ACR (or Lr) Capture Sharpening workflow clarification please

[JRSmit]

My experience with uprezzing is the tool that a while ago was Development by bart and others.  It is somewhere on this forum. I use it from Lightroom. The key thing however is to not apply sharpening before uprezzing. I find that Appingedam sharpening after uprezzing minimis the Development of halo's. My experience is with images of 20 to 36 megapixels to 150 megapixels or higher. As i print from LR i use the output sharpening of that. So sharpening the image is then capture and creative. No experience in PS on this.

[FrankG]

"tool that a while ago was Development by bart and others"
I don't know about this "tool". Perhaps someone can tell more or provide a link?

"The key thing however is to not apply sharpening before uprezzing"
OK but I'm still not clear about this because some have said to apply Capture sharpening at the up-res size.
Can someone lay down the law :-)

"Appingedam sharpening"
?

There are 3 workflow scenarios I have gathered.
Which one?

ACR workflow 1-
1. Basic Panel - WB, Exp, Con, Blacks, Whites, Hifhlights, Shadows, Clarity, Vibrance
2. Details panel - A, R, D, M and LNR
3. Workflow Options dialog - Image resizing> resize to fit (enter the new size)>click OK
4. Save image > tif
5. optional - Then I go back to Workflow Options dialog and un-check re-size (to revert to original size for future use)>click OK & revert back to ACR window >click Done
6. Then I open the Tif in PS

ACR workflow 2 -
1. ACR> Basic Panel - WB, Exp, Con, Blacks, Whites, Highlights, Shadows, Clarity, Vibrance
2. ACR> Workflow Options dialog - Image resizing> check resize box (enter the new up-res size) >click OK
3. ACR> Save image > Tif
4. optional - ACR> Workflow Options dialog – uncheck the resize box to keep raw master at original size for future use
>Done
5. Re-open saved Tif in ACR
6. Capture Sharpen - ACR Details panel - A, R, D, M and LNR + Adjustment brush if necessary.
>Save
7. Then I open the Tif in PS for any further enhancements and/or printing

ACR workflow 3 -
1. Basic Panel - WB, Exp, Con, Blacks, Whites, Hifhlights, Shadows, Clarity, Vibrance
2. Workflow Options dialog - Image resizing> resize to fit (enter the new size)>click OK
3. Save image > tif
4. optional - Then I go back to Workflow Options dialog and un-check re-size (to revert to original size for future use)>click OK & revert back to ACR window >click Done
5. Then I open the Tif in PS
6. Apply capture sharpening to the up-res'd Tif in PS

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

"tool that a while ago was Development by bart and others"
I don't know about this "tool". Perhaps someone can tell more or provide a link?

It's a Windows formatted Batch scriptfile that uses ImageMagick for the heavy lifting. Simple modifications would make it a Mac / Unix type of commandline script. The thread in which it was discussed is here.

"The key thing however is to not apply sharpening before uprezzing"
OK but I'm still not clear about this because some have said to apply Capture sharpening at the up-res size.
Can someone lay down the law :-)

When you do use Capture sharpening at the native Raw file size, be very careful to not create artifacts that will be enlarged later. If you do not apply Capture sharpening at the native file size, then you run no risk, and can do it at the upsampled output size, and use a bit stronger amount settings to compensate for print media losses.

Cheers,
Bart

[FrankG]

Thanks Bart.
Clear as mud :-)
So then that rules out my workflow option 1.
Option 2 or 3 ?
Or can you please provide a note how you would correct either ?
Thanks

[BradSmith]

Frank,
You've received a huge amount of feedback, and you've responded with a huge amount of text/questions.  23 messages at this point.  How about TRYING the various workflows and comparing your results?  Then you'll be able to see for yourself which is best for you, or perhaps, you'll see no or insignificant differences.  Then, you won't have to continue trying to understand what the responders are saying.
Brad

[FrankG]

I'm right in the midst of testing now.
People have suggested different approaches.
I was just hoping that with all the experts and experience out there, there be an agreed upon workflow, and someone could offer it in a step by step 123.

[FrankG]

I'll post my results in case they're of any value to anyone else.
And, if anyone can suggest improvements, I'm all ears.

Dave Ellis seems to have got it right.
The workflow (#2) which applies capture sharpening to the upres'd Tif seems better than the one where where sharpening is applied to the original size before up-res (#1)
I did however apply the same sharpening and masking and Lnr settings in the Detail tab.

First here are the two workflows and attached are the 2 tests side by side - 100% crop. It's a section of a moving van which occupied a small central section of the image. The writing makes it easy to see edges, halos etc

ACR workflow 1 (applying Capture shpn to original size before up-res

1. Basic Panel > WB, Exp, Con, Blacks, Whites, Highlights, Shadows, Clarity, Vibrance
2. Details panel > set A,R, D,M and LNR
3. Workflow Options dialog > check resize box (enter new up-res size) >click OK
4. Save  tif> Done
5. Open tif in PS

ACR workflow 2 (applying capture sharpening in acr to up-res’d tif)

1. Basic Panel > WB, Exp, Con, Blacks, Whites, Highlights, Shadows, Clarity, Vibrance
2. Details panel > Amount 0 = no sharpening
3.  Workflow Options dialog > check resize box (enter new up-res size) >click OK
4. Save image > Tif > Done
5. Re-open the Tif with ACR (*note: the Basic panel is now all set to 0)
6. Details panel – set A, R, D, M and LNR
7. Save tif > Done
8. Tif in PS (*note: the new tif will be renamed) >apply creative sharpening.

[Schewe]

Let's see if anyone with tons of knowledge/experience comment on this workflow.
Bart, jeff Schewe, Rodney et al ?

If you are up sampling in ACR, you want to do the capture sharpening and noise reduction AFTER you've changed the Workflow Settings...the main reason is you want a visual confirmation of the correct settings vs an algorithmic adjustment of the native rez to up sampled rez settings.  It's pretty silly to try to set the settings at a resolution that you end up changing. The sharpening and noise reduction depend on the actual resolution settings and not the native resolution settings. Set you final size and rez then adjust the noise and sharpening...if you think about it, this is the only rational way of working. Set the rez fist then make adjustments! Dooh!

[FrankG]

Thank you for this.

Here it is laid out for anyone else in the future.

ACR Up-res and Capture Sharpening workflow:
* See Jeff's comment above.

If Raw file was previously processed, first zero sharpening Amount setting prior to step 1.

1. Workflow Options dialog > check resize box & enter new up-res size >click OK
2. Basic panel > WB, Exp, Con, Blacks, Whites, Highlights, Shadows, Clarity, Vibrance
3. Details Panel > A, R, D, M & LNR
4. Save image > Tif > click Done