Now most often I use Lightroom Denoise at around 40-50, usually avoiding the artifacting, then if more noise reduction is needed I add it through the old noise reduction method, sort of a combo technique. I really LOVED Topaz AI, but I avoid it now, though once in a while I check back in to see if it got better again.
I have Topaz Photo AI and the biggest issue is that when working with low-resolution images the AI improves faces quite well but it destroys hands in particular creating extra fingers and distorted limbs, worst of all is that when you try to remove this area it doesn't work. I find the best way to use AI for photo restoration is to run the photo through AI first this allows you to zoom the photo in once in Photoshop without seeing only pixels, clean the image etc then run it through AI again. Sometimes if the AI destroys fingers etc I fix them in Photoshop and leave it at that for putting the photo through the AI again creating mangled fingers. Topaz needs to fix this issue of mangled hands and at least make the removal from the subject tool work!
What im reading is that the $199 is for one year with free updates. I pay monthly for the lightroom. I've been thinking about Topaz, but add ons are pricey
i feel the same way but.. 120 - 240 USD per year with software i don't actually own. i've been an adobe user for decades.. i used to work for them as well.. and honestly i want to stop using adobe altogether.. i'm trying to figur eout whether to invst 200 in topaz ai or the standalone.. gigapixel..
From what I understand, you get lifetime access + 1 year of free updated. Meaning you will in the end have lifetime access to the version available in one year at the end
It would be great for you to do a comparison betwee on1 Photoraw and photo AI. Photoraw has photoshop like editing capabilities. Photo AI lacks these capabilities. Thanks
ON1 PhotoRAW and Topaz Photo AI both serve totally different purposes. PhotoRAW is meant to be a total RAW photo editor, while PhotoAI is meant to just be used as a plugin to fix imperfections!
Great software package, with, in my opinion, one drawback. Months back in an update they including some promising editing tools. But then they disappeared. One particular reviewer, who has a vested interest in photoshop, canned it without giving it a chance to improve. He is an affiliate and I think may have some clout at Topaz. They need to bring this back and give it a chance. Denoise in Lightroom is hit and miss imho.
Thank you so much! I do think it is pretty good but you’re probably fine with the individual apps for the time being. Maybe wait and pick it up when it goes on sale!
I have the latest version of Gigapixel 6 - I have not seen anything which shows Gigapixel 7 produces better results. The upscale also sharpens etc so it is not obvious to me what the Sharpen app does differently or better than Gigapixel. Can anyone explain and perhaps post some examples ?
I have used Topaz products for years. However, the current version of Photo AI runs so slowly on my system, that it is unusable. I am using a 2019 Intel MacBook Pro with 32gb RAM and 8GB of video ram. When I questioned Topaz, I was told that I would need to update my system for Photo AI to run more quickly. Denoise AI and Sharpen AI run much faster on my system, but apparently Topaz doesn’t plan to continue updating the individual apps. Too bad!
A year ago I loved Photo AI. But in its current iteration there is way too much artifacting, especially in faces (not a landscape photographer’s problem) and it often has a horrible plastic look even when dialed down. Or you’re left with the choice between noise and plastic. It just can’t handle low-light, high ISO shots with people. I rarely use it now, except in the most extreme circumstances, and even then I am not totally happy with the results. It’s sad, because I used to love it.
