Best alternative to Topaz AI

[TamiBoise]

Hi,
The more they "upgrade" topaz ai the more it drives me batty. I use DX0 for noise but sometimes need to sharpen. Any recommendations for a good alternative?

I have Z8, use lightroom classic to process.

Thanks

Tami

 

[Nimi]

LRC

 

[Calson]

Often what appears to be a lack of sharpness is a lack of contrast and so I adjust that. I only do sharpening as a very last step and after any resizing of the image.

 

[Hooligans Imagery]

Try LRC but use the mask. Hold down alt or option to see what is being sharpened via the mask. The white areas.

 

[Hooligans Imagery]

I gave up Topaz as well because for everything they fixed they broke something.

For LRC, I am at the computer now an I am pasting an example. On my preset for importing I set masking to 100 which means sharpening is only applied to transition areas and I then back off from that meaning more sharpening is applied. The default is 0 so everything is sharpened. I am thinking of changing it to 80. In any event, it works very well for most cases.

If you use Photoshop this is a gem and a free action for it is included - Vivid Light Sharpening. Very easy to use and infinitely adjustable, including masking. If I take an image to PS, I am working it harder and this is what I use.

 

[bleirer]

Dxo photolab also sharpens, both as part of the lens correction and a separate slider similar to unsharp mask. In usage I skip the unsharp mask part in photolab but use my final layer in photoshop for reversible output sharpening either smart sharpen or Tooaz sharpen.

 

[AlexY]

As Bill said, DxO photolab also sharpens. Their Nik 7 collection contains the Nik 7 Sharpener Output app which is even better than Topaz AI to my eyes.
Chris Wright has a recent video which examines sharpening with both photolab and also the Nik 7 collection apps.:

The Nik 7 collection can be used as a standalone program as well.

 

[bleirer]

Dxo has 20% off right now.

 

[sh1209]

Dxo pure raw and photolab are great alternatives to topaz. I do occasionally use topaz products but honestly prefer the older standalone programs such as denoise.

 

[TamiBoise]

Often what appears to be a lack of sharpness is a lack of contrast and so I adjust that. I only do sharpening as a very last step and after any resizing of the image.

Interesting. I still have so much to learn. Thanks.

 

[Anjin San]

LrC or Topaz AI but the latter only for sharpening at the end of PP…I use DxO 4for denoising almost exclusively.