What is the current best Adaptive Deconvolution filter? Years ago I bought PicCure+ and still use sometimes. I think they must have gone out of business because I never see updates?

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

Years ago I bought PicCure+ and still use sometimes. I think they must have gone out of business because I never see updates?

Today I had occasion to use PicCure+ when somebody asked how to get sharp photos. Are there better programs today?

I'm attaching an example of what the old PicCure+ can still do.

PicCure+

(Download)

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Company site is still up. They have a 30 day trial download - but it also says no registration required and it is not for sale currently.
I found one place where it said the German PhD who designed it and ran the company died and another person took it over but seems to hard to be get hold of.
Some people as late as early 2018 say they got answers from support e-mails.

Company home site: http://piccureplus.com/

I decided to try the download, even if it messes something up I have a backup done just a few hours ago.

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

robertjerl wrote:

Company site is still up. They have a 30 day tria... (show quote)

It's slow because it uses a lot of your computer resources. If you work from the RAW file it works very well. You will not have problems, other than it's slow.

Thank you for informing me that designer has died. That explains why it has not continued to mature.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Davethehiker wrote:

It's slow because it uses a lot of your computer resources. If you work from the RAW file it works very well. You will not have problems, other than it's slow.

We shall see.
I have a similar app from Franzis I just got and haven't used yet and Topax AI is supposed to be the pretty much the same thing.

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

I just performed an experiment to prove something to myself. LR recommends that you create a export a RAW file to DxO Optic to processes it, and then save the file back into LR as DNG form of a raw file.

I discovered that PicCure+ will work with either the DNG file or Sony's RAW version of raw files. It does not care. PicCure+ does like you start with the full image. You crop later.

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

Davethehiker wrote:

Years ago I bought PicCure+ and still use sometimes. I think they must have gone out of business because I never see updates?

Today I had occasion to use PicCure+ when somebody asked how to get sharp photos. Are there better programs today?

I'm attaching an example of what the old PicCure+ can still do.

There a better product now. Topaz Sharper AI. There are 3 different modes that can be used. Which mode is best depends upon what the image needs.

Sharpen Mode - Use when image is in focus and has no shake, and all you want to do is add sharpening.

Stabilize Mode - Use this mode when there is some camera shake. It is really good. Far better than Piccure+. Far better than Photoshop Shake Reduction.

Focus Mode - Use when the image is soft. Amazing at how good it works.

Note: If image doesn't need a particular mode, it may cause the image to look worse. But if the image does need a mode, the result can be amazing. Only one mode can be selected. I may try all 3 and pick the one that I like best.

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

Thank you I look into Topaz Sharper AI. Thanks for explaining as well.

Too bad that it can diminish the appearance of an already very good image. PicCure+ had that same problem.

I'm now in the process of downloading the free trail.

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

UP DATE: Gad the install is unfriendly! Topaz did not email me a Pass Word even after I paid for it. I installed the program on my Mac Book Pro but it reaches a point were it demands a pass word that they did yet provide. I sent a help request and received a reply that they are very busy and will get back to when they have find time. Arrrgh!

I like that it lets you work with TIFF files. I learned that from reading more about on their web-page, not using it.

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

They just sent me the password. I have working as a stand alone app. I have not found out how to install it within LR or PhotoShop CC yet. I'm playing with it.

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

I think it might be doing some good? Can you tell the difference?

Maybe it too sharp already. At least it did not hurt it any.

Topaz focus auto focus adjustment made

(Download)

Prior to using Topaz
Prior to using Topaz...

(Download)

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

Davethehiker wrote:

They just sent me the password. I have working as a stand alone app. I have not found out how to install it within LR or PhotoShop CC yet. I'm playing with it.

Yes, it works with Lightroom and Photoshop and that is how I use it.

Here is an example of the Sharpen AI - Stabilize Mode, working on a throw away image. But the effect is worth looking at how close it comes to saving a poor image.

Original Poor Image - too far away, and too blury

(Download)

Crop of that poor image
Crop of that poor image...

(Download)

After using Sharpen AI - Stabilize Mode

(Download)

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

It just occurred to me that it might be better to use Topaz on the OP image. I found i in LR, exported as a TIFF to Topaz. This time I use both the stabilize and focus options. I think I see a difference. The double downloads that UHH provides will give me a better look.

Ya, if I look close Topaz does do a better job. It certainly does it FASTER!

Topaz version.
Topaz version....

(Download)

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

JimH123 wrote:

Yes, it works with Lightroom and Photoshop and that is how I use it.

Thanks; that's good to know. Topaz does not automatically give you the options of installing it into LR and PS like other programs I have bought. I know that there is way to manually install apps into LR and PS. It's been a while and I forgot how to do it. I'll need to look that up.

Edit:I think I found out how to do it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh5jLisYFTU

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

Davethehiker wrote:

Thanks; that's good to know. Topaz does not automatically give you the options of installing it into LR and PS like other programs I have bought. I know that there is way to manually install apps into LR and PS. It's been a while and I forgot how to do it. I'll need to look that up.

I don't think I had to do anything to get it to work with Lightroom and Photoshop.

In Lightroom, I right click on the image and go to Edit IN. Sharpen AI shows up as a choice.

In Photoshop, I go to Filter, and select Topaz Labs and then select Sharpen AI.

An advantage to Photoshop is that I can set different modes for Sharpen AI into different layers and compare results with Focus, Sharpen and Stabilize and see which I like best. I can also change opacity if I think the effect is too extreme.

I also noticed that many of my filters are missing since the recent update to Photoshop. I will need to manually go into Photoshop and put them back.

Another Topaz product that is really good is Topaz Denoise AI which now includes AI Clear. In many cases, I am liking its noise removal better than DxO Prime, but this is image dependent. If an image doesn't need Sharpen AI, Denoise AI Clear can really make it pop.

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

Davethehiker wrote:

Thanks; that's good to know. Topaz does not automatically give you the options of installing it into LR and PS like other programs I have bought. I know that there is way to manually install apps into LR and PS. It's been a while and I forgot how to do it. I'll need to look that up.

Edit:I think I found out how to do it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh5jLisYFTU

Are you still making good use of that Sony A99ii? I sold my Sony A99 and replaced it with a Sony A7iii. But still drool over the A99ii.