BEST software for FIXING BLURRED / OUT OF FOCUS portraits

Glyn Dewis
21 Feb 202308:22

TLDRIn this video, the creator discusses the challenge of fixing a blurred portrait where the camera focused on the subject's hair instead of her eyes. They explore three different software solutions: Luminar Neo, On1 Noise A.I., and Topaz Sharpen AI. After testing each, they find that Luminar Neo's super sharp feature does little to improve the image, while On1 Noise A.I. provides a decent result by combining noise reduction and sharpening. However, Topaz Sharpen AI delivers the most impressive results, significantly enhancing the sharpness of the eyes with minimal noise and without altering the skin tone. The video concludes with the creator expressing gratitude for the existence of such powerful editing tools, despite hoping never to need them again.

Takeaways

  • 📸 The photographer was pleased with a recent female portrait but discovered a focus issue where the camera focused on the hair instead of the eyes.
  • 🛠️ Software was used to attempt to fix the blurred focus issue, which was crucial as a lack of sharpness in the eyes would render the portrait unsalvageable.
  • 🔍 The photographer researched online for software that could fix blurred or out-of-focus images and found three options: Luminar Neo, On1 Noise A.I., and Topaz Sharpen AI.
  • 🚫 Luminar Neo's super sharp feature did not produce satisfactory results for the portrait, with little to no improvement in focus.
  • ✅ On1 Noise A.I. showed better results when using both noise and sharpness adjustments, improving the eye detail and skin tone.
  • 🌟 Topaz Sharpen AI provided the best outcome, significantly enhancing the eye focus with minimal noise and preserving the original skin tone.
  • 🎨 The photographer used a selective approach in Photoshop by applying Topaz Sharpen AI to a duplicate layer and masking to only affect the eyes.
  • 🤔 Despite skepticism, the effectiveness of Topaz Sharpen AI on the portrait was surprising and impressive.
  • 🙏 The photographer expressed gratitude for the existence of such software, acknowledging its potential for saving otherwise ruined photos.
  • ❌ There is a hope not to rely on these software solutions for fixing focus issues in the future, emphasizing the importance of getting the shot right initially.
  • 👍 The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to support the channel through likes, subscriptions, and shares if they found the content useful.

Q & A

  • What was the main issue with the portrait that the photographer initially faced?

    -The main issue was that the camera had focused on the subject's hair instead of her eyes, which could have ruined the portrait.

  • What is the first software mentioned in the transcript for fixing blurred or out-of-focus images?

    -The first software mentioned is Luminar Neo, which the photographer used in conjunction with Lightroom.

  • What was the photographer's experience with Luminar Neo's Super Sharp feature?

    -The photographer found that Luminar Neo's Super Sharp feature did not significantly improve the focus of the portrait, even when using different settings.

  • Which software did the photographer find to be the most effective in enhancing the sharpness of the eyes in the portrait?

    -The photographer found Topaz Sharpen AI to be the most effective software for enhancing the sharpness of the eyes in the portrait.

  • How did the photographer use Topaz Sharpen AI in Photoshop?

    -The photographer duplicated the image in Photoshop and sent the duplicate into Topaz Sharpen AI. After processing, a black layer mask was added, and a white brush was used to selectively bring back the sharpness in the eyes.

  • What was the photographer's overall impression of Topaz Sharpen AI?

    -The photographer was very impressed with Topaz Sharpen AI, describing the results as 'insanely good' and 'incredibly clever stuff'.

  • What was the photographer's opinion on using software to fix blurred or out-of-focus images in the future?

    -While the photographer was glad that such software exists, they expressed a hope that they would never have to use it again to fix a blurred or out-of-focus image.

  • What was the issue with the sharpening introduced by On1 Noise AI?

    -The sharpening introduced by On1 Noise AI improved the eye detail but also added a lot of noise and altered the skin tone.

  • How did the photographer feel about the effectiveness of software advertised for fixing blurred images?

    -Initially, the photographer was skeptical about the effectiveness of such software, especially when used on images as bad as the ones advertised by the companies.

  • What was the photographer's setup for taking the portrait mentioned in the transcript?

    -The setup was a simple one light from above in front of the subject, aimed down to a reflector held just below chest height.

  • What advice was given in the Adobe.com article about blurry photos?

    -The article advised to use the sharpening adjustments in Lightroom’s Detail panel and suggested that one can always adjust blurry photos later.

  • Why did the photographer decide to try multiple software solutions for fixing the focus issue?

    -The photographer was unsure which software to use and wanted to test each of them to see if any could save the portrait with the focus issue.

Outlines

00:00

📸 Overcoming Camera Focus Issues with Software

The speaker shares their experience with a recent female portrait that nearly went wrong due to the camera focusing on the subject's hair instead of her eyes. They express their satisfaction with the outcome despite the initial problem. The video aims to demonstrate how software was used to correct the focus issue. The speaker discusses their research into various software options for fixing blurred images, mentioning Adobe's Lightroom and its deblurring capabilities, but noting that it's not as straightforward as advertised. They then test three well-known software solutions: Luminar Neo, On1 Noise A.I. 2023, and Topaz Sharpen AI, detailing the process and results of each.

05:00

🔍 A Comparative Review of Image Sharpening Software

After testing Luminar Neo and finding it ineffective for their specific portrait, the speaker moves on to On1 Noise A.I., which initially also fails to impress but shows promise when used in conjunction with its Tack Sharp AI feature, significantly improving the eye detail and skin tone. Finally, they discuss their success with Topaz Sharpen AI, which provided remarkable results with minimal effort, allowing for fine-tuning of blur removal and noise suppression. The speaker concludes by admitting their skepticism about such software but acknowledges being impressed with the results, especially considering the poor initial condition of the image. They express hope not to encounter similar issues in the future but appreciate the existence of such corrective software.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Portrait

A portrait is a photograph or artistic representation of a person that captures their likeness and character. In the video, the portrait is the central subject, as the photographer discusses how software was used to fix a focus issue with a portrait of a female subject.

💡Focus

Focus in photography refers to the adjustment or setting that determines which parts of an image are sharp and clear. The video script mentions an overconfidence that led to the camera focusing on the subject's hair instead of her eyes, which is critical for a compelling portrait.

💡Software

Software are programs or applications designed to perform specific tasks on a computer. In the context of the video, the photographer explores different software options to correct the out-of-focus issue in a portrait photograph.

💡Luminar Neo

Luminar Neo is a photo editing software that was tested in the video for its ability to fix blurred or out-of-focus images. The script describes the process of using Luminar Neo's 'Super Sharp' feature and the results obtained from it.

💡On1 Noise A.I. 2023

On1 Noise A.I. 2023 is another photo editing software mentioned in the video. It is used to reduce noise and enhance sharpness in images. The script details the steps taken to use this software and the outcome when applying its 'Tack Sharp AI' feature.

💡Topaz Sharpen AI

Topaz Sharpen AI is a software specifically designed for enhancing the sharpness of images. The video demonstrates its effectiveness in correcting the focus issue in the portrait by using sliders to adjust blur type and noise suppression.

💡Lightroom

Adobe Lightroom is a popular photo editing and organization software. The video script describes the process of exporting a photo from Lightroom to use with Luminar Neo, On1 Noise A.I., and Topaz Sharpen AI.

💡Blur

Blur in photography is the unintentional lack of sharpness in an image, often caused by incorrect focus or camera shake. The video's main theme revolves around fixing blur in portraits using various software solutions.

💡Deblur

Deblur is a term used to describe the process of reducing or eliminating blur in an image. The video references an article on Adobe.com that discusses the concept of deblurring and the use of sharpening adjustments in Lightroom.

💡Sharpening Adjustments

Sharpening adjustments are edits made to an image to increase the clarity and detail of the edges within the photo. The video mentions that while the article on Adobe.com suggests using Lightroom's Detail panel for sharpening, the process is not as straightforward as implied.

💡Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is a widely used image editing software for advanced photo manipulation. In the video, the photographer uses Photoshop to apply selective sharpening to the eyes of the portrait using a layer mask and brush tool after processing with Topaz Sharpen AI.

Highlights

The photographer was pleased with a recent portrait but realized the camera had focused on the subject's hair instead of her eyes.

Software was used to fix the focus issue on the portrait.

An article on the photographer's website explains the setup, lighting, and process for taking the portrait.

The importance of sharp eyes in a portrait is emphasized; if the eyes aren't sharp, the portrait may not be usable.

Adobe's article suggests using Lightroom’s Detail panel for sharpening adjustments but acknowledges it's not a simple fix.

Three software options known for fixing blurred or out-of-focus images were tried: Luminar Neo, On1 Noise A.I., and Topaz Sharpen AI.

Luminar Neo's super sharp feature didn't significantly improve the portrait and even altered the subject's face.

On1 Noise A.I.'s Tack Sharp AI deblur feature showed improvement in eye detail but introduced noise.

Combining noise and tack sharp sections in On1 Noise A.I. improved the result, with better eye detail and skin tone.

Topaz Sharpen AI produced impressive results in a short time, significantly enhancing the eye detail with minimal noise.

The photographer used a layer mask in Photoshop to selectively apply Topaz Sharpen AI's effects to the eyes.

The effectiveness of Topaz Sharpen AI on the portrait was surprising, even to the photographer who was initially skeptical.

While Topaz Sharpen AI worked well, the photographer does not intend to rely on it for all future blurred or out-of-focus images.

The existence of software capable of fixing significant focus issues is considered amazing and valuable.

The video serves as a testament to the power of photo editing software in salvaging nearly ruined portraits.

The photographer encourages viewers to support the channel through likes and subscriptions.