You don't "waste time" with RAW?
You must prefer to "waste time" with windows.
If you got it so right in camera why are cropping?

No, it was meant to be sarcastic, much like the op's question. Always use the appropriate filter when photographing the sun and never drink sea water.
A google search will give you piles of good authoritative articles on sun photography.

Not at all. Locking your mirror up and focusing the sun on to your sensor does no harm at all. Staring at the sun with your naked eye for hours at a time, no harm at all. Drinking sea water, not so bad after all. come on!
regards mrtobin

The trick to noise reduction, and sharping is to not do the whole photo globally. The above mentioned programs, Nik ,Topaz, Lightroom , all use methods to control the area of noise reduction or sharping. Such as masks, control points, zones? etc.

ps. the lines between your teeth, or at least your avatars teeth are just fine.

Searcher, I guess we will have to agree to disagree. With your posted enlargement it looks even more oof. The shutter speed of 1/30 of a second could have a lot to do with it. btw where is the op is he still with us. Regards mrtobin

I will have to respectfully disagree. The second photo looks worse than the first, never mind the eyes, they are squinted shut , but the lines between the teeth can not be seen. Keep in mind that none of us have seen the "pixilated" prints that the op is asking about, only the electronic files. Every one is giving theories about his printer, I suggest that the op send the files to a print lab and check out the results. Regards mrtobin.

I'm sorry, but on my computer screen you photos look simply out of focus. The will never print well.