Output Sharpening in Lightroom 4

[kdoc856]

I have recently discovered something that I'd like to see if anyone else has experienced or has suggestions for. My export presets for LR4 include output sharpening. But I've noted that small reflective surfaces llike leaves and stones look significantly over-sharpened I initially used standard, then reduced it to mild with some improvement, and much improved with it turned off completely. I had assumed some output sharpening is necessary for images shared in CiC, but now have to question it. Any one have any thoughts? Best viewed with Lytebox

Standard ouput sharpening


No output sharpening

And even this looks a little more "speculated" than it does in more organizer

[jprzybyla]

I cannot comment on your procedure for exporting images to post in CIC because I do not use the Export function. What I do is to right click the image and choose Edit In...I use Photoshop Elements 10, so I choose that. In PSE I then resize the image for posting choosing in most instances Bicubic Sharper. After the image is resized I then use Unsharp Mask at a radius of 0.03 and a amount of between 50 to 100 depending on the image. This procedure has worked well for me, maybe it will help.

[kdoc856]

Thanks, Joe

I also use PSE10 in addition to LR4, and just might follow that procedure, though I was trying to keep the number of steps as short as possible. But cant live with the present results. Thanks for your help, I apppreciate it.

Kevin

[DanK]

I haven't had problems with output sharpening in LR, but I have only recently switch to LR 4, and it's output sharpening may be different from earlier version. I'm going to do some tests next week in response to your post. Your second one certainly looks better to me. However, it may just be a function of how much sharpening, clarity, and contrast you have in the image before posting it.

[Carl in Louisiana]

I did not have that problem in LR3 but when I upgraded to LR4 I started having that same problem. I also had Nik software and was using it along with LR4. I just thought it was doubling the sharpening and have turned off output sharpening in LR4. If I have any more problems I will have to start learning how to use PSE10 and use Joe's solution. I guess that I am lazy now and not wanting to add more to the workflow. Right now I have to go and check my photos to see if I need to change what I am doing.

[DanK]

Carl,

That does it--I have to test this in LR4. I have to say that I was always a bit puzzled by the logic of output sharpening for the screen. Output sharpening for printing is obvious: you lose apparent sharpness going from a screen image to an inkjet print. However, when you are editing on the screen and have adjusted sharpening to look right on the screen, why would you need additional output sharpening to export a jpeg that will be viewed on screen? I just left LR3 at 'standard,' and the results were fine, so I put aside this puzzle.

Dan

[kdoc856]

Thanks, Dan and Carl for commenting. Dan, I was very careful to make the only difference in the images below the toggling on and off of the output sharpening-absolutely no other pp changes by my hand

[Carl in Louisiana]

Thanks, Dan and Carl for commenting. Dan, I was very careful to make the only difference in the images below the toggling on and off of the output sharpening-absolutely no other pp changes by my hand

Your welcome Kevin!

Hey Dan,

The only change I made to LR4 was to turn output sharpening off. I do however run the photo's thru Nik to sharpen for print to injet printer. I just have not printed anything from LR3 and LR4 to compare. I still have LR3 and will run a couple of prints from LR3 and then do the same thru LR4 and compare the two to see what is going on. Everything looks good on screen, to these old eyes anyway, but don't know about prints.

[Carl in Louisiana]

I had to go back to Nik Sharpener Pro 3.0 to check and see the setting for output sharpening and also checked in LR4 on the drop down tab there is and output sharpening for screen, now whether or not it is needed I can't answer that one maybe some who is more in the know will chime in. Sharpener Pro 3.0 has more selections than LR4 in that Sharpener Pro has sliders to adjust the amount of sharpening you want for the whole image or control points that can be used to just sharpen the image right where you want it without affecting the entire image. LR4 only affects the entire image and has Low, Standard, or High. For printing Sharpener Pro has, injet printing (and four other selections), a selection for-viewing distance, paper type and printer resolution. Not trying to sell you on anything, its just that I am very happy with Nik software.

[Glenn NK]

Carl,

That does it--I have to test this in LR4. I have to say that I was always a bit puzzled by the logic of output sharpening for the screen. Output sharpening for printing is obvious: you lose apparent sharpness going from a screen image to an inkjet print. However, when you are editing on the screen and have adjusted sharpening to look right on the screen, why would you need additional output sharpening to export a jpeg that will be viewed on screen? I just left LR3 at 'standard,' and the results were fine, so I put aside this puzzle.

Dan

Dan:

Good question - if it looks good on the screen, why sharpen for the screen? That's interesting - and logical to me.

Glenn

[Boatman]

I have been using the Jeffrey Friedl plug-in for exporting to the web. It, too, has high and low settings for sharpening. Based on past experience with sharpening 72ppi image, I've been using the high setting. You can see a bunch of examples at https://picasaweb.google.com/homersh...eat=directlink. These are RAW files directly exported to 72ppi JPGs. But I don't know if what Jeffrey is doing is different from what Lr does or if he is just pulling in Lr functions through his interface.

He has bunches of nice plug-ins, some of them may be of use to you. His web site is http://regex.info/blog/lightroom-goodies.