Topaz Photo AI

I have used other Topaz products for over a decade. I've been mulling over Gigapixel for the last couple of weeks...this conversation may have pushed me over the edge.

1.1.0 update

https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=flVqe37oAsI&​t=98s

I was getting this error using the R6II. Support replied.

Topaz Photo AI is the one that does not have this camera supported yet so the output DNG is not read properly. We will be adding it soon so the output DNG can be imported correctly to Lightroom. When the software we use for RAW support updates, we will have support for this camera as well.

RAW support for the R6II was in the 1.1.2 update today. Support meaning that via LrC you can now use the File - Plugin Extras method. I submitted a support request for that about a week ago.

Every week it just keeps getting better. I'm trialing PureRaw 2. Fine hairs look less jagged than PR. More detail in the eye and less background noise with Topaz.

DXO

Since it is a million below zero out there I got a test Santa. I really wanted a fake parrot head but oh well.

Original

Hey all,

Sorry, jumping on/re-opening this thread having just discovered Topaz Photo AI myself, and being very impressed with the results in the first post here.

Reading the Topaz site, I was trying to figure out what's the best option. Either purchasing Topaz DeNoise AI, Gigapixel AI and Sharpen AI as individual products, or going for Topaz Photo AI as it technically incorporates all 3?

According to the Topaz site, their eventual end-goal is to replace the 3 standalone products with Photo AI, but I'm guessing they aren't quite there yet? I can't really justify the expense of getting Photo AI AND the other 3 standalone products, so what are people here doing? It's a relatively big expense when you consider they don't offer an "adobe-style" subscription.

Here are some results I got with the Trial version (just screenshots as I can't save in Topaz from the demo version). I have found that the sharpening can be a bit "intense" sometimes, but overall the results are pretty impressive. Of course, I could probably do all of this in Photoshop and Lightroom, but time and patience are in short supply these days

How is everyone else using Topaz?

Cheers!

Orias wrote in post #19468941
Hey all,

Sorry, jumping on/re-opening this thread having just discovered Topaz Photo AI myself, and being very impressed with the results in the first post here.

Reading the Topaz site, I was trying to figure out what's the best option. Either purchasing Topaz DeNoise AI, Gigapixel AI and Sharpen AI as individual products, or going for Topaz Photo AI as it technically incorporates all 3?

According to the Topaz site, their eventual end-goal is to replace the 3 standalone products with Photo AI, but I'm guessing they aren't quite there yet? I can't really justify the expense of getting Photo AI AND the other 3 standalone products, so what are people here doing? It's a relatively big expense when you consider they don't offer an "adobe-style" subscription.

Here are some results I got with the Trial version (just screenshots as I can't save in Topaz from the demo version). I have found that the sharpening can be a bit "intense" sometimes, but overall the results are pretty impressive. Of course, I could probably do all of this in Photoshop and Lightroom, but time and patience are in short supply these days

How is everyone else using Topaz?

Cheers!

Hosted photo: posted by Orias in
./showthread.php?p=194​68941&i=i138777997
forum: RAW, Post Processing & Printing

Hosted photo: posted by Orias in
./showthread.php?p=194​68941&i=i49394291
forum: RAW, Post Processing & Printing

I can't remember where I read this (I considered it a reliable source at the time), but the individual programs are supposed to be superior for their specific purpose when compared to using PhotoAI for that specific purpose (ie, only sharpening, or only noise removal). It sounded as if the AI learning acquired through the individual programs is not directly transferrable to PhotoAI, and consequently, PhotoAI has not "learned" to perform any one function better than the dedicated programs.

I have each individual program and PhotoAI, and VideoAI as well. Since you are able to activate/inactivate the different adjustments in PhotoAI (ie. noise removal, sharpening, face recovery, resolution enhancement, upscaling, etc) I usually have no reason to bother with the individual programs. I've compared outputs from each program vs PhotoAI, and 99% of the time PhotoAI looks better to me. It really does a great job of applying an optimal combination of adjustments that seem to complement each other and create an overall better-quality image.

Orias wrote in post #19468941
Hey all,

Sorry, jumping on/re-opening this thread having just discovered Topaz Photo AI myself, and being very impressed with the results in the first post here.

Reading the Topaz site, I was trying to figure out what's the best option. Either purchasing Topaz DeNoise AI, Gigapixel AI and Sharpen AI as individual products, or going for Topaz Photo AI as it technically incorporates all 3?

According to the Topaz site, their eventual end-goal is to replace the 3 standalone products with Photo AI, but I'm guessing they aren't quite there yet? I can't really justify the expense of getting Photo AI AND the other 3 standalone products, so what are people here doing? It's a relatively big expense when you consider they don't offer an "adobe-style" subscription.

Here are some results I got with the Trial version (just screenshots as I can't save in Topaz from the demo version). I have found that the sharpening can be a bit "intense" sometimes, but overall the results are pretty impressive. Of course, I could probably do all of this in Photoshop and Lightroom, but time and patience are in short supply these days

How is everyone else using Topaz?

Cheers!

Hosted photo: posted by Orias in
./showthread.php?p=194​68941&i=i138777997
forum: RAW, Post Processing & Printing

Hosted photo: posted by Orias in
./showthread.php?p=194​68941&i=i49394291
forum: RAW, Post Processing & Printing

Sharpening is a little aggressive and I have to tone it down. If you click on the Noise and Sharpening modules you can tune to taste. I think there are support tickets out for that as well. Here is the PAI roadmap.

https://community.topa​zlabs.com …map-update-jan-2023/38482

Auto mask is pretty good but if you click on Refine you fine tune.

What I and others are finding is that PAI can sometimes struggle with fur. Patches can get really weird artifacts. While I find at times I get better results than DeepPrime, it is my backup for that. I only use PureRaw which does not have DeepPrime XD yet.

Yes the intent is to eventually drop DeNoise, Sharpen and Gigapixel. This will happen one day when Topaz thinks PAI is as good as the 3 stand alone apps. It's what they told me when I submitted a support request.

It is a bit pricey. I already had DeNoise and Sharpen AI. DeNoise was up for renewal last month. I really didn't want Gigapixel but they offered this. If I got it for $80 they would throw in PAI for free. I went with that and all the apps now have support for a year. It does not look like the 3 stand alone apps are getting much support these days anyway.

mannetti21 wrote in post #19468946
I can't remember where I read this (I considered it a reliable source at the time), but the individual programs are supposed to be superior for their specific purpose when compared to using PhotoAI for that specific purpose (ie, only sharpening, or only noise removal). It sounded as if the AI learning acquired through the individual programs is not directly transferrable to PhotoAI, and consequently, PhotoAI has not "learned" to perform any one function better than the dedicated programs.

I have each individual program and PhotoAI, and VideoAI as well. Since you are able to activate/inactivate the different adjustments in PhotoAI (ie. noise removal, sharpening, face recovery, resolution enhancement, upscaling, etc) I usually have no reason to bother with the individual programs. I've compared outputs from each program vs PhotoAI, and 99% of the time PhotoAI looks better to me. It really does a great job of applying an optimal combination of adjustments that seem to complement each other and create an overall better-quality image.

Correct. Currently the 3 individual apps have better refinement controls. More options to choose from. PAI Autopilot does its thing. You can program the defaults to taste. It will open the sharpening module if it thinks it needs it. You can program it do do that or not. Also you open it if want to and fine tune to taste. That includes NR.

Currently I don't use the 3 individual apps at all. I go to PAI first.

A few examples. With my R6II I preferred the results from PAI over DeepPrime. This was consistent throughout the file.

Orignal

Here PAI did some weird stiff in this patch. DXO looked smoother.

This is the original. I usually don't keep OOF shots but this was from a burst sequence. Others were fine.

Thanks both, interesting to get real-world feedback.

A lot of my photos to contain fur! The ones I posted above came out very well I think, but a few others I've tried have come out with the artefacts that you mentioned. They almost look "cartoony" or "sketched", but it can be mitigated fairly well by adjusting the level sliders a bit.
The other thing I take a lot of photos of is planes (air shows etc), which is why your original image with the radio controlled plane caught my eye... that was impressive!

I do like the fact that they seem very active with updates and refinements, which gives me a lot more confident about parting with that much money + getting the updates in the future.

I'll dig through my archives and mess about with some aviation photos on the Trial version too, to see what I can come up with. The problem is that I am fairly strict with deleting anything that's even slightly blurry, so not sure what trial subjects I might have!

Thanks again