CS6 CC - Resize "Preserve Details"

[Rand47]

A question for you up-res experts.

While I normally print from LR and let it do its excellent on the fly up-res thing on its own, I'm currently having some of my daughter's photos printed on aluminum, fairly large, and from relatively small files (8 MP sensor).  They need help in the up-sampling department.

I've downloaded and am testing trial versions of Perfect Resize, and PhotoZoom.  I compared them with CS6 bicubic smoother, and saw some advantages to both of the 3rd party options.

But then I singed up for CS6 CC and tested against "Preserve Details" in the image size menu and the results look better to my eye than either of the 3rd party options.

Have any of you made a similar comparison, albeit with more expert eyes, and care to comment?

Thanks in advance for any insight.

Rand

[Schewe]

But then I singed up for CS6 CC and tested against "Preserve Details" in the image size menu and the results look better to my eye than either of the 3rd party options.

Yes, Preserve Details (and the addition of the Reduce Noise which is very important) is an advance in upsampling...

The key to successful large upsampling is to start with really good images with good image quality. Anything wrong like camera/subject blur or missed focus will magnify the problems when upsampling. Same deal with noise and good capture sharpening before upsampling. I'll also say that you should upsample before doing substantial retouching...if you retouch first then upsample, you magnify any retouching problems as well.

Also know that after upsampling you may need to do additional creative sharpening and even adding photo grain to increase the micro detail in the upsampled image.

[Rand47]

Yes, Preserve Details (and the addition of the Reduce Noise which is very important) is an advance in upsampling...

The key to successful large upsampling is to start with really good images with good image quality. Anything wrong like camera/subject blur or missed focus will magnify the problems when upsampling. Same deal with noise and good capture sharpening before upsampling. I'll also say that you should upsample before doing substantial retouching...if you retouch first then upsample, you magnify any retouching problems as well.

Also know that after upsampling you may need to do additional creative sharpening and even adding photo grain to increase the micro detail in the upsampled image.

Jeff,

Thanks!  Roger re doing the upsample first.  Makes perfect sense.  I've been using your photo grain technique on some images to very good effect since watching your tutorial on it, so will keep that in mind on these images.  Appreciate the come-back.

Rand

As a side-note, since I got over my hissy-fit and signed up for CS6 CC, this one feature alone just paid for more than the first year of subscription.

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

But then I singed up for CS6 CC and tested against "Preserve Details" in the image size menu and the results look better to my eye than either of the 3rd party options

Hi Rand,

Do you have any examples you could share? An original 100% zoom original image crop would also be nice, so I can try some alternative workflows. It's hard to discuss differences without having something to look at, and the results may be very much image content dependent as well.

Here are some small crops and enlargements of various subjects. This website also offers a large number of test image crops.

Cheers,
Bart

[Rand47]

Hi Rand,

Do you have any examples you could share? An original 100% zoom original image crop would also be nice, so I can try some alternative workflows. It's hard to discuss differences without having something to look at, and the results may be very much image content dependent as well.

Here are some small crops and enlargements of various subjects. This website also offers a large number of test image crops.

Cheers,
Bart

Bart,

PM sent.

Rand