Luminous Landscape Forum
Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Digital Image Processing => Topic started by: gholleman on January 10, 2011, 07:25:08 pm
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Congratulations Jeff and Pixel Genius on another great product. Bruce would be proud. The Auto Edge Sharpen is perfect for people like myself who have trouble with nailing the capture sharpening.
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Congratulations Jeff and Pixel Genius on another great product. Bruce would be proud. The Auto Edge Sharpen is perfect for people like myself who have trouble with nailing the capture sharpening.
Glad you like it...
For those of you who have been awaiting the final release of PhotoKit Sharpener 2, it's done. Works on Mac 64-bit (and Windows in 64-bit in CS4 & CS5)
For users of PhotoKit Sharpener 1.x, you can upgrade to PKS 2 for a 70% discount off the retail prince. See the UPGRADE (http://www.pixelgenius.com/sharpener2/upgrade-info.html) Page. If you bought PKS 1.x AFTER Oct 1st, 2010 you'll be getting an email with a coupon good for a FREE upgrade to PKS 2 (no need to use the form).
We've released a FREE upgrade for PhotoKit Color 2 that will work on Mac 64-bit On the Downloads (http://www.pixelgenius.com/downloads.html) page.
We will be releasing a PhotoKit 2 paid upgrade in Q1, 2011 as well.
The cool thing about PKS 2 and PKC 2 is they can now work in tandem (as well as PK 2 when it's released).
I'm glad you think Bruce would be pleased...Mac Holbert was the product manager for PKS 2 and did a ton of work to update Bruce's work.
In case you want to see what's new, see this What's New (http://www.pixelgenius.com/PKS2-PR/Whats-New.html) page.
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Jeff can I ask what the differences between 1.2 and 1.9 were? and can one upgrade from either?
Thanks Wayne
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Glad you like it...
Works on Mac 64-bit (and Windows in 64-bit in CS4 & CS5)
Jeff, just so I'm clear, does this mean that it will not work on Windows 7 32-bit?
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Jeff, just so I'm clear, does this mean that it will not work on Windows 7 32-bit?
No...it works on 32-bit Windows. Sorry...
PKS 2 and PKC 2 will work on Photoshop CS3, CS4 & CS5 on Mac 32-bit (32-bit or 64-bit on CS5 only) and Windows 32-bit (32-bit or 64-bit CS4 and CS5).
That better?
:~)
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Jeff can I ask what the differences between 1.2 and 1.9 were? and can one upgrade from either?
The difference between 1.2 and 1.9 of what? Sorry, I don't understand what you are referring to.
But any users of PhotoKit Sharpener 1.x (any version) can get a coupon for a 70% discount on the purchase of PhotoKit Sharpener 2.
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That better?
:~)
Much! :)
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Thank you, Jeff.
I'll order my upgrade later today.
Eric
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You really want an order number from 2004, when I had a different e-mail address I can no longer access, so esellerate can't send me the number? Is there another path? I can give you the date you charged my MasterCard for $99.95... ;-)
Nill
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Guys, is a web-forum the right place to sort out individual issues with your private ordering and up-dating requirements? Do you not think it would be more appropriate just to email Pixelgenius directly and save the traffic on other readers?
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You really want an order number from 2004, when I had a different e-mail address I can no longer access, so esellerate can't send me the number? Is there another path? I can give you the date you charged my MasterCard for $99.95... ;-)
If you want to change your contact info, you should contact eSellerate at: 402-323-6600 or fill out a tech support request for an update or your records: http://www.pixelgenius.com/support.html
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I've downloaded the trial version, but when I try to install it, it tells me that it can't install if Adobe Photoshop is running. I've exited Bridge, and shutdown processes that don't even relate to PS, but still can't get it past that point.
Any ideas?
Windows 7 64bit, CS5
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Contact tech support!
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I'm guessing it's not a usual issue. Was trying to get a quick answer, but will go through normal channels.
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Thanks Andrew.
Nill
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I had the same problem. Rebooting solved it.
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Well, I've got it now, and I must say that the user manual is superb: great explanations with examples of every part of the workflow (including all reasonable variants combining PS with LightRoom). Even though it includes no photos of Jeff in one of his famous shirts, it is a superb, readable tutorial on all the main aspects of sharpening. Just what I've come to expect from these guys!
Eric
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Thankyou Jeff...I know I should read the manual first, but playing is much more fun at the moment...I'm sure Bruce is smiling down on you! pat
PS Wow! It's not a user's manual...it's a beautifully written book on sharpening skills...thankyou..it is a gift... p.
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For the record, even after rebooting I couldn't install it. Tech support sent me the files which I manually installed. Removed them after reviewing them. Went ahead and upgraded, redownloaded the software again, and still couldn't install the program. I have no idea what was interfering with the installation, but I solved it by booting up in Safe Mode.
Andrew, Jeff, and crew. Nice improvements!
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Just to be clear we've fixed both the Mac and Windows installers available on both eSellerate as well as the PG Downloads (http://www.pixelgenius.com/downloads.html) site. There were a few Mac and Windows installer issues which the now current downloads fix. We'll have a stand alone download to fix the Windows issue or you can simply re-downalod the installers (Mac or Win) as of 10 PM central.
We have also found an issue with non-English versions of Photoshop (prolly both Mac & Windows) which we "think" we have fixed. This will end up requiring a dot-release but in the interim, PG Tech Support has some individual updated plug-ins that should fix the problem.
We'll have a PKS 2.0.1 update that will address all outstanding known issues (that we know of) very soon. So, stay tuned...
Considering that we processed a ton of upgrades today (literally) we only ran into a few isolated issues–thanks to our beta testers. But of course, ain't nothing ever perfect! So, we've tried to stay on top of all problems people have had and get customers back up and running ASAP. Best we can do...
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It's always a pleasure to see how well a small company like PG, with a small workforce, can respond so quickly when there are glitches. Unlike some much bigger companies ...
Yes, Bruce would be proud of you guys.
Eric
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Yes, Bruce would be proud of you guys.
Thanks for the kind words...and yes, I believe he would be (and is)...
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I used PKS 1 for years, but started sharpening manually with both PS 4 and now Lightroom 3. Is there a benefit to PKS 2 over manual sharpening in LR?
Thanks
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I used PKS 1 for years, but started sharpening manually with both PS 4 and now Lightroom 3. Is there a benefit to PKS 2 over manual sharpening in LR?
I'll let others give their perspective but for me, yes, there is.
You can do capture sharpening in either Camera Raw/Lightroom OR PKS 2 but not both. You can do output sharpening either in LR or PKS 2 but not both...but the creative sharpening that PKS 2 has can't be easily duplicated anywhere (my biased opinion).
The PKS 2 manual outlines how to incorporate ACR/LR, Photoshop and PKS 2 for various workflows...the best answer I can give you is download the 7 day demo (and deal with the nag reminder, sorry) and see for yourself. We took great pains with the PKS 2 manual to show how best to incorporate PKS 2 in a variety of sharpening workflows. Hope it helps...
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I'll let others give their perspective but for me, yes, there is.
You can do capture sharpening in either Camera Raw/Lightroom OR PKS 2 but not both. You can do output sharpening either in LR or PKS 2 but not both...but the creative sharpening that PKS 2 has can't be easily duplicated anywhere (my biased opinion).
The PKS 2 manual outlines how to incorporate ACR/LR, Photoshop and PKS 2 for various workflows...the best answer I can give you is download the 7 day demo (and deal with the nag reminder, sorry) and see for yourself. We took great pains with the PKS 2 manual to show how best to incorporate PKS 2 in a variety of sharpening workflows. Hope it helps...
Does this mean when I convert my RAW files in CS5, I should go to the drop down, and turn all default sharpening off, and then use PK Sharpener 2?
BTW, I have used version 1 a long, long time, and upgraded to 2 last night.
Thanks
Dave
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Does this mean when I convert my RAW files in CS5, I should go to the drop down, and turn all default sharpening off, and then use PK Sharpener 2?
If you want to use ACR's Detail panel sharpening, you can. But if you do, don't also do capture sharpening in PKS 2. It's an either or situation. I tend to use ACR's capture sharpening except for images to be merged to pano (those usually need post merge sharpening) and images that need a lot of hand work cleaning up in Photoshop. I do however prefer to use ACR's noise reduction even if I don't do capture sharpening in ACR. ACR's noise reduction can really help PKS 2's capture sharpening. The ACR noise reduction is that good.
Read the manual...we have a pretty good section on integrating ACR/Lightroom, Photoshop and PKS 2.
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If you want to use ACR's Detail panel sharpening, you can. But if you do, don't also do capture sharpening in PKS 2. It's an either or situation. I tend to use ACR's capture sharpening except for images to be merged to pano (those usually need post merge sharpening) and images that need a lot of hand work cleaning up in Photoshop. I do however prefer to use ACR's noise reduction even if I don't do capture sharpening in ACR. ACR's noise reduction can really help PKS 2's capture sharpening. The ACR noise reduction is that good.
Read the manual...we have a pretty good section on integrating ACR/Lightroom, Photoshop and PKS 2.
Do you use ACR for capture sharpening even with your P65 files?
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I downloaded my Photokit Sharpener 2 yesterday and really like the new interface. Interestingly, it makes some functions more automatic (like capture sharpening) and also gives more control over the entire process if you want it. This is a worthy upgrade just for the interface and added control. I also think the new manual is super and the upgrade price is very reasonable.
Jeff and Andrew, I'm curious as to whether there are any "under the hood" improvements with the basic functionality. For example, if I do a basic capture sharpening (say high res medium edge setting) and an appropriate output sharpening, will the results be any different than with PK Version 1?
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"The PKS 2 manual"
Where can I DL it from? I couldn't find it on the site.
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"The PKS 2 manual"
Where can I DL it from? I couldn't find it on the site.
Using Windows, it's in the PKS 2 setup executable. When you install PKS 2 it puts a copy of the manual on the desktop.
Paul
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Jeff- I'm not certain how to ask this question, but what the heel-
How does PKS2 relate to the sharpening in LR3? Or, since PKS2 has come out after LR3, are its routines that much more "advanced" than LR3? I have PKS1 (and CS4), but I'm using LR3 for almost everything, except Soft Proofing (and that could be a whole other question :).......)
Thanks- Dave
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Jeff- I'm not certain how to ask this question, but what the heel-
How does PKS2 relate to the sharpening in LR3? Or, since PKS2 has come out after LR3, are its routines that much more "advanced" than LR3? I have PKS1 (and CS4), but I'm using LR3 for almost everything, except Soft Proofing (and that could be a whole other question :).......)
Thanks- Dave
This covered pretty well in the manual (which you can get by downloading the free trial version). My impression after one quick read of it is that it is more a matter of which workflow suits you best. The manual covers all the reasonable combinations of ACR, LR, and PS in good detail and very clearly.
The manual is a model of clarity IMHO.
Eric
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How does PKS2 relate to the sharpening in LR3? Or, since PKS2 has come out after LR3, are its routines that much more "advanced" than LR3?
Actually, I can't answer that completely for NDA reasons (with Adobe) and for competitive reasons for PixelGenius...
Since I am involved in the development of both PhotoKit Sharpener 2 with PixelGenius and with Adobe for the development of ACR/LR I have to walk a very fine line.
I can tell you that we (PG) worked with Adobe to incorporate PKS Output Sharpening concepts inside Lightroom 2.x (I don't remember what version). I also fulfilled Bruce Fraser's consulting contract to improve the capture sharpening in ACR 4.1 and LR 1.1 (I think that was the LR version it first showed up in).
I've also continued to work closely with Eric Chan (the mad man!) to keep improving the output sharpening as well as the capture sharpening and noise reduction of ACR/LR.
And I worked with Mac Holbert who is the product manager and chief action writer for PKS 2.
I can't get into how each thing does its thing if you know what I mean...I will say I don't think it matters whether you do output sharpening in PKS 2 or ACR/LR. To me it's really a workflow issue not a technical issue. As far as I'm concerned, using either still means PixelGenius has touched your pixels :~)
Whether to use ACR/LR or PKS 2 for capture sharpening is again more of a workflow issue. PKS 2 is now pretty automated. ACR/LR needs careful adjustment. But it's an either or proposition...you should only use one OR the other.
The one thing I will point out is PKS 2's Creative Sharpeners kick ACR/LR butt...(but that's just a personal opinion that's prolly a bit biased).
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Actually, I can't answer that completely for NDA reasons (with Adobe) and for competitive reasons for PixelGenius...
OK, I expected that, but thanks for the answer you did give. Let me ask another, then. Based on Eric's comment (above), it seems the manual might shed light on many of my questions. But, it seems that the manual comes as part of the upgrade. Has there been any thought of having it appear as a separate download on the site?.
Oops, reread Eric's post, saw that the manual is part of the free download trial (thanks)
Dave
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"Whether to use ACR/LR or PKS 2 for capture sharpening is again more of a workflow issue. PKS 2 is now pretty automated. ACR/LR needs careful adjustment. But it's an either or proposition...you should only use one OR the other."
EXACTLY why I purchased PK 1 and then 2. I am an "amateur", and need help here with automation. If I had the time, energy, and expertise (I'm 74 yrs old) to experiment with the infinite combinations of "Amount", "Radius", "Detail" and "Masking", I would do so. Your's is a life saver...as I scan 35mm BW, and color negs, medium format BW & color negs, and high end digital files, and make 20"x30" and 24"x32" prints (and sell them!), I depend on you. Thank you.
Dave
www.modernpictorials.com
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I depend on you. Thank you.
Dave, thanks for the kind words...that's why we do what we do. So we're glad to help!
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Thanks Jeff -
Nothing like getting it from the horse's mouth, much appreciated.
Looks like the upgrade to 2 is worthwhile. As my eyes deteriorate, will probably have to start relying on automation more.
Cheers
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As my eyes deteriorate, will probably have to start relying on automation more.
Actually, one of the more difficult aspects of digital imaging is consistency...once you get the look you want, it's sometimes a challenge to keep achieving that look consistency day in and day out.
Which truth be told, is one of the reasons we came up with the "PhotoKit" concept of doing things...once you work out the results you want, automating the results help eliminates variables.
Yes, there are times you want to "push the envelope" on some things. The key is to get images to a high level easily and consistently then take it the final few steps to the finesse final result.
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Installed pks 2 today and it all went smoothly...but, when i opened photoshop CS5 i had both the old version and new version under automate, i thought the old version would be gone...i activated the new version, which i'm only just now checking out but man, cool...i then manually deleted version 1.2.9 from the photoshop plug-ins folder...anyone else had to do this?...I think i did deactivate the old version correctly before installing new version but am not totally sure...
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Dave, thanks for the kind words...that's why we do what we do. So we're glad to help!
Jeff, you sound almost human ;)
I have paid for my update to PK2 and look forward to gawping at its effect on my photos.
Jeremy
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Installed pks 2 today and it all went smoothly...but, when i opened photoshop CS5 i had both the old version and new version under automate, i thought the old version would be gone...i activated the new version, which i'm only just now checking out but man, cool...i then manually deleted version 1.2.9 from the photoshop plug-ins folder...anyone else had to do this?...I think i did deactivate the old version correctly before installing new version but am not totally sure...
Yes, after installing PK2, I now have both versions under the automate tab in CS5.
I haven't deleted my Version 1 yet - I'd still like to hear from Jeff or Andrew (see my question above) if the new and old versions are the same under the hood (i.e., with identical settings for capture and output sharpening with both versions, will sharpening be the same?).
The one thing that did surprise me with the new version was that all image captures over 8 mp get the same capture sharpening (high res). I was thinking that with some of the new cameras exceeding 20 mp there would be another level of capture sharpening added to the menu (higher res?).
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I haven't deleted my Version 1 yet - I'd still like to hear from Jeff or Andrew (see my question above) if the new and old versions are the same under the hood (i.e., with identical settings for capture and output sharpening with both versions, will sharpening be the same?).
No, V 1.x and V 2 are different. It's subtle...First off, you get the ability to do an Auto Edge Width with 2 you can't do with 1. And in Output Sharpener 2, you really only choose Matte or Glossy and PKS 2 does the auto sharpening based on the image resolution...
The one thing that did surprise me with the new version was that all image captures over 8 mp get the same capture sharpening (high res). I was thinking that with some of the new cameras exceeding 20 mp there would be another level of capture sharpening added to the menu (higher res?).
We tested that...up to the 60MP Phase P65+ back and found that unlike output sharpening that is completely dependent upon PPI resolution, the edge masks for captures above that kinda magic mark of say, 10-12MP, the sharpening works fine.
The only thing I would say is test it yourself and give us feedback...several of our testers were using PKS 2 for capture sharpening P40+, P65+ and Hasselblad captures...their feedback was positive.
For my own work, I tend to do a lot of stuff in Camera Raw or Lightroom (kinda have to keep up with both applications–particularly Camera Raw since I do a book on that).
So for my workflow (and since I'm pretty good at using the ACR sharpening controls) I tend not to use PKS 2 capture sharpening unless I'm doing something like a pano merge.
For any serious printing, I'll pop the images into Photoshop (using from Lightroom) and do retouching and soft proofing corrections there. Most of the time I prefer to print out of Lightroom and I'm perfectly happy to output sharpen there. If I need to print out of Photoshop, I'm perfectly happy to do the output sharpening in PKS 2.
The primary reason I like using LR's output sharpening is workflow. I can render a master image TIFF without worrying about resizing and resampling until I go to print. In LR's templates I've got all my standard print sizes and paper types. I size the cell in the print to give me the margins I want.
Often I'll let the image resolution fall to whatever the PPI would be for that print dimensions...however, of late (particularly with P65+ captures printed on EFP) I actually use Lightroom's interpolation to go to 720PPI. Lightroom's interpolation is better than in Photoshop's. It's an adaptive blend of different Bicubic variants based on the resampled size.
By keeping my master image in Lightroom without output sharpening applied, I can cut WAY down on the number if file iterations I need to keep track of compared to a Photoshop workflow where I need to spawn off a different file for each size print I make.
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Thanks for the replies. My work flow with 35mm full frame digital goes something like this:
1. Convert RAW files and lens corrections in DXO Optics Pro. I had not turned off any default sharpening here, but now will do so.
2. Open the DXO TIFF image in CS5.
3. I do seascapes and almost always put sky on one layer, and foreground on another layer.
4. Apply adjustment layers (usually levels and hue/saturation) to EACH layer separately. Works wonders.
5. Apply local dodge/burn etc to sky and foregrounds.
6. Save as a master file with layers intact. NO CAPTURE SHARPENING APPLIED YET (Am I correct here?).
7. When I get a print order for say a 20"x30", I do the following:
1. Rename the file as something like "20x30 sharp flat-FILE NAME"
2. Flatten all layers.
3. APPLY PK Sharpener Capture Sharpen.
4. Resize to 20"x30" using CS5 or "Blowup 2".
5. Apply PK Ink jet Output sharpener.
Is my workflow OK? Am I correct in applying Capture and output sharpeners where I do?
Thanks in advance.
Dave
"Whether to use ACR/LR or PKS 2 for capture sharpening is again more of a workflow issue. PKS 2 is now pretty automated. ACR/LR needs careful adjustment. But it's an either or proposition...you should only use one OR the other."
EXACTLY why I purchased PK 1 and then 2. I am an "amateur", and need help here with automation. If I had the time, energy, and expertise (I'm 74 yrs old) to experiment with the infinite combinations of "Amount", "Radius", "Detail" and "Masking", I would do so. Your's is a life saver...as I scan 35mm BW, and color negs, medium format BW & color negs, and high end digital files, and make 20"x30" and 24"x32" prints (and sell them!), I depend on you. Thank you.
Dave
www.modernpictorials.com
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Is my workflow OK? Am I correct in applying Capture and output sharpeners where I do?
Yes, as far as I can see based on your written outline of your workflow...the only question would be at what point you might do "creative sharpening".
Since you flatten before capture and output sharpening, I'm not sure if you might not be leaving image quality on the table without doing a touch of local creative sharpening...ideally creative sharpening should be done AFTER capture but before output sharpening (and usually done locally so it helps certain areas without hurting other areas).
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What a fool I am for not having gotten right to the task of a careful read of the manual. We have spent the last two nights together, and something curious has happened...early on in the manual (sharpening basics pg 8 environs) the image and graph depicting an edge transition was used to give an understanding of the tonal shifts to light and dark pixels and the amount of shift of each...
The concept I am ashamed to say is one I never understood till now...EVERYTHING in the manual makes perfect sense to me now and I realize that before now I may as well have been touching any and all aspects of sharpening from within a huge burlap bag and wrapped with thick fleece. I feel such a new sense of excitement as it relates to photography and what I had hoped to project in any particular image...
But the curious thing...as I fell asleep early this morning I started thinking about the images of Constantin Brancusi within his studio and Steichen, and how they saw sculpturally in B&W. I started thinking about how a sound understanding of how this sharpening actually takes place is a powerful tool in how we actually see the intended workspace/image and how we choose to place our intended focus and where and how informed by the light with a mind to how we may be using this material farther on in the workflow...another wonderful reason for slow careful work at conception. This has been an amazing revelation for me, and I hope it will become evident in any of my work from this day forward. Just amazing to me what it took to finally have this moment of clarity...Thank you....worth so much more than the price of admission...
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Hi PixelGeniuses
I downloaded the upgrade yesterday -- greatly excited by this as PKS is an essential part of my routines. I've just tested the Capture Sharpening on a drum scan of a Hasselblad image shot on Ilford FP4 using the 6x6 Negative setting and Auto Sharp, and I've noticed that the image is actually softer after processing. This seems to be due to a combination of the Smoothing layer and over-enthusiastic masking. Removing the Smoothing layer returns pixel sharpness to pre-processing levels, but only a levels adjustment to each mask brings up overall sharpness. I've experimented with the other settings too, and found that Slow Neg with the Smoothing off is better -- closer to the old PKS1 result.
This is contrary to expectations, I presume. Any comments?
Peter
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Is there any way I can get the PPC Mac version of this (PKS ) as Im not upgrading to an Intel mac for a long time ( if ever)?
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This has been an amazing revelation for me, and I hope it will become evident in any of my work from this day forward. Just amazing to me what it took to finally have this moment of clarity...Thank you....worth so much more than the price of admission...
Thanks for taking the time to say this...I'm really glad the manual helped you make your breakthrough!
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I've just tested the Capture Sharpening on a drum scan of a Hasselblad image shot on Ilford FP4 using the 6x6 Negative setting and Auto Sharp, and I've noticed that the image is actually softer after processing.
I'll have to take a look at the 6x6 neg setting and see what's what. Adding grayscale to PKS 2 was something a lot of people wanted. You are using a grayscale version of the scan or it is RGB? Ilford FP4 is a pretty fine grain film, right?
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Is there any way I can get the PPC Mac version of this (PKS ) as Im not upgrading to an Intel mac for a long time ( if ever)?
What version of Photoshop? PKS 2 will run on CS3, CS4 & CS5. Only CS5 requires MacIntel. PKS 2 has the same system requirements as the version of Photoshop it runs in. So, as long as you have CS3 or above, you can use PKS 2.
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I'll have to take a look at the 6x6 neg setting and see what's what. Adding grayscale to PKS 2 was something a lot of people wanted. You are using a grayscale version of the scan or it is RGB? Ilford FP4 is a pretty fine grain film, right?
I'm using RGB as I assumed grayscale was still a no-no for PKS. (I did actually try the effect on a grayscale version and got an error message.)
Yes, FP4 is a fine-grained film - at least, it certainly doesn't need grain suppression under normal circumstances.
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What version of Photoshop? PKS 2 will run on CS3, CS4 & CS5. Only CS5 requires MacIntel. PKS 2 has the same system requirements as the version of Photoshop it runs in. So, as long as you have CS3 or above, you can use PKS 2.
Ah - I didnt realsiee that - I thought it needed Intel
OK great - I'm using CS4
thanks
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Yes, as far as I can see based on your written outline of your workflow...the only question would be at what point you might do "creative sharpening".
Since you flatten before capture and output sharpening, I'm not sure if you might not be leaving image quality on the table without doing a touch of local creative sharpening...ideally creative sharpening should be done AFTER capture but before output sharpening (and usually done locally so it helps certain areas without hurting other areas).
Thank you again for your reply. I am a bit embarrased to admit it, but Creative Sharpening is a bit intimidating to me, and I have never tried using it. ??? ??? I have been away from home for 3 weeks, and working off an underpowered lap top. Tomorrow we return home with a 6 or 7 hour plane trip....plenty of time to re-read the manual! I will play with Creative Sharpening when I arrive home.
Thanks again
Dave
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I'm using RGB as I assumed grayscale was still a no-no for PKS. (I did actually try the effect on a grayscale version and got an error message.)
No, we retooled all of the sharpening in PKS 2 to work with both RGB & Grayscale (which was a LOT of work).
When you tried doing a grayscale capture sharpen did you get the error on the attempt to Preview? Or an error when running it? The reason I ask is we have a fix coming for problem generating Previews with some of the grayscale Auto capture sharpening...
As for the 6x6 resulting in too smooth a result, we're looking into that.
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When you tried doing a grayscale capture sharpen did you get the error on the attempt to Preview? Or an error when running it? The reason I ask is we have a fix coming for problem generating Previews with some of the grayscale Auto capture sharpening...
I got an error on the Preview.
Thanks for looking into the smoothing problem. For clarification I should add that, although the majority of the image is softer after processing, some strong edges are sharpened - just not many of them, and the overall effect is of noise reduction rather than capture sharpening.
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As time goes by, Photoshop/CS is becoming more and more irrelevant to my post production of digital photographs for two reasons: I try and get more right when I take the photo and I'm making more use of the features in LR.
If I were starting over now, I'd not even bother with Photoshop, which would make tools like this cost not $99 but $1098.
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I got an error on the Preview.
We've just updated PKS 2 to version 2.0.1 last nite which fixes the Preview error and a few other errors like Output Sharpener 2 failures on non-English versions of Photoshop. Available on the Downloads (http://www.pixelgenius.com/downloads.html) page of the PG site.
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Jeff, people may want to know - if they've installed 2.0 already and now wish to up-grade to the dot releases with the fixes: (a) is it seamless (i.e. no need to locate and re-install a serial number), and (b) should one delete the previous install (i.e. 2.0) first?
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Jeff, people may want to know - if they've installed 2.0 already and now wish to up-grade to the dot releases with the fixes: (a) is it seamless (i.e. no need to locate and re-install a serial number), and (b) should one delete the previous install (i.e. 2.0) first?
Pretty sure there's no need to remove the previous 2.0.0 version and simply make sure you quit Photoshop and run the 2.0.1 installer.
No need to deactivate (nor trash the previous version unlike the process we had for beta testers HOWEVER, beta tester SHOULD remove ANY beta versions before installing 2.0.0 or 2.0.1 GM versions).
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Pretty sure there's no need to remove the previous 2.0.0 version and simply make sure you quite Photoshop and run the 2.0.1 installer.
Yes, I installed 2.01 directly over 2.00 with no problems (PS CS5, XP SP3, 32 bit version).
Paul
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I buy software in 2008. In 2011 the company comes out with a new version that has significant upgrades. My 2008 purchase entitles me to a 70% discount, so I pay $30.
Oh yeah: And the software works really well.
PixelGenius should be the example in Webster's definition of Value.
Dave
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PixelGenius should be the example in Webster's definition of Value.
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I agree 100%!
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Thanks for the info Jeff and Paul.
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Yes, I installed 2.01 directly over 2.00 with no problems (PS CS5, XP SP3, 32 bit version).
Same here under OS X.
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We've just updated PKS 2 to version 2.0.1 last nite which fixes the Preview error and a few other errors like Output Sharpener 2 failures on non-English versions of Photoshop. Available on the Downloads (http://www.pixelgenius.com/downloads.html) page of the PG site.
When I upgraded to PKS v2 I also splurged for the bundle and installed PK Color 2 from the pkcolor_215_installer.zip download.
Today, on the download page, I noticed the PK Color2 version had changed to v2.1.6 so I downloaded that as well as the PKS 2.0.1 update.
I ran the PKS installer then checked PS Help/About Plug-In to confirm the version change. PKS did show the updated number. However, so did PK Color, but without ever running the pkcolor_216_installer.zip. FWIW Properties for the "PhotoKit Color 2.8li" file does in fact show 2.1.6.0 under the version tab.
I realize these two plug-ins are installed within the PixelGenius Toolbox Plug-in Module, just wondering if it's normal for one program's installer to update the other program as well (or at least the version number). I never did run the PK Color 2 update installer as both plug-ins seem to work. Is there reason to do so?
Regards,
Frank
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OK, I expected that, but thanks for the answer you did give. Let me ask another, then. Based on Eric's comment (above), it seems the manual might shed light on many of my questions. But, it seems that the manual comes as part of the upgrade.
I downloaded the update. I had gotten away using from V1-not sure why. V2 will definitely become a regular part of my workflow for scanned B&W film-it came at just the right time as I am in the middle of printing two shows and struggling with some slightly soft Imacon scans. For my commercial work, I'll have to see how it works into my digital workflow with LR.
As per the famous "Manual", I never saw anyplace to download it through the upgrade process. What did I miss?
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There is a link to the manual here:
http://www.pixelgenius.com/sharpener2/index.html
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As per the famous "Manual", I never saw anyplace to download it through the upgrade process. What did I miss?
In the plug-in the manual will come up if you click Help. Also, the manual is available for downloading from the PKS 2 Product page (http://www.pixelgenius.com/sharpener2/index.html). Click on the User Manual link at the top of the page...
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[quoteI downloaded the upgrade yesterday -- greatly excited by this as PKS is an essential part of my routines. I've just tested the Capture Sharpening on a drum scan of a Hasselblad image shot on Ilford FP4 using the 6x6 Negative setting and Auto Sharp, and I've noticed that the image is actually softer after processing. This seems to be due to a combination of the Smoothing layer and over-enthusiastic masking. Removing the Smoothing layer returns pixel sharpness to pre-processing levels, but only a levels adjustment to each mask brings up overall sharpness. I've experimented with the other settings too, and found that Slow Neg with the Smoothing off is better -- closer to the old PKS1 result.
This is contrary to expectations, I presume. Any comments? ][/quote]
I noticed this phenomena too on some scanned 4x5 B&W using Narrow EDGE SHARPEN and the Medium. Interesting effect. I could see a use for smoothed grain and sharpened edges like in skies with billowy clouds for instance as an option in creative sharpen. Ideally for capture sharpen of B&W film, I would like the edges sharpened and the grain left alone-not smoothed or sharpened. Though in combination with the output sharpening the combined effect seems just fine.
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There is a link to the manual here:
http://www.pixelgenius.com/sharpener2/index.html
Thanks, It looks very well thought out
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Had a couple of questions regarding PK2 that I didn't find answers for in the manual. (BTW, it is totally awesome!)
1) Is there a minimum height size for web output sharpening? I had some images that I wanted to confine to no larger than 500 px high but when I ran the filter (with a corresponding 385 px width) the image kept reverting back to the original tiff file without any sharpening.
2) If I have say a 6" x 5" image that I want to add to a new, 8.5" x 11" file in order to make a 8.5 x 11 print (with the image remaining 6 x 5), would I sharpen the 6 x 5 image for inkjet output or, wait until I had merged the two files and then sharpen the 8.5 x 11 image for output?
Thanks!
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2) If I have say a 6" x 5" image that I want to add to a new, 8.5" x 11" file in order to make a 8.5 x 11 print (with the image remaining 6 x 5), would I sharpen the 6 x 5 image for inkjet output or, wait until I had merged the two files and then sharpen the 8.5 x 11 image for output?
Sorry, I can't quite make out the 1st question but in the case of the second question, you only output sharpening when you get the image at the final size and resolution...but as long as you aren't changing the resolution when you put the 6 x 5 image inside the 8.5"x11" dimension, it wouldn't matter when you ran output sharpening although I would be inclined to do it at the 6x5 size because the addition of the layers at that size will not be as big as in the 8.5x11 size. And, while it may not show up, I don't like output sharpening on the white margins of images...which would happen if you pasted the smaller image into a larger canvas. You might get edges sharpening on the white/image margins that might look less good. The sharpening is designed for image detail not crops if you know what I mean.
Take a whack at further explaining what you are trying to do with the web sharpening?
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Take a whack at further explaining what you are trying to do with the web sharpening?
I had to output images for the web at no larger than 500 px by 500 px. I imported a tiff file that I had saved, from Lightroom to Photoshop. The dimensions of the file are 1966 px by 2657 px (360 ppi). When I enter 500 in the PK Output height box, the width changes to 370. But then when I click OK to apply the effect, the image quickly shrinks to the smaller size but then immediately reverts back to the original size without the sharpening.
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When I enter 500 in the PK Output height box, the width changes to 370. But then when I click OK to apply the effect, the image quickly shrinks to the smaller size but then immediately reverts back to the original size without the sharpening.
Yep...I can reproduce this...looks like you've found a bug. I'll pass it along to the engineer and report back (don't know when that will be though).
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Thanks Jeff.
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I beleive much of the tech from photokit sharpener was implimented in lightroom; is it worth buying V2 and dumping tiffs out from LR to PS to use it?
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I beleive much of the tech from photokit sharpener was implimented in lightroom; is it worth buying V2 and dumping tiffs out of PS to use it?
For at least a partial response see Jeff Schewe's message here:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=50200.msg415089#msg415089
Also, the users manual also discusses how to use both PKS and LR together which may help you decide.
Just IMO if you already have PKS v1, the upgrade is a no-brainer. But if you are a LR user, I can see how the value decision is a bit different.
Paul
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I've just upgraded to PKS2 and run through the manual. First let me add my thumbs up - this is a really worthwhile and welcome upgrade. The educational value of the preview is worth the upgrade price alone.
On reading the manual, however, I ran into a bit of "expert crossfire". The manual states, in the Inkjet Output Sharpeners section that:
"Changing the size will change the Resolution but this isn’t a problem! The actual resolution of the image in pixels/unit doesn’t matter for printing processes as long as it’s within a certain range. It’s far better to specify the dimensions and
let the ppi fall where it may."
Eric Chan, on the other hand, advises always sending output to the Epson 3800 at native input resolution, 360dpi (or 720) (http://people.csail.mit.edu/ericchan/dp/Epson3800/faq.html#native_res), and NOT let the Epson driver resample. I've tested this myself on an A3 print, and although we're getting into the realm of hair-splitting, I have to say I tend to agree with him.
But since PKS does allow us, or even encourage us, to move into the realm of hair splitting, and PKS 2 now allows resizing, I'd be interested in any opinions on this.
Oh, one other thing - if I wanted to use PKS in tandem with Aperture, doing Capture Sharpening in PKS, should I set sharpening in RAW Fine Tuning to 0 ?
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But since PKS does allow us, or even encourage us, to move into the realm of hair splitting, and PKS 2 now allows resizing, I'd be interested in any opinions on this.
PKS 2 Inkjet Output Sharpener does allow resizing but not resampling. So, when you change the size of the image to get the final print dimensions, we only allows you to do the resize. The PPI will go up or down based on whether you are making the dimensions smaller or larger (respectively). This aligns with Bruce Fraser's long standing philosophy of maintaining the "native" resolution of your image for output as long as you are in a range of 180-480 PPI. The resizing option is there so you can more easily control the final dimension of your print and have the sharpening done based on the resulting resolution.
Can you sometimes get better results by upsampling and THEN output sharpening? Certainly with certain types of images on certain printers. But that's kinda outside of the purview of PKS 2. You are welcome to do an upsample prior to opening the image into PKS 2. If testing shows that your images reproduce better on your printer at a given PPI delivered to the print head, by all means, keep doing that. The resize option is merely for convenience.
You may also note that the Web & Multimedia and the Halftone sharpeners do allow resampling. For halftone repro, sending too much resolution to the line screen is a bad thing (softens the resulting halftone). And obviously, sending images to the web require small images.
Oh, one other thing - if I wanted to use PKS in tandem with Aperture, doing Capture Sharpening in PKS, should I set sharpening in RAW Fine Tuning to 0 ?
Yes...but depending on your ISO you may still want to do a touch of noise reduction prior to PKS 2 capture sharpening...
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Hi Jeff,
I recently installed PKS 2 and had a slight problem. I realized too late that I hadn't deactivated PKS 1, so I immediately stopped the install process. It appeared that no software had been installed at that point, so I quit the installer and deactivated PKS 1. I then started the install of PKS 2 again and everything seemed to be fine. Opened Photoshop, activated PKS 2 and then opened an image file to test it. Again, everything seemed to be working properly, except that the image appeared to be rather over sharpened. I'm comparing this to what I'm used to seeing with PKS 1 and the effect is definitely much more noticeable. Perhaps this is a feature of PKS 2 and is normal, but I feel that most of the time I'll have to pull back the opacity of the sharpening layer to obtain the required results. Is this normal or is it perhaps a bit of a glitch in my initial installation attempt. I've also found that PKS 2 is completing the process much faster than PKS 1 did, with no progress bars showing. I don't know if it's doing the "smoothing" routine or not.
Of course I suppose I can uninstall and then reinstall PKS 2, but will that count as the 2nd activation, even though it's on the same computer? Also, is there an uninstaller for PKS 2? I have just sent an email to tech support, but thought I'd post it here as well. As a long time user of PKS I want to be certain that PKS 2 is indeed working as it should.
Thanks, Gary
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Opened Photoshop, activated PKS 2 and then opened an image file to test it. Again, everything seemed to be working properly, except that the image appeared to be rather over sharpened. I'm comparing this to what I'm used to seeing with PKS 1 and the effect is definitely much more noticeable.
Exactly what sharpening effect and on what sort of source image? How were you evaluating the results? In the PKS 2 Preview zoomed out or zoomed to 100%?
As for the speed, what cpu, what os and how much ram. If you are running PKS 2 as a 64-bit plug-in on a 64-bit os, yes, I would expect things to run faster (which is a good thing).
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Hi Jeff,
Thanks for the reply, but everything seems to be working OK now after reinstalling. I really do believe I screwed up on the first attempt, so now all is well. I ran my test image through PKS-1 again and then PKS-2. Little difference, except that in certain areas there was a slight bit more hallowing in PKS-2. Almost negligible though, so I'm good with it and I really like the new UI and the level of automation involved. I use it mostly for output sharpening, so I haven't tried the other two modes yet. Definitely a very worthwhile upgrade!
Thanks again,
Gary
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Definitely a very worthwhile upgrade!
I'm glad you are back on track...thanks for the kind words, we appreciate it!
Be sure to check out some of the new Creative Sharpeners. Some pretty cool things there.
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Yes, an excellent upgrade, well worth the wait!
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I finally decided to try v2 but the installer crashed every time I tried it. I emailed to support this Sunday evening about the problem and included the crash log (I am on a Mac). Within one hour, I received a reply diagnosing the problem (Spell Catcher was the culprit). This is remarkable customer support.
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This is remarkable customer support.
Yeah, this is a known issue using Vice X by Mindvision and we're working with them to address it. But it's not in our direct control so we can't fix the issue, just warn users of how to work around it. Glad you are up and running...
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Hi Guys,
This may sound like a really basic question, but I want to test PKS2 on a file I've already retouched, or am I obliged to use it from RAW onwards?
The reason I ask... I have downloaded/installed the product for the first time and I'm unable to figure out how to get it to launch. There is no sign of it anywhere.
I'm using CS5 on a current MacPro and have attempted both 32/64 bit and cold started as well.
Any assistance is appreciated.
DC
www.dermotcleary.com
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The reason I ask... I have downloaded/installed the product for the first time and I'm unable to figure out how to get it to launch. There is no sign of it anywhere.
What computer, what OS? When you have an image open in Photoshop, you should be able to go to Automate>PhotoKit Sharpener and select either capture, creative or output sharpener...you can also click on the Help button (once you get the delog open) and read about how to use PKS 2 (which I highly suggest). The manual is also in the 'pks_help' folder which is inside the Photoshop/Plug-ins/Automate/PG Toolbox Plug-in Module folder...
You do have an image open in Photoshop, right? An RGB or Grayscale image needs to be open in order to run PKS2.
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Thanks I have it now. I kept looking for it in filters instead of automate.
I wasn't able to see a description in the manual of how to actually launch it.
I will enjoy testing it.
Another question...
The majority of my work goes through a lot of post as such I've been in the habit of avoiding any sharpening at the RAW processing stage. In this type of situation (heavy pushing in PS) and to make the best of your product would you recommend skipping the capture sharpening stage and 'catching-up' later in the two subsequent stages?
(Please don't tell me to test-it both ways, it's not uncommon for us to have 20+ layers on a P65 file and I frankly will not have the practical opportunity to do it twice.)
thanks in advance
DC
www,dermotcleary.com
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Another question...
RTFM...when you've done that, come back with your questions...
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RTFM...when you've done that, come back with your questions...
As I've said elsewhere, this is one manual that is really worth reading.
Eric
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Jeff I have just finished reading your book Image Sharpening.Very good read.I would like to know if PKS 2 is the product of what you wrote in your book.Would it be more advisable to purchase PKS2 as to creating all the actions you talk about.
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Jeff I have just finished reading your book Image Sharpening.Very good read.I would like to know if PKS 2 is the product of what you wrote in your book.Would it be more advisable to purchase PKS2 as to creating all the actions you talk about.
Yes...but actually I only revised and updated Bruce's original book. Bruce was approached to do the book by Peachpit and since he had created PhotoKit Sharpener he used what he had learned to write it. So, yes, many of the concepts in the book are from the "Sharpening Workflow" which resulted from PhotoKit Sharpener.
I'm a little reluctant to offer much guidance regarding buying PKS 2. Obviously, I would say yes, buy it! But I would suggest checking out the manual and trying the demo (7 days) and see if you think it'll make your life easier...
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Hi Jeff
it's nice to have a full resolution preview now in PKS 2. But, since you mention Bruce Fraser's book why don't you offer the possibility of a 50% view. According to Bruce this shows the sharpening effect more accurately with a lot of displays. Maybe this accounts for the odd complaint here that the picture in preview looks oversharpened.
Regards
Martin
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it's nice to have a full resolution preview now in PKS 2. But, since you mention Bruce Fraser's book why don't you offer the possibility of a 50% view. According to Bruce this shows the sharpening effect more accurately with a lot of displays. Maybe this accounts for the odd complaint here that the picture in preview looks oversharpened.
Well, I think you need to reread what Bruce wrote (I'm pretty familiar with his writings ya know). Bruce thought that the ONLY view that showed an accurate representation of the sharpened pixels was at 100%. That shows one image pixel per screen pixel. He indicated you could get a slightly more predictive view of how an image would print by setting the zoom to 50% for halftone and 25% for inkjet and contone prints. But those zooms will not be accurate because they rely on Photoshop's screen dithering and your display is a low resolution device.
Trying to make any analysis of the effect of sharpening at less than 100% is therefore something we decided not to do.
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Thanks for the reply Jeff.
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I have just recently upgraded and I beleive the improvements are very well implemented,especially the user guide/manual.
I had used the previous version(s) only now & then as i often felt I could achieve better results with some other methods.
Must admit, the simple text file that comes along for the ride when you download the installer(PKS-READ-ME-WIN.txt) had me thrown a bit with its Kindergarten style of writing. The user guide is a lot different...very clear and 40 pages of valuable insight;even for those already familiar with the previous versions. Makes you feel like Bruce Fraser(may he rest in peace) is talking one-on-one with the reader.
Due to a stroke I have intense aphasia, however I'm still able to read and comprehend the instructions and examples. (took me a few days but anybody else should be able to fly through it)
More of this sort of work is sorely needed.
I had been using the Detail settings in Camera Raw to do almost all of my sharpening and now I'm going to modify some presets to turn it all off and try Photokit as the sole sharpening boss.
Not sure yet if I can disable output sharpening via a preset but will find out this week.
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Makes you feel like Bruce Fraser(may he rest in peace) is talking one-on-one with the reader.
the current PKS 2 manual is an odd document...part Bruce Fraser, part Mac Holbert and part me. The layout and design is from Martin Evening (who whipped up the InDesign file and fixed what the rest of us had screwed up). And yes, the Read Me is simplistic but for a good reason...
Not sure yet if I can disable output sharpening via a preset but will find out this week.
By your mention of "Preset" I'm assuming you are using Lightroom? If so, you can enable off turn off output sharpening in Lightroom's Export or Print module and yes you can make presets for that. Note that if you use PKS 2 for capture and creative sharpening via Photoshop and bring the image back into Lightroom for printing, we have a workflow in the manual that covers that. It's an either or situation. I often use LR's Output Sharpening because, well, besides the fact it's good, it's based on the concepts of PhotoKit Sharpener anyway and I tend to prefer using LR's printing workflow and not lock in the output sharpening to a specific size/resolution...either way; using PKS 2 or Lightroom is fine with me.
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Well, mine is a copy called"Real World Sharpening with CS2" from 2007. And I don't really feel like rereading it (as it was a hard read first time around and: we've got PKS2 now). What has sunken in though is what he writes in Chapter 2 "The monitor as a guide". I've been following that rule ever since. Oh well.....
Martin
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RTFM...when you've done that, come back with your questions...
It's been pointed out in another thread that this response to D_Clear could be construed as being rude and dismissive. That was not my intent. I was simply using a tech shorthand meaning read the manual (and yes, I know what the "F" usually stands for). So, to D_Clear, my apologies if you thought I was rude or dismissive.
Let me amend and revise what I meant: RTMF (read the manual first) and then come back and ask your questions, I'll be happy to help with anything that is not clear in the manual...
(thanks to Slobodan Blagojevic for the suggestion to transpose the letters and thus the potential meaning)
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I am now using PK Sharpen v2.0.1 and may have found a problem/issue.
If I use the plug-in on an image and set it to make a mask, the mask setting is "sticky" (it leaves this setting on by default). When I make an action using the plug-in with the mask setting "off", I still get a mask when I run the action. In the expanded Actions window it even indicates "Without Create Mask".
System specs:
Mac OS 10.6.6
Photoshop CS4
PixelGenius Toolbox v2.1.6
For the time being, I'm simply putting a step in the action to remove the mask, but any other help is appreciated.
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That’s as designed (for the time being). Most users want the behavior to sticky. The issue is getting the action to have control over the stickeyness.
For the time being, having the mask on (then deleting it if you don’t want it) is the best approach.
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Thanks, Rodney.
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Just purchased v2.01 and tried to install it on my 10.6.6 Intel Mac Pro for PS CS5 12.02 running in 64 bits mode.
Machine is 8 core Mac Pro with 32GB RAM.
Install ends OK, but PKS is not added to the PS CS5 Automate menu. Tried rebooting and re-doing the install with PS CS5 but the issue remains.
OS is originally Japanese, but configured in English, CS5 is English version.
I have of course contacted support, but was wondering if anybody had a quick fix?
Thanks.
Cheers,
Bernard
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I have of course contacted support, but was wondering if anybody had a quick fix?
Not I'm aware of...Can you confirm that your installation created a 'PG Toolbox Plug-in Module' folder inside of the Adobe Photoshop CS5/Plug-ins/Automate folder? Do you have multiple versions of Photoshop installed?
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Not I'm aware of...Can you confirm that your installation created a 'PG Toolbox Plug-in Module' folder inside of the Adobe Photoshop CS5/Plug-ins/Automate folder? Do you have multiple versions of Photoshop installed?
Hi Jeff,
Thks for the reply.
Yes, I do have CS4 installed as well, and no, it did not create the required folder under Plugins/Automation.
Regards,
Bernard
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...and no, it did not create the required folder under Plugins/Automation.
Well, Tech Support can send you the required folder for a manual install. It would be useful to try to figure out why it's not installing...Vice X changes the way the contents are packaged in the installer, you can't get at the un-installed plug-ins inside of the installer .app. Check with Tech Support....
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Tech support can send lots of things once users turn off the spam protection and have an email account that will accept attachments. If the ISP bounces it, there’s little tech support can do in this regard.
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Tech support can send lots of things once users turn off the spam protection and have an email account that will accept attachments. If the ISP bounces it, there’s little tech support can do in this regard.
Thanks.
I should have no problem receiving the package as a zip file.
Edit: that is if the file is smaller than 10MB. We can find another way if it is larger if support makes me aware of such an issue, which has not been the case so far.
Cheers,
Bernard
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Just purchased v2.01 and tried to install it on my 10.6.6 Intel Mac Pro for PS CS5 12.02 running in 64 bits mode.
Machine is 8 core Mac Pro with 32GB RAM.
Install ends OK, but PKS is not added to the PS CS5 Automate menu. Tried rebooting and re-doing the install with PS CS5 but the issue remains.
OS is originally Japanese, but configured in English, CS5 is English version.
I have of course contacted support, but was wondering if anybody had a quick fix?
Did you deactivate the previous versions then remove them from your plug-in folder?
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Did you deactivate the previous versions then remove them from your plug-in folder?
No, but the previous version was only installed in CS4 while I was trying to install the new one on CS5.
Anyway, I'll give it a try providing I find the way to desactivte the previous version. :)
Cheers,
Bernard
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No, but the previous version was only installed in CS4 while I was trying to install the new one on CS5.
Anyway, I'll give it a try providing I find the way to desactivte the previous version.
In the installation notes, it tells how to deactivate the plug-ins. In Photoshop you simply to the the "About" menu > Plug-Ins and select the PK Sharpen plug-in and in that About box you'll find the deactivate button.
<hint>I wish one could activate the plug-ins from there, too.</hint> :-\
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Tips needed for using the PK 2 during the trial period. Most likely I will purchase this program, so far working great. One question is, when processing a photo for my website, would it be best to downsize the image to 1000 pixels long for my desired web site size and just apply output sharpening. Or should I use the full size image, capture sharpening, then resize and use output sharpening? Guess I am also asking if I should be using capture sharpening on a resize of my picture at 1000 pixels, or only on the full resolution image. Thanks for any tips you can offer.
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Tips needed for using the PK 2 during the trial period. Most likely I will purchase this program, so far working great. One question is, when processing a photo for my website, would it be best to downsize the image to 1000 pixels long for my desired web site size and just apply output sharpening. Or should I use the full size image, capture sharpening, then resize and use output sharpening? Guess I am also asking if I should be using capture sharpening on a resize of my picture at 1000 pixels, or only on the full resolution image.
Downsize (Bicubic Sharper) to the size you wish, then run the sharpener.
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Downsize (Bicubic Sharper) to the size you wish, then run the sharpener.
To expand a bit on what Andrew said, the answer really needs qualification on your starting resolution...what size originals are you talking about? The reason I ask is if the original file size is really big (think above 20MP) you might consider down sampling in steps of no more that 50% per step and using regular Bicubic until you are closer to the final size. The last step should be bicubic sharper following by the Web and Multimedia Output Sharpener.
The reason I mention this is I'm often working with 1DsMIII or P65+ captures. I've found that a single downsample from really huge to the final web size can be improved a bit by doing the downsample in steps. You can create an action to get close and then use bicubic sharper for the final downsampling...
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To expand a bit on what Andrew said, the answer really needs qualification on your starting resolution...what size originals are you talking about? The reason I ask is if the original file size is really big (think above 20MP) you might consider down sampling in steps of no more that 50% per step and using regular Bicubic until you are closer to the final size. The last step should be bicubic sharper following by the Web and Multimedia Output Sharpener.
The reason I mention this is I'm often working with 1DsMIII or P65+ captures. I've found that a single downsample from really huge to the final web size can be improved a bit by doing the downsample in steps. You can create an action to get close and then use bicubic sharper for the final downsampling...
Thank you for that very valuable piece of information. Man I love this program.
I am now eagerly awaiting the update of Photokit
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I am now eagerly awaiting the update of Photokit
The announcement should be coming soon...then you'll be able to combine not only PKS 2, but PhotoKit Color 2 and PhotoKit 2 all in one UI and environment...
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In the installation notes, it tells how to deactivate the plug-ins. In Photoshop you simply to the the "About" menu > Plug-Ins and select the PK Sharpen plug-in and in that About box you'll find the deactivate button.
<hint>I wish one could activate the plug-ins from there, too.</hint> :-\
Great, thank!
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Is there a minimum pixel dimension for the Web Sharpener schemes? When my images get small (700 px on large side), that version/scheme for the plug-in disappears.
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Is there a minimum pixel dimension for the Web Sharpener schemes? When my images get small (700 px on large side), that version/scheme for the plug-in disappears.
There is a known issue where the Web and Multimedia output sharpener doesn't appear for images at some sizes intermediate sizes...we'll be fixing that with an update. Sorry, don't know exactly when but should be soon'ish.
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Install problem solved thks to direct sending of files, thanks! :)
It looks like I will finally be able to use CS5 as my main editing program and phaseout CS4... a bit more space on the dock! ;D
Cheers,
Bernard