Best Raw converter for H3Dii 39

[epines]

Love Phocus's conversions, skin tones, color, details, lens corrections, etc. My one gripe is that the Clarity slider, which I use sparingly, creates halos -- light areas around objects, especially against plain backgrounds and skies. I haven't seen this happen in C1. Haven't checked Lightroom.

[woof75]

Don't tell anyone about this trick..but.. I find a better way of doing the same thing as the clarity tool is to use unsharp mask with something like amount 10, radius 40, threshold 0. Works well. Just don't tell anyone..

[TMARK]

Don't tell anyone about this trick..but.. I find a better way of doing the same thing as the clarity tool is to use unsharp mask with something like amount 10, radius 40, threshold 0. Works well. Just don't tell anyone..

Yup.

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

That is a well known trick. Don't know about Phocus or C1, but clarity in Lightroom is much more sofisticated than large radius USM. Adobe has written special algorithms for clarity in ACR/Lightroom, and those cannot be replicated with Photoshop tools. I am pretty sure that Jeff and Eric Chan have discussed this on the forums.

Best regards
Erik

Yup.

[FredBGG]

Don't tell anyone about this trick..but.. I find a better way of doing the same thing as the clarity tool is to use unsharp mask with something like amount 10, radius 40, threshold 0. Works well. Just don't tell anyone..

This alters colors and will also push things towards clipping at times.

It can be useful. It can also help to do this in photoshop on a duplicate layer converted to black and white and
applied in luminance mode.

I also find that the using clarity before retouching can be detremental as it is destructive.
Sometimes saving the retouched file as a tif and going back into ACR for a final output specific pass can be a good thing.

[Doug Peterson]

In c1 both the v6 "classic" clarity and the v7 "punch" and "neutral" algorithms are more than simple large-radius USM. But a large-radius USM is in the same family of effects and can act as a rough facsimile.

Likewise the separate "structure" slider in C1v7 is similar in overall effect to a mid-radius USM, but based on more than just a simple implementation of a USM.

[design_freak]

In c1 both the v6 "classic" clarity and the v7 "punch" and "neutral" algorithms are more than simple large-radius USM. But a large-radius USM is in the same family of effects and can act as a rough facsimile.

Likewise the separate "structure" slider in C1v7 is similar in overall effect to a mid-radius USM, but based on more than just a simple implementation of a USM.

I am very glad that it is also in C1. But what makes this conversation? Is OP can open raw file in C1? The answer is NO!
Thank you

[Doug Peterson]

Erik had posted earlier about how the math for clarity worked in adobe's suite an said he "didn't know about phocus or c1" (as regards clarity math). I was replying to the but from my phone so did not quote his entry to clarify to what I was replying.

[Enda Cavanagh]

Current instability is mostly due to bad firewire cables and/or connections to the back.

+1

It is definitely the best RAW converter for H files. Plus if you will use the back on a view camera you will need Phocus to do your custom white calibration shots.

[TMARK]

Hi,

That is a well known trick. Don't know about Phocus or C1, but clarity in Lightroom is much more sofisticated than larg radius USM. Adobe has written special algorithms for clarity in ACR/Lightroom, and those cannot be replicated with Photoshop tools. I am pretty sure that Jeff and Eric Chan have discussed this on the forums.

Best regards
Erik

I'm glad there are advanced algorithms and such, and sometimes it works just great, others not so great, and to my eye for certain images large radius USM is better, especially when working with lawyers and blending the results or fading it out and in different channels etc. 

[TMARK]

This alters colors and will also push things towards clipping at times.

It can be useful. It can also help to do this in photoshop on a duplicate layer converted to black and white and
applied in luminance mode.

I also find that the using clarity before retouching can be detremental as it is destructive.
Sometimes saving the retouched file as a tif and going back into ACR for a final output specific pass can be a good thing.

I replied to Eric already, but yes, I find that I can do this in a layer and adjust, fade, blend, certain channels etc.  Very flexible.  Clarity can work, especially as part of a preset to show a client before real retouching is done in PS, and sometimes its fast and effective.  Its just a tool in the shed.

[epines]

Thanks, everyone, for the info on Clarity alternatives. Didn't mean to start an off-topic debate, but I've wondered about this.

Also -- I'll second the assertions that tethering to Phocus is great. Rock-solid, reliable and well thought out. The ability to focus in such minute increments is pretty amazing. In case anyone from Hasselblad is reading, like many others, I'd love true live view, or at least a faster refresh rate. And a clearer live display that didn't blow out so badly around bright areas.

thanks
ethan

[EricWHiss]

It's great to be able to catalog these files with Lightroom, but I almost always render the RAW's in Phocus.  Somehow, flexcolor seems even more powerful, but I haven't figured out how to use it to its full potential.  Phocus is just simpler.  I find that Phocus handles the areas of light to dark transition a lot better and just highlights in general and of course the LCC and DAC features.    LR4 does better with sharpening so I'll often save that step for later.

[kencameron]

...especially when working with lawyers and blending the results...

[TMARK]

Stupid autocorrect!!!