Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Some sharpening in RAW or none?

  1. #1
    Brendan Dozier
    Guest

    Default Some sharpening in RAW or none?

    I notice the RAW software out there usually provides a range of sharpness you can adjust before converting file into PS. What is best, a low setting of sharpness (like 3 on a scale of 1-10) or just setting the sharpness to zero?

  2. #2
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Palm Coast, Fla - The Hammock
    Posts
    68
    Threads
    3
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I am wondering the same thing. Some have told me to only sharpen enough at the conversion stage to offset any blurring, then complete any final sharping in PS.

  3. #3
    Banned
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Colorado
    Posts
    3,949
    Threads
    254
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Brendan, Chris,

    There area couple of ideas on this.

    At the raw stage, a conversion algorithm has the potential to do a better job because it is working from the original data. If working later, after raw conversion, a "sharpening" tool is working on modified data so you are sharpening on the sharpening.

    My view is that a small amount of sharpening is necessary to tune the algorithm to give a reasonable image, so about 3/10 is probably fine.

    Further, the sharpening needed on most images is not the same over the entire image. There are multiple reasons for this. For example, the image may vary slightly due to different focus, so needing different levels of sharpening. Some parts of the image may show more noise and you may not want those areas sharpened. Different edges will show artifacts from sharpening at different levels, e.g. a bright dark edge, versus fine feather detail in a bird's feathers.

    So in my processing, I us a small amount of sharpening in the raw converter, and then do custom sharpening on selected parts of images near the last steps in post processing.

    Then we can get into the thread about sharpening. Most "sharpening" tools, like unsharp mask do not actually sharpen. They only change edge contrast. See:

    Important Sharpening Information
    http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...ng-Information!

    Roger

  4. #4
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Palm Coast, Fla - The Hammock
    Posts
    68
    Threads
    3
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Roger thank you for the link which lead me to your very informative site... I think what I need is a good workshop on processing.

  5. #5
    Brendan Dozier
    Guest

    Default

    Yes, thanks very much for your explaination and link, very helpful.

  6. #6
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    sacramento california
    Posts
    500
    Threads
    57
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    thanks for the info

  7. #7
    BPN Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Dallas, Texas.
    Posts
    6,260
    Threads
    426
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Brendan, I always do some sharpening on the RAW file itself. I use DPP and I like its RAW sharpening a lot. In the latest version, they have also added USM feature.

    How much is right? I dont think there is one correct answer to that. depends on the image. At times, when the light is flat or directly from the front, then a higher value is better. If the light is at an angle, then that itself is creating small shadows of the feathers and giving you a lot of perceived sharpness. In that case, lower value is better. If it is a closeup shot, then you are already having a lot of 'pixels-per-duck' with great details. In that case, I usually go lower on the sharpness slider. Since RAW sharpening is affecting the BG too, you need to keep an eye on that...and also on the noise.

    My workflow is...some sharpening in RAW and then some sharpening of the bird on the resized jpg. If needed, NR on the BG on the resized jpg.

  8. #8
    Brendan Dozier
    Guest

    Default

    Kaustubh, thank you very much, that is very helpful. Knowing the quality images you present time after time, makes me feel better about using DPP. I'll have to try their USM - I also like their cropping and rotation tools. The only thing with DPP, is I find it a bit slow.

    - Brendan

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Web Analytics