A Quick Example Of How Topaz Sharpener AI Can Rescue An Image

You should remember this scene from a couple of recent posts.  The original version of this image
was unusable as the man in the foreground was out of focus.  I was able to rescue this photo by
putting the file through Topaz Sharpener AI.  See below. (click to enlarge)
Fujifilm X-T4; 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 lens @ 70mm; 1.250th sec. @ f/9; ISO 250

I've written about and mentioned the power of artificial intelligence based editing plug-ins, such as those by Topaz, DXO and others.  This post is just a quick example of how Topaz Sharpener AI was able to make a usable image out of one in which the main subject was slightly out of focus.  

You will recognize this scene from a couple of previous posts.  I like this image but in the original Fujifilm file, the main subject, the man walking in the foreground, is slightly out of focus.  In fact, the three women in the background are also slightly out of focus, but that is not a significant concern since they are in the background.  I thought I wouldn't be able to use this image because of the missed focus, but then I sent the file through Topaz Sharpener AI and this is the result.  You decide if the editing in Sharpener AI sharpened the man enough so this image is now usable.  It did for me but we are all different.  In any case, you can see of what the plug-in is capable.

This is a crop of the man from the original file.  When you click the image
to enlarge it, you can see just how out of focus he is.

Same image after sending it through Topaz Sharpener AI.
Even the detail in his shoes is nice and sharp.
(click to enlarge)

I don't know how well you are going to be able to discern the difference between the two crops above as Blogger compresses and degrades the original image.  But the difference is easily visible in the original files.  In Sharpener AI, I used the masking tool to just apply sharpening to this man and the three women in the background.  I left the rest as it was.

I love the idea that some companies are putting a lot of effort into using the latest technology for their software products.  We can do things today that, just a couple of years ago, would have been impossible.  For example, we can photograph at higher ISOs with smaller sensor cameras and still eliminate and/or equal the low noise results of a 35mm size sensor.  My expectation is that this trend will spread and these kinds of programs will only get more and more sophisticated which will be a real benefit to all of us photographers.  We are now seeing that spread in AI based noise reducing software.

Normally, I don't delete files even if they are not my 'picks.'  They can even be slightly out of focus.  Years ago I anticipated eventually having sophisticated software available that could improve our images significantly.  So I decided to keep about all of my image files just in case.  I've now been going back into my archives and using Topaz DeNoise AI and Topaz Sharpener AI to 'clean up' old images.  This works especially well with film scans and image files from our low pixel digital cameras from years ago.

I would encourage you to try some of these plug-ins.  The trial downloads are free and you might be amazed at how you can improve your image files.

Join me over at my website, https://www.dennismook.com.  

Thanks for looking. Enjoy!  

Dennis A. Mook  

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