Sharpening program-stand alone

[scubarob639]

I've been using DPP recently and I like the simplicity and quality of raw conversion. What I don't like is it's sharpening capability.  I have also tried C1 and LR's sharpening and they don't work much better.  I have the same problem with all three programs.  I shoot a bird in flight, blue sky background. When I try and sharpen it, I get either a white or black edge line where the bird meets the sky.

Any ideas on a program which might work for my needs or am I doing something wrong? I'm using a 1Dmkll.

Thanks for any input,

Rob

[KeithR]

I've been using DPP recently and I like the simplicity and quality of raw conversion. What I don't like is it's sharpening capability.  I have also tried C1 and LR's sharpening and they don't work much better.  I have the same problem with all three programs.  I shoot a bird in flight, blue sky background. When I try and sharpen it, I get either a white or black edge line where the bird meets the sky.

Any ideas on a program which might work for my needs or am I doing something wrong? I'm using a 1Dmkll.

Thanks for any input,

Rob
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When ever this question comes up, I always defer to an artical by Bruce Fraser:
[a href=\"http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/20357.html]http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/20357.html[/url]
Please make the effort to read it. It will explain what you are experiencing and what you can do about it. That being said, there is a sharpening program plug-in called PhotoKit Sharpener from PixelGenius that is highly thought of and recommended. Mind you it isn't the only program out there, but you'll find that it does a very good job. But first, please read the afformentioned artical.

[scubarob639]

Keith,

Thanks for the info.  I read Mr. Fraser's article and found it answered the major question about Halos.  I've looked at the PK sharpener website and also Nik sharpener site.  I'm interested in using one of these, however I believe there both plug-ins for just Photoshop?  Can I use either of these with DPP, C1, or Lightroom? Preferably  DPP?

Rob

[sergiojaenlara]

I have tried both, photokit and niksharpener. There is another option, and it is free!!!
Look this.
http://www.thelightsrightstudio.com/TLRPro...ningToolkit.htm

[Jonathan Wienke]

No RAW converter currently supports the use of third-party sharpening plug-ins within the RAW converter itself. Convert the image with all sharpening turned off, and then sharpen in Photoshop.

Photokit sharpener is an excellent product; you may want to look into Focus Magic, which does a great job at undoing the effects of the anti-aliasing filter in most cameras through a technique called deconvolution, which works better for capture sharpening than USM.

[sergiojaenlara]

There are several programs or plugins using deconvolution, you can try focus fixer from fixer labs or photoshop's smart sharpen filter.
The possiblilities of deconvolution are amazing but usin it I always found extrange artifacts everywhere, something like donuts.

[Schewe]

Can I use either of these with DPP, C1, or Lightroom? Preferably  DPP?
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Nope...Lightroom 1.1 had it's capture sharpening substantially improved, see: [a href=\"http://About%20Camera%20Raw%204.1]About Camera Raw 4.1[/url]. The same controls apply to Lightroom.

The Light's Right stuff suffers from one major shortcoming...it doesn't tell you what numbers to plug-in. What's-his-name tried to copy Bruce Fraser's recipies but didn't do the research required to know what numbrs to use when.

[PECourtejoie]

I guess that Jeff meant to add this link: http://photoshopnews.com/photoshop-cs3-for...-raw-41-update/

[cyberworldsinc]

No RAW converter currently supports the use of third-party sharpening plug-ins within the RAW converter itself. <SNIP>
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Actually, Bibble does support 3rd-party plugins, including Sean Puckett's Sharpie plugin.

[a href=\"http://www.bibblelabs.com/index.html]Bibble[/url]

Sean's website

[scubarob639]

Thank you for the assistance you all have offered.

 Jonathan, I looked at the Focus Magic website and they have a standalone program available. I doesn't have all the features of the plug-in,  but it offers me some unique capability without purchasing CS3.  

I'm not sure I understand what Mr. Schewe is telling me in his post.  Are ACR 4.1 tools the same as my LR 1.2 tools for sharpening?  Can I do capture, creative, output sharpening with what I have in LR 1.2?  The article posted shows presets for portrait and landscape, where are they?  Is there any basic instructions for the use and control of the "presence" sliders, "detail" sliders?

Thanks again,

Rob

[picnic]

Thank you for the assistance you all have offered.

 Jonathan, I looked at the Focus Magic website and they have a standalone program available. I doesn't have all the features of the plug-in,  but it offers me some unique capability without purchasing CS3. 

I'm not sure I understand what Mr. Schewe is telling me in his post.  Are ACR 4.1 tools the same as my LR 1.2 tools for sharpening?  Can I do capture, creative, output sharpening with what I have in LR 1.2?  The article posted shows presets for portrait and landscape, where are they?  Is there any basic instructions for the use and control of the "presence" sliders, "detail" sliders?

Thanks again,

Rob
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Rob, the RAW engine in ACR 4.2 is the same as the one in LR 1.2--but, no--you don't do anything but capture sharpening in LR--except for printing.  In ACR 4.2--you also do capture sharpening---and then do your creative and output sharpening in PS.  You can do output sharpening in LR--but its much less controllable for printing compared to using PKS in PS for printing. (I have not used the web module so don't know if there's sharpening for that output or not).

The presets in LR are for capture sharpening--but use them more or less for baseline to get you started, then learn a bit more about sharpening in LR and ACR and finetune it yourself.  There is an online tute by Martin Evening for the sharpening in LR/ACR if I can find the bookmark.
[a href=\"http://lightroom-news.com/lightroom-11-update/sharpening/]http://lightroom-news.com/lightroom-11-update/sharpening/[/url]

If you have LR already, I would recommend Martin Evening's LR book--and download the pdf file for the upgrade to 1.1 where you will find what you want to know about the presence sliders  and all the changes/upgrades from 1.0.  Excellent book.

Here is more about the presence sliders online also
http://lightroom-news.com/lightroom-11-upd...develop-module/

Diane

[scubarob639]

Diane, Thank a lot, I'll read them

Rob