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Author Topic: where is smart sharpening  (Read 36610 times)
Terry-M
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« Reply #15 on: July 15, 2009, 06:52:27 AM »

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Preview window doesn't show the changes
First, make sure you have the right "View" settings in the Filter screen (top left View menu); I suggest you have everything ticked including "Filtered Image" and "Auto preview".
Whenever you change a USM setting in the Adjust tab, the preview will open at 1x zoom. YOu need at least that zoom to see the changes. The Preview will warn you in red text if it's less than 1x.

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The "sharpen" tab near the top of the full edit window does show the results in the preview window.  Is that whats known as "smart sharpening"?
No.
The "Sharpen" adjustment is a little different from USM. In simple terms it sharpens all over whereas USM is more subtle and works more on edges.

Smart sharpening is print sharpening. This is necessary because prints with different sizes and other factors require different amounts of sharpening. The "smart" part is that Q takes care of all the factors automatically.
The degree of SS is set in the Printing/Interpolation preferences.
Help says:
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a setting should be used that makes your final prints match what is displayed on your monitor with respect to sharpness.
Read more by opening the Printing/Interpolation preferences and click F1 or the Help button.
In summary, sharpen in the batch filter to your taste and set Smart Sharpening so that the print looks like what is on screen. Once set, it should work with most prints (the default of 5 should be ok to start with).

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Anyway, what is "HQ preview"?
HQ is "High Quality" and gives a high resolution view of images on the page in the Full Page Editor. The default low resolution view means that the page loads quickly. You can change the default, a little drop-down menu on the right of the FPE screen. You will probably see Thumbs/Small Images set at present. "All Images" give a HQ view all the time.

Terry.
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redzuk
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« Reply #16 on: July 15, 2009, 08:40:47 PM »

Terry,

You were right about the blemish tool causing the weird blur.  I do think i errantly clicked in the preview trying to move the image.

  So it turns out i've been using qimage smart sharpen and never knew it.  A little bit of smart sharpening and the unsharp mask i typically used in gimp give excellent results.   I notched the smart sharpening up to 10 and now i'm seeing results in the prints without gimp sharpened photos. 

Definitely dont see any qimage USM changes in the preview, no matter how much or how magnified. Its just going to take some trial and error, settings right now are radius 3, strength 5, equalizer 20.  Interpolation is set to vector, cant find "hybrid" setting available, is that outdated info? 

Figured out cropping issue.  However crop scissors setting is set going into the queue is how it remains, cant be changed without deleting file from the queue.  I tried removing from  "delete associated filters" option.  its just stuck however it goes to the queue. 

Thanks, probably wouldnt have muddled through this without the help.  Now printing jpegs without saving a print file.  yaahoo.     

Carl

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BrianPrice
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« Reply #17 on: July 16, 2009, 07:56:44 AM »


Figured out cropping issue.  However crop scissors setting is set going into the queue is how it remains, cant be changed without deleting file from the queue.


Carl
If you select the print (or prints) in the preview window or the queue the crop button becomes active for that print.

Brian
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Fred A
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« Reply #18 on: July 16, 2009, 09:49:56 AM »

Carl,
You need not remove the image from the queue to toggle back and forth scissors on or off.
You need only click once on the large image, top right, in the preview panel to select it, and then uncrop and crop away to your heart's content.
The theory is perfectly logical and works this way since many folks have 4 or 5 different shots on a page. Some might require crop off while the others need crop on.
The images are selectable for the adjustment.
Fred
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Fred A
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« Reply #19 on: July 16, 2009, 10:00:46 AM »

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Its just going to take some trial and error, settings right now are radius 3, strength 5, equalizer 20
Carl,
The USM settings you show are not strong enough to dent the unsharp mask Strength setting of 5 is like an eye dropper of water to a man in the desert.  Huh?
It all depends on the image that you want to sharpen.
First question: Are you shooting Raw or JPG?
If JPG, try a 2 radius and a 150 strength. Leave the equalizer alone until we get to it.
Let us know whether you see a change now.
Also, I think it was Terry who reminded us to go to the batch screen (where the USM is loated) and Click View. Then make sure you have Filtered image, high quality work image, and auto preview all checked on.
Fred
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Seth
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« Reply #20 on: July 16, 2009, 11:25:05 AM »

Carl-
I'll jump in the frey.

A lot depends on subject.  However, it's pretty rare I go over 1.7 Radius.  Usually 1 to 1.5.  It keeps the "digitized" or over-sharpened look away.  (No that there aren't times that 2-2.5 aren't needed.)   The strength for faces is about 75%--especially on women. 

Landscapes or "things" is 125-175, as Fred said. 

Regardless of what you settle on, find an initial setting to always start with so you have a frame of reference.  Whatever you do, WATCH FOR HALOS.  They are not a good thing thing.
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Seth
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Terry-M
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« Reply #21 on: July 16, 2009, 01:12:40 PM »

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Definitely don't see any qimage USM changes in the preview, no matter how much or how magnified.
Carl, below are some attachments of screen shots showing you what I see, they are small images (file size limit). one with no USM, the other with some applied, but more that I would use normally. I shoot raw so most USM is done in the raw conversion.
Notice the halos on the USM one that Seth mentioned.
I'll do another post in a moment with 2 more screen shots.
Terry
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Terry-M
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« Reply #22 on: July 16, 2009, 01:16:43 PM »

2 more USM previews.
No.1 has a modest amount of USM.
3 is the same as 2 in previous post except with equaliser applied too.
Terry
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redzuk
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« Reply #23 on: July 16, 2009, 04:56:17 PM »

I see it now, just didnt use near enough strength before.   Ran out of ink with all my experimenting. 75% on faces is nice and subtle, with a lot of equalizer it really smooths it out.  Its kind of tough to tell on the monitor though.  Is it common to use 70-80% on the equalizer?

And you dont need to push smart sharpen to 10 when you actually use enough usm.  So, radius 2, strength 130% (75% faces), equalizer 70%, smart sharpen 5, interpolation Max / High / Vector. would be a good place to start for a 4x6.  Slowly getting there, its all starting to make a little sense at least.

Carl

   


 
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Fred A
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« Reply #24 on: July 16, 2009, 05:36:14 PM »

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And you dont need to push smart sharpen to 10 when you actually use enough usm.  So, radius 2, strength 130% (75% faces), equalizer 70%, smart sharpen 5, interpolation Max / High / Vector. would be a good place to start for a 4x6.  Slowly getting there, its all starting to make a little sense at least.
First of all you are making good progress!
Unless you are shooting in RAW mode, not all images need the same amount or any sharpening. So you do it by eyeball.
It depends on the scene and the F stop and the quality of the lens.

Smart sharpen to default (5)...USM settings check and recheck as you experiment....Interpolation is correct...... I would use HYBRID as the interpolator, but Vector is good too.
Here's a basic explanation of the Equalizer. Again not every shot needs the equalizer, but you try and decide yourself when and how much!

Sharpening is really the increase of contrast on objects with edges of some
sort; e.g. grass, trees, pebbles, anything like that.
When using USM in a normal fashion, you realize the grass and trees look
fake when you reach a certain degree of USM.
When you add the EQ, the focus or strength of the sharpening lessens on the
edges and allows the softer items like flamingo feathers, even some faces, to continue to get
sharpened without over sharpening the edges part.
It makes a 3D effect when you get it right!
It works!!

I used flamingo feathers as an example, (living in sw florida) because they are very soft and smooth. Pelican feathers are the opposite. They have all hard sharp edges and will over sharpen easily.
So play with the controls and gain experience.
If you want to try Hybrid, simply click on EDIT and Interpolation (top selection) and select Hybrid.
Never asked what version of Qimage you were running. Hopefully, you are up to date.
Fred

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Fred A
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« Reply #25 on: July 16, 2009, 05:39:14 PM »

Two more images with EQualizer
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Seth
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« Reply #26 on: July 16, 2009, 06:45:59 PM »

Unless you are shooting in RAW mode, not all images need the same amount or any sharpening.

A caveat here, Fred.  Just, (IMHO) a take on DIT images.  ALL digital images need an initial USM.  They lose something in the interpolation, the Bayer filter, etc.

I know it's a broad statement, but here's my take:  JPEGs really should not be shot with in-camera sharpening (RAW doesn't matter).  At least, nothing you want to save and love.  It just does not give you the control that PS and QI give.  And, it is not reversible.

Now, ratting myself out, in the news game--what the heck!?!?!  Newspaper reproduction is pretty low anyhow; and it saves you time.  Even then I keep the boxes on low.  (Keep in mind I got jumped on only because my JPEGs were set to "quality" instead of "size."  They said the files were too big. 

Again, for good quality I'd leave the camera sharpen off. 

I am talking about the SLRs with the big sensors, not point-and-shoots.
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Seth
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Terry-M
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« Reply #27 on: July 16, 2009, 10:51:38 PM »

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Here's a basic explanation of the Equalizer
If you want a really detailed explanation, Mike wrote an essay on the subject a few years ago for Outback Photo:

http://www.outbackphoto.com/dp_essentials/dp_essentials_05/essay.html

Terry.
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Seth
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« Reply #28 on: July 17, 2009, 03:49:21 AM »

If you want a really detailed explanation, Mike wrote an essay on the subject a few years ago for Outback Photo:

http://www.outbackphoto.com/dp_essentials/dp_essentials_05/essay.html

Do you folks want to drag this to a new thread since this is really about Smart Sharpen?  I have some questions/observations based on Mike's theory.  I do not want to confuse anybody not wanting to get that techie.
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Seth
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Terry-M
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« Reply #29 on: July 17, 2009, 06:03:30 AM »

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Do you folks want to drag this to a new thread ........ I have some questions/observations based on Mike's theory
Sounds like a good idea to me as the thread was started by Carl to help him on his way on the learning curve.
Terry.
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