Topaz Sharpen AI v3.3.3

[Jorgen Udvang]

I bought the complete Topaz package the other day. The price was low and I've been curious to see what can be achieved with these apps. First out is Sharpen AI. That's scary stuff. Below is a photo taken with a Panasonic GH1 with the Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 back in 2010. It was out of focus and very soft. Minor processing with ACR first, then the version that is processed first with Sharpen AI, then with ACR and Photoshop.

Sharpen AI does something with the colours, so some work is needed after sharpening. The result is simply amazing though. The question is if I want my old manual focus photos that sharp, if this takes something away.

Oh... and the teeth of the girl to the left are not over sharpened. They really look that bad, probably from chewing betel nuts. Photo taken in Sisophon, Cambodia.

 

[glenerrolrd]

Jorgen

You are doing this the hard way . I process first thru LR Classic getting all the raw post processing done . Then I call the plug in for Sharpen AI . It creates a new TIFF which is stored in LR next to the original . I almost always use the Automatic settings in Sharpen AI . This creates a final final very quickly . If you are using Photoshop you can also call Sharpen AI as a plug in .

This software is MAGIC and does not shout over processed ....yet takes out of focus or camera shake captures and makes them usable .

I do not know if the AI corrections would hold up in a very large landscape print but for up to 13x19 street photography it does .

Roger

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Jorgen

You are doing this the hard way . I process first thru LR Classic getting all the raw post processing done . Then I call the plug in for Sharpen AI . It creates a new TIFF which is stored in LR next to the original . I almost always use the Automatic settings in Sharpen AI . This creates a final final very quickly . If you are using Photoshop you can also call Sharpen AI as a plug in .

This software is MAGIC and does not shout over processed ....yet takes out of focus or camera shake captures and makes them usable .

I do not know if the AI corrections would hold up in a very large landscape print but for up to 13x19 street photography it does .

Roger

Thank you Roger. I was doing this on a whim last night after returning from an assignment, so didn't really know what I was doing. Will check out the plug-in option for PS. For this particular photo though, the automatic setting was actually a bit too much.

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Jorgen

You are doing this the hard way . I process first thru LR Classic getting all the raw post processing done . Then I call the plug in for Sharpen AI . It creates a new TIFF which is stored in LR next to the original . I almost always use the Automatic settings in Sharpen AI . This creates a final final very quickly . If you are using Photoshop you can also call Sharpen AI as a plug in .

This software is MAGIC and does not shout over processed ....yet takes out of focus or camera shake captures and makes them usable .

I do not know if the AI corrections would hold up in a very large landscape print but for up to 13x19 street photography it does .

Roger

Did as you said. Topaz had already installed itself as a PS plugin. The process is indeed faster, but it takes away the option of saving the image as a DNG after the Topaz treatment, for whenever that is necessary. Still, I prefer the plugin way.

For photos that are sharp, and where there's no haze or other problematic surfaces, I will still use DXO PureRAW, but for out-of-focus photos, Topaz is great. I now have tens of thousands of old photos that I should re-visit, not to speak about considering re-buying the Contax 85mm.

Here's another one with the GH1 and the Contax/Zeiss 85mm, taken in rural Cambodia 2010: