Topaz Labs Clarity?

[Peano]

Just for the sake of completeness, here is a third test using AdobeRGB. Again, no significant color shift from PS to Clarity, just as with sRGB and ProPhoto RGB.

[Jack Hogan]

Mystery...
I do not know...
But here(Windows 10 x64) the monitor profile is Version 2 made by Argyll+dispcalGUI, both matrix and LUT works well...
Maybe yours are Version 4?

The images above were opened by Windows 7 CS5 via ACR 6.7 (I think).  The monitors were newly calibrated/profiled the day before by Argyll (probably 1 year old) and the latest dispcalGui (3.06) at its default settings.  I am not sure what version it produces and I will not be at that computer for a few days.

Here also in Photoshop menu Edit>Preferences>Performance>Graphics Processor Settings>Advanced Settings>Drawing Mode = Basic

Don't know what drawing mode it uses.  I am now on my uncalibrated/unprofiled laptop running Windows10 + CS5 and it does not show the color shift.  I'll investigate further when I get back home.

Jack

[Jack Hogan]

Just for the sake of completeness, here is a third test using AdobeRGB. Again, no significant color shift from PS to Clarity, just as with sRGB and ProPhoto RGB.

Thanks for your tests, Peano.  Based on my post just above I think I will turn off the ICC monitor profile and investigate further once I get back home in a few days.

Jack

[pegelli]

Uninstalled Clarity 1.0.0, re-downloaded and re-installed Clarity 1.0.0.  My build is the same as Bart's now, and unless I am doing something wrong, color management is still broke as per my 2013 communication with Topaz above.  Adobe RGB image in PS in the background (top), simply opened in Clarity in the foreground (bottom, showing original image):

The difference in the blues is pretty obvious on both my calibrated sRGB and wide gamut displays.

Jack

Jack, Indeed very visible here as well. Maybe too obvious, but are all the sliders in the HSL panel zeroed when you open the image?

Another question: do you see the same difference when you toggle between the original and processed image in Topaz or is the colour effect you're seeing only there after you cycled back to Photoshop?

[Peano]

Jack, Indeed very visible here as well. Maybe too obvious, but are all the sliders in the HSL panel zeroed when you open the image?

Another question: do you see the same difference when you toggle between the original and processed image in Topaz or is the colour effect you're seeing only there after you cycled back to Photoshop?

These are good questions. You might also check to see if your graphics card drivers are up to date. I know that with some other Topaz plug-ins, outdated drivers can cause problems.

[Pictus]

The images above were opened by Windows 7 CS5 via ACR 6.7 (I think).  The monitors were newly calibrated/profiled the day before by Argyll (probably 1 year old) and the latest dispcalGui (3.06) at its default settings.  I am not sure what version it produces and I will not be at that computer for a few days.

Argyll+dispcalGUI is always version 2.

Here I use the dispcalGUI LUT loader to load the profile.

[Sutherland]

Question for the users of Clarity: Does using Clarity replace the need for creative  sharpening?

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

Question for the users of Clarity: Does using Clarity replace the need for creative  sharpening?

Hi,

No, Clarity changes the local contrast ratios and only covers that part of Creative 'sharpening'. Of course at the smallest level it has an effect of apparently boosting sharpness, but for real structural detail adjustments you'd need Topaz Detail (highly recommended as well).

Clarity can help a lot with giving the subject a more '3D look' because it alters shadow and highlight regions. Detail really works on the structure of surfaces. Both do that halo free, and while preserving natural color and saturation, unlike many other applications.

Cheers,
Bart

[Sutherland]

Bart - many thanks.

[pegelli]

Sorry to take this slightly off topic, after reading about Topaz applications (mainly from Bart) I took the plunge on Topaz Clarity and Topaz Detail and it's indeed a powerful combo. It's now integrated in my standard workflow and I'm very happy with the results.

I'm now asking myself if I should get Topaz InFocus as well. I learned that in the Detail module there is also a deconvolution module (Deblur) that works pretty well. It only has 2 controls (blur size and artifact suppression) and I'm guessing InFocus can do much more. But is it worth the extra 70 $?

Input, suggestions and tips are welcome.
 

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

Sorry to take this slightly off topic, after reading about Topaz applications (mainly from Bart) I took the plunge on Topaz Clarity and Topaz Detail and it's indeed a powerful combo. It's now integrated in my standard workflow and I'm very happy with the results.

I'm now asking myself if I should get Topaz InFocus as well. I learned that in the Detail module there is also a deconvolution module (Deblur) that works pretty well. It only has 2 controls (blur size and artifact suppression) and I'm guessing InFocus can do much more. But is it worth the extra 70 $?

Hi Pieter,

It can't do all that much more, it just gives a few more possibilities to choose a type of blur to correct, with more precision and range, and has a more regular type of sharpening on top of that, all from within a single plugin. However, compared to what Detail can do with the Deblur deconvolution, the current difference is not worth the full price of InFocus, I'd say. So if one already has 'Detail', I'd not add InFocus as it is today. Maybe if they see enough market potential to upgrade it with some of the enhancements that I suggested to them, then it would become more interesting to consider, also because that usually comes with a discount for new users.

Cheers,
Bart

[pegelli]

Thanks Bart, very helpful.

[earlybird]

As a follow up to my original post and early impressions, I would like to relay that I have grown quite fond of Topaz Clarity and have been making frequent use of it.

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

As a follow up to my original post and early impressions, I would like to relay that I have grown quite fond of Topaz Clarity and have been making frequent use of it.

Good to hear that. And with the increasing dynamic range capabilities of our cameras, the need for such a powerful tool increases as well. When the full dynamic range is squeezed into the output range, the image will look dull and lifeless, until we add some intelligent Clarity to it.

Cheers,
Bart

[vjbelle]

I had downloaded the demo version some time ago but really didn't spend much time with it.  After reading through this thread I decided to just pull the plug and purchase the serial#.  So glad I did.... I took one of my images that I had worked on for some time with lots of dodging and burning and various layers and within about 2 minutes I had a significantly better/more appealing image that would have taken lots more time to accomplish the old way.  I have numerous Topaz filters including In Focus and Detail and this is one that will get a lot of use. 

Victor

[rdonson]

I've had the Topaz Clarity plug-in for a few months now after reading everyone's recommendations in the LuLa forums.  I've got to say that it's lived up to the praise everyone gave it.  It really made some elk I photographed in the fall pop out of the early dawn light in the field.  Amazing.

I recently acquired Topaz Detail based on the comments here and I'm quite happy with it as well.  This make it a 1-2 punch on many of my photos.  The deconvolution routine has been surprisingly quite helpful on some botanical photos as well.

For anyone else contemplating these purchases you can use Trey Ratcliff's code "stuckincustoms" to get a 10% discount.

Thanks to all in this conversation!

[Damon Lynch]

These two Topaz plugins are great and I use them a lot.

A related question: my current workflow is to apply them in Photoshop (coming from LR using Ctrl-E), then flatten the 16 bit ProPhoto tiff, to save space.  Obviously this workflow bakes in the adjustments -- which can be a pain if you want to re-edit because you missed a vital step in the raw converter adjustments before rendering the tiff.

Is it possible to somehow not bake in the Topaz plugin results, so that one can make adjustments to the RAW file in the raw converter and then have the Topaz plugin layers dynamically update in response?

Thanks
Damon

[Manoli]

Is it possible to somehow not bake in the Topaz plugin results, so that one can make adjustments to the RAW file in the raw converter and then have the Topaz plugin layers dynamically update in response?

I'm not sure what you mean by 'update dynamically' but isn't the simplest way not to flatten the tiff, dupe/convert a layer to a smart object and 'Topaz' on that ?

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

I'm not sure what you mean by 'update dynamically' but isn't the simplest way not to flatten the tiff, dupe/convert a layer to a smart object and 'Topaz' on that ?

Correct, whereas Lightroom is parametric, Photoshop is all about Layers (which increases file size but is very flexible). Smart objects are even larger, but they do allow to revisit earlier adjustments. Another way would be to create a preset with the file name in the Topaz Plugin, but that will not save any masks that are made in the plugin, so this is not really a solution in that case.

Cheers,
Bart