Topaz Sharpen AI: The best option for its use - an opinion

If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).

Howard5252

Howard5252

Unknown, but working on it
Supporting Member
Marketplace
Member's gallery
A suggestion for using Topaz Sharpen AI. I have found that almost all of my photos are improved with the STABILIZE option. I have done some testing using STABILIZE 50/50 (the default amounts) against SHARPEN 50/50 and also against whatever the the Auto Selection chooses and invariably I select the Stabilized version as the final choice. If the 50/50 settings make the photo look over processed, drop them to 30/30. It could just be some internal bias I have or something about the way I use the camera but I am suggesting that you give STABILIZE the first crack at each photo ... see if you get the results you want w/o fiddling with the other options or the sliders.
 
Last edited:
Member's gallery
I've found the same thing. I think Topaz realized it as well as the latest version now defaults to the Stabilize choice. I have found on occasion that other selections are better choices but for 90% or more I find stabilize gives the best results.
 
Member's gallery
My one gripe with stabilize is that if you use it on animals with fur it makes the fur look like scales or just un-natural at times. I often just end up running it through Denoise ai then through Sharpen ai and masking the eyes and applying it there if needed.
 
Member's gallery
bsinc1962 said:
My one gripe with stabilize is that if you use it on animals with fur it makes the fur look like scales or just un-natural at times. I often just end up running it through Denoise ai then through Sharpen ai and masking the eyes and applying it there if needed.
Click to expand...
As I mentioned. if the photo looks over processed; try 30/30. Remember, my suggestion was for most photos, of course there will be photos that need some additional or different processing.
 
Member's gallery
Howard5252 said:
As I mentioned. if the photo looks over processed; try 30/30. Remember, my suggestion was for most photos, of course there will be photos that need some additional or different processing.
Click to expand...

I typically run it through Denoise first anyways. That way when I get to Sharpen I don't need to get too aggressive with it.

One thing I will say though is that stabilize does help quite a bit with photos taken that suffer from heat shimmering.
 
Member's gallery
I've have some photos taken of kids tubing and found the angle of the sun dictated which Sharpen AI settings worked best. If I brightened the shaded faces in LR, then sent to Shapen AI then "focus" worked best. Actually all three methods sharpend the faces fine, but "focus" kept the skin colors/texture smooth, whereas sharpen and stabilize created patches of discolor (nothing major, but noticeable).
 
Member's gallery
DeNoise seems to be my first go to. Sharpen has not impressed me as much. As mentioned above stabilize seems to be the primary selection within Sharpen that produces anything remotely improved in my opinion.
 
Member's gallery
I've actually used all three options in Sharpen AI and I've never once used the settings they recommend. I always have had to reduce the slider. Some by a lot. I've also used Sharpen to increase sharpen in one area then applied a mask to finish sharpening in a another area... It works quite well IMHO.
Like everything else it can't make a bad photo look super but it takes one that would normally not be acceptable and moves it to acceptable.
I use DeNoise first in all my post work... again I always seem to turn the sliders down. from there I do anything in post... and my last step is sharpen.
 
Last edited:
Member's gallery
I've found very little use for Sharpen AI, sort of regret buying it but the few times I have used it the Stabilize option was the only one that did anything pleasing. I use Topaz DeNoise for all my images. You may need to click through to Flickr to see the differences close-up.

Here is one example where Sharpen worked and is actually why I ended up buying it as this image occurred during my 30 day trial of Sharpen.
Ran through Denoise first but see how catchlight is still blurred:
Topaz Denoise AI Clear won't fix the catchlight and head/feather details by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on Flickr

Then instead did Sharpen AI:
A Topaz Sharpen AI (Stabilize) Miracle by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on Flickr
 
Member's gallery
arbitrage said:
I've found very little use for Sharpen AI, sort of regret buying it but the few times I have used it the Stabilize option was the only one that did anything pleasing. I use Topaz DeNoise for all my images. You may need to click through to Flickr to see the differences close-up.

Here is one example where Sharpen worked and is actually why I ended up buying it as this image occurred during my 30 day trial of Sharpen.
Ran through Denoise first but see how catchlight is still blurred:
Topaz Denoise AI Clear won't fix the catchlight and head/feather details by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on Flickr

Then instead did Sharpen AI:
A Topaz Sharpen AI (Stabilize) Miracle by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on Flickr
Click to expand...
Yea, same results for me as well during my 30 day trial. I am leaning towards not purchasing and just sticking to DeNoise for now.
 
Member's gallery
i use topaz sharpen (and denoise) a lot. for sharpen i usually set it to sharpen and hit the auto button and then adjust the slider as necessary. but i only sharpen a file once it's been copied and resized for its intended use. then i sharpen the copy.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top