SAVH Loc: La Jolla, CA

I have read a number of Hogs use and like Topaz filters and use them as plug-ins to PS/LR. I have searched the UHH site and read the items on Topaz filters. I have Googled Topaz filters and looked at some of the videos (many seem to be in Arabic or other middle Eastern language that I don't know.) Unfortunately, I still am uncertain about a number of items:
1. Many reviews say they had quite a time trying to get the Topaz filters set up with PS/LR. I don't have any Plug-ins at present and it is not really clear how to add them to the $9.99 a month set up of PS/LR.
2. Some people have one or two and others say they have "all" of them. It seems on the Topaz site that individual sets are fairly pricey. It seems that some can be downloaded for free but when following that thread, I can't get it to work. In the end, do you need to pay at least for something to get it to work?
3. When you are working in LR, how do you access the Topaz filters and then shift back to LR? I have looked at several of the You Tube videos but do not find them sufficiently clear that I think it will work for me.

I would appreciate constructive comments and recommendations.
Scotty

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

1. They come with an installation program that puts them where they are supposed to be.

2a. I'm not quite sure, but I think Topaz now has an editor of their own (Topaz Studio) and some of free 'filters' are for that only.

2b. What are you doing that doesn't work.

2b. I'm pretty sure that the LR plugins need to be paid for.

3. The 'filters' are installed so that you access them with "Edit In". A TIFF is generated, opened in the 'filter', you make adjustment, save the TIFF and it will be next to the original in LR.

SAVH Loc: La Jolla, CA

bsprague, Thank you for the well considered reply. I'm not yet doing anything that does not work but I'm trying to figure out if I do pay for one or more filters whether I will be able to get them to work with LR. I know they are supposed to but there were sure a lot of people when I googled the Topaz filters that had a rough time getting them to work. I'm not especially computer savvy and I get frustrated with do-loops when programs don't work fairly easily. I'm try to gather enough information to make a reasonable decision as to "if" or "how many" to buy. You have been very helpful.

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

Hi, I do have some of the Topaz filters and have found that they work to interface in a more archaic manner than most, but they do work once you figure that out. You might start by buying just the one you think you'll use first. The company will send an email and will provide instructions once you click to download. The programs these days are set up to automatically load into programs like Photoshop and Lightroom, although a box might pop up asking if you want to do that. Once loaded, when using Lightroom, you click on your photo, go to Photo>Edit In and the Topaz plug in should show up. A box will pop up asking you what format, you can set that to TIF or JPG or PS, and then, on my setup which might be older version, I have to choose the actual Topaz program (I have three or four from Topaz) from another box and then the image opens up (realize that the image you are working on in Topaz at that point is a second, separate image unless you have chosen to work on the original image, which would not be the best choice), you do the work and then hit apply (if you want to do more stuff) or OK (if you are ready to save it and return to LR) and the new image will show up in your LR folder right next to the original image. This may be a bit simplified but is the process for the majority of plug-ins.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

"a lot of people when I googled the Topaz filters that had a rough time getting them to work"

That should be more true in old Google references than new ones. Not to long ago, Adobe provided the plug-in producers some guidelines and standards to make it all work better, especially with the update process.

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

I would try by purchasing one filter and following the steps to install it soon after you have it. Then follow the steps to use it. If it works, that will be a template for future purchases. If it does’t work for you, contact Topaz for a refund. I currently have two Topaz modules installed under LR v5.7 and, tho I’m pleased with both, I haven’t - for my purposes - been motivated to purchase more. I particularly like Topaz B&W Effects. /Ralph

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

I have been using all the Topaz filters for 3 years; my gotos are: Adjust, Impression and Textures. The installation process is straightforward and the filters are automatically added to Lightroom and Photoshop CC. Installing the eval version lets you work on an image, but the save function is disabled.

For reasons of creativity, I only use Topaz filters in a seperate layer in Photoshop, so I can adjust opacity to get the final effect I am looking for. In PS, you access the filters in the Filter\Topaz Labs, which brings up a drop down menu of all your installed filters.

In Lightroom, right click on an image and select Edit In, which shows you all your installed filters. Once finished in the Topaz filter, select the Save button (usually bottom right) and you will be back in LR.

Topaz Studio is an editing application that works as stand alone or as a plug in with LR and PS. I do not have time to introduce another image editor into my workflow, and feel that the Adobe Creative Cloud apps are superior.

sueyeisert Loc: New Jersey

Usually around Thanksgiving you can get the whole bundle for 1/2 price also at photo expo plus in NYC the end of Oct.
Lastly if you view one of their webinars at the end they give a discount code.

Wilhan

I have 17 Topaz filters and find that I use Clarity, Detail, Impression and Texture Effects on the majority of my photographs. Once you have bought a Topaz filter upgrades are free for life. To edit in Lightroom click on Photo / edit in and the Topaz filters will be in the drop down menu. I use Topaz on seperate layers in Photoshop and the important thing to remember is that when using the filters the presets that come with the filters are a good starting point but you usually need to make adjustments with the sliders on the right of the panel along with selecting the blending mode and opacity required for the image that you're working on. Once I've applied the filter and returned to Photoshop I'll very often use a layer mask to apply the filter locally rather than globally, e.g. with Topaz Denoise I would paint back in detail lost with the noise reduction.

warrior Loc: Paso Robles CA

Are they taken the time to go thru the guided tour?

tenny52 Loc: San Francisco

I believe during installation of the Topaz Lab, it will ask you if you want it to be used as a filter to PS and/or LR; if so, then it will install some pointers to the Plugin folder within your existing PS/LR folders.
Then you can select each Topaz functions through PS/Filters or LR/(Edit in photoFxlab).
Also the installation will generate a Topaz icon namely photoFxlab on your desktop to be used as standalone version. Whenever the Topaz function is used, a Tiff version of the original image is created which is very large size; the tiff version can be considered as the altered version of the raw file. The Topaz function can accept raw, tiff or jpg version of the image.
When you finish a Topaz function via pluggin, the LR will create/update with a new tiff version of your image file; the PS with create a new layer for your further editing. Or in all cases, a jpg is also an option per save-as of your work.
Topaz will make post processing much easier with lot of presets; I believe if you are savvy enough, you can do everything with PS/LR without Topaz.
I don't guarantee 100% accuracy of the above, but my experience with Topaz posts no problems.
Therefore, anyone is welcome to correct/clarify my above comments.

SAVH Loc: La Jolla, CA

Thank you. That is very helpful.

Scotty

SAVH Loc: La Jolla, CA

Rgrenaderphoto, Thank you. I follow your comments often because you always seem to be reasonable, considerate and on-point.

Scotty

SAVH Loc: La Jolla, CA

Wilhan, Thank you. That adds to what has been said. I need to order one and try it and then determine how many more I might use.

Scotty

CaptainPhoto

I have a lot of the Topaz products. I started out with the DeNoise product and have added others at the special price. The newer product Topaz Studio is a great tool. I do believe that you can download them as a trial bases and if you like it then you can buy it. One good thing about Topaz products once you own it the updates are free. They just added a now adjustment tool for clarity and denoise its called AI Clear. I have Topaz Studio and when I updated it today the AI Clear was added for free. It's an Artificial Intelligent program and works great. Even better than Topaz DeNoise.
I use them as a plugin to LR - The edits in Topaz are saved as a TIFF back into my LR program and so not affect my original RAW files. So if you edited in Topaz and you see TIFF file in the filmstrip, most likely its the TOPAZ file.
I really like all the tools available - you can really get creative.