Mike Chaney's Tech Corner

Hi! I am looking for some advice on sharpening the attached in preparation for printing to 13" x 19". I am processing the raw file with raw define at the default. Need advice on how much additional sharpening in the Edit Image option? Radius and %?
https://www.hightail.com/download/elNMc0x5VnM5bERvS3NUQw (ftp://https://www.hightail.com/download/elNMc0x5VnM5bERvS3NUQw)

Hi Dennis,
Clicking on the link comes up with Server Not Found..

Rule of thumb is the RAW default sharpening depends on you camera and lenses.
The DFS sharpening is to eyeball perfection.
The Smart Sharpen (default is 5) takes care of the size of the print on a particular type of paper.

Can I get a copy of the raw file or at least a TIF of the RAW, or a 100% JPG untouched yet in the Editor?

Fred

Hey, Dennis!
The link works from the Email, just not from the forum post!
Fred

The raw file is on the hightail.com server and I just tested and it came up without a problem.

I am using Firefox, and the link opens to Hightail fine from the email reminder, but I still get Server not found from the link in your forum post.

Nevertheless.... WOW!  That is one sharp lens!!   Great Shot!

Bearing in mind, there will be various opinions as this part of the operation is subjective, I made two 8 x 10 prints after I was done.
I tried two choices of sharpening, and since the image is so sharp to begin with, my "Target The Selected RGB" tone is used with a circle close to the eyeball as my selection.
I felt that sharpening the eye only was beneficial.
Looking at screen image 100, you can see where I was clicking to make my tone selection.
RGB is a very narrow selector so I used a 3 Radius and a 150 strength with the slider at 85%.
See snap 101
Now holding the yellow button in the little preview box and moving the lizard around in the box showed that the eye was sharpened... and very little else!!

I did allow the Smart Color in the editor which brightened the colors a bit.

Now let's get to the Raw image part.

My default in the Raw Options is (See 103). Look at the position of my Equalizer slider.... might be different from yours.  1/185 are the settings.

I also reset the FILL in REFINE to 10, down from the default of 12.

I also cropped it some. (2723 x 2014)... took away some of the distraction of the surrounding greenery.

Then I actually made real prints... albeit 8 x 10 om Epson Ultra Premium presentation Matte to get a good feel for the result.

In my **subjective* but Humble opinion, I got one hell of a great print.
I'll bet that  printed on 13 x 19 Epson Ultras Prem. Luster, it would hang in a photo gallery.
Quite a shot! Dennis!  Congrats!

Fred

Thank you Fred for your kind comments and the very informative advice. Will check the outcome of your settings with my printer which is a Canon Pro 9000 Mk11.
The lens I used was a 200mm Olympus OM Zuiko, at F 5.6 on tripod, mounted on my Olympus E300 with OM to 4/3rds adapter.
http://g4.img-dpreview.com/0A60A6E8F5A44BB882E655C075F011A4.jpg (http://g4.img-dpreview.com/0A60A6E8F5A44BB882E655C075F011A4.jpg)

This is an image capture of a portion of the tiff file I used to make my print, which I am quite happy with. The raw processing, sharpening, nr etc were done in Lightroom. The capture was from the Image Examiner window in Qimage. Print smart sharpen in Qimage was set to default 5.
https://www.hightail.com/download/elNMc0w2bEo5bEI3czhUQw

This link is to a scan from the actual print.

Hi Dennis,
Thanks for sharing your excellent image.
I tried a somewhat more aggressive approach to DFS than Fred with the aim of getting more of a 3D effect. I wanted to avoid too much sharpening on the background and bush the Camelion was sitting on and concentrate on the creature.
The problem was to avoid sharpening the green parts of the plant that were a similar colour to parts of the Camelion.
I used TTS RGB and selected the pale cyan colour on the head and set the selectivity slider to 75%. I said "aggressive" - I used 200% 8 rad DFS. :o  This is entirely possible with DFS as no artifacts are produced - it's a matter of taste in the end.
See screen shots attached.

Thanks Terry your comments and help are greatly appreciated. Just one question, when you use the DFS and print or print to file do you also have the final print sharpening on?

For printing, I always have final print sharpening on - it is smart enough not to overdo anything.
I never use print to file for images to print elswhere so usually have it off. I sometimes have it at 1 or 2 for PTF images that will be projected and sized to the projector resolution.
Terry

You guys certainly keep us folk digging deeper into those settings.

I had forgotten there was a noise setting in the RAW defaults. I have shot about 150 pix at 2000ASA this weekend and need to make them loveable.

I am about to start the PP and will reset that slider before I start. I usually rely on the High ISO in the Edit Image panel. It will be interesting to see what the slider does for me.

Bye til after lunch (UK GMT) when I will look in again.

Tony

Tony,
When you are in the dialogue, click F1 and read the help about raw NR. The slider sets a threasehold ISO value above which adaptive NR takes place.
Terry

Thanks Terry,

Will look.

Tony