Grahame Loc: Fiji

I'll be shooting a marathon and half marathon event in a couple of weeks and whilst well experienced with these this event is going to be starting just over an hour before sunrise, up in the highlands, most likely heavily overcast and in the clouds. The organizers have changed the time of year, not in my favor.

Normally with these events I'll have ISO levels that are easily addressed in ACR where I do 99% of the PP and produce the jpegs there for uploading to my website. For this upcoming event I'm anticipating far higher ISO ranges around 4000 to 10000 and considering using Topaz denoise and undertaking batch processing.

I have just downloaded the trial version and put a test batch of 6 images ranging from ISO 2000 to 6400 through on 'Auto' and am impressed with the results. What I have subsequently found is that there is then no way to open these de-noised images, say 10 at a time, into ACR where I would undertake crop and minor edits such as subject shadow lift. As I'm anticipating around at least 100 images to put through Topaz I'm looking for the best way to tackle this. It may be that I have to finally change my workflow and start using LR.

Any advice from the low light sport shooters who use Topaz for batch work will be very much appreciated.

Grahame Loc: Fiji

Update to the above ............................

I have found that I can put a batch through Topaz denoise, save all to a different folder, open PS, File 'Open', select say 15 of the denoised images, 'Open', and they all open in ACR !

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

I am a low-light (Available Darkness) shooter and I have found that Topaz DeNoise AI works pretty well for me.
Tips:
a. Use a viewer which allows you to view the before and after shots enlarged side by side.
b. Run the pic(s) through Topaz DeNoise AI using the default settings before Anything else. It is non-destructive and will not "replace" your original file.
If this first pass through DeNoise AI still needs improvement run this Topaz-created file through the process again with the "Color Noise Reduction" slider set to the max.

Note:
a. If there is a big difference in exposure from the top (sky) to the bottom (foreground) use the "selectively denoise your image" (Masking Tool) located at the bottom right corner of the page
to the left of the very small "Trash Can".
b. Usually if you use DeNoise AI I do not recommend any additional sharpening for low-light pics.
c. If Topaz DeNoise AI seems to run slow be sure to check your "Preferences". At the top left of the program click on "File",
then "Preferences" select CPU, Card, or Auto, and set "Allowed Memory Consumption" to high. Also select Prefixes/Suffixes, etc. as you desire.
Important - Close EVERYTHING that you do not need! - Topaz Products really test computer resources.
d. The "New to DeNoise AI?" in the tray at the bottom of the program when you open it provides great short spoon-fed process examples.

Also, the Topaz Learning Center is great: https://www.topazlabs.com/learn#latest
Along with: Topaz recommended Workflow and Settings work better for me most of the time.
https://topazlabs.com/the-ultimate-workflow-for-topaz-labs-ai-software/?utm_source=Topaz+Updates&utm_campaign=8c480bdca3-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_11_19_04_29&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5e4dd8652a-8c480bdca3-92602881&mc_cid=8c480bdca3&mc_eid=c9be7297b0

That's my second Nickle - Be sure to share your results with us!

Best Wishes,
JimmyT Sends


Edit: Remember for Windoze,
"Task Manager/Performance" is your friend.

Grahame Loc: Fiji

Thank you Jimmy for the very comprehensive response.

I'll work through this today and undertake more testing on a number of high ISO race pics I have.