How do you sharpen?

[Mike Anderson]

Awhile ago I read that Photoshop's Smart Sharpen was the best sharpener that came with CS3 (there are 5 or so ways to sharpen with CS3), so I've always used Smart Sharpen and haven't done much experimenting. I recently saw a reference to a book about sharpening (a whole book!), so I realize there's more to sharpening than I was aware.

Basically what I'm doing now (in a film scanning workflow) is
1) NOT sharpening during scanning
2) sharpen only once after final resize with a pixel setting about 1/100 inch of print size.

Is this a decent sharpening practice?

I'm curious how other people sharpen, the workflow and sharpening software, and how worthwhile dedicated sharpening software is given I already have Photoshop.

...Mike

[Ed Richards]

After scanning, I sharpen in PS at 100% view until I am just below the point where I get sharpening artifacts. If I want to boost local (micro) contrast, I do that first. Typical values for an 1800 dpi scan of 4x5 - 90 megs, grey scale, 16 bit - is 150% and 1.5 radius, with 2 threshold if there is blank sky that I want to minimize grain in, using TMY-2. A local contrast boost would be 20% at 40 radius, 0 threshold, then apply the sharpening. (All USM). Then I use Quimage to do final sharpening and rescaling based on print size. This means that I do not have to have different versions of my files for different print sizes.

[Shen45]

A file or a wet and dry stone.

[Ari]

I use the Unsharp Mask and it's usually set to 100%, radius from 1 to 1,5 and a threshold of zero. You can adjust those three variables until you get what you like.

[Walter Calahan]

All scanners add a softness I was taught, so I do a little unsharp mask during the scan. Then any additional unsharp masking is done as the final step in file preparation. Any correction is performed at 100% magnification.

[Mark Stahlke]

The book you're thinking of is Real World Image Sharpening. It's well worth the price of admission.

And the answer to your question is "No, that's not a decent sharpening practice." Read the book and you'll understand why.

[Preston]

Here's my procedure for sharpening for color prints...

First, I do little sharpening in my scan. I then open the image in Photo Shop CS2.

I sharpen for print using the lightness channel in LAB color. As I understand it, if you sharpen in the lightness channel you do not run the risk of affecting color. Here's the procedure...

Using LAB Color and Lightness Channel in Photo Shop for Sharpening for Print:
1. Open you image in Photo Shop and size for the print size you want.
2. Flatten the image, if needed, by choosing Layer>Flatten
3. Next, go to Image>Mode and select Lab Color
4. Create a copy of the background layer by choosing Layer>Layer via Copy
5. Zoom to 100%
6. In the Layers pallet, and with your new layer active, select Channels>Lightness (your image will look faded and monotone) You may need to turn off the 'a' and 'b' channels, as well.
7. Next, go to Filter>Unsharp Mask
8. Set the Radius at 1 px, Amount to 80, and Threshold to 4. Click OK
9. To apply more USM, use Ctrl+F. Repeat as necessary to achieve the desired sharpness
10. Flatten the image
11. Go back to Image>Mode and select RGB
12. Make a proof print to assess your sharpening and color.

Note that in the stages where you are applying USM, you can vary the numbers to suit.

I have used this technique extensively, and it works nicely.

--P

[Marko]

The book you're thinking of is Real World Image Sharpening. It's well worth the price of admission.

And the answer to your question is "No, that's not a decent sharpening practice." Read the book and you'll understand why.

I will second that.

If you really want to learn about sharpening, that's THE book. It was written by late Bruce Fraser, who knew more about the topic than all of us put together.

Just make sure you get the 2nd edition.

[Anders Korhonen]

I've been using this lately:

duplicate layer
filter/other/highpass ->radius depending on resolution, wanted effect, usually 0,5-1,5
change blending to overlay or soft light
adjust opacity
use mask to paint away unwanted areas

edit: have not tested by printing, only on screen

[Shutter]

For me "smart sharpen" (cs2 and up) is the best tool, you can control a lot of aspects and use different processes:

Amount: 200-500%
Radius: 0.1-0.2
Remove: Lens Blur

[x] More Accurate