They FIXED Topaz Photo AI – YAY!

Anthony Morganti
11 May 202404:17

TLDRIn this video, Anthony Morganti discusses the recent improvements to Topaz Labs' Photo AI, particularly as a Lightroom Classic plugin. Previously, the plugin lost the RAW format after processing, converting images to TIFF. However, the latest update has restored the ability to maintain the RAW format throughout the workflow. Morganti demonstrates how the plugin's Autopilot feature identifies the need for noise reduction and sharpening, and how it applies these adjustments without affecting the background. He also notes that if users do not make additional adjustments like lighting or color balance, the image can be exported back to Lightroom as a RAW file. Morganti mentions he is working on a course about Photo AI, which will be available soon at a discounted price for newsletter subscribers.

Takeaways

  • 🎉 The functionality to maintain the RAW format in Topaz Labs Photo AI when used as a Lightroom Classic plugin has been restored.
  • ⚠️ A caveat exists: if you add enhancements like 'adjust lighting' or 'balance color' in Photo AI, the output will be a TIFF file instead of RAW.
  • 🔍 Photo AI's Autopilot feature examines the image and determines the necessary adjustments, such as noise reduction and sharpening.
  • 📸 The RAW to Noise module used the 'RAW Normal AI model' with a strength of 16 and minor to blur at one in the example given.
  • ⚙️ The Sharpening module applied the 'Standard AI model' with a strength of 72 and minor denoise at 31, focusing only on the subject (eagle) without affecting the background.
  • 🚫 To keep the RAW format, avoid making adjustments to lighting or color balance when exporting back to Lightroom Classic.
  • 🔄 When exporting without additional enhancements, the edited image is sent back to Lightroom as a DNG file, which is a RAW format.
  • 📁 The unedited RAW image is used by Photo AI regardless of any edits made in Lightroom, ensuring consistency in the editing process.
  • ✨ After applying edits in Lightroom, the final image from Photo AI shows significant noise reduction and improved sharpness.
  • 📚 Anthony Morganti is working on a course about Photo AI, which will be released soon at a price of $29.99.
  • 💰 A discount code for $10 off the course will be available to subscribers of Anthony's newsletter, making the course available for $19.99.

Q & A

  • What was the issue with Topaz Labs' Photo AI when used as a Lightroom Classic plugin?

    -The issue was that with a recent update, the functionality to maintain the RAW format of an image throughout the workflow was removed. After editing with Photo AI and returning to Lightroom Classic, users were left with a TIFF file instead of the original RAW file.

  • What has Topaz Labs done to address the issue mentioned?

    -Topaz Labs has restored the functionality to maintain the RAW format when using Photo AI as a Lightroom Classic plugin.

  • What is the caveat when restoring the RAW format functionality in Topaz Labs' Photo AI?

    -The caveat is that if users add enhancements such as 'adjust lighting' or 'balance color' in Photo AI, the file will be saved as a TIFF instead of a RAW format when exported back to Lightroom Classic.

  • How does the Autopilot feature in Photo AI work?

    -Autopilot examines the image and determines what needs to be done. It identifies areas that require noise reduction and sharpening, and applies the appropriate AI models and strengths to those areas.

  • What is the process to send an image from Lightroom Classic to Photo AI?

    -You go to File > Plugin Extras and then scroll down to the bottom to 'Process with Photo AI'.

  • What file format does Photo AI save the image as when exporting back to Lightroom Classic without any additional enhancements?

    -Photo AI saves the image as a DNG file, which is a type of RAW file.

  • What happens to the edits made in Lightroom when the image is sent back to Lightroom after processing with Photo AI?

    -The edits made in Lightroom are retained and applied to the image once it is sent back from Photo AI, after a brief moment for the edits to take effect.

  • What is the difference between the RAW Normal AI model and the Standard AI model used for sharpening?

    -The RAW Normal AI model with a strength of 16 and minor to blur at one is used for noise reduction, while the Standard AI model with a strength at 72 and minor denoise at 31 is used specifically for sharpening the subject, leaving the background unsharpened.

  • What is Anthony Morganti working on related to Photo AI?

    -Anthony Morganti is working on an entire course on Photo AI, which he plans to release soon.

  • How much will the Photo AI course cost, and is there a way to get a discount?

    -The course will cost $29.99, but subscribers to Anthony Morganti's newsletter will receive a discount code to get it for $19.99.

  • What is the main benefit of the restored RAW format functionality in Photo AI?

    -The main benefit is that users can maintain the RAW format throughout their editing workflow, which is crucial for preserving image quality and providing non-destructive editing capabilities.

  • How can viewers subscribe to Anthony Morganti's newsletter to receive the discount for the Photo AI course?

    -Viewers can subscribe to the newsletter by following the link provided in the description below the video.

Outlines

00:00

📸 Photo AI RAW File Recovery and Editing Workflow

Anthony Morganti discusses the recent changes to Topaz Labs' Photo AI software, which previously caused a loss of RAW format when used as a Lightroom Classic plugin. He explains that the RAW format functionality has been restored, allowing users to maintain the RAW file even after editing with Photo AI. However, he cautions that applying adjustments like 'Adjust Lighting' or 'Balance Color' will result in a TIFF file instead of RAW. Morganti also mentions his upcoming course on Photo AI, offering a discount to subscribers of his newsletter.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Topaz Labs

Topaz Labs is a company that specializes in developing photo editing software. In the video, the host discusses a specific issue he had with their product, Topaz Photo AI, and its functionality as a plugin for Adobe Lightroom Classic. The company's response to user feedback is a central theme of the video.

💡Photo AI

Photo AI is a software developed by Topaz Labs that uses artificial intelligence to enhance the quality of photos. It is particularly mentioned for its ability to reduce noise and sharpen images. The video focuses on the recent fix to the software's compatibility with the RAW file format.

💡RAW format

The RAW format is a type of image file that contains unprocessed data directly from the image sensor of a digital camera. It allows for greater flexibility in post-production editing. In the video, the host initially complains about the loss of RAW format after editing with Photo AI, but is pleased to report that this issue has been resolved.

💡Lightroom Classic

Adobe Lightroom Classic is a photo editing and organization software used widely by photographers. The video discusses how Topaz Photo AI functions as a plugin within Lightroom Classic, allowing for a seamless workflow between the two programs.

💡Autopilot

In the context of the video, Autopilot refers to a feature within Photo AI that automatically analyzes an image and determines the necessary adjustments, such as noise reduction and sharpening. It is showcased as a convenient tool for users who want quick and effective enhancements.

💡Noise Reduction

Noise reduction is the process of minimizing the amount of grain or random variation in brightness and color in an image. In the video, the host demonstrates how Photo AI's Autopilot feature applied noise reduction to a Nikon RAW file, resulting in a cleaner, less noisy image.

💡Sharpening

Sharpening is an image editing technique that enhances the edges within a photo to make them appear clearer and more defined. The video script describes how Photo AI selectively sharpened the subject (an eagle) in the image without affecting the background.

💡Export

Exporting in the context of photo editing software refers to the process of saving an image in a specific file format after editing. The host explains that as long as certain adjustments (lighting or color balance) are not made in Photo AI, the image can be exported back to Lightroom Classic as a RAW file.

💡DNG file

A DNG file, which stands for Digital Negative, is a file format associated with Adobe that preserves most of the raw data from the camera. It is mentioned in the video as the format that Topaz Photo AI saves the image in when exporting back to Lightroom Classic without additional adjustments.

💡Newsletter

A newsletter is a regularly distributed publication that provides updates or news. The host mentions that he is working on a course about Photo AI and that subscribers to his newsletter will receive a discount code for the course, which is a way to engage with his audience and promote his upcoming content.

💡Course

In the video, the host announces that he is creating a course focused on Photo AI, which will provide in-depth training on using the software. The course is priced at $29.99, but there is a promotional offer for newsletter subscribers, which demonstrates a common marketing strategy to incentivize sign-ups and early purchases.

Highlights

Topaz Labs' Photo AI has restored the ability to maintain the RAW format throughout the workflow when used as a Lightroom Classic plug-in.

With a recent update, the RAW format functionality was removed, causing a switch to TIFF upon returning to Lightroom Classic.

Anthony Morganti discusses the restored functionality in a new video, demonstrating the process and results.

Photo AI's Autopilot feature examines the image and determines the necessary adjustments, such as noise reduction and sharpening.

The unedited RAW file is used by Photo AI, regardless of any edits made in Lightroom.

Autopilot in Photo AI determined the RAW Normal AI model with a strength of 16 and minor to blur at one for noise reduction.

For sharpening, the AI model of standard with a strength at 72 and minor denoise at 31 was used, focusing only on the subject.

Exporting to Lightroom Classic saves the image as a DNG file, retaining the RAW format.

Adding enhancements such as adjusting lighting or balancing color results in a TIFF file instead of RAW.

If no enhancements are added, the RAW file is preserved upon returning to Lightroom Classic.

Anthony Morganti is working on a course about Photo AI, which is nearly complete and will be released soon.

Subscribers to Anthony's newsletter will receive a discount code for the upcoming Photo AI course.

The course will be available for $29.99, but with the discount, it will be $19.99.

A link to Anthony's newsletter is provided in the video description for those interested in the discount.

The video demonstrates the significant noise reduction and sharpening capabilities of Photo AI.

The original Nikon RAW file had considerable noise and was not very sharp, but the edited image from Photo AI is noise-free and sharp.

Anthony expresses his satisfaction with the restored RAW format functionality in Photo AI.