What Are You Using to Sharpen Images (35mm and MF)?

[Dave Gurtcheff]

I am an old timer, and I just upgraded the Graphics Card on my 13 year old PC to be able to run Photoshop 2024. I also have Photoshop CS5 and CS6 on my PC because of classic (no longer supported) Plug Ins and Filters. Presently to Sharpen, I use Photokit Capture Sharpener 2, then before printing I use Photokit Output Sharpener 2. I still have 1/2 of a lifetime on old negatives, so the Capture Sharpener is very handy for that. Capture Sharpener includes Digital High, Medium, and Low Res Capture . Film Capture includes 4x5, 6x6 and 35mm, both color neg and B&W. The Output Sharpening includes Contone, Inkjet, Halftone and Web/Multimedia. Since the program is so old, I imagine what was considered "High Res Digital" is now low res. Regardless, I always select Hi Res, as I always had cutting edge latest and greatest digital cameras. When I want to up res from old negatives or digital files, I use a plug-in called "Alien Skin Blow Up 2". With my latest and greatest cameras (GFX 100S and Sony A7R4) I rarely need to up res anymore (except possibly 35mm to 20"x24" print size). So, just curious what you folks are using, since my Plug Ins are very old. Maybe there is something better, or easier. The only catch is all my RAW files are filed with "UNSHARPENED" as part of the file name and number I use, so I will not "Capture Sharpen" twice. This is a great group of very savvy folks that are very willing to help and share. By the way my 13 year old Pc has been upgraded by adding RAM to 32GB, replacing the two spinning hard drives to two SSD drives--1/2TB and 2 TB, Windows 7 to 10 upgrade, and a brand new Video Card. Photoshop 2024 Gave me an "incompatible graphics card" warning at startup. It no longer does that and flies along!

Thanks

Dave in NJ

[Jeremy Roussak]

I was happy with Topaz AI Sharpener until I upgraded my Mac to Apple Silicon and its display started to flicker, making it unusable. Anyway, Topaz aren't maintaining it any more; they're putting their effort into AI Photo, which includes sharpening, denoise (very good but more hassle than Lightroom's) and uprezzing (don't know how it compares to Gigapixel AI).

Jeremy

[KenS]

I have many years of film images shot with a Pentax 67.  In 2010 I switched to shooting with DSLRs only. All images are landscape scenery. I have Photokit Sharpener 2 and many Topaz modules. My remarks below apply to film.

For the last 4 years  I have been using Topaz Denoise AI as a first or second step after scanning either T-Max 100 film or Fujichrome  6x7 transparency film. I use a Minolta Dimage Scan Multipro with the glass carrier. No scanner sharpening is used. Following scanning I do some preliminary editing in Adobe Camera RAW (usually including some minor sharpening and noise removal), then I use Photoshop and apply Topaz Denoise AI careful to choose a setting that avoids over-sharpening at this stage.  I then do my Photoshop editing, and if ‘necessary’ as a final stage, I may apply some additional Topaz Detail (vs Denoise) sharpening, perhaps just locally using masks (and protecting the sky).  After scaling the image to the size I want to print I apply Photokit Output Sharpener.

Some more details:  Topaz Denoise AI can significantly reduce film grain/noise as well as sharpen.  Up until a few days ago I have been using version v2.2.12.  I typically use the Clear noise model with Enhance Sharpness set to Low, Remove Noise set to Medium or High. The various Photokit Capture Sharpeners produce about the same sharpness as the Topaz Denoise AI, BUT Photokit Capture results have much more annoying (to me) grain.
My evaluations are based on 16 x20 inch or larger prints using an Epson 7800 printer and my EIZO 4k monitor.

I have experimented with Photokit Creative sharpener and Topaz Sharpen but prefer Topaz Detail.  This post is getting long, so I won’t go into reasons unless asked. 

There are some caveats to the above you may want to be aware of, but again, I think I will stop here. Let me know if you want more info.

Hope this helps,
Ken

[Eric Brody]

Look at Focus Magic. I've been using it for some time on the recommendation of Charles Cramer, whose prints are simply superb.

I use it as a smart filter on my print files prior to printing.

Like all such tools it can be overdone, but when used judiciously it's amazing!

[kers]

Sharpening filmscans is way different than digital photos...sharpener tools work different with these.
On original digital images with recent good glass on your camera and using better detail from the current Lightroom - i hardly needs sharpening at all.
But a combination of focus magic and topaz sharpener workes well ; both have a different approach.

Also i use good old Unsharp Mask strength 5-20 + radius 50 to increase local contrast :  Learned that from Michael Reichmann !