Sharpening Tips?

[Iberia A340-600]

Most of my recent rejections from jetphotos and airliners have been because the photos where not sharpened enough and appeared soft.

On my computer they looked pretty damn sharp but the screeners know what they are talking about.

Currently I use the unsharp mask.

My settings usually look like:

Amount
267

Radius
.2

Threshold
8

I mean I know that sharpening really varies on the photo and the light and other circumstances but what are the usual settings used?

[PhilDernerJr]

I never use any threshold. I leave it at 0.

The rest of it depends on your camera, but I think multiple passes at .2 is the way to go. 500 on the first and then to about 138 on the second oen for my Canons.

[Iberia A340-600]

I never use any threshold. I leave it at 0.

The rest of it depends on your camera, but I think multiple passes at .2 is the way to go. 500 on the first and then to about 138 on the second oen for my Canons.

Thanks Phil for the help.

It definitely looks sharper now!

Before:


After:



Unfortunately for me I set the ISO too high on that day so I ended up getting a lot of grain.

[PhilDernerJr]

Not only useful in photoshop, but I usually bring the lasso tool out spotting with me...so I can bring the sun behind me. It helps a lot. ;)

Just busting chops. Hope the sharepning keeps workin out for you Gordo!

[moose135]

I never remember what I use - PS saves my settings, so I'd have to take a look tonight, but Phil's numbers sound about right. One thing that I notice, at least to my eye (and I've used different monitors, so it's not that) is that to avoid a "soft" rejection, I need to get the photo to where it looks a little over-sharpened to me. As always, YMMV.

[NIKV69]

Are you shooting jpeg or raw? If shooting in raw turn off any sharpeningin ACW and do that in the camera too. You want to start with no sharpening at all until the end in PS. Also bump up your amount. I feel 500 is way too much though for the first pass try a bit less I would try something between 300-400. You can always do a second pass at a much less amount if you need more. Also check your monitor calibration. Very important. Start with better captures too, the NW airbus here is dark. Hurts you during capture with AF. A properly lit subject is better at capture and then is much easy to edit and sharpen. Dark subjects tend to be soft and then you try to sharpen them in PS it just leads to problems. Also remember that every pic is different as to how much USM to use. A well lit AA silver fuselage will need almost none where some others need more. You have to just practice and as long as your monitor is calibrated you will know what is good and what is not.

[PhilDernerJr]

I feel 500 is way too much though for the first pass try a bit less I would try something between 300-400. You can always do a second pass at a much less amount if you need more.

I think a lot of it depends ont he camera, as I definitely need a second pass on Canon photos.

FYI for some: Doing two passes at 500 and 100 is the same as doing two passes at 300 and 300.

[Iberia A340-600]

Thanks Nick for the tips.

By the way what is USM?

[NIKV69]

I think a lot of it depends ont he camera, as I definitely need a second pass on Canon photos.

FYI for some: Doing two passes at 500 and 100 is the same as doing two passes at 300 and 300.

I don't know how Canon works but if I did a pass at 500 on a good capture it would be as jaggy as hell. The astrojet I shot the other day needed almost no sharpening. IMO it's better to start with a little less and if you need a little more you can always do a pass at 50 or so.

Thanks Nick for the tips.

By the way what is USM?

Your welcome, Unsharp Mask.

[nwafan20]

I do:

50%
.4 Radius
0 Threshold

I find that worked the best for my needs.

Usually 3 or 4 passes on that.

I might have to try a .2 radius though, what benefits would that have?

[Iberia A340-600]

The final, final result:

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewqueued_b.php?id=1347754

[nwafan20]

Awesome photo! I love it!

[PhilDernerJr]

Godo result.

As you cna see, there are a lot of different techniques. Though photoshop is great for digital imaging, for older photography, I like to run my slides through a Sanford Chicago. I do at least 3 passes.

[Tom_Turner]

Threshold 0
Radius 0.3
Generally *at least* 150 on amount... frequently double that...

But thats generally jpeg and aviation stuff ....

Tom

[nwafan20]

Is it my monitor or is that Sanford Chicago picture oversharpened? ;)