If you’re in search of a complete Topaz Labs Software program evaluation, you’ve come to the appropriate place.
However, if you realize what Topaz Lab plugin you need and are in search of Topaz Labs low cost code, use PHOTOTRACES on the checkout to get 15% off any Topaz plugin or full the Topaz Labs bundle pack at Topaz Web site.
As a reader of my weblog, you realize that I’m fairly open about my modifying as I reveal the processing steps for nearly each photograph I publish. You additionally most likely seen that each photograph posted on this weblog was edited, sooner or later, with a minimum of one or two Topaz Software program Labs plugins.
Not surprisingly, two of the most typical questions my readers ask me in regards to the Topaz merchandise are: “What plugin ought to I incorporate in my modifying workflow, and when do I take advantage of it?”
Topaz Labs Software program Evaluate or Cheat Sheet for Selecting the Proper Topaz Plugins
I’ve to confess that Topaz Labs had probably the most complicated constructions of its merchandise. At one level, they’d 16 completely different plugins, and, most often, their features overlap with one another. For sure, it took me a very long time to determine what product to make use of and when.
However over the previous few years, Topaz Labs fully restructured its merchandise by depreciating many unique plugins and introducing new ones. And naturally, they slapped AI (Synthetic Intelligence) suffix to all of the merchandise.
As a way to assist photographers who’re simply beginning to use Topaz software program, I’ve listed the plugins I take advantage of within the order of significance for my pictures.
Topaz DeNoise AI
If I had to decide on just one Topaz plugin, it could undoubtedly be Topaz DeNoise. That is the one plugin I take advantage of with each single picture I put up on my weblog.
Any Photoshop or Lightroom plugin is an easy “shortcut” or time saver. Usually, it’s potential to attain the identical impact of just about any plugin utilizing Photoshop; nonetheless, DeNoise is a kind of plugins whose impact I can not fully replicate utilizing both Photoshop or Lightroom. Though each purposes have noise discount instruments, nothing comes even near mirroring the impact of DeNoise.
The numerous addition to the AI model of the Topaz DeNoise plugin is the sharpening performance. Now, you’ve got the choice not solely to cut back noise however to use sharpening as properly.
It implies that the newest model of Topaz DeNoise AI replaces 3 unique plugins Topaz DeNoise, Topaz Readability, and Topaz Element. It saves me money and time.
My favourite side of utilizing DeNoise is that I don’t have to make use of masking in Photoshop after I apply the noise discount.
In a majority of my pictures, I solely want to cut back noise within the “flat” areas (sky, water, pores and skin) as a result of, on the similar time, I additionally wish to protect as many particulars as potential within the “sample” areas (architectural parts, grass, timber, mountains). Earlier than I began utilizing DeNoise, I needed to apply noise discount to the complete picture and later use Photoshop to masks areas I wished to maintain sharp. Someway, DeNoise detects these areas robotically and eliminates them from the appliance.
Under is the photograph I took in Yosemite, and it had extreme noise. It took me 15 sec to remove it within the space of the sky and to maintain the main points of the mountains intact.
This highly effective and easy software saves me an infinite period of time.
Topaz Sharpen AI
The Topaz Sharpen AI is a singular program. It manages to perform what was not potential earlier than.
Let me clarify.
I’ve a graphic design background, and probably the most used expressions amongst designers is “rubbish in, rubbish out.” It implies that if in case you have unhealthy high quality pixels, irrespective of the way you manipulate them, you’ll find yourself with unhealthy pixels.
In pictures, it implies that if in case you have out of focus photograph or a blurry picture attributable to a digicam shake, you might be out of luck.
The Topaz Sharpen AI makes an attempt to alter the equation by salvaging “unhealthy” and “unusable” pictures at a really excessive success charge.
The plugin has 3 sharpening modes: Sharpen, Stabilize, and Focus.
The Sharpen mode applies customary sharpening. The Stabilize mode makes an attempt to handle the movement blur attributable to the digicam shake. And the Focus mode tries to take care of softness attributable to poor focusing.
The Topaz Sharpen AI is a brand new plugin. It changed for me unique Topaz Readability and Topaz Element plugins.
Topaz Alter AI
The Topaz DeNoise AI and Sharpen AI might be categorized as utility plugins as a result of they don’t create any particular seems in your images. Quite, they solely assist to reinforce completely different facets of the pictures.
Topaz Alter AI plugin is extra on the artistic aspect and helps to creatively discover the artwork of pictures by reaching quite a lot of results starting from very refined to completely blown surrealistic.
With Topaz Alter AI you may management the picture publicity and colours, lengthen the dynamic vary of the only picture, get better the shadows and the highlights, in addition to improve the main points. The probabilities listed below are limitless.
I take advantage of Topaz Alter AI much less usually in comparison with the unique model as a result of the newest model has a major overlap with Lightroom and Photoshop ACR.
And when I’ve a alternative to attain a selected look in my photograph utilizing Lightroom or utilizing Topaz Alter AI, I all the time default to Lightroom. I want to remain within the non-destructive RAW atmosphere of Lightroom.
However after I use the Topaz Alter AI, I take advantage of the next workflow:
- I all the time begin by making use of one of many presets included with the plugin.
- I swap to the appropriate modifying panel and work with World Changes. I solely use Publicity, Particulars, and Coloration changes.
- The final step is the Ending Touches changes. I all the time use the Transparency adjustment the place I can mix the Topaz Alter AI impact with the unique picture. I additionally use the Temperature adjustment very often to heat up the photograph, particularly with sundown/dawn images.
Topaz Star Results
You most likely know or heard in regards to the capturing method the place you choose the smallest potential aperture (f20-f22) and shoot instantly into the solar or one other gentle supply to provide a starburst impact. The small aperture exaggerates the rays of sunshine making them extra seen and outstanding.
The Topaz Star Results means that you can create a starburst impact after capturing and within the modifying section.
I don’t use this plugin every day however, generally it turns into an especially helpful software that helps me to attain my artistic imaginative and prescient with out going again and re-shooting the scene.
The plugin has the entire potential changes and controls to make the starburst impact the best way you need it.
Topaz Star Impact is a legacy plugin, however it’s nonetheless obtainable on the Topaz web site. I believe they stopped creating it a very long time in the past. However, It’s all the time helpful, and I take advantage of it very often.
Under is the checklist of plugins I not often use, however they are often very helpful for particular workflows.
Topaz Labs Masks AI
Masks AI is a really helpful plugin when you might want to isolate a selected object in your pictures. The issue is Photoshop has very subtle and mature instruments for superior masking. And since I take advantage of Topaz applications completely as plugins in Photoshop, it’s simpler for me to do all of the masking there.
However, I discovered one case when utilizing Masks AI is rather more efficient than Photoshop.
After I take pictures of my members of the family and cannot use the appropriate digicam settings to render the background out of focus, I can blur the unique background in Masks AI in a matter of seconds. It takes for much longer to attain the identical impact in Photoshop.
Gigapixel AI
You most likely seen when you might want to scale back the scale of pictures, you all the time get the ultimate picture with the identical and even higher high quality than the unique.
However when you might want to improve the picture’s dimension, you all the time get delicate, low element usually unusable outcomes. The explanation for that’s once you upscale a picture, this system has to provide new pixels (knowledge) that don’t exist within the unique picture. And producing one thing out of nothing by no means labored properly.
However with the newest developments in machine studying the enlarging or upscaling applications grew to become rather more efficient.
And the Gigapixel AI is by far the best upscaling software I’ve ever used. It’s succesful to enlarge your pictures as much as 500-600% whereas preserving particulars and mage high quality.
JPEG to RAW AI
Topaz Labs claims that changing JPEG to RAW helps to get better knowledge misplaced through the RAW to JPEG conversion and JPEG compression.
I’ve not examined it sufficient to evaluate its actual effectiveness, however I’ve an thought of how it may be used.
Actual-life Instance of Upscaling Workflow
Let’s say you misplaced the unique RAW photograph you took 10 years in the past. All you’ve got is a low-resolution JPEG model (800 x 600pix) with noticeable JPEG artifacts. There isn’t any manner you may print it and cling on the wall.
However with the Topaz AI workflow, it turns into potential.
- Convert unique picture from JPEG to RAW utilizing JPEG to RAW AI
- Upscale the photograph to 4800 x 3600px with Gigapixel AI
- Take away noise and artifacts with DeNoise AI
- Enhance particulars and sharpness with Sharpen AI
And now you’ve got a usable picture you may print.
Topaz Video Improve AI
Since I’m nonetheless a photographer, I’ve the least expertise with Topaz Video Improve AI. However I can see that it makes use of the identical know-how because the Gigapixel AI and Sharpen AI plugins.
I can see 2 situations of the best way to use this system:
- You possibly can enlarge video information with minimal loss in high quality. For instance, you may upscale HD video to 4K model
- You possibly can seize nonetheless frames from video information, upscale them, and sharpen them.
For instance, you may have a usable high-resolution picture extracted from HD video.
Choosing the Proper Topaz Plugin
As a nonetheless photographer, if I had to decide on just one Topaz plugin, with out hesitation, I’d decide Topaz DeNoise AI
If I needed to decide 2 plugins, it could be DeNoise AI and Sharpen AI.
And if I wanted greater than 2 plugins, I’d go for the bundle.
Conclusion
I hope my quick evaluation of Topaz Labs plugins will function a roadmap for you. Over time one can find your individual methods and set up your distinctive workflow based mostly in your private type and creative imaginative and prescient. And once you do, I hope you are taking a minute and share your distinctive methods of utilizing Topaz plugins with the remainder of us.
Topaz Labs Coupon Code
As soon as once more, if you realize what TopazLab product you need and are in search of a Topaz Labs low cost code, use PHOTOTRACES on the checkout to get 15% off any Topaz plugin or full the Topaz Labs bundle pack at Topaz Web site.