Topaz Labs Photo AI v3.3 - with 'Super Focus (Beta)'...

[PKM-UK]

Topaz Labs Photo AI v3.3 is here, featuring a number of enhancements - including the all new ’Super Focus (Beta)’ for out of focus images/ areas.

Tested here on a cropped and (slightly) zoo glass compromised shot, it’s currently achingly slow - you’ll have more than enough time to make a coffee (and I’m taking about growing the beans from scratch!). A relatively small area took 11 minutes to render (MacBook Pro M1 Max 32GB). In fairness, the Topaz release notes concede it’s currently very processor intensive and not particularly quick, but - they’re working on it!

Judge the results for yourselves (unfortunately I can see some new/ false details appear to have been created).

Interesting (in a limit things to the eyes next time sort of way), I'm looking forward to the mkII - and beyond...

Phil

[Edit: I did also try it on 'just the eyes' with a jpeg - this took 17 minutes. The bean-to-cup coffee and Karen's lemon drizzle cake were both very nice... ].


Here you go -

Excerpt from the release notes -

In the beginning -

Coffee time...

Global warming -

Before/ After -

Before -

• Canon EOS R7
• RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
• 135.0 mm
• ƒ/5.6
• 1/640 sec
• ISO 1000

After -

• Canon EOS R7
• RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
• 135.0 mm
• ƒ/5.6
• 1/640 sec
• ISO 1000

 

[ctitanic]

I'm currently using Topaz Denoise and Topaz Sharpening as a plug in to LrC. What would I switch to use Topaz Labs Photo AI? Can this be used as a Plug in to LrC? I'm not planning to ditch LrC and I really do not want another photo editor installed in my PC or paying for another one of them. So what are the advantages if any or I'm looking in the wrong product to enhance the functionalities that I already have with Topaz Denoise and Topaz Sharpening?

 

[ctitanic]

Let me add that if I have to wait 11 minutes to sharpen one of my images I would not buy the product even if it's the best of all the bests in the world market. For me waiting even 1 minute is too but too much. Imagine sharpening 200 pictures! That would be more than 2000 minutes! 1 1/2 day!

 

[PKM-UK]

Hi Frank,

Firstly, if you're happy with the results you're getting with Topaz DeNoise AI and Sharpen AI, then you are in a very good place and my advice would be to stick unless you identify a real need these cannot meet. (You should be aware Topaz Labs have ceased to develop these 'legacy' apps, so no further updates will be issued - however, they should continue working as at present for as long as they remain compatible with the Operating System of your computer).

I have both of these programs - they are truly excellent and still cover 95%+ of what I am looking to get from them. (I just like to play around with software!).

So, #1 - Don't Panic!

Photo AI is (basically) an amalgam of DeNoise AI, Sharpen AI and Gigapixel AI - when it was first launched, the owners of these 3 apps received Photo AI for free (and, in essence, became an unofficial beta tester group for Topaz Labs). In addition to these 3 core functions, it also has things such as face recovery, lighting optimisation and a pseudo-AI driven 'Auto Pilot' which tries to determine what treatment(s) and settings a particular image file requires. You could, for instance, stack several instances of DeNoise and Sharpen - with different treatments applied for the Background, Subject, or via Custom Masks.

(I generally find the Auto Pilot much too aggressive and resort to inputting my own settings/ treatment mixes, which can also be saved as User Presets).

Photo AI can be used as a plug-in for LrC (or Photoshop) or stand alone - same as Denoise AI, Sharpen AI and Gigapixel AI. It is, in many senses still 'under development' with regular - roughly monthly - updates, but Photo AI, along with Video AI and Gigapixel AI, is where Topaz Labs sees its future path.

I understand there is no trial version of Photo AI as such, but it comes with a no quibble 30-day money back guarantee.

I'm not sure where this takes you, but there you go...

[Edit: I've just seen your second post! Photo AI is very system intensive and you would be well advised to meet the recommended specs].

Phil

 

[ctitanic]

Well, thanks for clarifying everything for me! I'm using more and more DXO PureRaw to denoise and only using Topaz sharpening in most of the pictures. If DXO did not do a good job in an individual picture then I apply Topaz Denoise. I use a Tablet PC so there is not too much room for good performance there.

 

[MSH411]

I would agree with Phil, if you like what you are currently using Topaz PAI would have much more to offer. I own most of the Topaz sweet and have become frustrated with their lack of attention to detail and how the new functions appear to be built for people using "super computers". The Super focus locks up system resources for a long time and the results are simply OK. The old sharpen and denoise perform relatively close. Also the releases in my opinion have been sloppy, after closing the new release 3.3.0 it reopens automatically, the software does not always release the memory when it is done processing and it creates challenges multitasking. They are basically using paid subscribers to beta test using their forum for feedback (which is riddled with complaints) to fix problems caused by a lack of attention to detail.

As a long time user I'm honestly disappointed with the performance to PAI when compared to the older legacy software.

Let me add that if I have to wait 11 minutes to sharpen one of my images I would not buy the product even if it's the best of all the bests in the world market. For me waiting even 1 minute is too but too much. Imagine sharpening 200 pictures! That would be more than 2000 minutes! 1 1/2 day!

And personally this is also a major concern for me. How does a person maintain a viable workflow when a function can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours to complete a single task. To develop software that performs so poorly for the masses seems like insanity to me.

I have also started migrating to DXO and most likely will not renew my Topaz licenses when they expire. I think Topaz has lost it's focus on the core functions, what made them popular and have been a bit sloppy on the release of new functionality.

TPAI still doesn't have the profile for the Canon R5 MkII profile months after the release.

 

[PKM-UK]

I would agree with Phil, if you like what you are currently using Topaz PAI would have much more to offer. I own most of the Topaz sweet and have become frustrated with their lack of attention to detail and how the new functions appear to be built for people using "super computers". The Super focus locks up system resources for a long time and the results are simply OK. The old sharpen and denoise perform relatively close. Also the releases in my opinion have been sloppy, after closing the new release 3.3.0 it reopens automatically, the software does not always release the memory when it is done processing and it creates challenges multitasking. They are basically using paid subscribers to beta test using their forum for feedback (which is riddled with complaints) to fix problems caused by a lack of attention to detail.

As a long time user I'm honestly disappointed with the performance to PAI when compared to the older legacy software.



And personally this is also a major concern for me. How does a person maintain a viable workflow when a function can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours to complete a single task. To develop software that performs so poorly for the masses seems like insanity to me.

I have also started migrating to DXO and most likely will not renew my Topaz licenses when they expire. I think Topaz has lost it's focus on the core functions, what made them popular and have been a bit sloppy on the release of new functionality.

Hi Marc,

I use Adobe/ DxO and Topaz software at present for various tasks. If I had to scale back my software use, the Topaz stuff would be the first to go.

I think that says everything.



Phil

 

[MSH411]

Agreed Phil, I use the Adobe suite, mostly PS with TPAI and now DXO. I am beginning to phase Topaz out. What used to be a stable and excellent software platform in my opinion is now just a mess.