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02/16/2016 10:43:24 AM · #1 |
I've really been enjoying my NIK software. Especially the Silver Efex pro but I still struggle with Dfine. I'm not sure if it's contributing to a bunch of recent challenge comments saying my image is over sharpened or not. I've put about the same amount of sharpness using a high pass filter method or unsharp mask for as long as I can remember. The only change I've made is using Dfine so I'm asking that you tell me what your workflow is or what I should be looking for. I tend to crank the sliders up pretty high as my eye doesn't notice much at preset levels.
Cliff note questions:
Could Dfine be causing me to over sharpen?
What is your workflow? |
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02/16/2016 11:36:03 AM · #2 |
Dfine in and of itself shouldn't sharpen at all, in and of itself. That said, when you say you "tend to crank the sliders up pretty high" then I'm assuming you may be over applying it and that could lead to artifacts that resemble sharpening, and definitely color banding if you go too high.
Dfine is for noise reduction and only that. I use it as a first step in my post processing on files that I believe need it. In general that means anything shot at ISO 1600 and above, regardless of camera, and sometimes less depending on what I plan/need to do in post. Noise is generated when you amplify the light information, so a perfectly exposed image taken at ISO 1200 may exhibit less noise than an underexposed ISO 800 image that needs 1 to 2EV of brightening. I may also use it if I've gotten a little heavy handed with my post processing and detail extraction has led to spotting that I didn't pick up as I did it.
My brother is mad scientist of photography and when I gave him a copy of Nik (Google gave me an extra copy when they bought Nik because I'd already overpaid for the suite) he spend a weekend profiling every camera. Made a series of shots with ever body he had, shooting in native ISO (that's 100 for your D7100) and then boosting the ISO step by step thereby adding noise, doing this under 3 or 4 different controlled lighting and color situations. He took each series of the successive shots into Dfine and worked to make the resulting image match the one shot in Native ISO, adjusting Color, Contrast and Edge Protection accordingly. Each setting turned into a Preset with the body type and ISO, and he's into and out of it in under a minute. One of these days I'll bother with the exercise as well.
Ideally you should never notice anything added by Dfine. I haven't played with anything but the Dfine 2 function, so I can't tell you what you'll get from the skin, background, sky, and other functions, but I suspect they're just targeted applications of the general tool. There are some decent tutorials available for it.
Now if you're using Sharpener Pro (I don't) that could certainly be problematic and lead to the comments you're speaking of. |
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02/16/2016 12:00:42 PM · #3 |
| I use DFine just as it is...no sliders nothing...just let it find the noise and do its thing - it's my last step as any sharpening steps add artifacts. I also use High Pass Filter (10 pixels - very low) and/or Sharpen (the bottom one on my list - not the pro...) I watched a couple YouTubes about it....I use multiple sharpening steps and rarely will anyone comment on a crispy photo. I used to use DeNoise but since getting DFine I use that primarily. |
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02/16/2016 01:58:20 PM · #4 |
| I use Dfine only for noise reduction and never use more than one step in sharpening an image. |
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02/16/2016 02:40:23 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by snaffles:
I use Dfine only for noise reduction and never use more than one step in sharpening an image. |
I guess I do my sharpening in small baby steps...Lr, Venza, Sharpen, High Pass all have sharpening/clarity in them. But I'm really careful not to get the halos. (At least I think so...pfffttttt) |
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02/16/2016 04:38:40 PM · #6 |
I have taken to sharpening my images after final resize, using sharpener pro as a new layer and then fading and/or masking the layer as required. Here's one that used a good bit of masking on the sharpening:
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02/16/2016 05:06:01 PM · #7 |
I've been using the Raya Pro panel to do output sizing and resharpening for the past few months and I think it simplifies the heck out of the process. Jimmy McIntyre is changing the scripts that go behind that and he not only gives them away in this video but he teaches you how to do it.
//www.shutterevolve.com/quick-photoshop-secrets-16-perfect-sharpening-resize-for-the-web/
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