Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

I just looked at the features; isn't it amazing how much they offer...for free!!

Whitewater11 Loc: Ellensburg, Washington

Complex puzzle at best. I have been curious as to just how much can be done with Topaz Gigapixel AI. I think it might be a contender against getting bigger megapixel cameras. I had trouble getting images with the same megapixels and didn't realize this until I cropped them all to the two rodent marked white sign posts therefore this is not a very scientific comparison. On my desk top I see differences in favor of using Gipixel, so downloading these images may give you a comparison.
I believe the first is a 4x Gigapixel AI enlargement, the second your raw file and the third a de noise plus a 4x Gigapixel enlargement. I did the third one because the first two images show a lot of color noise especially when amplified by 4x. The de noise program caused soft edges going through Gigapixel. So I need to redo something, however it is late so I just added a section of your orchard using Gigapixel AI. The program usually does a reasonable job of giving back an image larger and interpretive sharper than the original.

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Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Many thanks for your efforts, Lynn. Some intriguing results from Topaz!

Whitewater11 Loc: Ellensburg, Washington

I had a bit of difficulty until I read on the internet to change the org (Olympus) to Tiff before working on the image. I have sent a copy of the noise magnified from the original and a finished copy run through Topaz Denoise. I have a question for Topaz about the results because the results are not just quite correct., but the image does seem sharper and noise is reduced including the color noise. I guess it is cheating to just put the picture into a program and tweak a couple of sliders, Amazing how many good and some very complicated sharpening tips came out of your request. You did just fine with your original process. I believe traditional sharpening may not increase the contrast so much and may be the best choice. In the third image it likely looks sharper in looking at the total image, but has amplified some of the visual uncertainty of the original and contrast is also becoming marginal but this would be a very large total image. The third image is set to AI clear which is a choice in the Denoise program and the middle image is set to Denoise with minimal noise reduction.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Thank you for your hard work and thorough explanation, Lynn. I had to chuckle over your "cheating" comment

All the best!

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Sorry, Linda,
...but why didn’t you provide us with the original, tonally corrected but unsharpened images?
This exercise you have posed makes no sense to me.
Starting from scratch? Now That makes sense!
We have no idea what “.... a little sharpening from ACR raw editor defaults.” means? Do you know what you did with the ACR controls?...and why?

Here are some possibly helpful links on sharpening, most of which I’m sure you’ve seen...but a while ago.

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-369112-1.html

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-368485-1.html

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-368513-1.html

Dave

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Hi Dave, thanks for your feedback.

If I understand correctly, you would like to see a finished photo that has everything but sharpening? Then people could use the sharpening tool, unsharp mask, Topaz products etc? And we'd be comparing just one action? No other changes allowed? If your answers are yes, I would be grateful if you or anyone else interested would create a new challenge topic. Many thanks!

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

No; I guess we’re on different pages.
It’s your thread and your rules!
Didn’t mean to be difficult, but without knowing what sharpening had already been done, I’m doubtful that
documenting what someone else has done to improve it is of much value.
Just one guy’s opinion.
Dave

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

I'm happy to stay in the conversation until we're on the same page. I think everyone who posted to the thread started at the same point: the raw file. My jpg's were posted to say, "Here's the best I can do. Can you teach me a better way?"

I confess that in the two weeks since this topic was active, I have forgotten specifics of the discussions. I do remember that with those who used different software and even with PS/LR (which has a more complex ACR than does PSE), I spent quite a bit of time working on new versions to see if I could achieve the same results as presented.

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Please accept my profuse apologies, Linda!
I completely missed that the raw files were linked below your posted versions.
Now my problem is that neither seems to be able to be downloaded by me.

moderator note: problem resolved