Just a heads up that Photokit Sharpener does not yet work with 64-bit CS4. They say they're working on the 64-bit version. When it's ready, I look forward to trying it out.

yeh, thnx but how is it any better than PS's own unsharp mask?

isn't a "plug-in for PS" a program not necessarily from Adobe that runs with-in PS?

can you post exapmles?

yes I can, but can you tell me why I should spend 45 minutes to prepare a presentation for you when you could play with it yourself and see?

what will I get out of it (all to often its just involved in further arguments)

Ray

because I'm a nice guy

here (http://www2.gol.com/users/cjeastwd/temp/sharpening.html) is an example

but you really need to brush up on the manners as the word please does not go astray and we're not your uni tutors here

thnx, though i don't think it's a question of my manners, it's maybe a question of more unsubstantiated claims posted without any explanation, example or proof

thnx, though i don't think it's a question of my manners, it's maybe a question of more unsubstantiated claims posted without any explanation, example or proof

Ray,

It's a little difficult to provide examples of sharpening (good or bad) through the web and even at home on ones monitor. To accurately judge the effects of sharpening a print needs to made. Accurate assessment of sharpening can't be judged merely on screen.

Jeff Shewe, who is one of the gurus that worked with Bruce Fraiser and others to create PhotoKit Sharpener, suggests that viewing the sharpened image on screen at a 25% magnification will give the viewer some idea if the image is sharpened properly (including whether it is over sharpened).

Generally speaking PhotoKit Sharpener uses PS actions to build edge masks and detail masks to be used with the Smart Sharpening filter and possibly the Unsharp mask filter. If you are familiar with the latest versions of ACR you can actually see how the Detail and Edge sharpening masks work.

The late Bruce Fraiser outlined a three pass sharpening method online and in his book "Real World Sharpening" The basic steps are capture sharpening, creative sharpening, and output sharpening. He even provides the steps needed for one to create the Detail and Edge sharpening masks which are available online.

As I mentioned to you before here on HybridPhoto, sharpening is a complex process and simply making a global sharpening adjustment using the unsharp mask really doesn't produce the best sharpening results.

You can download a trial version of PhotoKit Sharpener and play with it yourself to get a feel for how it works. Checkout the PixelGenius website for more details:

http://www.pixelgenius.com/sharpener/

One other thing that I'll mention is that if you visit the site you will notice that PKS is endorsed by Nash Editions. The main guru at Nash Editions (whose name escapes me now) has a very nice workflow outline for digital editing posted on his web site. It's worth taking a look at for some valuable tips about the proper steps for digital editing.

:)

Don Bryant

thnx, though i don't think it's a question of my manners, it's maybe a question of more unsubstantiated claims posted without any explanation, example or proof

well (unless you don't have access to any versions of photoshop) its not like you can't conduct some tests yourself. If your after fingers in the spear holes experience you'll need to look at a PSD file and turn on and turn off layers. I started with one such example, but it quickly turned into 18 meg (too big to post here).

perhaps I've missed it, but just (specifically) what is it that you don't believe / need proof of / can't check out yourself?

if its methods your looking for then a quick google reveals one (http://www.photoshopsupport.com/tutorials/sharpen-an-image/photo-sharpening.html) or two (http://www.arthurdurkee.net/images/Photoshopsamplelesson.pdf) sources of information quickly

if that's not on target with what you need 'verified' please put that in writing here so I can have a better understanding of what it is that you're asking (as presently I think its just whats wrong with global sharpening in photoshop using USM / smart sharpen / sharpen edges or something like that

Don


Checkout the PixelGenius website for more details:

http://www.pixelgenius.com/sharpener/

One other thing that I'll mention is that if you visit the site you will notice that PKS is endorsed by Nash Editions. The main guru at Nash Editions (whose name escapes me now) has a very nice workflow outline for digital editing posted on his web site.

I had a look about for that, and interestingly found this (http://www.pixelgenius.com/tips/schewe-sharpening.pdf), which was a nice read and about 80% of what I presently do. It was especially nice to have it all encapsulated in one point though as some of has been evolved over a significant time (and as I do use mainly one or two films and one or two capture devices).

:-)

Ray,

It's a little difficult to provide examples of sharpening (good or bad) through the web and even at home on ones monitor. To accurately judge the effects of sharpening a print needs to made. Accurate assessment of sharpening can't be judged merely on screen.

Jeff Shewe, who is one of the gurus that worked with Bruce Fraiser and others to create PhotoKit Sharpener, suggests that viewing the sharpened image on screen at a 25% magnification will give the viewer some idea if the image is sharpened properly (including whether it is over sharpened).

Generally speaking PhotoKit Sharpener uses PS actions to build edge masks and detail masks to be used with the Smart Sharpening filter and possibly the Unsharp mask filter. If you are familiar with the latest versions of ACR you can actually see how the Detail and Edge sharpening masks work.

The late Bruce Fraiser outlined a three pass sharpening method online and in his book "Real World Sharpening" The basic steps are capture sharpening, creative sharpening, and output sharpening. He even provides the steps needed for one to create the Detail and Edge sharpening masks which are available online.

As I mentioned to you before here on HybridPhoto, sharpening is a complex process and simply making a global sharpening adjustment using the unsharp mask really doesn't produce the best sharpening results.

You can download a trial version of PhotoKit Sharpener and play with it yourself to get a feel for how it works. Checkout the PixelGenius website for more details:

http://www.pixelgenius.com/sharpener/

One other thing that I'll mention is that if you visit the site you will notice that PKS is endorsed by Nash Editions. The main guru at Nash Editions (whose name escapes me now) has a very nice workflow outline for digital editing posted on his web site. It's worth taking a look at for some valuable tips about the proper steps for digital editing.

:)

Don Bryant

Really good post. Great information including the PDF pellicle linked to.

Really good post. Great information including the PDF pellicle linked to.

Here is a link to a PDF file written by Jeff Shewe that is a very good easy on sharpening

http://www.pixelgenius.com/tips/schewe-sharpening.pdf

In the article Jeff addresses the problems associated with global application of the PS Unsharp Mask filter.

Don

I have tried all sorts of methods, and the one I like the most was a high pass filter on a separate layer, with the blend mode set to soft light. This allows you to do all the things you can do with a layer, such as masking (meaning selective application of the sharpening using the brush tool or any other selection tool), and opacity changes. It is incredibly valuable being able to have different levels of sharpening (or no sharpening at all) on different areas of the picture. I would generally oversharpen about double what I think it should be, and then fine tune the over all level by reducing the opacity. Then I would generally mask or partially mask the layer over the out of focus areas, and/or any areas where I want a little less sharpening going on. Once again, you can use the brush tool in its numerous incarnations to do this. Before you do it, you have to create a top layer that consists of all the other layers merged, and then apply the filter to that top layer. Is it Shift-Control-Option-E to make that top layer? It has been so long since I used PS that I forgot the shortcut. There is definitely an E involved, though I forgot exactly which of the shift, function, control, option, command, etc keys are involved.

P.S. The Photoshop I have is 7.0, so there may be other options on the newer ones. All I know is that this is a great method for me, however.

USM applied in LAB to the L channel works well for me.

This is a good one too, for a more quick sharpening than the one I just mentioned. This is how Getty does it (and now AP, since they stole the person who taught Getty how to do it). Great for the press since it is "better" quality than the USM on the whole JPEG, and they cannot use layers, plus they are in a rush. They don't even bother sharpening unless the pic needs to be saved by it.