Your Favorite Sharpening Tool?

[photofinish]

I'd like to know what folks are using for sharpening software/plugins? And if you could make your choice over again, would you still choose the same one? Why?

[scottbergerphoto]

I do sharpening in Layer Masks using USM. That way I can selectively sharpen each area how much I want.
I :
1. Apply a small level of sharpening for the entire picture.
2. Make a Copy of the Background and set the USM so the area I'm interested in looks right ignoring the rest of the picture.
3. Then I make the foreground color black and hold the Alt key while clicking on the New Layer Mask Icon. This hides the sharpening you just did.
4. Change the foreground color to white. Use a soft edged brush and paint the sharpening back in where you want it. (eyes, lips, nose, eyebrows)
You can do this as many times as you want for each of the areas you feel need special sharpening.

[jfrancho]

scottbergerphoto describes a method similar to my own, but I also use a lab color sharpening method where I apply the USM to the lightness channel. It depends on the picture.

[cmM]

i use Fred Miranda's intellisharpen 2

[Valtteri]

Fred's Intellisharpen I & II

[Grimnar]

The one thats embeded in PSCS RAW. uh:)

[CyberDyneSystems]

Just USM,. but I use layer,. masks etc...

[nitsch]

Another vote here for PS USM. CDS is right, USM in conjunction with layers and layer masks works a treat! :)

[alfa1six4]

My new favorite sharpen technique:

Smart Sharpen (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/smart_sharp.shtml)

[PacAce]

The two filters in PSCS, USM and HighPass filters.

[Duder]

My new favorite sharpen technique:

Smart Sharpen (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/smart_sharp.shtml)

excellent. I was just wondering how to apply sharpening to the edges only.

[Steven M. Anthony]

I use the Pixel Genius product/plug-in.

[J Rabin]

My opinion.
Hands down, the best $99 spent since going digital. The canned algorithms are excellent. There is a routine for everything, particularly sharpening 35mm slides which I scan a lot of. For digitial, I set sharpening in RAW conversion to 0, and do everything in PhotoKit Sharpener. It's not used on some of my images, but ALL of them. True sharpening workflow. Check the review at Luminous-Landscape. He also agrees it's one of the PS plug-ins to not be without. J

[Conk]

I don't apply sharpening too often but when I do I use the high pass method. I like Scotts method which is much better but I get lazy. ;)

[photofinish]

You guys are great. :-) I forgot about some of the techniques/products. As always, thanks for everybody's help!

[alfa1six4]

excellent. I was just wondering how to apply sharpening to the edges only.

You can download the action plug-in at the bottom of the page. As far as I can tell it only applies sharpening to edges. I think it works very well.

[mbze430]

I use Nik Sharpening Tools

[KevC]

Photoshop's USM... then play with opacity and masking

[ScottE]

I use several sharpening methods.

First I use Rawshooter when converting from RAW. I don't try to over sharpen using this program.

For many photos I then finish the sharpening using Qimage which applies different sharpening to different colour bands so it often gets a good result.

On other photos I separate a luminescence layer in Photoshop and apply sharpening to that layer only.

Scott

[Goofup]

I couldn't live without Focus Magic. Much better than USM.

[mickle]

I couldn't live without Focus Magic. Much better than USM.

Same here. I like Focus Magic

[petermorell]

I use the CrispImage Pro plug-in from http://www.softwhile.com/product_cippi.html . It provides several different sharpening methods. One has very good halo control.

[Barb42]

the new Photoshop CS2 has a new sharpening too they are promoting. http://www.photoshopuser.com/pscs2/newcs2.html

[JuStDaVe]

anyone use cs 2 and the sharpening ?

[mbze430]

I have been using Photokit, and I seem to like it even more. Much from control ability, and the user initiative is direct and easy to understand. I probably will end up using it from here on out

[Belmondo]

anyone use cs 2 and the sharpening ?

I don't think CS2 has been released yet. At least I haven't received mine yet, and it's been ordered for several days.

[scottbergerphoto]

I don't think CS2 has been released yet. At least I haven't received mine yet, and it's been ordered for several days.
It isn't supposed to be released until May.
OOPS!
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=69153

[LadyHawk]

My opinion.
Hands down, the best $99 spent since going digital. The canned algorithms are excellent. There is a routine for everything, particularly sharpening 35mm slides which I scan a lot of. For digitial, I set sharpening in RAW conversion to 0, and do everything in PhotoKit Sharpener. It's not used on some of my images, but ALL of them. True sharpening workflow. Check the review at Luminous-Landscape. He also agrees it's one of the PS plug-ins to not be without. J

Pixil Genius' Photokit Sharpener. It's a multi-pass sharpening system.

I especially like the Creative Sharpeners: One click and the sharpening effect of your choice is done and a layer mask created. Then you just paint in the areas you want sharpened.

I know you can achieve much of the same with PS USM, but this makes it all so easy.