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Author Topic: Qimage: Documented and undocumented - A list of random jobs Qimage does easily.  (Read 49862 times)
Fred A
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« Reply #30 on: May 11, 2010, 10:20:23 PM »

I have another sort of undocumented Qimage item.
This is the use of the Unsharp Mask sharpening tool.

Most of us know how to judiciously use USM with numbers like 1/100  or 1/250 and equalizer at 75%.... like that!

Have you ever experimented with large radius and small strength settings?
I saw a shot in a friend's house of a cold beer bottle sweating condensation on an outdoor cafe table.
I used a 5 and 50 and the beads of moisture jumped at me without over sharpening.

Later on, I tried experimenting with faces and found some interesting effects.
I think I mentioned at an earlier time that you can also use a - strength (minus number) for strength which will minimize wrinkles in a face.

This time I want to give you a sample of a shot I took about two weeks ago of a friend.
I have the out of the camera version with only the preset sharpening of the Raw image decoder.

I also show the screen snap of the same image with a radius of 10 and strength of 25 with no equalizer in play.

I think it cleaned and clarified the image without being over done.
You might like a tad less, or a radius of 5 instead of 10.

That's fine. The object is to make you aware of the versatility of Unsharp Mask and hope that you experiment more than you do now.

Have fun with Qimage

Fred
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migla9
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« Reply #31 on: May 14, 2010, 01:12:00 PM »

That's a very useful technique known as Local Contrast Enhancement.  I've been using it for a few years, albeit in Photoshop.  Here are some descriptions:

http://luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/contrast-enhancement.shtml
http://www.lonestardigital.com/photoshop_quicktips.htm
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/techniques/local-contrast-enhancement.htm
« Last Edit: May 14, 2010, 01:15:21 PM by migla9 » Logged
Terry-M
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« Reply #32 on: May 14, 2010, 01:43:05 PM »

Quote
I've been using it for a few years,
So have I, on and off. This came up on the old Qimage Yahoo forum some years ago but there were problems with using a large radius in Qimage USM. It is now limited to 16.

I've attached  a samples showing the same image with and without Qimage USM  Rad 16, 50% % Eq 25%, values shown in the file name.
The photo was take when cloud had covered the sun and made the scene duller than I'd hoped and I could not tell the ship to wait just there  Grin
Both have the same contrast curve applied so the only difference is the USM.

It would be nice if the limit could be increased to, say 50, to get the full benefit of this technique in Qimage.
Maybe Mike can comment?
Terry.
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Owen Glendower
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« Reply #33 on: May 24, 2010, 04:37:52 PM »

I've used the Comparator tool in Qimage many times, but usually to compare images taken at slightly-different exposures, or to confirm point of focus.

But I just used the Comparator to determine that my Nikon 18-55 kit lens exhibits severe diffraction at smaller apertures.  The texture of a leaf and the wood trellis behind it are clearly rendered at 5.6.  At f22 or 32, the fine detail suffers badly.

First time I've used the Comparator in this context.  The EXIF info displayed at the top of each image is a great convenience.

The only improvement I can think of would be the ability to load more than two images into the Comparator.
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Fred A
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« Reply #34 on: May 24, 2010, 06:40:14 PM »

Quote
Nikon 18-55 kit lens exhibits severe diffraction at smaller apertures.  The texture of a leaf and the wood trellis behind it are clearly rendered at 5.6.  At f22 or 32, the fine detail suffers badly.
Owen, I have a few lenses that exhibit s similar, seemingly reverse response to a small aperture as you describe.
On the flip side, I have two lenses that are sharpest with a wide open aperture, and that makes for good shutter speeds.
It was the usual expectation that stopping a lens down produced a sharper picture. It really isn't so. Stopping a lens to it's sweet spot aperture will produce a sharper picture.

One thing I found worth trying before I condemn or wrinkle my nose at a lens, is to use the Right Click Swap function in Qimage in the comparator.
Left versus right side can show a difference on some monitors, and on my monitor, there is  definitely a difference between the top half and the lower half of the screen.
Just some thoughts
Fred
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Owen Glendower
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« Reply #35 on: May 24, 2010, 09:22:59 PM »

Thanks for the tip on the Swap function.  I'll give it a try.

Nikon used to publish (and perhaps still does, though I can't find any) detailed lens specs which identified the sweet spot, often f8, if I recall.  Beyond that, you got greater DOF, of course, but more diffraction.  I remember seeing lens reviews which indicated that even Micro-Nikkors exhibited diffraction when stopped down beyond f8 or f11, even though they could be stopped down to f32.

But you're certainly correct that many lenses show improved performance when stopped down a few notches from their wide-open aperture.

Oh, well, I've been meaning to try a focus-stacking program, anyway.
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Terry-M
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« Reply #36 on: June 10, 2010, 02:47:03 PM »

From another thread it was suggested the info' be posted here about print crops and saved jobs and sessions.
The original query was:
Quote
Is there some way to copy images from several different saved jobs into one new job so that all the settings (especially cropping) are remembered for each image.

First thing, Qimage remembers the last PRINT crop you used for an image at a particular size, so no worries there.

If you are  talking about actual saved "Jobs", then you cannot combine them directly as you recall.
However you can combine saved Sessions.
Here is what I would do:
Recall each job in turn and remove the images you do not require, then save as a separately named Session.
I assume all the printer settings would be the same for each job you had saved so they will  be in place.
Now recall each Session in turn and when asked, choose "Append", in that way each set of images will be added to the queue. You can then save the lot as a new Job or Session.

I like to use Sessions because of this sort of flexibility and it allows me to change the paper type late in the game if necessary.

Terry
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Fred A
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« Reply #37 on: June 25, 2010, 11:11:10 AM »

Quote
I have another sort of undocumented Qimage item.

I have another Undocumented feature in Qimage that comes in very handy every week.

Let me set the scene.
You just printed a wonderful set of three 11 x 14s all neatly cropped and one with a nice matching colored border, with your "Photo by Terry M" in the lower left corner.
Two days later, you found you needed to do the same job or part of that job again due to damage to a print by forgetting that you left it on your chair and you sat on it, or someone liked the prints and wanted a set also.
Oh Gee Whiz! I must set the size, what was the border I used? What were the names of the image files? What folder were they in, I can't remember.

Watch this!
Click File. Open Automated Job Log.
There are all the print jobs in a file, from latest on....
Look for the date of two days ago, click, and read the filenames, and size etc.
If you found the correct one, highlight it, click OPEN at the lower right, and you are ready to print.
There's your PHOTO BY, you border, your size, your setup, everything.
Put the same paper into the printer as you used, even the printer paper selection, the profile, the driver settings will be all ready to go.

There is one Caveat.
You will have to have turned this feature on earlier for it to be logging the prints.
Make sure it is turned on by going to EDIT Preferences, Job Logging, Status, Keep all Jobs. (or other preference)

Hope this one helps a little.

Fred
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Owen Glendower
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« Reply #38 on: June 25, 2010, 03:27:30 PM »

Thanks, Fred.  I had literally forgotten about this feature, even though I've used it exactly as you describe.
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Fred A
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« Reply #39 on: June 28, 2010, 10:46:54 AM »

Quote
I had literally forgotten about this feature, even though I've used it exactly as you describe.

Owen,
It looks like you and I are the only ones passionate about our beloved Qimage.  Grin Cheesy Wink

Here's another somewhat obvious, yet obscure feature of Qimage.

Print Cropping!
As we all know, print cropping is decided after you decide what size print you are making.
If we intend to make an 8 x 10, and we go into the Full Page Editor screen, clicking on the Cropping tab, we see our image in an 8 x 10 frame.
Upper right corner gives us a movable image and a zoom bar to adjust the crop to exactly the extract we want, keeping the 8 x 10 ratio.

Let's suppose that besides printing an 8 x 10, aunt Gladys wants a 5 x 7 for the coffee table.
Simple!  Just tell Qimage that the next print will be a 5 x 7.
The print crop box now changes to a 5 x 7 shape. This is obviously not nearly the same ratio as the 8 x 10, and will call for a new look at the print, it's zoom, and cropping attributes.
You make that print.!

Next day.
Oh Boy, you forgot. Aunt Gladys called and wants two of each instead of one of each.
How will you ever get these to be exactly the same as yesterday's prints?
Easy! Qimage remembers the crop for each print and all you do is set the print size for 8 x 10, and add the same image.
Qimage says, I remember printing that. Here's the way it looked last time in 8 x 10, and I even have the 5 x 7 size ready to repeat too.

Fred
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Owen Glendower
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« Reply #40 on: June 28, 2010, 01:06:35 PM »

Qimage is indeed the only program on my computer I am enthusiastic about.

Good post, here.  In other programs, I've certainly had the frustrating experience of trying to re-create a crop.

You mention the zoom bar in the Full Page Editor.  Just this past weekend, after using the Comparator feature, and then switching to the FPE and using the zoom bar, it occurred to me: If I zoom to the max, am I viewing that segment of the image at 100%?  If so, printing a 100% crop and saving it as a new image would be child's play.

I'm hoping that's correct.  If so, it will greatly simplify a little job I want to do.
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Fred A
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« Reply #41 on: June 28, 2010, 01:52:50 PM »

I believe you get an 8X zoom, and then click on HQ. You will be able to see the sharpness of any section of that image by sliding it around using the hand.
You will have to click the HQ button every time you move the image, or change the setting from Thumbs/small to All or Selected images, and you will get your HQ High Rez image all the time.
If you click and hold the mouse button either on the zoom button slider, or the blue word "zoom" it will read out the ppi for the selected print size as well as the zoom factor.

Have fun.
Fred
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Terry-M
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« Reply #42 on: June 28, 2010, 02:10:28 PM »

Quote
I believe you get an 8X zoom,
Yes, that is correct but  think it gives more than 100%. X 7.4 seems to give about 100% on my screen, that is  ~ 106 ppi (18" wide and 1920 pixels)
Once you have that sorted, an image can be made either by E--mail copy, convert or print to file.
Terry
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Owen Glendower
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« Reply #43 on: June 28, 2010, 03:08:11 PM »

Thanks, guys.  Fred, I didn't know that you could see the zoom factor and the ppi with just a click...although I wonder what "8X" means.  Eight times what?

Terry, I'll experiment a bit with the slider.  8X appeared to be about the same as 100% on my monitor, and in any case will be close enough for what I'm trying to do, which is:

1.  Earlier in this thread, I mentioned how easy it is to use the Comparator to check for lens diffraction at small apertures.  It is of course very easy to set up on a tripod and shoot a subject at several (or all) different apertures, and it's child's play to use the Comparator to compare the photos side-by-side.  My Nikon kit lenses show noticeable diffraction at small apertures.

2.  I mentioned this finding on a Nikon forum and was promptly asked to post photos, so I started looking for a way to:
   a.  apply the exact same 100% crop (preferably) to about four of my test photos (no problem in QI)
   b.  create new email/web size copies (ditto)
   c.  arrange the new images side-by-side for easy comparison (Freehand placement in QI, right?
   d.  create a single new image from the four test images (Print to File, right?)
   e.  post the image to the forum (this I know how to do!)

An EXACT 100% crop isn't absolutely required, of course.  And I believe that I can use the Floating Text tool to identify the aperture used for each photo.

Now...what have I overlooked?  Your comments, please.

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Terry-M
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« Reply #44 on: June 28, 2010, 04:28:11 PM »

Quote
Now...what have I overlooked?  Your comments, please.
Miss out step b and arrange all the images on a single page for Print to File. Choose a suitable page size and resolution for PTF and use compact placement so they all line up in a row or matrix. Use a border to separate them a little and add text for descriptions before "printing".
Terry.
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