Workflow--Need Clarity

[Ed Turlington]

I have used PK Sharpener, along w/ C1, Imageprint, and the 2200, for a year or so. Am (almost) certain that when I read the original workflow "how-to" info that I was instructed to ALWAYS Capture Sharpen as the very first step after conversion from raw to tiff--with the exception of noise reduction that should be the first step for files at high iso.

Then I read a couple days back (not positive if directions from the pixelgenius crew or in a forum) that all major tonal adjustments, etc, should be done PRIOR to Capture Sharpen.

1. which is it, Cap. Sharpen, then Curves/Levels/ etc? or
2. Major adjustments/levels/color/tone etc, then Capture sharpen?

finally:
3. Should resize (including down res for 4x6 and 5x7 prints) as the next to last step, just prior to Output sharpening? (not prior to capture sharpening?)

thx for your help!

Ed

[lilricky]

While I capture sharpen with another product, I remember reading that you use PK as the 1st step in the process. Use output sharpining as the final step.
FWIW, I don't know what I would do without the creative sharpening options.

[mikeearly]

Then I read a couple days back (not positive if directions from the pixelgenius crew or in a forum) that all major tonal adjustments, etc, should be done PRIOR to Capture Sharpen
1. which is it, Cap. Sharpen, then Curves/Levels/ etc? or
2. Major adjustments/levels/color/tone etc, then Capture sharpen?
finally:
3. Should resize (including down res for 4x6 and 5x7 prints) as the next to last step, just prior to Output sharpening? (not prior to capture sharpening?)


Ed, you are probably going to get a couple of different answers on this one 'cause it is going to depend on how you define "major". If you are using C1 to process from raw to tif I would assume that you are using the controls in C1 to make some overall image adjustments - i.e., white balance, exposure, highlight, shadow -- and maybe even curves with C1. In which case you are doing some major tonal adjustments prior to capture sharpen. If you still have lots of major tonal work to do after conversion, then I would encourage you to use the C1 conversion (or ACR conversion) tools a little bit more. To me this does not mean that one can not also throw a little curves or levels adjustment layer on the image -- just that most of the work is done during the conversion. The other real answer here is to try it both ways and see what you like better. Personally I have been very happy running capture sharpen after conversion (which includes major tonal adjustments for me) and then additional processing from there.

In terms of resizing -- I always save my "worked" image and then depending on which size I want to print, I resize the saved image and then run output sharpening. I just never now what size I am going to want so I always save the base image and then do sizing and sharpening from there.

Hope that helps.

[gstark]

ED
I just notice that your question is very well answered in this very forum a few threads down on page two under "Capture Sharpening" with input from both Bruce and Jeff.