All RAW files will need some sharpening. The digital image is inherently ever-so-slightly unsharp. This is because above the actual ccd there is an optical layer that throws the image slightly out of focus in order to "Spread the light" a little. This is compensate for the fact that each photosite is only reading a single colour in RGB. There is an algorithm that corrects for this but you do need a certain amount of sharpening.
As a rule of thumb, in unsharp mask, you can set the diameter to between 1/4 and 1/5 the megapixel size of the image. So, in a 6 megapixel image you can start at about 1.2 (1/5 of 6) which will give subtle sharpening to 1.5 (1/4 of 6) which will give you quite strong sharpening. Start the "Amount" at 100%
Increasing the amount will increase the contrast at the edges while the radius changes the thickness of the bright line..
Generally I find it is better to increase the amount rather than the radius.
The threshold can usually be left at 0. This is for when there's some fine detail that you don't want sharpened. It is useful for skin texture or in noisy images where you don't want the noise or other artifacts sharpened.
Herschel Mair
Head of the Department of Photography,
Head of the Department of Photography,
Higher College of Technology
Muscat
Sultanate of Oman
Muscat
Sultanate of Oman
Adobe Certified instructor
+ (986) 99899 673
----- Original Message ----
From: "lookaround360@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <lookaround360@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students <photoforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, November 2, 2006 6:28:04 PM
Subject: RE: digicam soft focus?
From: "lookaround360@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <lookaround360@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students <photoforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, November 2, 2006 6:28:04 PM
Subject: RE: digicam soft focus?
Jeff's a David,
I was afraid PS would be the only solution. I was thinking of Jeff's
beautiful water fountain picture that looked like an object suspended
in light and hoping I could get that effect. It might be interesting to
find light and movement effects unique to P&S digicams. I got a kind of
weird, streaky effect (bubbles) shooting through a fish tank. Knowing
there are endless PS plug-in effects kind of makes in-camera
"creativity" rather academic. Then again, having an in-camera trick or
two in my pocket to use when the inspiration strikes would be cool.
AZ
Build a 120/35mm Lookaround!
The Lookaround Book.
Now an E-book.
http://www.panoramacamera.us
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Re: digicam soft focus?
> From: Jeff Spirer <jeff@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: Wed, November 01, 2006 9:05 pm
> To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students
> <photoforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> Photoshop...
>
> At 06:54 AM 11/1/2006, lookaround360@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> >Hey,
> >
> >What's the trick to making shallow DOF pics with a P&S digicam? I have a
> >little Oly 8mpg. I tried holding the shutter part-way, focusing and
> >then re-framing but the DOF is too much. All I can think to do is the
> >ol' vaseline on a UV filter technique - but with that tiny lens...! I
> >don't want to use PS.
> >
> >Any ideas?
> >
> >Thanks
> >
> >AZ
> >
> >Build a 120/35mm Lookaround!
> >The Lookaround Book.
> >Now an E-book.
> >http://www.panoramacamera.us
>
> Jeff Spirer
> Photos: http://www.spirer.com
> One People: http://www.onepeople.com/
I was afraid PS would be the only solution. I was thinking of Jeff's
beautiful water fountain picture that looked like an object suspended
in light and hoping I could get that effect. It might be interesting to
find light and movement effects unique to P&S digicams. I got a kind of
weird, streaky effect (bubbles) shooting through a fish tank. Knowing
there are endless PS plug-in effects kind of makes in-camera
"creativity" rather academic. Then again, having an in-camera trick or
two in my pocket to use when the inspiration strikes would be cool.
AZ
Build a 120/35mm Lookaround!
The Lookaround Book.
Now an E-book.
http://www.panoramacamera.us
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Re: digicam soft focus?
> From: Jeff Spirer <jeff@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: Wed, November 01, 2006 9:05 pm
> To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students
> <photoforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> Photoshop...
>
> At 06:54 AM 11/1/2006, lookaround360@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> >Hey,
> >
> >What's the trick to making shallow DOF pics with a P&S digicam? I have a
> >little Oly 8mpg. I tried holding the shutter part-way, focusing and
> >then re-framing but the DOF is too much. All I can think to do is the
> >ol' vaseline on a UV filter technique - but with that tiny lens...! I
> >don't want to use PS.
> >
> >Any ideas?
> >
> >Thanks
> >
> >AZ
> >
> >Build a 120/35mm Lookaround!
> >The Lookaround Book.
> >Now an E-book.
> >http://www.panoramacamera.us
>
> Jeff Spirer
> Photos: http://www.spirer.com
> One People: http://www.onepeople.com/
