What's the difference between Unsharp Mask in CS3 and Sharpening in LR2?

anonymouscuban

Over the past weeks I have tried using Unsharp mask in CS3 as well as sharpening in LR2. Recently I tried sharpening several images in both. I find that Unsharp Mask results in a much crisper image than LR2.

Is there an actual difference or is that I am not applying it correctly in LR2? Also, is there a better way to sharpen images in CS3 than either of these methods?

arodney

anonymouscuban wrote:

Is there an actual difference or is that I am not applying it correctly in LR2? Also, is there a better way to sharpen images in CS3 than either of these methods?

Its not the same algorithms, LR processes the data using linear encoded data while Photoshop does this in gamma corrected data, one is simply a set of instructions, the other edits pixels. There's vastly more visual control over capture sharpening (the alt/option drag on the sliders in develop is amazing and would take multiple steps to even view/see in Photoshop). LR is totally non destructive, that's not the case in Photoshop. Bottom line, lots of differences, LR is significantly faster, more powerful. Its also based on a capture workflow where in Photoshop, you're on your own*

*http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/20357.html

pathfinder

anonymouscuban wrote:

Over the past weeks I have tried using Unsharp mask in CS3 as well as sharpening in LR2. Recently I tried sharpening several images in both. I find that Unsharp Mask results in a much crisper image than LR2.

Is there an actual difference or is that I am not applying it correctly in LR2? Also, is there a better way to sharpen images in CS3 than either of these methods?

When you say that Unsharp Mask results in a much crisper image than sharpening in LR, I find this hard to fully accept without seeing examples.

I capture sharpen my RAW files in LR2 ( or ACR 5.2or3) and find them very sharp and satisfactory. I really don't have to sharpen hardly at all in Photoshop, maybe just a touch of local contrast enhancement. I do perform some output sharpening in Lightroom2 when printing files. I print a number of my files at 14x21 inches, so I do get an opportunity to see how they look in print.

Are you sure what you are seeing with Unsharp mask is really sharpening, and not halos or jpg artifacts?

The ability to use a mask while sharpening in LR or ACR is a very powerful tool that lets one sharpen significantly without the halos or artifacts frequently seen in Unsharp Mask.

colourbox

anonymouscuban wrote:

Over the past weeks I have tried using Unsharp mask in CS3 as well as sharpening in LR2. Recently I tried sharpening several images in both. I find that Unsharp Mask results in a much crisper image than LR2.

OK so Unsharp Mask is crisper, but is it better sharpening? By that, when you look at it from all aspects, does it protect inherent image quality better than Lightroom? More on that in the second answer below.

Is there an actual difference or is that I am not applying it correctly in LR2? Also, is there a better way to sharpen images in CS3 than either of these methods?

Technically, there are much better ways to sharpen using Photoshop. The problem is, those better ways take so much time and trouble that you won't want to bother, because they involve an arcane series of advanced steps to get around the kind of artifacts bare Unsharp Mask can produce, like color fringing and unwanted sharpening of noise in broad areas. The thing about Lightroom (and Camera Raw) sharpening is that they encode many of the advanced techniques into the sliders, so instead of you performing so many steps on each image, you just drag a slider. A Lightroom sharpening slider doesn't just move one number. It does a lot of sophisticated processing designed to protect your image quality if you use it right.

How do you use it right? Martin Evening has a great tutorial for understanding what Lightroom sharpening does.

anonymouscuban

Thanks for replies.

I should have premised my original post with the fact that I am a novice to all of this stuff. The Unsharp Mask results do look crisper than my LR attempts but that is to my untrained eye. Also, my use of LR is all trial and error. I just received Scott Kelby's LR book today so hopefully that will help better my skills in LR.

Also, I just read some stuff on the Net regarding sharpening in general. I now understand what percentage, radius and threshold function. I also understand how over sharpening can really ruin an image and what signs to look for to avoid over sharpening.

I will read the links you provided to the information on LR. And then post back any questions that I have.

Thanks again guys.

anonymouscuban

WOW... very good information guys. I just read through the links you guys provided. The tutorial was very helpful. Now I understand what you guys mean about the complexity of what is going on behind the scenes of LR. I now understand why my Unsharp Mask image was more crisp. I was apply the sharpening tools in LR correctly. I had no idea what the detail and mask sliders did so I was really using them. Also, I was unaware of the use ALT key and how it displays the luminance detail. Now I understand!!

Thanks.

Alex

arodney

anonymouscuban wrote:

I just read through the links you guys provided.

Here's one more:
http://lightroom-news.com/lightroom-11-update/sharpening/

I would argue that the sharpening is "better" in Photoshop than Lightroom. Especially with respect to attempting to visual sharpen for output which is fraught with issues and automated in LR plus based on the capture sharpening. Bruce Fraser was instrumental in adapting his ideas (and those built into PhotoKit Sharpener) into Lightroom using the concepts in the above PDF. The Adobe engineers also improved all this in version 2.0!

anonymouscuban

Guys... I just want to thank you for the help. After reading the information you posted and also reading through the bit on sharpening in Scott Kelby's LR book, I have a much better understanding of the sharpening sliders in LR and see how effecient it is. Now I understand how LR is doing a bunch of stuff in the background for you, stuff that would take several steps and layers in PS.

Man... I thought I knew what I was doing in LR until I got Kelby's book. I am half way through it and have already learned a lot.

azman

Yes indeed, thank you very much for the information here. It is very very usefull!

Cheers