Quality of pictures

[Alan Lyons]

Bill,

Had what turned out to be a short trawl through Neat Image (trail Version), when you work for "dad's taxi service" your time is not your own.

However this looks like a powerful tool once you get your head arround the ideas. The "image process detailed" in the help menu is a good place to start. The preview on part of the image is good to as you can test on key points befor exporting. As I still use slide film ans a Minolta Dual Scan2 a twain source would help no end as you could scan and filter in one move using the profiles option. one thing though, if your film is scrached, Neat Image will sharpen these up too!

Alan

[think(box)]

You're welcome - and thank you both! Required execution order is something I found at significant time cost. I had to redo a lot of batch work. Results were widely variable when I ran the pictures through DCE first and then Neat Image, because Neat Image wasn't getting a uniform starting point in terms of image noise, as in directly from the camera (or scanner in Alan's case).

The non-uniformity was caused by DCE using JPEG EXIF data interpretation to vary how it processes an image. This is a good thing in itself. To forum members - EXIF is EXchangeable Image File info such as shutter speed, F-number, equivalent film speed, flash used, noise reduction used, etc., that all digital cameras store in the picture file when you take a picture. EXIF data is used to do a better job in both printing and post-processing, and is handy to photographers in reviewing their work.

I was using both Neat Image and DCE in sequence only because my older camera puts a lot more noise in pictures than newer cameras do. But even newer digital cameras can have significant noise at "high film speeds", which is really high CCD image pickup electronic amplification (low light photos).

For sure scratches and other strong defects will always need special manual attention before automatic tool batch application. I have scanned a lot of stuff over the years and can take a picture that has been torn into shreds and put it together to look better than the original. Clearly reconstruction is first in sequence.

In light of using automatic tool post-processing, I wonder if sharp edge clone-fixing will provide best results, or whether perhaps soft edge is better, in regards to how the tools handle image noise. Soft-edge cloning can blend and reduce local image noise, while sharp-edge cloning leaves noise intact. There may be detection of noise at cloned region boundaries as content, not noise. Some further learning is needed here.

I have a question related to your slide scanning Alan, about 35mm slide conversion to JPEG that I'll ask in a new topic.

[Alan Lyons]

Hi Bill,

I've been next door and posted on your scan thread. On this subject I would feel that Neat Image should be the first programme after the scan/exposure as this will remove any faults added by the electronics. Like the old days getting to the darkroom with the best negative was half the battle. With that old negative I spoke of it certainly made it easier to see the scratches!

Alan