I have recently been trying to figure out the best workflow when using Topaz Denoise AI and Sharpen AI and when to use them. I found a few videos and made some notes and I thought I would share them. If you have experience with the Topaz products I would like to hear your recommendations.
My Notes:
Topaz Basic Info
Dave Kelly Workflow
In Lightroom:
Set Color Profile
Set White Balance
Apply Tone settings except for contrast (Exposure, Highlights, Shadows, Whites, Blacks
No Clarity, Texture, or Dehaze
Adjust Vibrance and Saturation as needed.
No noise removal or sharpening
Use default Lightroom Color Noise Removal
No contrast or presence adjustments
Apply lens corrections – Remove Chromatic Aberration and Enable Profile Corrections
Anthony Morganti Workflow
In Lightroom:
Don’t crop
Make image flatter – no contrast, lower Highlights and increase shadows.
Apply lens corrections – Remove Chromatic Aberration and Enable Profile Corrections
Set Color Profile
Set White Balance
Apply Tone settings except for contrast (Exposure, Highlights, Shadows, Whites, Blacks
No Clarity, Texture, or Dehaze
Adjust Vibrance and Saturation as needed.
No noise removal or sharpening
Use default Lightroom Color Noise Removal
No contrast or presence adjustments
Dave Kelly – When to use Denoise AI and when to use Sharpen AI
Use Denoise AI
Primary Function – remove noise
Secondary function – basic sharpening
Use Denoise alone with ISO over 1000 and image has no focus issues but only needs basic sharpening.
Use Sharpen AI –
Use Sharpen AI to correct focus issues (camera shake and missed focus)
Secondary function – minor noise reduction (ISO range 0 – 1000)
Use Sharpen AI alone if ISO is under 1000 and image needs any sharpening.
Use Denoise AI followed by Sharpen AI if:
i. ISO is over 1000
ii. 2 Out of focus caused by either camera movement or missed focus.