What is the best software,option, etc that anyone has used to sharpen images. I have tried just a few but am wondering what the professionals are using to sharpen images to their best quality.
Thanks
#1
you might find this thread interesting reading:
pleader "Favorite Sharpening Methods" 7/23/02 6:52am </cgi-bin/webx?14/0>
#2
Focal Blade is a Photoshop plugin that works pretty nice. I used it on some images that were printed on A3 paper, and people started asking since when I migrated to medium format photography. (which I didn't).
It is nice "tweakable", and not too expensive.
Rob
#3
#4
I use Bruce Fraser's PhotoKit Sharpener by Pixel Genius...you can download a full trial copy at this site, good for one week: <
http://www.pixelgenius.com/sharpener/index.html>
It is so easy to use and has Capture, Creative, and Output Sharpening, Smoothing, Brushes, etc. It costs $99 but is well worth it. It also has a Yahoo forum where Bruce will answer your questions. There is a really good review here:
<
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/software/pk-sharpe ner.shtml> Good luck!
#5
wow, some great suggestions. Thank you all very much. I will give them all a try and see what I can do.
Thanks again.
#6
I have found Neat Image to offer the best combination of noise filtering and sharpening. It's very easy to use and gives you a remarkable noise reduced image that is sharpened in a sensible way. The program is inexpensive and a free demo download can be found on their website, www.neatimage.com
Good luck
H
#7
There are almost as many ways to sharpen as there are users sharpening pictures. Not quite but it sometimes looks that way. So here is what I use.
Photoshop's Unsharp Mask
NIK's InkjetAutoScan
Focus Magic
WHICH method is sometimes a try it and see with test prints. They do it differently and some pictures go better with one than with the others. In addition, the end use of the picture plays a part in what to use.
I have yet to save a file after using the built in sharpening filters except for unsharp mask. OK, I have after undoing the filter.
Sharpening, when needed, is always the last step on a print size file.
For the third party ones, I do the sharpening on a duplicate layer and adjust the opacity to fine tune the effect. With MY subjects and how I want the pictures to look, NIK's normally needs to be toned down to about 40-60% opacity. Focus Magic needs "tuning" in the "blur width" to fit the picture's needs and sometimes a reduction to 80% opacity helps. I prefer using a "sharpen layer" over strength adjustment inside the plug-in.
I suspect that someday someone is going to write a book on Photoshop picture sharpening. <grin>
Bill
#8
Wow, lots of wonderful info, thank you very much. This just goes to show what a dumbass I am and what a HUGE learning curve I have.
Thanks again.
#9
this archived thread lists many of the straight photoshop ways of sharpening. it's a good one to print out.
pleader "Favorite Sharpening Methods" 7/23/02 5:52am </cgi-bin/webx?14/0>
#10
One of my regularly used techniques for sharpening my digital photographs is a technique known as midtone sharpening. You can apply this in practise in a few different ways, either by advanced blending, or by masking.
You could also call it 'halo-less micro-sharpening'.
I use this in combination with final output USM.
Some actions you can de-construct here:
<
http://www.outbackphoto.com/workflow/wf_20/essay.html>
I have it actionised for my own workflow as a simple but strong technique.
I also use 'inverted USM' for added contrast and detail definition; high radius (~50) and low strength (8-20).
#11
Quick graphic explanation of my workflow:
<
http://www.96ppi.net/temp/sharpening.jpg>
(as it is actionised to layers, it was a simple operation to make this graphic).
#12