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Re: [OM] Focus magic beta now available for the mac

Subject: Re: [OM] Focus magic beta now available for the mac
From: Nathan Wajsman <photo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 25 Aug 2013 12:11:20 +0200
I know that some degree of unsharp masking is usually necessary, but if my 
understanding is correct, this software artificially converts out.-of-focus 
shots into something that is more or less in focus. That seems a degree of 
manipulation well beyond standard USM.

Anyway, it is all a moot point. If it doesn't run from within LR, it doesn't 
run on my computer. I am not willing to use more than one piece of software on 
an image. The only exception is panorama stitching.

Cheers,
Nathan

Nathan Wajsman
Alicante, Spain
http://www.frozenlight.eu
http://www.greatpix.eu
PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws
Blog: http://nathansmusings.wordpress.com/

YNWA









On Aug 25, 2013, at 9:35 AM, Moose wrote:

> On 8/22/2013 8:13 AM, Brian Swale wrote:
>> Nathan wrote:
>>> I was anyway doubtful as to whether this software complies with my
>>> self-imposed Digital Code of Conduct, and I don't think it does.
> 
> I would suggest that it might not be a violation. ALL digitization of analog 
> images softens fine detail, be it a digital 
> sensor capturing the image directly from a lens or scanning an analog piece 
> of film or print.
> 
> I explained this, with a simple example, and no math, on Zone-10 long ago. 
> <http://zone-10.com/cmsm/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=149&Itemid=1&limit=1&limitstart=1>
> 
> A couple of quotes:
> 
> "So the unfortunate truth is that ALLdigitally captured images, including 
> scanned film, require some sort of enhancement 
> to reveal to the human eye all the details they contain."
> 
> "If I haven’t lost you on the journey, perhaps you will now agree that 
> sharpening is a natural part of the process of 
> creating a digital image. And further, that knowledgeable, appropriate 
> sharpening is needed for the best final image. 
> Once you learn all that, you will be free and have the proper skills for the 
> final step, deciding how sharp you want 
> your image to be for its end use."
> 
> As Chuck has pointed out, more than once, there are two places in work flow 
> where sharpening is usually appropriate. The 
> first is 'capture sharpening', to recover visible detail lost in the original 
> digital capture. If using a camera with 
> lots of MPs, and intending only to display the image uncropped or only 
> slightly cropped at web sizes, this is superfluous.
> 
> The second point is after downsampling for display. This sampling has the 
> same effect of losing detail as digital 
> capture, and the detail that's there, but not visible because of lost edge 
> contrast. Modest, careful USM sharpening or 
> de-convolution, as in Focus Magic, can restore the missing detail.
> 
> Technically, deconvolution is quite different from USM. It mathematically 
> corrects for lens aberrations. In practice, 
> with a general purpose application like FM, it mostly acts like a better 
> means of recovering fine detail than USM.
> 
> As something only used to recover what was coming from the lens, but lost in 
> digitization, it might pass muster.
> 
>> I think you might find that it runs as a stand-alone program Nathan, AND you
>> get only 10 images out of the trial version before it stops co-operating.
>> I have the windows version from a similar notification some months ago and
>> now I have 8 uses left before it dies and i will remove it from my computer,
>> in all probability.
>> 
>> I remember now; Moose was grumbling at me about something, and
>> mentioned Focus Magic as a tool he uses.
> 
> I believe it must have been post downsizing resharpening.
> 
>> So I tracked it down and tried it.
>> 
>> Not impressed from the first two uses on my machine.. It runs on Windows
>> versions from W'95 onwards. I'm using XP on this machine.
> 
> Two tries is not a trail at all. It is a powerful and useful tool, with 
> several options, that requires some time and 
> practice to use well.
> 
> De Con Moose
> 
> -- 
> What if the Hokey Pokey *IS* what it's all about?
> -- 
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> 

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