Topaz Detail: I have been looking at this plug in recently and have a couple of questions about it's sharpening capabilities. What do they mean by small, medium, and large details? And...

will47 Loc: Indianapolis, IN

I have been looking at this plug in recently and have a couple of questions about it's sharpening capabilities. What do they mean by small, medium, and large details? And how do you determine what is a large, medium, or small detail? And should you sharpen both shadows and hi-lites? Any help will be appreciated.

BBBruce77 Loc: Eureka, Montana

I use Topaz Precision Detail app. more than any of the other apps. or at least as much as a couple of others. I use the small detail slider almost exclusively and the small boost rarely. The large detail slider gives the image an almost posterized look that in general I do not care for. I believe Topaz will let you try it for a couple of weeks so you can tell if it is something you would actually want.

will47 Loc: Indianapolis, IN

BBBruce77 wrote:

I use Topaz Precision Detail app. more than any of the other apps. or at least as much as a couple of others. I use the small detail slider almost exclusively and the small boost rarely. The large detail slider gives the image an almost posterized look that in general I do not care for. I believe Topaz will let you try it for a couple of weeks so you can tell if it is something you would actually want.

If you use Topaz Detail do you also do your regular processing or after Detail are you don? Thanks.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

I have used Detail off and on for several years. Did you find it offered by itself? All I could find is that it is part of Studio now, but there is a 30-day free trial for the package.

To address your questions - I think you'll find that each image will react differently. But if you note from my screenprint below, you have a great deal of control in many aspects with all those individual sliders for small, medium and large + highlight/shadow/overall etc (this may not be exactly the same as what is offered now).

I tended to use it for enhancing jpg's, specifically my long-distant eagle nest shots taken with Canon SX50 bridge camera. I almost never use a sharpening tool because I usually like softer moods

(edit - and per rgrenader's mention of PS, I use in PS Elements as separate layer so I can mask from sections of the image where I want no Detail enhancement, such as the landscape behind the eagle nest)

-

No, this is not an eagle :)
No, this is not an eagle :)...

(Download)

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

will47 wrote:

If you use Topaz Detail do you also do your regular processing or after Detail are you don? Thanks.

I use all the Topaz filters in Photoshop as separate layers so I have the flexibility of using the opacity slider to blend. Your workflow should start with Topaz DeNoise, then Detail, then the rest.

Dr.Nikon Loc: Honolulu Hawaii

Rgren....Photo .correct a mundo ..

Wilhan

I use Topaz Detail as a Photoshop plug-in on a separate layer. I normally select the level of sharpening that I require (usually light) and then use the option to invert the mask and then paint in the detail that I require locally leaving areas that don't require sharpening, e.g. the sky untouched.

Martys Loc: Lubec, Maine

One of the strong points of Topaz Detail I think,...is its ability to adjust individual colors and heighten them uniquely within an image.

Detail if not used sparingly can introduce overall too strong odd effect to smooth areas,..(ex....blue sky) with a sort of clumpy texture look.

Many time I will only use its color tweaking and then duplicate that layer and apply NIK Sharpener mildly to avoid excess pixel annunciation.

When I do sharpen I do it a a higher magnification so I can closely watch for a correct smooth effect .

For selective sharpening I will use paint it in or out with the brush applied to the layer mask as req'd using the opacity to finish the tweak.

Mileage may vary from image to image.

CaptainPhoto

Topaz Studio has the new AI Clear - it works really great. I had the DeNoize when it first came out and found it cumbersome to use. With AI Clear you bring up the photo, press the button and it does it all. The AI Clear Model can be set to Low, Medium or High. You can adjust the Opacity, and has sliders to adjust Exposure and Clarity. Topaz Studio is free, but you have to buy the AI Clear Adjustment. But if you get it with the bundle package you get a whole lot of other Adjustment tools.

StevenG Loc: Long Island, NY

will47 wrote:

I have been looking at this plug in recently and have a couple of questions about it's sharpening capabilities. What do they mean by small, medium, and large details? And how do you determine what is a large, medium, or small detail? And should you sharpen both shadows and hi-lites? Any help will be appreciated.

When you use Detail, just play with the sliders and you will immediately see what is meant by small, medium and large details.
Steve

will47 Loc: Indianapolis, IN

CaptainPhoto wrote:

Topaz Studio has the new AI Clear - it works really great. I had the DeNoize when it first came out and found it cumbersome to use. With AI Clear you bring up the photo, press the button and it does it all. The AI Clear Model can be set to Low, Medium or High. You can adjust the Opacity, and has sliders to adjust Exposure and Clarity. Topaz Studio is free, but you have to buy the AI Clear Adjustment. But if you get it with the bundle package you get a whole lot of other Adjustment tools.

Can AI Clear be used as my other Topaz products i. e. going to filter and choosing, or must it be used in Topaz Studio?

Wilhan

AI Clear is only available in Topaz Studio.

CaptainPhoto

will47 wrote:

Can AI Clear be used as my other Topaz products i. e. going to filter and choosing, or must it be used in Topaz Studio?

If you mean can AI Clear be used with your other Topaz products - In Topaz Studio - on the Left side all of the other Topaz products are there, with the exception of Topaz Black and White. It's still a separate program.

If you don't already have Topaz Studio, it is a free download.