sharpening

Ursus.Kirk · 12-09-2011, 12:56 PM

I used to have a standard sharpening (CS4) when I used the K10d. Now I have switched to the K5 and found the action I created didn't do very much. So I have started new tests, but would like to know your take on this. Do you sharpen K5 pictures? and if you do, what method do you use?

ducdao · 12-09-2011, 12:58 PM

Do you sharpen RAW or JPG image?

adpo · 12-09-2011, 01:03 PM

remember that sharpening generally has two parameters: sharpening strength and radius. With the megapixel increase of the k-5, the results you get from an equivalent sharpening action for the k10d will be more subtle, since the sampling size/radius of the sharpening action affects a relatively smaller area of the overall image at a time

Ursus.Kirk · 12-09-2011, 01:13 PM

I mainly used jpg (75% of the time) And had a detailed action set up, with (among other steps) a High Pass layer. I found that this method gave a better result than the standard unsharpen-mask.

toooldtocare · 12-09-2011, 03:17 PM

I have been very happy with standard sharpening straight out of the camera (RAW), I seldom shoot JPEG. I do not like the stark effect that too much sharpening gives. If I do sharpening, it is very little in PS.

ozlizard · 12-09-2011, 09:17 PM

I sharpen my RAW images in Lightroom 3 and have been amazed at how much they can take!

**Schraubstock** · 12-10-2011, 03:21 AM

Hi

I only shoot RAW and do all sharpening, if necessary, with FocalBlade which is a Photoshop plugin. It is available for other programs that follow the Adobe plugin standard.

I use this plugin exclusively because it has many finetuning capabilities such as black/white halo adjustments, texture adjustment and so forth. I think a better sharpening program will be hard to find. FocalBlade will of course also work with all other file formats and is particularly good with JPGs.

The Plugin Site - FocalBlade - Main

Greetings

Bruce · 12-10-2011, 04:10 AM

+1 for using focalblade.

ducdao · 12-12-2011, 12:03 PM

Originally posted by Ursus.Kirk

I mainly used jpg (75% of the time) And had a detailed action set up, with (among other steps) a High Pass layer. I found that this method gave a better result than the standard unsharpen-mask.

You should try RAW, especially with images that you think would need sharpening in PP. I only rely on LR3 to do the sharpening, once done, I do the rest of PP in CS5.

klkitchens · 12-12-2011, 12:10 PM

No K-5 yet, but in general...

I only shoot RAW
I process in Lightroom for a first pass... no sharpening applied.
For "keepers" or those that will become prints, I do a little more work, mostly in PS, and convert the image to Lab color, duplicate layer, Unmask sharpen the Lightness channel, Switch to layers and then add a black mask to the whole image. Then witha white brush selectively sharpen the areas that need it - facial features for example...

Merge layers, convert back to RGB and then edit some more.

pentup · 12-16-2011, 05:21 AM

Originally posted by Schraubstock

I only shoot RAW and do all sharpening, if necessary, with FocalBlade which is a Photoshop plugin.

FocalBlade looks interesting; unfortunately the site gives no information on price, even after downloading and installing the thing. I was hoping that both the plug-in and standalone Windows version were included in one download, but they're not. I had to give them my email just to get to the download page, and even then, no info on prices. I installed the standalone version, which is labelled "Demo" with no indication whether it's time limited, or I'm going to get nag screens, or how much the thing is supposed to cost. (CORRECTION: the download page does state that files will be saved with a watermark -- but I can't find a link to the non-demo version, or any prices. ****ing ridiculous. ) Haven't tried it yet. I'm not sure I want to keep it if they're going to be so mysterious about the price.

http://thepluginsite.com/products/photowiz/focalblade/

dave kitson · 12-16-2011, 05:54 AM

Originally posted by pentup

Haven't tried it yet. I'm not sure I want to keep it if they're going to be so mysterious about the price.

+2 for Focalblade.

Prices are here: The Plugin Site - Order

dave k

pentup · 12-17-2011, 05:20 AM

Originally posted by dave kitson

Prices are here: The Plugin Site - Order

Thanks. Stupid me, I missed that link. Past my budget. I should have looked more closely before installing the useless demo. I wish they'd use zip files for that stuff; my registry is cluttered enough.

12-09-2011, 12:56 PM	#1
Ursus.Kirk New Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Utrecht, Netherlands Posts: 11	sharpening I used to have a standard sharpening (CS4) when I used the K10d. Now I have switched to the K5 and found the action I created didn't do very much. So I have started new tests, but would like to know your take on this. Do you sharpen K5 pictures? and if you do, what method do you use?

12-16-2011, 05:21 AM	#11
pentup Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Flushing NY Photos: Albums Posts: 413	Originally posted by Schraubstock I only shoot RAW and do all sharpening, if necessary, with FocalBlade which is a Photoshop plugin. FocalBlade looks interesting; unfortunately the site gives no information on price, even after downloading and installing the thing. I was hoping that both the plug-in and standalone Windows version were included in one download, but they're not. I had to give them my email just to get to the download page, and even then, no info on prices. I installed the standalone version, which is labelled "Demo" with no indication whether it's time limited, or I'm going to get nag screens, or how much the thing is supposed to cost. (CORRECTION: the download page does state that files will be saved with a watermark -- but I can't find a link to the non-demo version, or any prices. ***ing ridiculous. ) Haven't tried it yet. I'm not sure I want to keep it if they're going to be so mysterious about the price. http://thepluginsite.com/products/photowiz/focalblade/ Last edited by pentup; 12-16-2011 at 05:27 AM.*

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12-09-2011, 12:58 PM	#2
ducdao Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Montreal/Vermont Posts: 2,160	Do you sharpen RAW or JPG image?

12-09-2011, 01:03 PM	#3
adpo Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery Posts: 888	remember that sharpening generally has two parameters: sharpening strength and radius. With the megapixel increase of the k-5, the results you get from an equivalent sharpening action for the k10d will be more subtle, since the sampling size/radius of the sharpening action affects a relatively smaller area of the overall image at a time

12-09-2011, 01:13 PM	#4
Ursus.Kirk New Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Utrecht, Netherlands Posts: 11 Original Poster	I mainly used jpg (75% of the time) And had a detailed action set up, with (among other steps) a High Pass layer. I found that this method gave a better result than the standard unsharpen-mask.

12-09-2011, 03:17 PM	#5
toooldtocare Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Lake Saint Louis Posts: 126	I have been very happy with standard sharpening straight out of the camera (RAW), I seldom shoot JPEG. I do not like the stark effect that too much sharpening gives. If I do sharpening, it is very little in PS.

12-09-2011, 09:17 PM	#6
ozlizard Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Bridgetown West Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 903	I sharpen my RAW images in Lightroom 3 and have been amazed at how much they can take!

12-10-2011, 03:21 AM	#7
Schraubstock Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,386	Hi I only shoot RAW and do all sharpening, if necessary, with FocalBlade which is a Photoshop plugin. It is available for other programs that follow the Adobe plugin standard. I use this plugin exclusively because it has many finetuning capabilities such as black/white halo adjustments, texture adjustment and so forth. I think a better sharpening program will be hard to find. FocalBlade will of course also work with all other file formats and is particularly good with JPGs. The Plugin Site - FocalBlade - Main Greetings

12-10-2011, 04:10 AM	#8
Bruce Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Sydney Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 448	+1 for using focalblade.

12-12-2011, 12:03 PM	#9
ducdao Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Montreal/Vermont Posts: 2,160	Originally posted by Ursus.Kirk I mainly used jpg (75% of the time) And had a detailed action set up, with (among other steps) a High Pass layer. I found that this method gave a better result than the standard unsharpen-mask. You should try RAW, especially with images that you think would need sharpening in PP. I only rely on LR3 to do the sharpening, once done, I do the rest of PP in CS5.

12-12-2011, 12:10 PM	#10
klkitchens Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Allanta, GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 480	No K-5 yet, but in general... I only shoot RAW I process in Lightroom for a first pass... no sharpening applied. For "keepers" or those that will become prints, I do a little more work, mostly in PS, and convert the image to Lab color, duplicate layer, Unmask sharpen the Lightness channel, Switch to layers and then add a black mask to the whole image. Then witha white brush selectively sharpen the areas that need it - facial features for example... Merge layers, convert back to RGB and then edit some more.

12-16-2011, 05:54 AM	#12
dave kitson Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Lichfield, UK Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 486	Originally posted by pentup Haven't tried it yet. I'm not sure I want to keep it if they're going to be so mysterious about the price. +2 for Focalblade. Prices are here: The Plugin Site - Order dave k

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12-17-2011, 05:20 AM	#13
pentup Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Flushing NY Photos: Albums Posts: 413	Originally posted by dave kitson Prices are here: The Plugin Site - Order Thanks. Stupid me, I missed that link. Past my budget. I should have looked more closely before installing the useless demo. I wish they'd use zip files for that stuff; my registry is cluttered enough.