Sharpening

[paul6001]

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I notice that many x1 users turn the sharpening down to "medium low." Is that because they prefer a less sharp picture? Or because they'd rather do the sharpening in Lightroom?

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[pico]

I would be interested in what technique LR uses for sharpening. That might make a difference in the degree used.

 

In Photoshop I do not use the sharpen or unsharp masks. Instead I create a copy of the final layer, use the high pass filter at about 2-3 pixels, desaturate it and change layer mode to overlay. Much more subtle - IMHO. (If you also invert the layer you will create an interesting partially softened look where some parts remain sharp.)

[Bill Allsopp]

The Elmarit lens on the X1 is very sharp, I prefer to sharpen in pp and have control for that reason I also shoot RAW most of the time.

[nickma]

Medium low sharpening in camera is plenty sharp enough. Rather than think of it as backing off on the sharpness, see it as preferring not to turn up the sharpness. Medium is arguably sharper than 'natural' .

 

But like Bill I find the RAW files SOO much better - with an incomparable quality of light, that brings out the natural depth in a picture - that the jpegs look very dull in comparison and are generally superfluous to my needs.

 

The Raw files handle post processing really well, both in LR3 (which seems to run more quickly on my MAC than Aperture) and subsequently in Nik's Viveza or Silver Efex Pro.

[paul6001]

Hold on. I just started shooting in RAW. I'm also tech illiterate. So let me ask you this--When I shoot RAW, there is no in-camera sharpening? The setting doesn't matter? What else doesn't matter?

 

My early RAW experiments seem to have been pretty succesful--and surprisingly easy. It doesn't feel like I'm working with untouched code. For instance, the line--"I create a copy of the final layer, use the high pass filter at about 2-3 pixels, desaturate it and change layer mode to overlay"--is utter Greek to me. I've been assuming that the DNG gets the credit, that it's making the files somewhat JPEG-like, and making the process simpler. But maybe I've been missing something very basic. Thoughts/comments/criticism?

 

Remember--There are stupid questions. And stupid people.

[Bill Allsopp]

Hold on. I just started shooting in RAW. I'm also tech illiterate. So let me ask you this--When I shoot RAW, there is no in-camera sharpening? The setting doesn't matter? What else doesn't matter?

 

My early RAW experiments seem to have been pretty succesful--and surprisingly easy. It doesn't feel like I'm working with untouched code. For instance, the line--"I create a copy of the final layer, use the high pass filter at about 2-3 pixels, desaturate it and change layer mode to overlay"--is utter Greek to me. I've been assuming that the DNG gets the credit, that it's making the files somewhat JPEG-like, and making the process simpler. But maybe I've been missing something very basic. Thoughts/comments/criticism?

 

Remember--There are stupid questions. And stupid people.

The sharpening, contrast and other settings on the camera to alter output are for jpeg's and do not affect the RAW files.

 

To learn Photoshop I recommend Scott Kelby's book

The Adobe Photoshop CS* Book for Digital Photographers

[jaapv]

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As an X1 owner you are probably not aware of the M9 FAQ, so I copied one post out of there:

 

Question:

 

What is a good way to sharpen my images?

 

 

Answer:

 

 

Many users still use single-pass sharpening. Nowadays we know that , for maximum quality, we need a multi-pass sharpening workflow. If you apply single-pass sharpening you are attempting to account for image source, image content and output process in a single round of sharpening. Mulitipass sharpening takes account of the sometimes contradictory requirements of the different steps in sharpening.

To begin with we need a content optimized master image that can be used in further processing to apply creative sharpening and the finally sharpening for specifaic output.

 

I will take the case for ACR/CS5 because that is what I am used to.

 

Always work at 100% or larger!

 

The object of this capture sharpening is to create an artifact-free ( as far as possible) optimally sharpened file to process further. The image content can be divided in three types:

high-frequency images ( think of a landscape with plenty of leafy trees, large amounts of small detail) and

low-frequency images ( portraits with smooth skin) and

mixed images.

 

The three require different approaches.

 

The main tool here is the radius slider: The higher the frequency, the lower the setting 0.5 to 1.0

Low frequency images require settings between 1.0 and 1.5 That is about the maximum you can use.

 

Typical amount settings would be 15-30 for M9 files, 5-20 for M8 files.

 

The obvious problem is the mixed image. Think eyes and eybrows/hair in that low-frequence portrait.. There are several approaches.

 

1. Set the radius to 1.0 and try to correct in Photoshop

2. Set for low frequency in sharpening and use the correction brush on areas that need more detail

3. Make two smart objects for different frequencies and blend with a layer mask in Photoshop.

 

You can (in ACR 6.0) create an edge mask using the masking sider. Enlarge to at least 100% and hold the ALT key whilst sliding. You can see where the sharpening will be masked.

 

Then you can bring back detail by using the detail slider in the same way. It is not a simple slider, because it influences a number of parameters. Never mind what it does, the results are quite visible.

 

Then you can switch back and use the clarity slider to enhance your settings. Don't forget you have local control with the adjustment brush.

 

When you are in Photoshop you can sharpen creatively by enhancing areas. You can either use the sharpening brush or make a layer, (over)sharpen it, use a layer mask and play with opacity. In general, always sharpen on a layer, to work non-destructively.

 

 

There is also the trick of setting USM to a radius of 50 and threshold to 1, using the amount slider for control (normally around 20) to get midtone contrast enhancement to bring out extra detail, but I digress

When you have the image to your taste you flatten it and go to output sharpening.

 

For printing you can use your Scott Kelby technique (*) and learn the optimum setting by trial and error or you can delve into the theory and set the sharpening haloes mathematically.

The avantage is that you have an optimally sharpened image to start with so you won't have any nasty surprises.

 

 

 

(*) Use Unsharp Mask to taste and go to "fade unsharp mask" in the edit menu and fade 100% on Luminosity

 

 

Lightroom works a bit differently, but I do not have the expertise to explain that clearly .

 

 

LR addition by Marquinius

 

Lightroom works mostly like you describe. When you are used to the ACR (the RAW editor upon opening a photo in photoshop), you'll get used to LR in a jiffy.

 

For sharpening you have the same tools, to be found under DETAIL. What I do (in simple steps):

 

1) I import a photo in LR with the standard primary sharpening (very low, just to get rid of the softness resulting from RAW).

 

2) I work the photo until it's "perfect" (all conversions, editing, even side stepping to CS, whatever) BUT (and this is important) WITHOUT any further sharpening.

 

3) I make a virtual duplicate of the edited photo

 

4) I start my sharpening on this virtual, following the same logic Jaap just described.

 

In this way you always keep the unsharpened image separate from the sharpened ones: printing for screen asks for a different approach the sharpening for print (and for print you can even go to small print/big print, soft paper, toned paper, whatever). You use the unsharpened photo as a starting point.

 

Of course you could make a snapshot and return to that point every time you want to sharpen for a different output, but the you'd overwrite previous efforts.

 

 

Follow-up question:

 

How do I prepare an image for display on this forum?

 

Answer:

 

My favorite technique is to set the crop tool to 960 px wide and "crop" the full image. Then add Unsharp Mask at maybe a 15-30 amount at radius 1.0 and threshold 0 for a bit of sparkle. Go to Edit, fade Unsharp Mask, choose "Luminosity" in the pull-down menu.

 

Save as JPG using a quality that gives a maximum file size between 200 and 300 Kb, max 360 Kb.

[facesad]

i use image sharpen quite normally, so it would be good to learn how to sharpen in different application . this feature is used after converting or saving. in this way quality will not be lost so much because of sharpening images c#.