ACR 5.2

[Ben Rubinstein]

In Camera Raw, there are 3 explicit sharpening stages, corresponding to the stages in the "sharpening workflow" originally proposed by Bruce Fraser: capture sharpening, creative sharpening, and output sharpening.

Capture sharpening is handled in the Detail pane. It is enabled by default (amount = 25). It can be disabled by setting amount to 0. The last major revision to capture sharpening occurred with CR 4.1.

Creative sharpening is handled via local adjustments and is new to CR 5 / LR 2. By default there is no creative sharpening, since by default there are no local adjustments to an image.

Output sharpening is set via the workflow options. By default it is disabled.

Capture & creative sharpening are applied to the image at its original, native resolution. Output sharpening is applied after any image resampling that is required to bring the image to its output resolution.

Would it be possible to have different settings for output to reflect the media being printed on ala PK Sharpener?

[Schewe]

Would it be possible to have different settings for output to reflect the media being printed on ala PK Sharpener?

Output Sharpening via Lightroom 2.x and Camera Raw 5.2 and above already have matte and glossy settings...

[Ben Rubinstein]

Output Sharpening via Lightroom 2.x and Camera Raw 5.2 and above already have matte and glossy settings...

But not the choice of inkjet or contone, etc, my mistake, I meant choice of printing device.

[button]

Already there as well as Exposure, Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, Sharpness and Color tint. Note that these are "control channels" and have been tuned to work locally so there's not a 1:1 absolute relationship between these controls and the global controls. But they're close except for -Sharpness ain't "blur" it's more of an un-sharpness that tends to smooth. The effect is very subtle...(some might say TOO subtle).

:~)

The other thing I think is lacking is the ability to darken from the dark side kinda like the Shadows slider in Parametric Curves...you can use Exposure or Brightness to darken but it's darkening down from above not darkening from the bottom up.

Thanks, Jeff.  Having now played around w/ the targeted adjustment brush, I wonder if the Adobe folks (Eric, are you there?) could make it even more targeted:  incorporate a (lasso) selection tool such that non selected parts of the image that have similar pixel values remain unaffected when making changes.  I know you can similarly accomplish this task with the local adjustment brush, but the way the targeted brush works is just so cool...  This little ACR "plugin" is really becoming more like "Photoshop Raw" with each new iteration.

John

[madmanchan]

Yes, I am listening ...

Effectively what you're describing are refinements to the local correction model. We're working on 'em.

[NikoJorj]

The other thing I think is lacking is the ability to darken from the dark side kinda like the Shadows slider in Parametric Curves...you can use Exposure or Brightness to darken but it's darkening down from above not darkening from the bottom up.

Well I'm glad to hear that from an authorized person! And glad too to read Eric's message  !

I too feel a kinda nostalgia for point curves, lacking the ability to alter tone and contrast in specific tone zones of a local area, eg nail down everything from shadows to midtones and boost highlights, just as John said above.

Btw  I know that a parametric curve can do the job too, for point curves maybe that's just nostalgia  - but for the moment I feel easier to alter contrasts with a point curve than with a parametric one.

[Schewe]

Well I'm glad to hear that from an authorized person!

Huh...that's the first time I've been called an "authorized" person...

:~)

To be clear, I don't work FOR Adobe...I sometimes work WITH them on projects. So, nothing I ever say is what one would call "authorized"...just my own opinion.

[JoanneMead]

Well, I'm still exploring these latest features in ACR5.2 and LR.  The adjustments available in ACR and Lightroom are certainly very slick to use.  Thanks to the Adobe team for the speedy update to ACR to provide support for the latest cameras.  My plans to get a 5D MkII have been hampered by my local dealer going bust, but I have fallen for a new Powershot G10.  Having ACR support meant lots of fun from day one.

I'm also trying hard to improve my sharpening skills so I get the best from my images.  Get it right and images taken with good glass really do look stunning.  Is anyone planning an update to Bruce Frazer's book on Sharpening to cover the new features added since CS2?  I know Jeff has been very busy with the Camera Raw book (which I shall pre-order shortly) and his joint effort with Martin Evening.

A few OpenGL support issues aside (my PC didn't like it at all), CS4 is great.  It definitely gets a big thumbs up from me.  A new version will have a few niggles, but all will be sorted in due course.

Thanks to all of you for your useful posts.

Jo

[button]

Yes, I am listening ...

Effectively what you're describing are refinements to the local correction model. We're working on 'em.

xxxxcellent....

[dandill]

Output Sharpening via Lightroom 2.x and Camera Raw 5.2 and above already have matte and glossy settings...

In PK Sharpener, there is a distinction between inkjet and contone. Which, if any, of the LR output sharpening options would be as effective for contone as the PK Sharpener contone option?

Thanks
Dan Dill

[Dinarius]

Windows

I presume this is the same in Mac, anyway...........

With an image open in ACR, I choose Load Settings........, can I delete that change with the image still open in ACR, or do I have to choose Cancel and open the image again?

Thanks.

D.