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Topaz Sharpen AI
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Sep 20, 2019 08:37:15   #
mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey
 
Fabulous1too wrote:
Any pros and cons on Topaz Sharpen AI. They're running a special and if there are any positive experiences maybe I'm thinking about getting that. Regularly $79.99 with a $20 off on it brings it down to $59.99 + a 15% for another $9.00 off brings down to $50. What are your thoughts, experiences? Thanks in advance.

I tried it and It's very effective, but doesn't doesn't have a whole lot of functionality for that price. Still, there is a free download so you can see if it meets your needs. I don't need it because I shoot and process 100% in raw. If you are a JPEG shooter it might be worth it to you.

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Sep 20, 2019 08:54:59   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
Howard5252 wrote:
Topaz talks about the minimum requirements needed and the bottom line is, in non technical terms, you need a "Kick ass" computer to get results quickly.


Right! Optimal memory is 32GB, and this is the one and only computer I've owed with that much memory.

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Sep 20, 2019 08:55:45   #
Tracy B. Loc: Indiana
 
mwsilvers wrote:
I tried it and It's very effective, but doesn't doesn't have a whole lot of functionality for that price. Still, there is a free download so you can see if it meets your needs. I don't need it because I shoot and process 100% in raw. If you are a JPEG shooter it might be worth it to you.


It does however support Tiff files. I've read it doesn't support Raw YET! So maybe in a future update........?

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Sep 20, 2019 09:12:24   #
DanielJDLM
 
I downloaded the free trial and am quite impressed. It improved photographs I had post-processed using different software programs. The sharpening seemed to be quite precise and not over the top.

If you have not downloaded the free trial...do it right away.

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Sep 20, 2019 09:37:00   #
brooklyn-camera I Loc: Brooklyn, NY
 
If A1 sharpen makes the photo look good in normal size that is good enough for me. I shoot 99% semi-pro football, lacrosse, softball, etc. I don't do pixel peeping so I guess that my photos don't count? I just care if the photos look great to the naked eye, prints and also on the teams FB pages and websites.

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Sep 20, 2019 09:46:00   #
rlv567 Loc: Baguio City, Philippines
 
Howard5252 wrote:
The problem of "Slow" has been hashed out on this site. Topaz talks about the minimum requirements needed and the bottom line is, in non technical terms, you need a "Kick ass" computer to get results quickly.
Just look at the range of comments - mine included; some people "Tested" it and were disappointed to the point of never using Topaz products again. Others, myself included, think the program is really quite good. Perhaps, some day the program's speed will increase but until that time be aware that it's your computer that is setting the slow pace, not the program. As for results ... if SHARPEN doesn't appear to do very much, try STABILIZE. Also, don't push the sliders to their max, it isn't necessary.
The problem of "Slow" has been hashed ou... (show quote)


As I indicated previously, my computer falls in the mid-range with respect to the Topaz requirements. I was testing with CR2 files, and I did have the program update as I went along - I want to see what is being done while I'm doing it! No slider ever was beyond the middle of its range. The program is SLOW; I have used many other programs and their results are near instantaneous insofar as allowing one to see the effects of changes. I also have described some of the bad things that AI does, which certainly outweigh any minimal benefits which might be perceived. The addition of noise was not great, but the change in color and the very considerable darkening was BAD!!!

In the past I have purchased Topaz programs, and am eligible for updates on those. However, the only one I find to be worth using (as compared with others available) is Topaz Denoise 6, which seems to be marginally better than anything else, though it's very close.

Loren - in Beautiful Baguio City

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Sep 20, 2019 09:48:13   #
rlv567 Loc: Baguio City, Philippines
 
Tracy B. wrote:
It does however support Tiff files. I've read it doesn't support Raw YET! So maybe in a future update........?


The files I used in my testing were CR2!

Loren - in Beautiful Baguio City

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Sep 20, 2019 10:18:57   #
Howard5252 Loc: New York / Florida (now)
 
rlv567 wrote:
As I indicated previously, my computer falls in the mid-range with respect to the Topaz requirements. The program is SLOW; I have used many other programs and their results are near instantaneous insofar as allowing one to see the effects of changes.


The program is not instantaneous; if that's what you expected, then for you the program appears to be slow.
I certainly am not trying to convince you of anything; I respect your opinion and if you no longer use the program because you feel it is SLOW; so be it.

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Sep 20, 2019 11:03:47   #
wham121736 Loc: Long Island, New York
 
Purchased it yesterday at that price and tried it on 20 old photos either out of focus or with excessive noise. I am very happy with the results both the focus improvements and Boise reduction. I expect to do even better when I understand the program more.

Fabulous1too wrote:
Any pros and cons on Topaz Sharpen AI. They're running a special and if there are any positive experiences maybe I'm thinking about getting that. Regularly $79.99 with a $20 off on it brings it down to $59.99 + a 15% for another $9.00 off brings down to $50. What are your thoughts, experiences? Thanks in advance.

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Sep 20, 2019 11:34:23   #
chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA
 
Tracy B. wrote:
I just down loaded the trial yesterday, than after using it on some photigraphs, I purchased it. Wow! It is amazing. I will use this a lot. It was fast for me but I do have a gaming computer with a great graphics card..


...key to *all* Topaz AI's; computer/GPU that can handle 'em. My "new" desktop with M2 NVMe hardware, an upgraded CPU, and a great Nvidia card has absolutely no problem with these programs...or any other, lol...

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Sep 20, 2019 12:37:10   #
davyboy Loc: Anoka Mn.
 
I have had topaz AI for about six months and love it. It takes 45 seconds to 1 minute to save but then I’m processing jpgs. Don’t know if that makes a difference

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Sep 20, 2019 12:56:48   #
Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona
 
Get the free download and try it. If it works for you, buy it, if it doesn't don't. I have been using Sharpen AI since it was released and yes it's slow but I'm retired so it doesn't matter to me. It is still faster than doing it in PS.

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Sep 20, 2019 13:24:25   #
tropics68 Loc: Georgia
 
Screamin Scott wrote:
I already own Gigapixel AI, Studio 2, Detail and Adjust AI. I was not offered a free Sharpen AI


Did you have the Studio version of sharpen? If you did you need to contact Topaz. I got Adjust AI and DeNoise AI as free updates because I had the standard versions. You do not get free updates just because you have several Topaz apps. BTW DeNoise AI does a pretty nice job for sharpening also.

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Sep 20, 2019 13:47:30   #
Fredrick Loc: Former NYC, now San Francisco Bay Area
 
Hamltnblue wrote:
The video card is probably the weak link causing the extended time.
I tried the program out for the free trial a while back. It ran pretty quick.
I am running an RTX-2080ti though.


I swapped my system HDD for a SSD, and it made a tremendous difference in speeding up all aspects of my PC.

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Sep 20, 2019 13:57:13   #
NikonGal Loc: Central Oregon
 
I purchased and used Topaz AI Clear as an adjustment in Studio. It worked so well it became part of my workflow for almost every image I worked up. When Sharpen AI became available I was able to upgrade at no cost (because I had purchased AI Clear). It worked well for me and I use one or the other on a regular basis. Bev

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