magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

I have a jpeg file of a cdv image from the early 1900's. It's not a brilliant copy but is all we have. It's a 21KB file. I used Topaz AI's Enhance and chose 4x plus Face Enhance. It returned a fie of 699KB. The two images are shown together here, with the smaller file transformed in Ps to fit alongside the enhanced file. When it's all you have Topaz is a great option.

(Download)

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

That's very impressive! What a treasure you have there. A relative?

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Looks like it works quite well.

lnl Loc: SWFL

I am a fan of Topaz for things like this, as well as sharpening. My only complaint is that they emphasize facial features to the detriment of the rest of the photo. So your man’s face is sharpened and enhanced but his coat isn’t. That’s a minor complaint as the face is most important and I will continue to use Topaz. Thanks for showing us what it can do with a 21KB image.
I haven’t heard of a cdv image before. Is that unique to the UK?

terryMc Loc: Arizona's White Mountains

Restoration of old photos is an area of interest for me, so naturally I like to experiment with what's available for software and technique.

What I like about the latest iterations of Photo AI is that it seems to do a better job of mimicking the original texture and sharpness of the photo. Almost any old photo is going to be softer than a modern digital image, especially one scanned from a print, but most so-called restoration apps will concentrate on the face, and give you tack-sharp features that just don't fit with the rest of the picture, making it look like an obvious fake. Most won't even try to sharpen the hair, but just concentrate on the mask of the face. That's still true here, inasmuch as it didn't fix the whiskers, but I think your example here shows features more appropriate to the overall condition of the original, while maintaining enough sharpness that it could be convincing as a new print. It also seems to have given some more definition to the coat and vest.

Adobe is apparently aware of this also, since its Restoration neural filter tries to tackle the entire image. At this point, I'd be generous to say that it does anything approaching a "quality" image, but it is still in beta, and all of this AI stuff has a long way to go yet.

As long as Topaz Photo AI is a plugin for Photoshop it is easy to use it in tandem with all the other tools available in Photoshop to get the best image available today. I continue to use it sparingly, especially on very small files, to avoid artifacts, but I can see the promise that this technology has in store for us.

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

No, it’s John Lloyd, a Lighthouse Keeper in Swanage, Dorset Linda. I only have the jpeg, not the cdv.

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

It’s useful at times, for sure.

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

I think the cdv was a French invention - it’s simply a visiting card but postcard size. They started around 1850 I think, with square corners. Rounded corners are 1900-onwards.
I think Topaz might have been better used without the Face Enhance, then use it again on the result if face enhance is required.
I do find the programme quite staggering!

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Yes, I agree with what you say terry. As I’ve mentioned to lnl, it might have been better used twice, first without the face enhance.

kmpankopf Loc: Mid-Michigan; SW Pennsylvania

Nicely done, thanks for th tips.

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

You’re very welcome, glad it’s of interest.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

magnetoman, I commend you for displaying the image comparison side by side... that is "The-Way" to do an A-B comparison so often overlooked by UHH people.

"Been there done that" as the saying goes. I was amazed at the magic performed on a much-cropped JPEG photo I took in 2000 with a top-of-the-line 3.1mp RAW capable camera. Topaz is my go-to clean, sharpen, pixel increase, and other enhancement tools. The pixel increase made my 2000 camera to a degree competitive with a modern high-resolution camera.

While Adobe is working on it, I will point out that for most of us, the monthly expense adds up by the end of the year, and will pay for the Topaz update subscription. PaintshopPro is a one-time expense perhaps every two years. PSP works well with an array of "photoshop" plugins.

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Yes, older cameras and even ancient photos still have life in them with Topaz treatment, as you point out Don. I’m not sure what you refer to regarding ‘monthly expense’, the programme is a purchased item? Or do you mean the continual updates?

MCHUGH Loc: Jacksonville, Texas

I use Topaz Sharpen AI and have had very good luck with it. It sharpens all the photo not just the face. The program also does a good job of corection motion blur as well as out of focus blur. You have nine different types of blur with a slider to allow you to increase or decrease what you consider is best for the photo you are working on. I have used it on old prints as well as new shots these old eyes of mine as well as like of steadiness in my hands, don't always have a tripod with me. It is not real exlpensive either. Give it a try using the trial version and I think you will like it.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

I was referring to the monthly Photoshop fee being useful saved and used for Topaz.

MCHUGH, yes, Sharpen AI is not the simple click that I have been using it as. This may help you, me and others:
https://ambcrypto.com/blog/how-to-use-topaz-sharpen-ai-a-complete-guide/