Mike Chaney's Tech Corner

http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage-u

v2013.100    10/15/12

Priority: High

Introducing Qimage Ultimate 2013!  We've been working diligently to bring you new innovations that will take photo and print detail to new levels!  Our new Deep Focus Sharpening (DFS) is an innovative new sharpening method that allows sharpening deep into the details without introducing artifacts such as haloes, specular clipping, and noise grain.  Qimage Ultimate 2013 uses DFS to sharpen both photos and prints, rendering super sharp photographic prints, conversions, and upsampled copies without the harshness and artifacts typically associated with the older unsharp mask (USM).  Be sure to upgrade to Qimage Ultimate 2013 so you can enjoy even clearer, sharper prints.  We've also made a host of improvements to the UI to improve workflows such as the ability to open the raw (refine) editor from the image editor window, ability to selectively see and clear image edits, and more!  v2013.100 is also Windows 8 ready!

Mike

Hi Mike--Does this version support the Sony RX100?

Liz

See this thread for more samples and comments etc.: -
http://ddisoftware.com/tech/qimage-ultimate/qimage-ultimate-2013-imminent!/msg12588/#msg12588 (http://ddisoftware.com/tech/qimage-ultimate/qimage-ultimate-2013-imminent!/msg12588/#msg12588)
Terry

Mike,
I know you have been very busy with QU 2013 and DFS project but I see there is no mention of DFS on the web site Home Page nor on the summary of major features.
Sorry to keep you at it but I wouldn't want potential clients miss the new feature.  ;)
Terry

There's a USM vs DFS sample right on the main page.  If you click on that, it takes you to the DFS page in the "Technology" section where there's a writeup on it.

Mike

Mike
I was thinking of this page http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage/ (http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage/) which already mentions Fusion, TTS etc. but not DFS.
Terry

Fred & Terry

Can't wait to See the improvements of v2013.100 in action, at the Video Learning Center.
"Hint .. Hint"  ;)

Ya Me

Where/how do you apply DFS, I do not see it in the Printing Interpolation options.

Thanks

Daniel

Hi Daniel,
DFS is now the default for both image sharpening and print sharpening.
You can access Print Sharpening options in the usual way either from Edit - Preferences or click the Sharpen blue dot on the Job Properties.
See screen shots attached, the DFS/USM option is on the right of the Interpolation box.
Note that on the second screen shot the blue dot has turned red when I set Print Sharpening to USM, this is to indicate there is incompatibility with the image Editor sharpen mode. The warning works either way and both should be the same. The USM option allows repeat prints to be identical if they were first made under the USM regime.
Terry

The above is just one of the interface improvements.
Two more that you may not have noticed or checked, see screen shots below.
A + sign appears on an Editor tab when something there has been adjusted; that helps to remind you what edits you have done.
The Blemish red-eye tool is a little different; the mouse can now be dragged in any direction to remove a blemish or red-eye.
Terry
PS. I almost forgot one really useful new button  ::) the one that open the Raw Refine screen.
See the 3rd attachment below.
Very handy if you need to tweak Exposure, Fill. HDR or WB while making conventional edits.  :D

Another item... The CLEAR button in the Editor which was hardly used because it cleared all adjustments, has now become a selective clear.
Choose what you want to clear and leave the good adjustments in place.
See 4th attachment below.

OK, so I guess I am supposed to look at the notes from the previous version of QU and see that the RX100 has not yet been supported, and thus answer my own question!   

So I will ask a different one: any idea when support for the RX100 will be implemented in QU?

Thanks.

Liz

Sorry Liz,
We got caught up in the enthusiasm of Ultimate 2013.
Checking the list of supported Sony cameras, we can see that it is not covered yet.
As I'm sure you remember, Mike follows the lead of David Coffin and his Raw image camera support. (DCRAW)

As a rule, David will update his coverage every 3-6 months. That will be the alert when he lists that camera on his web page.

Fred

Thanks Fred--that's the list I saw that answered my question indirectly.

I thought RX100 support might be imminent because DCRAW now supports it (http://www.cybercom.net/~dcoffin/dcraw/#faq).

Liz

Terry

Thanks for your excellent "how to" on DFS.

Things are looking better already, the value of this program and the technical support is
immeasurable.

Regards

Daniel

Hi Daniel,
Did you see the new Learning Video on the DFS? I'ts here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=AiVoXcB1uzk&vq=hd1080 (http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=AiVoXcB1uzk&vq=hd1080)
This is the 1080p version, see the QU web page to for the 720p version link; the former is much better for this subject.
http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage-u/learn.htm (http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage-u/learn.htm)
Terry

Is there a risk that jobs recalled for printing now get the new sharpening treatment and deliver prints that show detail differences to the old ones?  I understand the improvements and the new prints may look better but my customer may have another view on that. Or is there a hidden path that uses the old method when a job is recalled?

--
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
400+ inkjet paper white spectral plots, October 2012:
Extended: Ilford-Innova-Hahnemühle-Pictorico,
NEW added: Tetenal-Mitsubishi, NEW halfway: Kodak-Bonjet,
NEW to do: Permajet-FelixSchoeller-Sihl
Would like to get samples: InkPress-JonCone

Hi Ernst,
Been a while since you have been around. Hope all is well.

Mike has covered that contingency by having Qimage Ultimate revert to the old style by clicking next to DFS and selecting USM, and also clicking on the Blue Ball next to Smart Sharpen in Job Properties and select Smart Sharpen USM instead of Smart Sharpen DFS.

That should cover it...

I am not sure about old saved jobs retaining the old default, but I tried new Jobs saves with USM, and they RECALL from JOBS saved with USM as a default.

Fred

Hi Ernrst,
Further to Fred's post -

The blue dot will turn red to show that the smart sharpen is different from the editor setting. See screen shot attached below.
If you re-save the Job the USM smart sharpen will be saved too, I just tested it.
If the editor was used to sharpen the image, then that will need changing back to USM too but that is not saved as part of the Job.

Terry

An easy and quick way to do this is to right click the thumbnail (or a group of thumbnails) select CUSTOM FILTER, and click teh change to USM and DONE.

You don't have to go into the Editor itself.

Fred

I notice that the raw processing option now also uses DFS rather than USM.  I am trying to figure out how all of this plays together with any settings or sharpening I do in the full editor.  If I do additional sharpening in the full editor, does QU actually perform two separate sharpening steps?  Or does it look at the sharpening already applied in raw developing and then just increase it appropriately?  I assume that previously processed raw images will remain with USM raw processing unless I specifically refresh.  Yes? Will be doing lots of experimenting this week. Good stuff.
Mel W.  Columbia Md.

Hi Mel,
I'm pretty sure the editor does additional sharpening.
A raw image is basically soft so any raw processing program will do some basic sharpening and that is what QU raw preferences are for.
Using the editor is for more creative sharpening or to help with problem images.Raw sharpening cannot possibly be a solution for every image; it may be sufficient for some but many will need that additional boost depending on the subject, lighting conditions, lens used, etc. etc.
Mike has said a little about this on the web site DFS section: http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage-u/tech-dfs.htm (http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage-u/tech-dfs.htm)
Terry

Comments on above:
Hi Mel,
The default when you open an image or add an image to the queue will be DFS.  If it's an image that you printed before, and you want to repeat the exact same characteristics, you need only reset DFS to USM with one click.  (See screen snaps) Then change teh Smart Sharpen to USM.... see snap.
After you change the DFS to USM it will save the new settings and will remember them.
Next time you open that image it *will* open in USM.
The sharpening offered in the RAW options is applied to all images from *that* camera. It is a base setting and is to be set by the user so his naturally soft Raw images look decent to start with.
Yes, the DFS sharpening is added to the image in the editor, but it is not added like a teaspoon of salt to a recipe. You see on screen what the image looks like and add DFS until you are happy.

Have you played the video?

In response to your implied question:  Will my old saved images that were saved with USM open in USM?
No. You can quickly change to USM, but look at the image first. If the amount of radius and strength were reasonable, then you wont see much difference if any with DFS. If the numbers were higher, then you will see a pretty obvious improvement.
If you still want to use USM; ONE CLICK.

Hope this helps
Fred

Fred -

Thanks.  This was actually more of a "what's going on under the hood" question as I pretty much understand how to use.  I was just wondering - if I set the raw processing and the editor are set so that both use the same sharpening - (whether USM or DFS) - whether there are two different sharpening steps applied, and whether I would be better off to do all of the sharpening in only one place (for example - when you mouse over the white balance dropper in  the editor, it tells you that it is better to do this in the refine raw window).  Come to think of it, wouldn't it be better to have sharpening available in the refine raw window?

MelW

Not really, Mel.
Remember there are different needs involved here.
In The RAW refine, you are sharpening *all* the images the same, giving a basic sharpening to all.
In the Editor, each image might need different sharpening, depending on the lens, the F stop, the type of scene, contrast, etc. Some shots do not need extra sharpening if the light is just right.
So you become the Maestro in the Editor as you  squeeze out the best picture...
Fred

Quote
In The RAW refine, you are sharpening *all* the images the same, giving a basic sharpening to all


Huh?  Wait a minute.  When I am in the editor and I click on the little green box and go to the raw editor, I thought I am only adjusting the current picture.  You say those changes affect all the pictures in the folder?  Sorry for being confused or confusing anyone else.

I an made an error when printing just now  ::)
I had set USM in smart sharpening this morning when checking something for another post reply - forgot to change it back!
I now have 2 8"x10.5" (202mm x 269mm) prints - print ppi = 441. Both with DFS image sharpening but print with USM and the other DFS.
See image attached below.
There are some small fringes on the USM version on the left hand side of the head and where the grass stalks overlap his body. On a larger print they would be much more obvious.
The DFS version has none, of course!
I thought others may find this information useful and I conclude an older saved print job, although not identical, would be better printed with DFS.
Terry

Mel,
Fred seems to be having a nap  ::) he's not logged in.
The raw preferences sharpening setting is applied to globally all images, except if different settings for a particular camera are saved separately. Then it is global per camera.
The editor sharpening only applies to that image open in the editor.
When you click the green button to open Refine you are refining that single image again.
The raw sharpening is, as I said, is global so no change will be made to that when the refine screen is opened from the editor.

Under the hood, you probably know this:
Raw preference settings are saved in Application data\profiles as a .qrs file.
Editor settings (= filter) for an image are saves in the image folder as a .flt file.

I hope that is clear now.  ;)
Terry

Terry -

Yep - got it  - that is how I thought it was.  Thanks for clarifying

Mel

Not true!
What actually happened was my dog, Tammy, (80 lbs.) was napping across our big queen size bed.
I didn't want her to fall off so I snuggled up next to her and held her to be sure.

Next thing I remember is Marilyn called her to eat.
Wham! Slam! she leaped  off the bed leaving me with a bed cover full of DFS   (Dog Fur Sheets)

She stepped on me when jumping off the bed. I said, "Hey! USM?    U see me?

She looked at me with a look that only a sweet dog can have.... she seemed to have the HALO of an angel!

 Mike,
Any plans on adding TTDFS to the new sharpening tool ?
I often prefer to do selective sharpening.

David

Hi David,
It is already there; all sharpening in QU is DFS by default.
I use TTS a great deal; I often used to use "TTS Except the sky tone" to avoid noise in that region, not any more.
One advantage of DFS in EQ mode is that it does not seem to sharpen blues therefore skies are less susceptible to noise.
There are still plenty of subjects where using TTS is a great advantage.
Terry

First - thanks for the best explanation yet of the new sharpening.


But I am now back to my original question.  Wouldn't it be better if I were doing all of my sharpening in just one place?  Since the raw refine does not let me change the sharpening in the .qrs file (unless I go back and change the preferences for all images), wouldn't it be better if I set my raw preference to zero sharpening and did all my sharpening in the editor?  As it is now, I have sharpening in both the .qrs filter and then again in the .flt filter.

Mel W

Mel, you need to think this through.
There is no sharpening in the QRS filter.

The sharpening comes only in the RAW Options and is applied by camera model to the entire folder of images. That the base starting point! Consider that normal.
Make believe that it came out of the camera that way.
(Photo Shop has the same thing!   When you open a RAW in ACR, there are sharpening defaults applied too.)

When you see your open images in the thumbs, that RAW OPTION default sharpening has been applied to all the Raw images equally!

We are done with that... finished.... fertig,

Now we want to sharpen or add contrast or add or reduce saturation ... so we go into the Editor screen.
In there we "*LOOK*" at each image and decide if it needs sharpening, and if so, we apply it using DFS slowly until we have done the best job we can.
The next image might be totally different. First was a face, and the second was landscape scene. We most likely don't want to sharpen them the same way.

That's what this is all about. Using the sharpener in the  Qimage Editor, we can soften the wrinkles in the face while sharpening the dress. Each image is different!!

Hope we are making progress.

Fred

Thank you Fred and Terry, I see that older recalled jobs paint the two lower dots red so that should help to solve possible issues.

--
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
400+ inkjet paper white spectral plots, October 2012:
Extended: Ilford-Innova-Hahnemühle-Pictorico,
NEW added: Tetenal-Mitsubishi, NEW halfway: Kodak-Bonjet,
NEW to do: Permajet-FelixSchoeller-Sihl
Would like to get samples: InkPress-JonCone

Sorry, Fred - the geek side of me (my wife would say "what other side is there?") can't buy this.  QU doesn't change the NEF file, so if the sharpening isn't in the qrs file, where is it?

Mel

She loves you Mel.
I can tell.

Let me answer your question by asking you one.
If I open a raw image in Photo Shop ACR, (Raw processor), and change the exposure, the contrast the saturation and say SAVE, what do you get?
I will save you the trouble!
You get an .XMP file that carries the changes. That is like a QRS file
The NEF is not changed.... but whenever you open that file again in PS, the XMP parameters are applied!
There are a whole set of default settings that apply sharpening, contrast exposure, etc. These are part of the setup of ACR. They can be changed too.

So to Qimage:
I will ask you to please call your lovely wife in to read this now...

Thank you!

Let us assume you have some sharpening applied in the RAW OPTIONS. You also have some Noise Reduction applied there too.
In that same dialogue box there are other things like color space to be selected too.
(Mrs. Mel, Just think of having a colorful birthday card and wanting to see the correct colors. You have a lamp with a red bulb only, another with an orange bulb and a third with a purple bulb.
You have one more choice. You can step outside and look at the card in daylight. That would be the likely choice for a color space as it is called!
Ok, this stuff isn't that hard, right?

You set the colorspace choice, the amount of sharpening, and the amount of noise reduction in the RAW Options box, and you forget it.
It will be applied to ALL your pictures evenly.
Same color space, same noise reduction, and same sharpness.

OK she's got that, so back to you.
These parameters are defaults. They are saved  as  defaults like the Skin you chose or the thumbnail size.
When you open a NEF, Qimage looks to see the EXIF information, sees what camera, and applies the defaults...
It doesn't need to save it anywhere else. It is only used in Qimage, applied to your raw nefs.

Now you decide to use the REFINE tools. You can adjust the exposure, the fill and the White balance.  Whatever you changed in the refine screen is saved as a QRS file. It can be changed aor deleted in a mouse click. It is not a default because it applied to the image you are looking at only!

You save that change and the filename is blue. That reminds you that you made a change.
Now we go into the editor for further touch up.  OK Mrs. Mel... here's where you can help the poor lad.

You are going out to dinner at the Ritz where Mel usually takes you.
Your hair is perfect, and your makeup is fine too, but not quite finished. You always leave that last touch for the end because nothing will brush against it anymore.
So a brush of blush! A swipe with the mascara brush, a dab of lip gloss....
That's what we do to a picture in the Editor. We touch it up. We add a dab of color if needed, a dash of sharpening, if needed and we save it that way.

What you need to explain to Mel is the difference between how naturally beautiful you looked before the touch up, and how gorgeous and stunning after the touchup in the final editor.

I hope she can explain it to you.
 :) ;) 8) ::)

Fred