New Topaz plug-in released

[plugsnpixels]

Called Topaz Clarity. Includes many presets.

"Topaz Clarity is the ultimate tool to create compelling and powerful images by intelligently enhancing contrast and clarity with absolutely no artifacts or halos. With just a few clicks you can easily manipulate your micro, mid-tone and overall contrast, transforming your image from ordinary to extraordinary, while maintaining the natural feeling and tonality you are after."

[rpcrowe]

I wonder what advantages this bundle has over the NIK Software Suite?

[plugsnpixels]

It's not owned by Google for starters! Plus Topaz offers its own "host" (photoFXlab) so you aren't beholden to Adobe either. Of course as plug-ins, the Topaz titles work in PS, PSP, etc.

Compared to the Google/Nik suite, you will find some similarity of effects and some differences. Topaz offers 30-day trial versions so anyone can test them out.

[Brev00]

The biggest advantage of Topaz over Nik that I have found so far is that Topaz Denoise is simply a wonderful noise reduction tool. I get much more precise results (losing little to no detail) than I do with Nik Dfine. On the other hand Color Efex is a great plug-in that helps me to very easily make small adjustments that enhance the image in a number of different ways. I bought Nik first due to its reduced price and the fun I had with the free trial. Topaz is a lot more money, but I found the bundle on Ebay for much less than retail and added that to my Elements 9 home base. It is really way too much to have but it will keep me busy on those cold, wintry days when I have nothing to shoot and nothing but a warehouse of images to rework.

[tclune]

The problem I have with the Topaz suite is figuring out which plug-in is meant for what. I use and like Denoise and Detail. Both of them are useful and easy to use. I don't use InFocus because I never found its controls intelligible. So I use FocusMagic for my deconvolution sharpening. But, if they add "Clarity" to the mix, when would you use that instead of (or in addition to) those others? Topaz just seems to keep multiplying entities in a way that gets more and more confusing.

[plugsnpixels]

Topaz is aware of the need to tighten up their product line. I suggested a monster plug-in (such as Adjust on steroids) to incorporate all of their image enhancement/correction. Then another plug-in could handle the artsy effects from Clean and Simplify, etc.

At any rate, it's good they keep improving their technology and the new GUI rivals that of other top developers. Plus they insist on offering free upgrades out of respect for their customers.

[TerryScuba]

Hi Tom

From a devoted fan of Topaz plug-ns, the best recomendation I can give you (what I did to learn) check out Topazlabs Tutorials on YouTube.

Terry
p.s. I've just bought Clarity.

[plugsnpixels]

Today, 5/31 (until midnight Central Time in the US) Clarity is on sale for 40% off. Drops to 15% thereafter.

[Brev00]

I have been using the Topaz Clarity free trial for several days with very good results. I still like Color Efex, but, in one head-to-head comparison, I liked the results from Clarity more. It seems very precise, really easy to make minor adjustments on the presets and a whole lot of presets to choose from. I wound up taking advantage of the discount and buying it. I think you will like it. Like any other software, in the wrong hands, it can create overdone images. But, it is easy to scale back and keep it natural. I sometimes move the image to Color Efex from Clarity for further adjustments. Peanut butter and chocolate.

[gerryp123]

When I "discovered" Nik a couple of weeks ago I thought it was outstanding (and still do). Their U-Point technology was a fresh new approach to targeted adjustments -- such as dealing with facial shadows in portraits. I've used this extensively with great success. Nik tools seemed to do very well in most situations - better than PS or LR.

Now that I've had a chance to play with some of the Topaz tools, I generally find these even better than the Nik suite. The amount of NR and detail enhancement is outstanding. Most of the time using only their presets does the trick. A real time saver.

I've reworked several of my Nik edits for comparison, and Topaz usually comes out on top. I'll still be using Nik (esp for B&W) but right now I'm a big Topaz fan.

Who knows what next week will bring ??

[plugsnpixels]

Who knows what next week will bring ??

Actually... there will be some news for you soon!

[rpcrowe]

Mike, are you connected to the Topaz organization? Some of your posts seem like PR releases.

Sorry in advance if I am wrong. I sing the praises of the Joe Demb Flash Diffuser Pro all the time and I am not financially connected to that organization at all...

BTW: I quit using Topaz when my computer technician erased my hard drive totally due to a virus. Despite having the control code for which I had paid, I was never able to get Topaz up and running again...

[HaseebM]

I have the Topaz Adjust 30 day trial and liking it. Will soon buy the full version next month. Maybe add a couple of plug-ins as they seem to work quite well with PSE 9.

[plugsnpixels]

Hi Richard, I don't work for Topaz (they are one of several developers who support my website). I work in higher Ed IT. For the past decade I have focused on getting the word out about plug-ins and related apps as a free service to the photo community. I also beta test for some developers as well so know what's coming down the pipes.

As for getting your Topaz plug-ins running again, if you wish to do that I would like to help (I can correspond with them directly).

[plugsnpixels]

PS: I contacted Richard awhile back and offered some advice; waiting to hear how it went.