JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

I am very pleased with this product. And keep in mind that it has 3 choices -- Sharpen, Stabilize or Focus. I have found Stabilize to be the one I use the most, especially with telephoto shots. And I find it better at this than any other alternative I have tried.

I also use the other Topaz products such as DeNoise AI which now also includes AI Clear. Another is Adjust AI and Gigapixel AI.

Sharpen AI also removes noise and much of the time it is plenty good enough. I also have DxO's Photolab with Prime Noise Removal. And it is the best at noise. But usually, my noise isn't so bad that this is needed.

tomcat

I really love your last paragraph. May I quote you for future conversations within and without this forum? You summed up the approaches to the world's problem very succinctly. We just had a high school football game canceled last night because the team cheerleaders posed in front of a banner for Trump 2020. What a bunch of malarky and who would've ever believed it. Thanks

Tracy B. Loc: Indiana

To suggest that if Topaz Sharpen AI is used, you must be a inferior photographer is ridiculous. All these tools are to enhance our work. I too have excellent lenses and shoot pretty sharp photographs. Occasionally, an eye could have been soft, a sports photo need a little help. I think the Topaz plug ins are remarkable. However, the key is to have a compatible computer and of course watch a demo on how to use it.

chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA

...why not tell us where you're located, so we can avoid it. ;0)

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

If you are referring to my earlier post please reread it again. What I was suggesting was that Topaz Sharpen AI really shines with very OOF or soft images. However, for good quality images to start with, the sharpening effect is much more subtle and not particularly superior to what can be achieved in many of the better post processing programs. In other words, you get much more bang for the buck if a lot of your photos are soft related to either lens or technique limitations.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

What if the cheer leaders has posed in front of a banner that said Bernie Sanders 2020? It was probably overkill to cancel the game, but I don't know any of the details that led to that decision. However, I would rather not see sports of any kind turned into a political forum, regardless of which side of the political spectrum is being supported.

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

I shoot RAW and I can call all the Topaz products from Lightroom. And it works on these files even better than it works on JPEG.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

I don't think you are actually sending a raw file to Topaz. Lightroom probably converts it first, the same way it does when it sends images to PhotoShop. As far as I know, Sharpen AI does not support native raw files, although I'm not sure if it reads DNGs. In any case, the output of sharpen AI will probably not return an edited raw file to Lightroom.

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

Yes, you are correct. It sends a TIFF file. But it certain does it thing on the TIFF file.

tomcat

I know, it was kinda stupid wasn't it. I wonder too what would have been the outcome if it had been a Bernie Sanders' banner. Probably a note in their file and then nothing........

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

Here is an example of using Sharpen AI (in Stabilize Mode). Keep in mind that this image is not a keeper. I was out with my Sony A7iii along with a Tamron 150-600 at 600mm when I caught movement in the corner of my eye and whirled around and took a shot. Obviously, I wasn't ready for such a shot and the image shows it. This is not a keeper. But will suffice to demonstrate what Sharpen AI can do.

There are 3 modes you can use this product in:

a. Sharpen Mode - Use this when the image is in focus and there is no camera shake. It primarily works on doing a really good sharpening.

b. Stabilize Mode - Use this when there is camera motion causing smearing. Ideally, the smear is minor and is perhaps only a couple of pixels movement. I will show this one below.

c. Focus Mode - Use this when you missed focus. Best if the camera is steady so there is no blurring.

Image #1 is a crop of the original show this crow (at least I think it was a crow) that took off at high speed.

Image #2 is a fix of this image using the stabilize mode of Sharpen AI. I usually do not attempt to do this with an image this bad, but it will suffice to show that there is some really awesome stabilizing going on. In fact, better than I have seen in any other product. Photoshop has their own version of this in the sharpen filters and they call it "Shake Reduction". Take my word for it that Photoshop's shake reduction tool is not in the same league as Topaz's Sharpen AI.

Again, this is not a very good image. And is certainly not a keeper. I only kept it long enough to show what can be done with it.

But think also what the SW can do. You can shoot with a less expensive lens and improve the image to the point that it looks like it came with a much more expensive lens. This could appeal to those that are trying to do photography on a limited budget. But I don't expect the high end people are going to depend upon using this route.


Image #3 is a shot I took this morning of a pine cone hanging on a tree with the same lens at 600mm and used Shapren AI in Sharpen Mode.

I should also point out that it is possible to generate artifacts if you push it too far. I watch carefully for that as I use it. You also have to pick one of the 3 modes to use it in. You can't combine in one operation. But you could call it again for another -- but I am not to certain that this is a good idea.

Original, cropped, blurred image

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Stabilized with Sharpen AI - Stabilize Mode

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Sharpened in Sharpen AI - Sharpen Mode

(Download)

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

This example of using Sharpen AI is using the sharpen mode. This image is at a distance. I used a Sony A57 (APS-C sensor) and a Tamron 150-600mm lens (original mk1). This image is in focus. And there is no shake as I was on a tripod. But the complaint on the Tamron 150-600 mk1, the original version of the lens is that it is a little soft at 600mm, and I can see this in the original. The 2nd image was done using the Sharpen Mode in Sharpen AI. No camera shake, so no need for the Stabilize Mode, and no problem with focus, so no need for the Focus Mode of Sharpen AI.

The result is an image that has turned out quite a bit sharper than the original soft version. You will need to zoom in on the images to see.

With the lens at 600mm on an APS-C sensor, the FOV was the same as a 900mm lens on a full frame sensor. Considering where this Great Blue Heron was, there was no opportunity to move closer.

Cropped Original

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same crop - Sharpen AI - Sharpen Mode

(Download)

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

Example using Sharpen AI - Focus Mode. The first picture looks a little bit off in focus. Using Sharpen AI - Focus Mode, it comes right into focus. Zoom in to see. And notice the nose. Looks like one of her crabs that she likes to each got a well placed pinch in on her nose before becoming dinner. I have actually watched this happen on another sea otter on another trip to the coast.

Hard to tell from this picture that her baby is napping across the bottom portion of her body. In later images, baby has woken up and is out swimming around mother.

(Download)


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Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

Topaz Sharpen AI (v2.2.2) used as a standalone does process my Canon Raw files.
Currently looking at my monitor the options for saving are: "Preserve Image Format, JPG, JPEG, Tif, TIFF, PNG, and DNG". "Filename xxxx-sharpen" "Save Directory Source/Custom".
Works for me,
JimmyT

Edit: You may also "Mask" the exact portion(s) of the pic that you wish to sharpen.

yssirk123 Loc: New Jersey

Since Topaz offers free trials, wouldn't it make sense to download it and see for yourself?