[cpoteet]

I have read and seen videos of comments that in order to realize the maximum from Pentax pixelshift Silky Pix editing software should be used.

The statements are usually accompanied by the assertion that no other editing software will yield as good a result.

None of the comments explain why Silky Pix is superior for this task.

Can someone elnighten me? And perhaps share their experience on the efficacy of other software for the task.


Thank you.

[pinholecam]

No idea about pixel shift on SilkyPix, but you can just use Raw Therapee which is free and I believe they are the ones that did a lot of the early work when pixel shift was out to make it work and offer as many controls over it as possible.

[pschlute]

Silkypix will do raw conversions for PS raw files, but not for the "hand-held" option available only on the K-1 II. I think only the Pentax DCU utility can handle those PS files.

Photoshop and Lightroom can also handle PS files but again not for the "hand-held" variety.

I have processed K1 PS files in both Silkypix and Adobe Camera RAW , and they both do a great job.

[Gopersuel]

Hello
He believed that only Silkypix and DCU, the utility that comes on the Pentax K1 CD, could get all the juice out of photos taken in pixelshift mode and that other applications could not or did not do it well.
What applications, from the manufacturer, can correctly handle the pixelshift files?
It would be good to know, I have no experience with this type of files.
Thanks and regards

[pschlute]

Hello
He believed that only Silkypix and DCU, the utility that comes on the Pentax K1 CD, could get all the juice out of photos taken in pixelshift mode and that other applications could not or did not do it well.
What applications, from the manufacturer, can correctly handle the pixelshift files?
It would be good to know, I have no experience with this type of files.
Thanks and regards

It would help if the sources of the claims that other applications are lacking were provided. Otherwise we are guessing

[MossyRocks]

Having only recently acquired a pixel shift capable camera and no long running windows I find RawTherapee does a great job. I don't know how it handles hand held pixel shift as that is something the K-3ii lacks but RawTherapee has lots of knobs to turn when dealing with pixelshift. If you have a perfectly static scene shot off of a tripod, still life, it is simple just set pixelshift as the demosaicing method and be impressed with the results. For other scenes were some things may have moved there are all sorts of options for handling that. Personally I like the median option for movement areas when doing night shots of bridges as the movement is usually in the water, in the distant tree branches in the background, or something that wandered into the scene so for those areas the median either blurs things a bit more that I would want blurred or makes those things that only appear in one shot disappear. When I've done some pixelshift shots without water and no wind I like picking one of the regular demosaicing methods (usually AMAZE or RCD) for movement areas as you can get things like star trails to show up nicely over the entire duration of the shot.

This is a feature I am just starting to learn and use but for situations where it is usable I have found it provides a great benefit. If the weather holds I plan on making use of it tonight on the old rail road bridge over the river in Hastings, MN.

[sbh]

DCU gets the most out of the image regarding detail and colour. Unfortunately the app is super slow and also a little buggy. Imho it's like very basic editing and preserves the most of detail.

Silkypix Developer Studio is similar but has far better handling. Not lightning fast but it's good to work with. However, Pixelshift cannot be turned off manually, it uses the camera settings.

Raw Therapy has also excellent pixel details but I found it not so easy in handling (lots of settings to get to a result) and not so pleasing with colours and highlights by default. If you like the most options in adjustments you should take a look at RT.

LR/PS I cannot comment as I haven't used them

For comparison I'd like to add Capture One regarding colours (it can't process pixelshift). It still has the best colours out-of-the-box which are rich and deep and always precise and pleasing. But that also comes with a downside that it tends to clip highlights and shadows for that punchy look. Silkypix and DCU tend to preserve them better by default. But in the end you can come to the same result in both.

Basically it comes down to how the app interprets the pixel data. Usually you can't change that but iirc in RT you can change to different modes and try what works best. Recently I came across a post from Silkypix with some basic explanation. What is the SILKYPIX? | SILKYPIX On the other apps I have no info.

[cpoteet]

Thank you to all that have taken the time to address my question.

[panonski]

I have read and seen videos of comments that in order to realize the maximum from Pentax pixelshift Silky Pix editing software should be used.

The statements are usually accompanied by the assertion that no other editing software will yield as good a result.

None of the comments explain why Silky Pix is superior for this task.

Can someone elnighten me? And perhaps share their experience on the efficacy of other software for the task.


Thank you.

I recently discovered Silky Pix,

because I was forced into it - by mediocre of my poor ( portable ) Lightroom. - I'm not going into all details, but I was recently installed Silky Pix, and I decide to give it a try.
--
Learn curve is not as narrow,
as iit is in the Lightroom -
there is no
catalogues ( but data are presreved automatically in same folder as raw or pics are stored )
-
Develop proces is slower ( on my version 6 ) than LR - much slower.
-
There is addiotionally batch develop ( with auto rename ) - and you can Batch develop all of the files you edited - at once.

-
But with single image develop ( this is call "export" in LR )
you cant - at least in my ver of SilkyPix - get - autorename of same name file (which force me to manualy enter numbers -1,-2,-3 to my original file name - which is time consuming and frustrastring )
-
There is hole bunche of changes you can do,
everything is similar to LR workflow,
but all tools - are renamed , so you have to catch up new phrases - like "little contrast" or so
-
BUT,
Overall result is excellent.
Developed image have beatifull DR .
-
After I give it a try, on hole bunch of pictures from one Church ceremony -
I started to look over internet.
-
Current version is 10. ( I just downloaded 8 )
-
I found interesting tutorials, and comparison charts - between PhotoNinja, Capture One, LR, SilkyPix and more ...
-
I will paste some of it here
--
#675. Review - SilkyPix Studio Developer - DearSusan
-
Is SILKYPIX Software As Good as Adobe Lightroom?: Retouching Forum: Digital Photography Review
-
Pictures as smooth as silk? A SilkyPix overview from South East Asia. - DearSusan
-
Alternatives to Lightroom: PhotoNinja, SILKYPIX, and Luminar 2018 Review - Bershatsky
-
ON THE LAST LINK,
you will found exported JPGs - from different programs, including Silky Pix.
-
I look all of it, and on every image Silky Pix seems to be nicer than every other . Results are similar, but I don't know, Silky just look better ( to me )

-
I'm plannig to do more with this program, and leave LR for good.