Free Sharpening Scripts for PhotoShop CS/CS2

Thank you.

gmitchel wrote:
I just posted version 1.0f to my site.

It is not possible to close the layer sets generated by the scripts
automatically.

/

Thanks for adding the message Mitch. The scripts work really well, and as always it pays to actually read the documentation before using something new

Well I have downloaded the actions have run them over a few different type of images.


I guess I need to read up on sharpening more and the terms, but I will ask here .

When should you use the different options. There is 13 different options. I understand the 4 main groups : capture, Creative, output , serice, but how to differeniate between all of these.


Thanks for the Actions, I just want to get the most out of them. I guess I need it broken down in laymens terms.

Capture sharpening should be done shortly after digital capture. Most peeople do it after they load their image in PS from ACR or a third-party RAW converter.

You might want to apply noise reduction first. If you do, you might want to run the capture sharpener first with Masks Only checked. You can use the surface mask as a layer mask for noise reduction. When you finish with that, you can delete the channels to save space.

Capture sharpening should be just enough to remove sharpness lost during digital capture. Do not get carried away and sharpen the image for output at this stage or you invite sharpening artifacts later as you adjust tone and color.

With CS2, you have a choice -- USM or Smart Sharpen. Smart Sharpen will use just one layer, so it consumes fewer resources. With CS, you get USM. USM gives you more flexibility. You can adjust the light and dark contours separately for edges and also apply some sharpening to surface details.

Creative Sharpening is optional. I find most images benefit from Haze Reduction. It gives images a bit more "pop." Again, you can choose from USM and Smart Sharpen for CS2. CS offers onl.y USM. With creative sharpening/bluring, you paint in the effect. So it is an excellent way to apply sharpening to localized areas of an image. If you use low opacity/fill, the sharpening will build up gradually and blend in smoothly.

Output sharpening is the final round of sharpening. This is the round of sharpening where you want the image to look a bit over-sharpened if you are sending it to print.

With capture sharpening, you can choose from four mask widths. For most images, you just check the normal width and leave it at that. Portraits can benefit from wide. Images that are predominantly very fine details can benefit from a narrower mask.

Expert mode lets you take control over the sharpening settings.

Cheers,

Mitch

The doc you included with your scripts is a great touch, very helpful in explaining what is going on and when to use what.

I've always wondered how sharpening applies to images when they are going to be used for displaying to a Television Set (standard or High Dev)? I use an excellent program from Canopus called Imaginate2 that can use very high res images and you can zoom into a photo so the image my not be completely static. I was just wondering if there are standards in terms of sharpening applied to this situation such as it is with the many other output mediums you've talked about.

I tried these scripta and they did nothing. What am I doing wrong. It went thru tons of adjustments but the final image was the same.

I've tried many sharpening tools and finally settled on PhotoKit. From what I've read, your scripts sound very similar. So I was wondering, what, in your opinion, separates your scripts from PhotoKit? (in what ways is it better or different)

I'm asking mainly because I've tried and thrown away so many that I'm a little leary of trying yet another. But your description here so far has been very interesting... I might even get lured in one more time.

I tried these scripts. Quite a few adjustments but little or no change to my image. What am I doing wrong?

Ron, I think it depends on what script your using. If you are using the "creative" script, then it mask the entire sharpened layer and you basically paint in the spots you would like sharpened. If you are using the other scripts, perhaps the script is running on a layer that doesnt have anything to sharpen on. I can't remember if you have to have the background layer selected or not. Mitch could say for sure. I usually go into sharpening with a flattened image to conserve memory.

It's worth reading through the guide to better understand what this type of sharpening is doing to your image.

Ron:

Which version are you using? Version 1.0f is the latest.

Todd is correct. If you select the Creative Sharpener, there will be no evident effect until you "paint in" where on the layer mask you want the sharpening with the brush tool set to white as the foreground.

If you are using an earlier version and you forgot to close the layer set that the capture script generates, you can wind up with a mess if you subsequently run the creative sharpener or output sharpener. Version 1.0f will not run if the layer set is open and active. It cannot close it, but it will display a warning and exit.

Cheers,

Mitch

dwterry wrote:
I've tried many sharpening tools and finally settled on PhotoKit. From what I've read, your scripts sound very similar. So I was wondering, what, in your opinion, separates your scripts from PhotoKit? (in what ways is it better or different)

I'm asking mainly because I've tried and thrown away so many that I'm a little leary of trying yet another. But your description here so far has been very interesting... I might even get lured in one more time.

Important differences:

PK Sharpener costs $99.95. My scripts are free.

PK Sharpener provides only one method for capture sharpening and creative sharpening. USM for both. My scripts offer two. USM or Smart Sharpen.

PK Sharpener provides only luminosity edge mask sharpening for capture sharpening. My scripts offer both luminosity edge masks and enhanced edge masks that also include color boundaries.

My script set allows you to generate masks only. Helpful for noise reduction (use the surface mask) or to "roll your own" sharpening.

PK Sharpener offers you no control over the strength of the sharpening effect, except to adjust layer opacity. My scripts offer a choice of five presets.

My scripts allow you to apply surface sharpening. PK Sharpener does not.

My scripts allow you to customize the default values for the various features. PK Sharpener allows no customization.

My scripts will run without a UI, making them well-suited to be called by an action or another script for batch processing. PK Sharpener does not.

My scripts are open source. If you know JavaScript, you can customize everything. PK Sharpener uses compiled automation objects that are not open to modification.

You can see all of the settings used by my scripts. Great for learning or modifying. PK Sharpener's settings are a trade secret that Bruce Fraser has been unwilling to disclose.

My scripts have an Advanced mode that allows you to modify all of the relevant settings. PK Sharpener does not.

I've seen the customer service that Pixel Genius provides. I own a copy of PK Sharpener. I answer questions here and about a dozen other forums and my own Yahoo! Group. When bugs are discovered or new features are suggested, I try to take care of them promptly (I think I've had six updates in as many weeks). IOW, I think I provide better user support than Pixel Genius.

The only comparative advantage I can see, is that using compiled automation objects is faster than going through Photoshop's scripting engine. So PK Sharpener does typically run faster. It's hard to quantify, however, since my scripts do a lot more in some cases.

When it comes to sharpening results, depending on the settings you select, my testing shows that you will get results as sharp or sharper and with the same or fewer artifacts.

I spent weeks going blind comparing the results from my scripts, PK Sharpener, Focal Blade, and Nik! Sharpener on my own files, submitted files, and offset & dye sub test prints forwarded by alpha/beta testers.

I won't tell you that on every image you will see a significant difference with my scripts, PK Sharpener, Focal Blade, or Nik! Sharpener. On any particular image and depending on the settings you choose for each package, the results might vary.

Where you are likely to see a jaw dropping difference is between the results with any of thes tools and sharpening with something like USM without all the extra features these tools add.

Certainly, the price is right for a comparison! All you have to lose with my scripts is a little time testing them. They are free to all for the download. There's no string attached. You're downloading the full scripts. No demo or crippled copy.

Thanks for the question.

Cheers,

Mitch

I made a minor change to the output sharpener script.

You could get some color shifts with the output sharpener.

The capture and creative sharpeners use a luminosity blend for RGB
images. Experienced users know that USM should use luminosity blend or
fade to luminosity to limit color shifting during sharpening. My
experience is that you should do the same with Smart Sharpen.

Highpass filter sharpening, which is used by the output sharpening
script, uses a layer blend mode. Instead, what you can do is use
Desaturate on the layer to prevent color shifting. Version 1.0g does
just that.

Enjoy your digital photography!

Cheers,

Mitch

Mitch...

Do you mind if I, our anyone else recommends your free scripts on other forums,. and we provide links to TLRS?

(I assume you don't but like to ask first )

I welcome others pointing to the URLs for the scripts.

I want as many people as possible to know about the scripts and have the opportunity to use them.

Some people get testy when I point people to the URLs, claiming it is an effort drive people away from one site and to another (not my motivation). When you or someone else points to them, it's not an issue.

I added a reference on Adobe's download site. I sent a copy of everything today to Jim Lewis at Acton Central, too. Matt Kloskowski is including them (and other actions from my site) on his forthcoming training DVD. More references helps spread the news.

The only site that houses a copy is Jim's Action Central site. Adobe points back to my site. The reason is the frequent updates. If I allow lots of people to redistribute, keeping the copies on the Web synchronized becomes difficult.

I'm pleased you find the scripts worth recommending to others. Thanks for the courtesy of asking.

Cheers,

Mitch

Mitch,
Just want to say THANK YOU!!: http://plan-b.smugmug.com/photos/2​9641582-L.jpg