Joexx

I recently downloaded DeNoise & Sharpen to test them out. I know that many people like these products and they do a good job. My question is: do they do a better job than using LR & PS?

I know in most situations, they are probably faster, but if you are proficient in LR & PS are they any better?

As an example, I find that the sharpening tool in LR is "OK" (even using masking etc), but if you sharpen in PS you can do some things that are just not possible in LR. For some images this can make a large difference.
Can I do something using the Topaz products that cannot be done as well in PS or LR?

I did some tests on several photos comparing results with LR & PS vs Topaz products. I could always get similar results . As far as I could tell the main "value added" with Topaz is the time saved editing each photo and probably the learning curve. Both are very important and alone, may make the products worth it, but not my question.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

One of my favorite internet teachers says that none of the current editing programs produce bad results. Photographers can produce bad results with any software.

You are likely to get lots of posts to this topic. Anyone using any software that produced something they like will argue that they have "the best"! And, they do, for them.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The Adobe products via the subscription model are a complete solution. Topaz is not. Topaz probably processes noise and sharpening better in a 1:1 compare, but that's not a complete solution.

You might review your usage of LR and / or PS and confirm you're using the ideas presented in these two links for LR:

Basics of noise processing

Basics of Lightroom Sharpening

ClarkJohnson Loc: Fort Myers, FL and Cohasset, MA

Why does this need to be an either/or question? I use Topaz programs as plug-ins in Lightroom Classic, and the workflow is fairly seamless. I use DeNoise on almost every picture, and Sharpen and Gigapixel as necessary.

If you MUST make a choice, just stick with Adobe. They seem to be working hard to match the Topaz functionality.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

CHG_CANON suggested, "Topaz probably processes noise and sharpening better in a 1:1 compare, but that's not a complete solution."

Odd thought, sequential processing, for example, denoise an already denoised photo by another method.

Canisdirus

I don't think Topaz ever meant to go toe to toe with LR...but as an upgrade plug-in (which it certainly is).

Whether Topaz helps your photography enough to warrant the expense is a personal choice only you can answer.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

As far as LR is concerned, yes, Topaz is better than LR. I use the Topaz programs as plug-ins to LR regularly. I do not use photoshop.

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

I do speak fluent LR or PS. With that being said, so far I agree with every response.
I use Topaz Products because they do a good job and I can load and process a "bunch" of pics with Denoise and Sharpen at one time while I do "Other Things".
When used as prescribed Topaz Products do a good job for me. But, that is just me. I'm not willing to spend a lot of time trying to "save" a marginal pic.
I would rather spend my time shooting, and aggressively culling pics rather than . . . well you get the idea.
If processing your pics is your thing that's fine and I'm not being critical of that. That is just not my thing and I get no pleasure or sense of satisfaction from processing pics.
My approach is to enjoy my entire process and not dread sitting in front of a computer using really capable programs.
From where I sit, I don't think that there are any factual or even reasonably quantitative answers to your questions.
I hope that these comments don't hurt any feelings. My comments are not intended to be a shot across your bow.
Smile,
JimmyT Sends

Joexx

I appreciate everyone's responses,and some good points have been made, but none of them really address my intended question. I probably did not form it well. Let me try again please.
First of all , I should have not included LR in the question since for all of the features that I want compared with (in DeNoise & Sharpen), Photoshop does at least as well or better than LR. (yes I know, LR might be easier or faster).

Assume:
I do not care about price.
I am very proficient with Photoshop.
I am very proficient with DeNoise & Sharpen.
I do not care about the time it takes me to work on a photo.
I love sitting at a computer for hours..... :-)
I am only comparing capabilities that DeNoise & Sharpen have. You could also include Gigapixel .

Given the above:
Is there any feature that DeNoise & Sharpen have that I cannot do as well in PS?

The whole purpose of this question is to help to understand the difference in these products.

I am trying to make this an objective question, not a subjective question.

By the way, for those that might think I am anti Topaz, I am not. I know there are distinctive benefits to using Topaz products over PS. Speed and convenience are two of them. There are more. I am just trying to see if there are other benefits that I am missing.

Joexx

Yes, I should not have included LR. The Topaz products do a much better job of some things than LR. Sharpening for example.

Joexx

If you are referring to LR, I agree, I should not have included LR in my question because (after some thought) the Topaz software definitely does some things better.
But testing 5-10 photos, I have compared the noise & sharpening capabilities of PS with Topaz products. The Topaz software did an excellent job, but in every case I was able to get similar results with PS. Most of the time the Topaz software took me less time.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I think you've hit on the point of some of the Topaz products, they do better with less effort. The 'knock' on PhotoShop is you really need to be a pro in all the software techniques to get the best results. Another 'knock', and the reason Adobe created Lightroom, is most images don't need all the complex techniques and time / effort to process the majority of images.

Topaz dropped a lot of their PS/LR plug-ins to focus on what they've found as their niche in AI-enabled tools, kind of the "press it and forget it" approach to digital editing.

In the continuum between sharp lenses through shooting technique through processing technique, everyone makes their own decisions on where to invest time, effort and money. My own approach is to expose to the right, shoot at the minimum ISO as needed, and sharpen only in LR. I own the older standalone Topaz DeNoise 6 that I run problematic images through after the initial work in LR. I find 'extra help' is needed on noise, not sharpening and definitely not pixel resolution. There's other noise options in the market that operate as LR/PS plug-ins that would be my own choice over the Topaz AI products.

Photomac Loc: The Dalles, Or

All well stated points on Lr/Ps/Topaz. What I find interesting is that the new hype in the computer world in terms of photo software, is AI. All the way from the specific features of sharpening and de-noising to total photo management with both tones and color management. A lot of hype to sell, sell, sell. No software is going to replace the hard work of learning and using the potential of your chosen software and bringing your photo to tell your personal story. Just how much sharpening to we really need for a great print? Can you really even see modest noise on your print? Maybe if we are pixel peepers, but mostly not. I think we are all vulnerable to getting sucked into the market vortex. Yes I use these tools on my really noisy/soft images to make them at least printable, but not too often.

sodapop Loc: Bel Air, MD

I put this on the UHH digital section but may get some feedback here. Please let me knot it I am breaking the reulse by putting this on twice but I am really stuck.

Trying to use photoshop enhance. Lightroom will not send to raw. In photoshop it first said that I was not connected to internet then it was OK. When I import direct it froze up my computer and control alt del would even unfreeze, had to make a hard shutdown. Was hoping to use super resolution (enhance) . worked once but was very nosy.  Second time it locked the computer.. Was hoping it would be equivalent to Topaz gigapixel. It looks like it is is much more awkward that Topaz which easily moves a photo from Lightroom and back. Your comments would be greatly appreciated.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

This is a new question, not part of the current discussion. Your best way to get technical help on your issue, rather than hijacking another thread, is to open a new topic with this request for help. Use a good description to gather interest, like: Help needed with LR/PS and Topaz and moving images between