Sharpening methods - what do you use?

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2005 3:29 am

It was Gracie’s post (here) that got me thinking – I tend to use Photoshop’s Smartsharp to sharpen up my images. Some of you mention other methods eg High Pass, or programmes/plug-ins that you have purchased.

Is there any one method that stands out as best?

Why should I pay money to download another method when I already have Smartsharpen?

What method do you use and why?

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2005 6:15 am

I posted a test I did comparing USM, High Pass, Focus Magic, and SmartSharpen (too lazy to look the thread up), and SmartSharpen won with FM a close second.

I suggested FM to Gracie because FM is so easy to use. Just select the area for it to analyze, hit Detect, hit OK, and you're done. 95% of the time it works like a charm. The other ways are also quite good, but require much more fiddling and adjustments in order to get good results.

Since you already have SmartSharpen, you just need to learn how to use it. It's really very, very good.

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2005 6:50 am

thanks Goofup - I had done a search previous to my post and i just tried again - i can't find that thread you mention anywhere.

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2005 7:53 am

I use a third party plug in called PhotoKit Sharpener and I use another plug-in called focalblade.

Luminous Landscape review of PhotoKit.

Luminous Landscape review of focalblade.

The reviews are old, but the products are still very good.

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2005 8:17 am

I also use PhotoKit sharpener as it's the best I have found so far. It does require a bit of workflow but once you get over that it's easy to use. I have used FM Intellsharpen, Focal Blade, Nik Sharpen Pro, High pass and just plain USM and so far PhotoKit wins hands down. I don't have CS2 and I have no plans on ever purchasing it but I have heard good things about Smart Sharpen. I have a feeling Adobe just took the best third party sharpeners out there and implemented it into CS2.

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2005 12:03 pm

I've been using smartsharpen most of the time now. I even have it attached to my F2 key to bring it up with my most used amount/radius.

But I have heard a lot of good about PhotoKit from many sources. I may have to look into it.

Premium Member Joined: 29 Oct 2004 Posts: 5758

I've used a number of methods, but I've really taken to SmartSharpen in CS2. I use a somewhat complicated technique, which I find gets the best results.

This is my sharpening workflow:

1. I finish all my other edits and resize for the required output (72 dpi, 800 pixels for web sharing)

2. I duplicate the background layer. Then I run SmartSharpen at 0.6 pixels and 90%, set to remove lens blur. I then repeat it with the same settings, but now set to remove gaussian blur. I then set the duplicate (sharpened) layer to Darken. Then, if any areas appear oversharpened, I make a layer mask and mask out (partially or completely) those areas. I adjust the layer opacity as needed. Then I flatten the image.

3. Now I duplicate the background layer again. This time I do the same thing as above, but I set it to 0.6 pixels, 60%, and again do it twice (once for lens blur and once for gaussian blur). I set the layer blending mode to Lighten. Again I create a layer mask and mask out oversharpened borders (I usually use a soft brush (~30% hardness), about 15 pixels, and about 60% opacity). Then I lower the opacity as needed and flatten again.

This workflow allows me to sharpen heavily, yet differentially sharpen the light and dark sides of each edge, as well as masking out oversharpened areas. It gives a ton of control and great results.

I used to use High Pass a lot, and the technique I used was derived from a book that I had. I would duplicate the background layer, run High Pass at a level of about 1.8, open levels and move the left slider in to 65 and the right slider in to 185, run a soft little Gaussian blur (like 0.5), then set the blending mode to 'soft light' at 20 to 40% opacity.

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2005 12:18 pm

Quote:

I have a feeling Adobe just took the best third party sharpeners out there and implemented it into CS2.

Funny thing is...the creators of PK sharpener are also several of the names you see in the credits on the PhotoShop splash screen.

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2005 2:57 pm

I think Gracie's post has started a discussion on something fundamental to digi photography that perhaps has not been discussed fully on these pages (correct me if i'm wrong). I'm learning here; looking forward to experimenting with these techniques. Anyone got any more ideas?

Premium Member Joined: 29 Oct 2004 Posts: 5758

I'm not sure if I see that fundamental point in the post by Gracie. It's certainly a well known bit of digital photography dogma that most pictures will need some sharpening, and there are 1000 different legitimate ways to accomplish that. (That is, unless, you are shooting jpegs and your camera is already pre-sharpening for you).

First of all, I would indeed encourage you to develop mastery over the requisite photoshop procedures. However, to quote Darth Vader, "Don't be to proud of this technological terror you've constructed." Don't ever allow yourself to get into the frame of mind that photoshop can compensate for mistakes in exposure, focus, composition, etc. Ever!

Now, every example of sharpening that was given in that post made the frog look grossly oversharpened (it just looks pixelated and has a dark halo), and it looks no better than her original one.

Sharpening is important, but there's a difference between sharpening and focus. If something is out of focus, even slightly, due to lens blur or motion blur, the biggest problem will NOT be the borders of the image -- it will be the fine detail and gradations within the image itself. You can sharpen with a lightsaber if you want, but you're not going to add detail when the focus was such that you never captured the detail to begin with. One's instinct will be to oversharpen, which will do nothing at all but make your picture look like an oversharpened, out of focus picture, which looks worlds worse than a plain old out of focus picture.

The oversharpening plagues people here, and this is why I would urge and stress people to always sharpen on a duplicate layer and to mask out oversharpened borders.

And herein lies the fundamental point to digital photography: the key -- always -- is to hide the hand of photoshop in your pictures. We all acknowledge the flexibility of darkroom procedures, and would stipulate that analagous photoshop practices are kosher. But if you ever want your pictures to stand up to a film capture, you cannot ruin them by using photoshop to compensate for mistakes made at the time of the photograph.

Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2005 3:41 am

Quote:

I'm not sure if I see that fundamental point in the post by Gracie

Just meant to say that it was Gracie's post that got me thinking of this as i said at the top.

These post are all good advice. Thanks all - i've learned from these. Hopefully others have too.
DrP's thread HERE is also great. I did find a link on these pages where a detailed double-sharpen process is described but can't seem to find it now.

Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 282 Location: Relocated

I just use smartsharpen. As long as i can selectively sharpen using layers i find it's all i need. I haven't really looked into other sharpening methods extensively though...

Joined: 24 May 2005 Posts: 229 Location: Orillia, Ontario

My favourite method to sharpen (when I need to - usually typically for print work) is to use a PS action called "Deadman's Sharpeners'. Simple, fast, adjustable and I've never has a stock rejection for 'oversharpening' using this method.

There is a high-pass sharpener in this kit too, which is very useful.

Anybody who wants to try it should be able to find this free set on Action Central

Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2006 7:04 am

Unsharp Mask on the L channel in LAB mode. Usually radius of 0.3-1.0. Amount can vary... although I try to be a little bit subtle about.

Joined: 18 Nov 2006 Posts: 288

Adam M wrote:

Unsharp Mask on the L channel in LAB mode. Usually radius of 0.3-1.0. Amount can vary... although I try to be a little bit subtle about.

Absolutely. This method can allow a significant amount of sharpening without generating that oversharpened look in the images. With a RAW image you can go 500% easily without overdoing it. I haven't found a better way to deal with images that need a lot of sharpening.