Topaz has recently launched a sale on their machine-learning powered sharpening software! If you'd like to take this opportunity to purchase Sharpen, it is currently on on sale for $20 off. Use the coupon code pentaxuser at checkout for an additional 15% off, for a final price of $50.99 (regular price $79.99) through March 18th.

Topaz Labs – Photography software powered by machine learning

[brightseal]

Is it worth it?

[mtkeller]

1000% worth it for both Sharpen and DeNoise.

[Mike L]

Is it worth it?

This post provides a good real world example of what it can do

[Mooncatt]

1000% worth it for both Sharpen and DeNoise.

Agreed. Gigapixel is great too for those times you crop tight and then need to blow it up.

[fuzzyphotos]

It's less than $42 if you can upgrade, new interface, downloads "modules" if you have an odd image. I sharpened a focus chart and it downloaded a module for that, and something else and it was another module. I think it does amazing work on some images, I had a crab shot years ago in the shade. It was very blurry, now you can see detail in the image.


Here they are, nothing special but an example of what it can do. I've had it for years but just started using it. I'm not proficient with it yet.

The topaz sharpen one is on the top. I'm not sure if I used a mask to sharpen it or not. Also, if you don't like the effect all at once, you can run an image thru a couple times with smaller amounts of sharpening. This was one pass. I'm sure i can do better now.


Tim

[Erictator]

I bought in on this deal last time around. Worth every penny.

BUT... one thing worth mentioning. The 1Yr software upgrade assurance they include works differently than some might expect, and you might miss out if you are not paying attention.

Usually, for incremental updates (like 3.1 to 3.2 or whatever) you start the software and it'll nag you, or you can go the top and hit the HELP drop down and ask it to check for updates.

That works great but as I just noticed with Ver 4 of Sharpen AI being released, I didn't get the prompt, and when I hit HELP and check for updates, it said I was up to date. Hmmmm... I double checked the rules and my purchase date and I am definitely entitled to Ver 4 from what I could tell.

What I had to do was go to the Topaz website, find and download the new Version 4 installer, and when I fired it up for the first time it said I was in Trial Mode, unless I buy it or log in... so the install routine doesn't just upgrade what you already have with licensing intact.

It's a little off-putting not knowing if you just screwed up, but after logging in as instructed, it must have recognized my software assurance since the software now functions normally. That routine could prolly use a little work, but it's hard to complain about FREE upgrades, no matter the extra steps required to get them.

So, that's my .02 to help anyone who might find themselves in a similar situation, enjoy!
Eric

[Mooncatt]

I bought in on this deal last time around. Worth every penny.

BUT... one thing worth mentioning. The 1Yr software upgrade assurance they include works differently than some might expect, and you might miss out if you are not paying attention.

Usually, for incremental updates (like 3.1 to 3.2 or whatever) you start the software and it'll nag you, or you can go the top and hit the HELP drop down and ask it to check for updates.

That works great but as I just noticed with Ver 4 of Sharpen AI being released, I didn't get the prompt, and when I hit HELP and check for updates, it said I was up to date. Hmmmm... I double checked the rules and my purchase date and I am definitely entitled to Ver 4 from what I could tell.

What I had to do was go to the Topaz website, find and download the new Version 4 installer, and when I fired it up for the first time it said I was in Trial Mode, unless I buy it or log in... so the install routine doesn't just upgrade what you already have with licensing intact.

It's a little off-putting not knowing if you just screwed up, but after logging in as instructed, it must have recognized my software assurance since the software now functions normally. That routine could prolly use a little work, but it's hard to complain about FREE upgrades, no matter the extra steps required to get them.

So, that's my .02 to help anyone who might find themselves in a similar situation, enjoy!
Eric

Thanks for the heads up on this. I don't use Sharpen AI much, so I didn't know I was so far behind (last updated Nov. 2021). Doing the manual update now since I'm well within my year plan. I checked DeNoise and Gigapixel, and both of them are already up to date. The Sharpen AI update checker must have been broken on one of the versions, because when I tried it, nothing happened. It didn't even tell me it was up to date, just... nothing.

[Adam]

Here's an example of a pic taken with the K-1 and processed with Topaz to sharpen it up. The resolution is crazy!