you think I should buy? Also, want to commend you on the succinct and logical way in which you explain things. Well done and you now have another follower.
I have been using Topaz denoise software and it is indeed really good....I agree with you on this. But i have been careful to avoid over sharpening using the software as one can really get carried away ....
I did an evaluation on these myself and was very impressed. I decided to make the purchase using your code. Unfortunately there is no longer anyway to enter the code and I had to pay full prices.
As a wildlife photographer shooting Canon 1DX mkiii with a 20.1 MP sensor I also use Gigapixel AI for when I need to print large images for clients. Both DeNoise AI and Gigapixel AI they are awesome for wildlife photographers. Typically, I try to keep my gigapixel to 4X or under and carefully check for artefacts. May purchase the sharpen AI after seeing this.
What do you sacrifice, or have to look for in the image after you run the Topaz DeNoise or Sharpen. Like, just as an example, do you loose color and have to bump vibrance or saturation. Most edits in Lightroom or Photoshop seem to have a negative effect on some other value that you need to tweak back and forth between and get a good balance. Are there any here?
And the best thing about the Topaz apps is what we'll soon see from Adobe. Seems Adobe knows they have to keep up or be left behind, so they are now responsive to competition. Think about the sky replacement response to Skylum and the upscaling response to Topaz's Gigapixel AI. Both processes were available in Ps -- I used them before either of the other apps came out -- but they were cumbersome and difficult. By the end of this year, Photoshop will release an update with an automated sharpen process to compete with Topaz's Sharpen AI, and the next Lightroom will include improved denoise. Will they be as good? We'll see. Even Sharpen AI isn't perfect. It can create horrendous, image-ruining artifacts in some scenes, particularly cityscapes and architectural with artificial lines. Thanks for a nice video demonstration, Matt.
You may be due for another revelation about the limitations of Adobe products. When I got my Canon 90D, I found that Canon's software, DPP4, does a much better job of opening raw files including diffraction correction, color processing, and noise reduction/sharpening. I would think Topaz would do better with NR/sharpening but DPP4 does quite well with just the default settings. I do not know if this pertains to Sony, Nikon or other brands but for Canon I have given up on Adobe Camera Raw and Lightroom. It was easy to incorporate DPP4 in my workflow and the results are definitely worth it.
Thanks for the tips! I love both Topaz DeNoise and Sharpen. But prepare to have your mind blown again, Matt, because DxO PureRAW is superb. PureRAW does a better job every time on noise than Topaz DeNoise (less blur/smudge, cleaner, sharper, more convincing), has a simpler workflow, and outputs a nice DNG to work on in Lightroom, Capture One, etc. (instead of the Topaz-recommended TIFF). Don't worry, you can still add that extra sharpness magic with Topaz Sharpen.
I shoot Sony rx 10 Mark 4 and I utilize topazes package, sharp,giga,Denoise. And I have to say it really helps me look like a pro most of the time. Love to move to full frame one day but with gigapix no need.
I love Topaz products. Been a loyal customer of theirs since i bought their suite at photoshop world in like 2005 or something... Have the original cd still, lol..
Hey Matt great video; I recently purchased Sharpen AI and am not surprised by your video findings, you finally got turned by the crowd !! I wasn't sure about DeNoise at the time so I didn't purchase it. You mentioned that Sharpen AI also has noise reduction (it seems to works OK), do you think one would need to purchase Denoise as well - what are your findings on this. You have always said that it doesn't matter when you sharpen but I have recently heard on some webinars that it's best to use sharpen at the initial stage of processing when you still have lots of pixels before any major cropping etc - do you have any updated thoughts on this.
So Matt, how has this changed your workflow? Do you import into Lightroom and have it do your basic presets for lens corrections etc., And then jump over for the denoise before you do the rest of your editing in Lightroom and Photoshop? Or do you denoise first? or maybe at the very end?
Hi Chris. I always import to LR first for toning and color. I don't really mess with lens corrections much. From there, if I need PS I go to PS and then Topaz from there. If not, I just jump from LR > Topaz and back. Hope that helps.
I'm probably not the first to recommend you try Dxo, either Photolab 4 with ther Deep prime or (just released) their Pure Raw (more of a quick fix - same denoise engine I suppose). Just started using it today 👍
It’s too bad their customer service is AWFUL. I bought a license at a conference, it never worked - wrote them, opened a support ticket; ZERO response. But here’s the problem, they have no way to contact them otherwise.
H. I don't use Lumenzia so nothing has changed. And my workflow for Topaz is I use it as a plug-in from LR or PS depending on where I'm at when I need it. Hope that helps.
@@MattKloskowski Thank you. I thought I saw on one of your videos that you had Lumenzia installed but I must have been mistaken. I bought it, but I'm not 100% sold on it yet. Anyway, thanks.
I had a trial of Topaz Denoise mainly for astrophotography, but didnt buy it because it created funky artifacts with Astro. I have just bought it now for the Landscape photography I am doing more of.
The best thing about discovering that you were wrong about something is the moment where you discover what's right! Thanks for sharing that moment with us. Much appreciated!
At least you are humble and honest enough to admit you were wrong sir. You get a pass in my book!...but know that what you say goes with me and a lot more people....👍
Topaz has been on my list of things to get around to, and this video convinced me to finally make it happen. I used your code and got the bundle.
And now I have to revisit all the old photos I've taken to see if I can salvage any good compositions that I had rejected because they were too soft or out of focus. I'm both excited and overwhelmed by that. :D
Thanks for making great video, Matt.
On a real estate photo of a three story bay house that I edited yesterday the exterior first floor of a full house shot was very noisy in the darker recessed open areas below the house. After editing, I sent it over to Denoise AI and the results were literally stunning, even on auto. The Gigapixel AI gives you very good results when you have to do a major crop and need some more resolution. Sharpen AI is simply a game changer for some photos. I have become a solid proponent of the Topaz AI softwares.
Welcome to the club, Matt 😀 For me Denoise and Sharpen AI have become an essential part of my wildlife workflow long ago. Without them, my keeper rate would be significantly lower because I don't like to post noisy or blurry images. I'm shooting Olympus, mostly with focal lengths of 820/1200mm (full frame equiv) so camera shake is a major issue here, despite of image stabilization. Topaz plugins work like magic, it's just like a major cam + lens upgrade in terms of IQ.
BTW, Dave Kelly - the Joy of Editing is a great source for in-depth tipps and tricks for Topaz. He has a video that shows how to use both Denoise and Sharpen on the same photo to get maximum results.
Excellent tutorial. Not too much, not too little, just right! I couldn't agree more with your assessment of Topaz's software and they are REALLY on the ball when you it's comes to customer service.
Welcome to the Topaz family. I'm also part of the DXO family because for some of my images I need to compare if DX0 Prime or Topaz will give me the result I'm trying to get. A nice thing about both products is that I can run the raw files through them first and then post process. I like having the option of doing it before or after post processing.
I do the same thing; I run them both to see which one is giving the best result. I have a question for you; Do you get a weird colour-shift after your noise reduction in Topaz DeNoise and saved as a DNG? The DXO DeepPRIME exported to DNG is not changing the colours like the DeNoise does. I know this is a real problem because there are several videos on UA-cam on that particular problem now. It appears to only happen to files being processed on the raw level and exported as a DNG though. And it becomes evident when opened in either Lightroom or Capture One.
@@freetibet1000 I haven't experience that before but that was a while ago. So I tried with a recent image I took using the latest versions of the software. The color shift was so bad that DXO was definitely better for that image. In the case of DeNoise the raw histogram (used RAW Digger) was shifted to the right and the color channels were smoothed out and equaled out whereas with DXO the color channels were closer to the original and the red channel was not shifted to match the green and blue channels which helped to explain why RGB rendering (in RAW Digger) of the DeNoise file actually had an pinkish color cast on it.
Thank you Matt. Nothing wrong with being wrong; a lot right about saying so.
I took your advice, gave Topaz Sharpen a whirl and bought it. It is pretty amazing.
Great video. I agree with your assessments and love Topaz Sharpening - been a photo saver on many occasions. However, when it comes to the noise reduction / elimination I was less impressed by the Topaz solution and recently started to use the DxO Pure RAW with the "DeepPrime" tool. I think this does a much better job and has really blown me away with how effective it is. Well worth you reviewing this tool as well.
Hoi Matt,
From the Netherlands: This video is exact wat I have experiment in the last weeks. I was not very happy with my photo’s I made with my Canon 7Dmk2. I bought the Canon R7 and I was still not happy with the results (noise and sharpnes). Now I discovered Topaz tools and WOW. I’am very happy with the kwality. Also older pixtures are now as I hopen to make them, Sharp and no Noise. Thans to the Topaz tools Sharpening and Denoise.
Greetings Rob Stevens
Thanks Matt. The advantage of the specialty softwares over Photoshop is that they analyze the photo at the pixel by pixel level. Adjustments are made in thousands of locations in the photo. You just can't do that with Photoshop. I truly think that these programs bring out more detail from the raw file that the raw editor failed to convert. Now also the new AI programs (still glitchy, but improving) work to add detail that is missing by creating it. It is an interesting time to be a photographer.
I’ve been using Denoise AI for a little over a year now and have been really amazed at not only how well it gets rid of the noise, but also with the extra sharpening it adds. I recently downloaded and am evaluating Sharpen AI, and so far the jury is still out on that one. But I share your enthusiasm for Denoise for sure!
NR has improved greatly outside of what Lightroom has to offer. LR's noise reduction can be "good" but some of these products (I feel) are a tad bit better in some instances, especially when it comes to high ISO images (like those that exhibit a lot of luminance noise), and the biggest difference is detail retention when applying higher amounts of NR. Again, LR does a decent job, but if you have to push the NR slider higher (like past 40 or 50) you start to lose detail. Some of these other programs and plug-ins (I use DXO PhotoLab's built-in DeempPrime myself) do wonders for high ISO images, and retain more detail than LR would have. So there are some better options, and it's helpful to have one or two extra plug-ins in the toolbox for certain things. If it's light noise, then I just stay in LR most times because it's OK if I can keep NR reasonable (say under 30 on the NR sliders) but if I have to go higher, I tend to send it over to DXO to take care of (or I will start with DXO and then send a DNG back and finish up RAW processing that way). (I had DeNoise from Topaz but felt DXO was better when someone suggested I try their DeepPrime technology and so I don't use DeNoise for noise reduction anymore; plus I had some issues early on when the Nikon Z cameras were relased that it couldn't read uncompressed RAW although that has been fixed I think, along with random issues reading TIF files generated by Topaz, in LR Classic).
Thanks Matt! Good info! The technology moves so fast today. I got my first IBM compatible computer at work I think about 1984. 640K of RAM and a 10mb hard drive with a color monitor and I loved it. It was perfect for Lotus 123. We have come a long way! More to come!
Thanks Matt. Same basic story for me, started with landscape and now 50/50 landscape and wildlife (primarily birds in flight). Started using Topaz three years or so ago and have never looked back. I also use Gigapixel AI to upsize tight crops, worth the time and effort based on my results. FYI I shoot with a Nikon D850 w Nikon 200-500 lens. Thanks always for sharing, much appreciated.
Great results. I'm on an older PS (cannot use Topaz), one thing I do is use oilpaint at low settings (0.5 to 1 on the top two settings, and zero shine) followed by sharpening, and repeat. This can move the noise in the direction of the grain/structure in the image. It is useful if used in moderation, but probably cannot compete with the Topaz results.
Have had exactly the same experience with DeNoise you describe. The results - especially given the simplicity - is pretty amazing
Is there a preferred process order? Sharpen vs DeNoise. Thanks for all your help.
Tried it. It did a good job in landscapes, super sharp, no artifacts or hallos. And it cleans up noise very well too.
Thank You. I have seen several proclaim the benefit of Topaz DeNoise. Never committed to that until now. I had a suite of Topaz products years ago. The denoise they had then did suit me. Thanks for sharing.
Hard to admit when you're "wrong" but we all learn from new experiences! Thanks for the update, Matt!
Glad to see that I am not the only one having focus problems with wild life.
For noise reduction you now need to try DXO-Photolab Elite. The DeepPrime noise reduction beats Topaz denoise, I have both, and works on the raw file during demosaicing. DXO applies capture sharpening variably across the frame to match the lens sharpness characteristics, ie less sharpening in centre compared to edges. You can even use your LR dcp colour profile if you like. Send the lens corrected, capture sharpened and denoised DNG to LR/PS for final editing.
Doesn’t your photo need to go in to DxO first? That’s a deal breaker for me.
@@MattKloskowski Demosaicing has to be done in DXO but you can go from LR to DXO as it has a plugin, sending the DNG back to LR.
Thanks. I tried it out. Didn’t see a huge difference. Better on some worse on others for me.
@@MattKloskowski Interesting, as they have been extensively tested on forums etc. Most complain about only being able to see the results of DeepPrime in the small preview window rather than on the whole image.
Hi Ian. Honestly, I'm happy with my workflow and there's a lot to be said for that. I'd rather not be in the software testing business if that makes sense. And really, I find a lot of people who frequent forums to be very technical and theoretical while comparing images at 800% - and buying every software out there. Personally, that's just not me and I find their results (while often technically correct) don't match up with what I consider practical. Everyone is different though, and what they have I'm sure works for them, I'd just rather get back to shooting and editing especially when I absolutely love the results I'm getting :-) Thanks!
Great video Matt. I've always done about 50/50 wildlife & landscape. A couple of years back I saw Anthony Morganti saying how good Topaz DeNoise AI was, but it wasn't until I saw one of our best bird photographers (Georgina Steytler) here in Australia talking about it that I decided to give it a go, and it's definitely been a game-changer for me too. Having said that, I usually set an upper ISO limit of 4500 on my Nikon D7500 - beyond this, images can sometimes look a little 'plastic'. Haven't tried the AI Sharpening yet but I might have to now!
Don't worry we have all sinned and come short of the glory of Topaz Labs (starting using them Spring of last year)
The new DXO Pure RAW tool which was introduced two days back with deep prime also works really good on raw images.
Thanks Matt! I appreciate your honesty. I have been using both Sharpen AI and Denoise AI for the last year for my wildlife photography. I agree the results are amazing.
Just made my best buy---Topaz Denoise AI--- Shot a wedding yesterday, in a dark church and it was fairly dark at the party...Camera ISO between 3600-12800 (no flash was allowed) TopazDeNoise AI really saved me on this shoot for a fraction of the payment
Thanks for sharing your opinion on Topaz DeNoise AI. I have been purchased the entire Topaz package and have been using it since you posted this video. It does a great job of getting rid of the noise without compromising detail.
Thanks for this video, I have been using Topaz DeNoise for about a year and though I haven't really gotten a good workflow yet, I have found it to be very useful for increasing my keeper rate after any photo walk or event.
I was on the fence about Topaz. I will do their trial period and see how it might improve a few of my images. Thanks for your honesty and review.
I ran the Trail version on just a couple of problem images with RAW inside LR-CC and JPG stand-alone, and I'm sold. Thanks Matt, I'm not usually a fan of plug-ins but this is slick and easy.
Good to hear your results. I’ve started using it too!
So glad you found my secret weapons. (although it seems everyone is now lol) I have found DeNoise to be amazing at denoise and ok at sharpening. Sometimes it over sharpens the image. Sharpen AI is simply amazing at recovering what would be a lost image and it just OK at denoise. I was using DeNoise for sometime and stumbled upon Sharpen when I took some company headshots and one group image. The girl in the back left never stopped moving. Not one image was clear of her and I didn't catch it before I left so I couldn't even photoshop her head in. I downloaded SharpenAI and masked her, as noone else needed it, and boom she was fine. If you zoomed in 1:1 and knew what to look for you could see some work was done to her but it sure saved my ass on that shot. I've since used it on a few wildlife shots that I just missed the settings for one reason or another and I'm just blown away with what it can pull out of it's hat. I haven't figured out which is best to use first if I need great denoise and great sharpening done. Still experimenting on that.
Trialled both the Topaz DeNoise AI and sharpen. Eventually purchased the DeNoise as I shoot a lot of sports in low light and it is certainly a game changer!
Yeah, it's pretty crazy how good it is. I don't use the term game changer lightly but DeNoise is exactly that.
Yes, I agree! Topas does a very, very good job! I tried so much DeNoise programs. But Topas Denoise is a game changer for me.
Just bought it using your code, thanks Matt! Boy you were right, outstanding plug-in. I’ve already been using Topaz Denoise Ai for a while and love it too.
Thank you very much, Matt. I don't do too much wildlife photography, but I'm a happy user of some Topaz plugins sice one year ago or so. It's always nice to know that an expert like you is happy with Topaz too.
Good video, Matt. One thing to note is that Sharpen AI will sometimes leave strange artifacts in odd places in the photo. Fortunately, the masking feature will permit removal of sharpening in these areas..
I just recently had that happen, there were parts of the background, trees with full leaves where random leaves were sharpen. I didn’t see it till later, after I had worked on the photo in PS. I was able to mask it in PS, of course, but I realized I need to check the whole photo and use the native masking if there are issues. Especially if I am working in LR where I can’t mask.
Thanks Matt. I also use Topaz. I’m selective with my use of their sharpen ai. It sometimes works but often creates it’s own funky artifacts. I saw that effect on the anhingas in the example you used. Still, it’s sometimes very handy.
Wow! Excellent results, and a real flip for these products!
I've been debating on getting these you have now helped me decide, thanks Matt
We all do mistakes, but the way we solve them is really not up to everyone. Your work is outstanding as your character. Cheers
I have been using Topaz products for a long time . You should also try Topaz Gigapixel Ai on your crops .Also ..to get the best out of Denoise Ai and Sharpen Ai turn off all sharpening and noise reduction in Lightroom or ACR before using the Topaz products . Anthony Morganti has great advice on using the Topaz products as does Dave Kelly
Hi. I have tried it and done many tests. Read through this article: petapixel.com/2021/03/25/petapixel-compares-photoshop-super-resolution-vs-topaz-gigapixel-ai/
It's exactly my experience. Gigapixel is better, but not enough better to warrant the time it needs. Nobody will ever see the before after that you see when comparing, and sometimes good enough... is indeed good enough :-)
This is why, I appreciate your way. Honest and humble.. I’m not going to jump over it coz I use another one and I’m still landscaper but I like the video.
Hi Matt, I have been using Topaz DeNoise ai and Sharpen Ai since they came out and I am still amazed each time I have to use them, also no other company responds as quickly to bugs and continuously updates their software so regularly.
I love photographing Osprey, but hand holding the camera(heavy) most often left me disappointed with the photos. Met a random fellow photographer on the beach who recommended Topaz. Really pleased with the results. Thanks for the info here. I kind of felt like I was ‘cheating’, but my photos are only for me,so I want them as good as I can get. 😉
Apology accepted, Matt ;) I was using Topaz DeNoise AI and Sharpen AI up until DxO released PhotoLab 4 with DeepPRIME noise reduction. I’ve consistently had better results with DxO since then. I always had an issue with funky grid like artifacts on low light, high ISO images with DeNoise AI. Now DxO have released PureRAW the process is even easier.
I've got both, but I just use "auto" for every photo because I'm not really sure what each slider is actually doing. Could you do a tutorial about DeNoise and Sharpen to help demystify it a bit? And do you use both on the same photo or just pick one?
Fortunately, the software is smart because you and I are in the same boat! Frankly, I would be in big trouble without the Topaz products. I have Gigapixel, DeNoise and Sharpen and find by playing around with them it becomes pretty evident what is best.
I usually use Gigapixel as my last step figuring that if I enlarge the original with noise and or other artifacts it's just going to increase them as well.
We are very lucky to be living at a time where such marvels are available for us to avail ourselves thereof.
Awesome video Matt. I too have resisted getting Topaz for the same reason--belief that LR and PS would/should get you to the same place...but clearly doesn't. What I do have is the NIK bundle, so before jumping in with Topaz I need to check out the additional tools I already have (but seldom use). And thanks again for the nudge--and the great comparisons you showed! Jon
Matt, I also have used Topaz Ai. S and D. Love them both; you verify my 👍 of Topaz. Thanks
Thanks for the vid. I concur. The results from DeNoise and Sharpen AI can be exceptionally good. It seems DeNoise is more consistent as Sharpen AI is good but not magic with some blurry images. Morganti sold me on it. :-)
I really appreciate this video. Your admission and then public acceptance of the available technology to improve your results is refreshing. Im going to go back and look at some "borderline" shots. Ive got Topaz DeNoise and don't even use it. I'm going to get Sharpen and try it out. Thanks
I agree. I’ve been using Topaz for a couple of years. In my opinion, worth every penny. I only use it for a small percentage of my photos but the results are worth it because I end up with photos I am proud to share. And Topaz keeps improving its software.
Thanks Matt. I was 100% where you were before you tried DeNoise (transition to wildlife, high ISO noise and trying to justify my LR/Ps workflow etc - I can hear myself going through the self same questioning 😂). Plus for me, my 8 year old iMac wasn’t up to handling some of the newer AI technologies anyway. However, having just upgraded my Mac, watching your video again was very timely. I can now start to look at the options out there and, still wanting to maintain the simplest possible workflow, the question for me now is which one to go for?
Best I can suggest is don’t spend time on this decision. It doesn’t matter. Pick one. Spend your time taking great photos and editing them quickly. Don’t spend time deciding on something that won’t affect how your photo resonates in any way :-)
I have been using Topaz Denoise but recently switched from ON1 to DXO Photolab 4 and find that DXO Deep Prime results are better than Topaz Denoise and it's much faster.
Matt, thanks for this video. I recently purchased a high megapixel camera which are known to pick up more noise. I was an the edge as to when to get Topaz DeNoise and Sharpen, but you have prompted me to go forth.
Welcome to the world of TopazDenoiseAI. It's an amazing program that has saved many many of my images from the trash heap. I also tried SharpenAI and while it does work well, I decided not to buy it. I feel the sharpening offered by the DeNoise program is quite good so it's the only Topaz product I use. Because I'm usually shooting in low light and high ISO I use it on almost every image.
That’s actually a great point. Sharpen is only really to “save” a photo. If you’re some one just starting out I could see that helping as your learn. But yes... I don’t use it nearly as often as I used DeNoise and the sharpening I get from it is great.
Matt. Have you discovered a Topaz workflow for the best results? 1.) ISO noise, hand held and major crop. Which order? DeNoise, Sharpen and then Gigapixel? ISO noise and hand held: DeNoise and then Sharpen? Thanks Mike
Hi Mike. I use DeNoise if I find the noise is work. I use Sharpen if I find the noise is tolerable but it needs to be sharpened. I rarely use both since each one will also help the other. Thanks!
Wow crazy good surprising results. Good stuff Matt
I’m using Topaz and it’s amazing! It works for Aps-c like switching to full frame - one can pump up ISO at least for 2 stops still having usable picture at the end
Awesome ! ! I've been wondering about Topaz for a while thinking it was just commercial hype. I've got some spectacular night shots with my EVO II Pro that suffer from luminance noise and just need a little help. Thanks for this demo ! !
Thanks so much.... wow what a difference using Topaz
Have been using Denoise and Sharpen Al for about a year now and have never looked back. Have also recently invested in Gigapixel Al.
I use Affinity Photo. RAW photos go into the Develop persona first where changes are permanent. I might do simple changes, crop and move into the Photo Persona, similar to PS. Before I make any changes I submit my photo to the Filters/plugins, be it Sharpen or Denoise Ai. I photograph BIFs. Both filters allow masking. It usually detects and masks the bird. You can ADD or Remove details with edge awareness. You can mask other areas that you want sharpened. Apply the mask. Select what kind of sharpening you want. I usually start with Sharpen, Automatic. The program "speeds along' because you have limited the areas to enhance. When I do not mask, the fans in my video card go into overdrive. If I am satisfied, then I select apply and wait. If you had selected the Heron in your photo, everything else would have stayed untouched. I have a photo of 2 white ibises perched together. DOF at F/8 did not bring the farthest Ibis in focus. I did a regular Sharpen Ai and the ibis in front was tack sharp. I duplicated that sharpened photo and submitted to Sharpen Ai, I masked the distal Ibis and the program did it's magic. Both Ibises were very sharp. Some people say that you need the whole photo so that the program has more data to help along. As far as I know Ai just deals with your subject. No extraneous data that does not involve your subject is necessary. One of the great things with this software is that you can improve your subject and leave the background alone. BTW DeNoise is sometimes better than Sharpen Ai. This program has improved my photography tremendously. My Sigma C 150-600 is soft at the long end, 660 mm. No more! Thanks for the video Matt. Perhaps we will run into each other in our beautiful Tampa Bay.
I agree 100%. I just discovered Topaz about six months ago.
You convinced me, just paid for mine!
Very happy you jumped aboard .Topaz is good been using it for years. I also use DXO but that's for another discussion.
Using DxO myself including their noise reduction
I came to the same conclusion regarding Topaz AI. I’d tried using it a couple years ago but found the results made my photos look painterly. But now with the recent improvements, I’m a fan.
Welcome to Team Topaz Matt. I have been using Topaz products for years and have loved them. The new Denoise AI is out of this world awesome and I use it on all my wildlife images.
Welcome to the party. Topaz has saved some of my early photos. Glad I didn't delete them.
It is the same story with GigaPixel. Topaz makes great tools and I use them. Good presentation. I do tend to monitor your comments.
I have used both Denoise and Sharpen for several months and like them a lot
I agree, Topaz spanks Adobe in this arena. Sharpen AI has blown my mind many times and Gigapixel AI is amazing too. I haven't used DeNoise but definitely will when the need arises.
Just came across your vlog while trying to decide on Topaz Noise vs Sharpening as in which one to buy. Which one do you think I should buy?
Also, want to commend you on the succinct and logical way in which you explain things. Well done and you now have another follower.
I have been using Topaz denoise software and it is indeed really good....I agree with you on this. But i have been careful to avoid over sharpening using the software as one can really get carried away ....
I did an evaluation on these myself and was very impressed. I decided to make the purchase using your code. Unfortunately there is no longer anyway to enter the code and I had to pay full prices.
Hi Craig. The code does indeed work. Maybe contact them to try again.
@@MattKloskowski I just checked. It is there now. It was missing when I made my purchase.
That's actually incredible.
As a wildlife photographer shooting Canon 1DX mkiii with a 20.1 MP sensor I also use Gigapixel AI for when I need to print large images for clients. Both DeNoise AI and Gigapixel AI they are awesome for wildlife photographers. Typically, I try to keep my gigapixel to 4X or under and carefully check for artefacts. May purchase the sharpen AI after seeing this.
Glad to see you've found how good they are.
What do you sacrifice, or have to look for in the image after you run the Topaz DeNoise or Sharpen. Like, just as an example, do you loose color and have to bump vibrance or saturation. Most edits in Lightroom or Photoshop seem to have a negative effect on some other value that you need to tweak back and forth between and get a good balance. Are there any here?
Thanks Matt, I have been using Topaz Denoise for years, I have found nothing close. The jury is still out on Topaz Sharpen.
And the best thing about the Topaz apps is what we'll soon see from Adobe. Seems Adobe knows they have to keep up or be left behind, so they are now responsive to competition. Think about the sky replacement response to Skylum and the upscaling response to Topaz's Gigapixel AI. Both processes were available in Ps -- I used them before either of the other apps came out -- but they were cumbersome and difficult.
By the end of this year, Photoshop will release an update with an automated sharpen process to compete with Topaz's Sharpen AI, and the next Lightroom will include improved denoise. Will they be as good? We'll see. Even Sharpen AI isn't perfect. It can create horrendous, image-ruining artifacts in some scenes, particularly cityscapes and architectural with artificial lines.
Thanks for a nice video demonstration, Matt.
You may be due for another revelation about the limitations of Adobe products. When I got my Canon 90D, I found that Canon's software, DPP4, does a much better job of opening raw files including diffraction correction, color processing, and noise reduction/sharpening. I would think Topaz would do better with NR/sharpening but DPP4 does quite well with just the default settings. I do not know if this pertains to Sony, Nikon or other brands but for Canon I have given up on Adobe Camera Raw and Lightroom. It was easy to incorporate DPP4 in my workflow and the results are definitely worth it.
I use DeNoise all the time. I don't use Sharpen quite as much. I find it can do some funny looking things to my photos.
Using Sharpen is good only in blurry or out of focus images but in fairly sharp normal images there is no much need to use it
Thanks for the tips! I love both Topaz DeNoise and Sharpen. But prepare to have your mind blown again, Matt, because DxO PureRAW is superb. PureRAW does a better job every time on noise than Topaz DeNoise (less blur/smudge, cleaner, sharper, more convincing), has a simpler workflow, and outputs a nice DNG to work on in Lightroom, Capture One, etc. (instead of the Topaz-recommended TIFF). Don't worry, you can still add that extra sharpness magic with Topaz Sharpen.
I shoot Sony rx 10 Mark 4 and I utilize topazes package, sharp,giga,Denoise. And I have to say it really helps me look like a pro most of the time. Love to move to full frame one day but with gigapix no need.
Now you need to try DXO Photo Lab 4 with Deep Prime
I agree. That's next level 👍
Yup, topaz is ok, DxO is amazing!
@@magnusfahlstrom3262 är du bosatt i Svea Rike?
@@bensal666 Det stämmer fint det 👍
Good stuff Matt. We change cameras. We change lenses. They are all the tools we choose. Ain't no shame in your game. Gonna give it a try
I love Topaz products. Been a loyal customer of theirs since i bought their suite at photoshop world in like 2005 or something... Have the original cd still, lol..
Hey Matt great video; I recently purchased Sharpen AI and am not surprised by your video findings, you finally got turned by the crowd !! I wasn't sure about DeNoise at the time so I didn't purchase it. You mentioned that Sharpen AI also has noise reduction (it seems to works OK), do you think one would need to purchase Denoise as well - what are your findings on this. You have always said that it doesn't matter when you sharpen but I have recently heard on some webinars that it's best to use sharpen at the initial stage of processing when you still have lots of pixels before any major cropping etc - do you have any updated thoughts on this.
I had my doubts but your opinion matters on this topic
So Matt, how has this changed your workflow? Do you import into Lightroom and have it do your basic presets for lens corrections etc., And then jump over for the denoise before you do the rest of your editing in Lightroom and Photoshop? Or do you denoise first? or maybe at the very end?
Hi Chris. I always import to LR first for toning and color. I don't really mess with lens corrections much. From there, if I need PS I go to PS and then Topaz from there. If not, I just jump from LR > Topaz and back. Hope that helps.
I'm probably not the first to recommend you try Dxo, either Photolab 4 with ther Deep prime or (just released) their Pure Raw (more of a quick fix - same denoise engine I suppose).
Just started using it today 👍
Thank you Matt. Good info.
Try DXO pure raw...DXO Prime noise reduction is a smidge better.
It’s too bad their customer service is AWFUL.
I bought a license at a conference, it never worked - wrote them, opened a support ticket; ZERO response.
But here’s the problem, they have no way to contact them otherwise.
I would love to know how your workflow has changed to incorporate both Topaz and Lumenzia. Thanks!
H. I don't use Lumenzia so nothing has changed. And my workflow for Topaz is I use it as a plug-in from LR or PS depending on where I'm at when I need it. Hope that helps.
@@MattKloskowski Thank you. I thought I saw on one of your videos that you had Lumenzia installed but I must have been mistaken. I bought it, but I'm not 100% sold on it yet. Anyway, thanks.
I had a trial of Topaz Denoise mainly for astrophotography, but didnt buy it because it created funky artifacts with Astro. I have just bought it now for the Landscape photography I am doing more of.
And if you do the noise reduction in DxO PhotoLab4 using DeepPrime, it will be even more convincing. Then send it to Topaz Sharpen if necessary.
And DXO recently released their PureRaw, which they plan to make into a plugin for LR and PS.