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07-26-2014, 09:49 PM   #1
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What's the difference between Unsharp mask and sharpness & blur?

I'm not sure where to ask this.... so I chose here. With the PP software I use, they offer two options for sharpening the image - Unsharp Mask and Sharpness & Blur. They're kinda' the same... with the unsharp mask, there is almost an infinite number of possibilities, but with the sharpness & blur, it is very limited. What's the difference? Please explain in simple terms, because I don't understand a lot of the technical language.

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Dewman
SW Idaho

07-26-2014, 10:08 PM   #2
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Unsharp masking is the standard tool for increasing accutance* professional imaging, It provides excellent control of the levels of sharpening used in an image. 'Sharpness and blur' Is a tool haven't even heard of. Exactly what PP software are you using?


* Accutance: fine levels of image contrast. Sharpening only enhances the contrasts between tones in an image, making them stand out more and fooling the eye into thinking there is more detail in the image. Which is not to be confused with actual sharpness which is heavily reliant on using a high quality and a decent imaging sensor.

Last edited by Digitalis; 07-26-2014 at 10:13 PM.
07-27-2014, 05:27 AM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by Digitalis Quote
Unsharp masking is the standard tool for increasing accutance* professional imaging, It provides excellent control of the levels of sharpening used in an image. 'Sharpness and blur' Is a tool haven't even heard of. Exactly what PP software are you using?


* Accutance: fine levels of image contrast. Sharpening only enhances the contrasts between tones in an image, making them stand out more and fooling the eye into thinking there is more detail in the image. Which is not to be confused with actual sharpness which is heavily reliant on using a high quality and a decent imaging sensor.
Ah so..... I understand! But, an out-of-focus "negative" is STILL out-of-focus, and unless I'm sorely mistaken, there's not a whole lot that be done to correct that, right?

I'm using several PP programs, but the three I use most are Olympus Viewer II, Photoshop (an older 5.5 version) and Paint Shop Pro. I know there are others that are most likely far better but these seem to work well for me at the moment and they fit my budget well.

Thanks for the reply. Every little bit of information I glean from these replies helps a great deal and goes a long way toward my baptism into the digital world. It's quite a leap from the world of the dark room, Plus-X and push and pull 8x10" glossies!

Dewman
SW Idaho
07-27-2014, 06:12 AM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by Dewman Quote
an out-of-focus "negative" is STILL out-of-focus, and unless I'm sorely mistaken, there's not a whole lot that be done to correct that, right?
Right.

QuoteOriginally posted by Dewman Quote
I'm using several PP programs, but the three I use most are Olympus Viewer II, Photoshop (an older 5.5 version) and Paint Shop Pro. I know there are others that are most likely far better but these seem to work well for me at the moment and they fit my budget well.
Personally I would stick to Photoshop 5.5. Even I still use Photoshop CS5 and CS3*

QuoteOriginally posted by Dewman Quote
Plus-X and push and pull 8x10" glossies
I prefer "8X"10 format Tech-pan developed in rodinal (I use PYRO these days) and would print on fiber papers, or my own platinum printing paper. My prints never looked good on RC glossy paper. The shadows would block up like hell unless you developed the paper in Selectol Soft for a few seconds then dunk it in Dektol for the remainder and only that provided a minor improvement.


* Years ago I got some plugins for it which they don't make anymore, so I still use it.


Last edited by Digitalis; 07-27-2014 at 06:19 AM.
07-27-2014, 06:13 AM - 1 Like   #5
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Another PF member pointed me to this sharpening tutorial, which I found helpful : Guide to Image Sharpening
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