Some say you must always sharpen when you shoot raw... Don't: Either your image is in focus or it is not. Any sharpening will not add or improve anything at all. Set ACR default...

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Either your image is in focus or it is not. Any sharpening will not add or improve anything at all.

Set ACR default sharpening to 0. Leave the color alone.

Use ACR clarity in small dose...

Open the image.
Duplicate the background
Transform onto a smart object
Set Blend mode to Luminosity
Push the clarity way up (about 50)
Decrease Saturation to 0.

If needed use a level layer.

That alone will create the sharpness you crave.

ken_stern Loc: Yorba Linda, Ca

THANKS
I for one needed that --- Always thought they were sharp coming out of Raw but of course sharped them-up anyway -- Now-- One less thing to do

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

I never sharpen, it's too easy to overdoo. And, it will not fix a blurry out of focus image.

CO

I've seen a slight difference in sharpness between cameras that have an anti-aliasing filter in front of the sensor and ones that don't have an AA filter. The AA filter blurs the image a little. Sometimes I'll use unsharp mask on those.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Sample...

This uses no sharpening technique to speak of.

The luminosity layer uses ACR clarity (local contrast)

As a note the original reflects Nikon tendency to use warm tones...

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Screen captures @ 100% magnification.

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Original

(Download)

Leicaflex Loc: Cymru

Rongnongno wrote:

Either your image is in focus or it is not. Any sharpening will not add or improve anything at all.

Set ACR default sharpening to 0. Leave the color alone.

Use ACR clarity in small dose...

Open the image.
Duplicate the background
Transform onto a smart object
Set Blend mode to Luminosity
Push the clarity way up (about 50)
Decrease Saturation to 0.

If needed use a level layer.

That alone will create the sharpness you crave.

I agree entirely.

johntaylor333

I believe the reason for using a little sharpening on every RAW picture is to counter the effect of the low pass filter in front of your sensor (except in a couple of Canon and Nikon models).

Your routine is great but I couldn't afford the time to do that on 100's or 1000's of pictures. I have modest sharpening (10-15 points, I forget which) in my Lr import filter and am happy with the outcome

Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

I use Clarity, or Unsharp Mask on Raw file images. I can control the amounts, and not reliant on built-in settings.

Revet Loc: Fairview Park, Ohio

Nice technique. I compared it with using a high pass filter and the action, Freaky Amazing Detail and got very similar results between all three. Another tool in the kit!!

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

johntaylor333 wrote:

...Your routine is great but I couldn't afford the time to do that on 100's or 1000's of pictures. I have modest sharpening (10-15 points, I forget which) in my Lr import filter and am happy with the outcome

You can always make this into an action. Makes it much easier.

a6k Loc: Detroit & Sanibel

For those of us using, for example, Luminar, what is ACR?
Thanks.

blackest Loc: Ireland

a6k wrote:

For those of us using, for example, Luminar, what is ACR?
Thanks.

ACR Adobe Camera Raw the raw engine used in photoshop and lightroom.

mflowe Loc: Port Deposit, MD

So, you're basically telling us not to sharpen the image and then still going through a process that sharpens the image.

steveg48

Rongnongno wrote:

Either your image is in focus or it is not. Any sharpening will not add or improve anything at all.

Set ACR default sharpening to 0. Leave the color alone.

Use ACR clarity in small dose...

Open the image.
Duplicate the background
Transform onto a smart object
Set Blend mode to Luminosity
Push the clarity way up (about 50)
Decrease Saturation to 0.

If needed use a level layer.

That alone will create the sharpness you crave.

Bad advice.

Capture sharpening is needed any camera that uses a Bayer array (most cameras). It has nothing to do with whether the image is in focus.

Following is from: https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/image-sharpening.htm

(1) Capture sharpening aims to address any blurring caused by your image's source, while also taking image noise and detail into consideration. With digital cameras, such blurring is caused by the camera sensor's anti-aliasing filter and demosaicing process, in addition to your camera's lens. Capture sharpening is required for virtually all digital images, and may be applied automatically by the camera for photos which are saved as JPEG files. It also ensures the image will respond well to subsequent rounds of sharpening.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

mflowe wrote:

So, you're basically telling us not to sharpen the image and then still going through a process that sharpens the image.

Using luminosity is not sharpening. It gives the illusion of sharpening. No pixel is changed unlike when using other methods.

The trouble with raw is tied to luminosity, nothing else.