Two different sharpening technique. Which one is better?

cocasanacocasana Registered Users Posts: 150 Major grins
edited April 2, 2007 in Technique
This rather uninteresting shots works well for the purpose.
I've sharpened the first one using my normal workflow. The second one has been sharpened using a rather different one. The result is rather similar to my eyes. I would be interested in your opinion. Are they good? which one is better? Thanks, Carlo

This is the old workflow

Comments

  • cocasanacocasana Registered Users Posts: 150 Major grins
    edited March 25, 2007
    This is the new one
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited March 25, 2007
    Carlo,
    It's damn hard to play this kind of games at those web resolutions.

    Do you think you can post 3-4 100% crops side by side?
    Like: skies; poles/wires; nearest bushes; pavement.
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • LiquidAirLiquidAir Registered Users Posts: 1,751 Major grins
    edited March 25, 2007
    The second one doesn't have as much contrast in the mid-tones. For this shot, I think I perfer the the old workflow because it does a better job of separating the bushes from the wall behind them.

    Personally, I have 3 or 4 different sharpening strategies depending on what the photo needs. I don't think there is one universally best way to sharpen.
    Liquid Air - Gallery - Blog
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited March 25, 2007
    I agree with Nick that it is hard to discern a great deal of difference viewed on the WEB, but I think LiquidAir is also correct about the decrease in contrast in the mid tones in the second version..
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • cocasanacocasana Registered Users Posts: 150 Major grins
    edited March 26, 2007
    Thanks dear dgrin friends for stopping and commenting.
    I can't but agree with you on every point. When I wrote that I thought that this shot worked well for a sharpening test, I didn' write it but I intended a midium-high frequency image, as Bruce Fraser would have called it.
    Both shots were "Multipass" sarpened on three different layers. In the "Old" one the first layer was set on Darken blending mode and had a USM treatment. The other two were set on Luminosity and were treated with Smart Sharpen. In the "New" one all three layers were set on Luminosity blending mode (66%) with a "Blend if" selection for midtones. All three had a Smart Sharpen treatment.
    The beneath image is a 400% enlargement of a detail. The left (for the viewer) comes from the "New" one. The right one from the "Old" one.
    Later I'll upload a new enlarge detail comparison image
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited March 26, 2007
    Carlo,
    I'd say 400% is an overkill, but since there is no 100%...

    Both have the same problems (lots of floating false edges on both poles and wires), but I like details on the right one more.

    HTH
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • cocasanacocasana Registered Users Posts: 150 Major grins
    edited March 27, 2007
    Nikolai wrote:
    I'd say 400% is an overkill, but since there is no 100%...

    Both have the same problems (lots of floating false edges on both poles and wires), but I like details on the right one more.

    HTH
    Nikolai,
    I'm sorry I was late uploading the 100% image. I'll do it in a few minutes.
    This is a 100% crop of the original shot right out of ACR. If I'm looking at right things more then false edges they look to my eyes like details.
  • cocasanacocasana Registered Users Posts: 150 Major grins
    edited March 27, 2007
    100%
    New one on viewer's left. Old one on viewer's right.
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited March 27, 2007
    Carlo,
    cocasana wrote:
    New one on viewer's left. Old one on viewer's right.

    It's still very hard to see...
    Anyway...
    I like the bush details on the left and everything else on the right.

    HTH
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • KhaosKhaos Registered Users Posts: 2,435 Major grins
    edited April 2, 2007
    The 2nd has a lot more white being used in the contrast for sharpening. Look at the lower right corner at the branches and leaves. The old workflow doesn't use the white as much.

    That being said, I would prefer the 2nd one if you toned it down a little. It's sharper but a tad too much.
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