Picked up Topaz AI for Photos

Fenixgoon

Lifer
Jun 30, 2003
31,643
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I was in charge of family photos yesterday and due to it being hot as hell, things moved pretty quick (lots of little ones). Had the camera on auto focus, but AF picked up the background instead of the group. Zoomed out, you really couldn't tell, but viewing at 50% it would be obvious (as it was to me) that something isn't quite right

Ponied up for Topaz AI, and I gotta say, it did a pretty nice job restoring detail. The only thing I found was teeth come out a little unnatural looking. In my case, since it's a group shot, you're not gonna notice unless you blow up the photo to several hundred percent.

Next I'll have to play around with it some more and post some before/after photos
 

GodisanAtheist

Diamond Member
Nov 16, 2006
6,908
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Can you post an example that you're comfortable with? Curious to see what AI touch-up can do.

Edit: Duhhhh your last line says you'll post example photos. Haven't had the morning coffee.
 

Fenixgoon

Lifer
Jun 30, 2003
31,643
10,067
136
Can you post an example that you're comfortable with? Curious to see what AI touch-up can do.

Edit: Duhhhh your last line says you'll post example photos. Haven't had the morning coffee.
nah it's all good. right now it's just family photos, which i don't want to post for obvious privacy purposes. but in the future i'll update the thread with a few that are purposefully out of focus and then the AI-corrected ones.
i'll try and go through some of my existing photos to pull out some test photos to post here. i just normally remove the bad ones from my catalog! :p

edit: @GodisanAtheist - tested on some pictures i took while dogsledding. First is original, second is Topaz. There's some oversharpening of the hair, especially when viewing at 100%, as well as some loss in contrast (admittedly could be made up in post). The eyes sharpen up nicely for sure.

I don't know if Topaz can save every out-of-focus image, but A chance is better than 0 chance. Certainly saved my bacon with the family photos.


doggo-OOF.jpgdoggo-OOF-AI.jpeg
doggo-OOF2.jpgdoggo-OOF2-AI.jpeg
doggo-OOF3.jpgdoggo-OOF3-AI.jpeg
 
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A///

Diamond Member
Feb 24, 2017
4,352
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Topaz will always improve with each update. it's affording the update that troubles many. in privatre onerwhship its getting proper work done on while it languished when google owned it.
 

biostud

Lifer
Feb 27, 2003
18,271
4,785
136
I'm looking to get topaz video, but will be looking for a Black Friday deal. I tried AVClabs and Topaz, and got similar results. I want to restore some old 8mm film. (Me as very young) :)
 

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A///

Diamond Member
Feb 24, 2017
4,352
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I'm looking to get topaz video, but will be looking for a Black Friday deal. I tried AVClabs and Topaz, and got similar results. I want to restore some old 8mm film. (Me as very young) :)
And it was here that a young Biostud was introduced to surstromming for the first time by his parental figures. Looks very late 80s based on the clothing style.
 
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biostud

Lifer
Feb 27, 2003
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And it was here that a young Biostud was introduced to surstromming for the first time by his parental figures. Looks very late 80s based on the clothing style.
`79 and surstromming is for the Swedes :)
 

Fenixgoon

Lifer
Jun 30, 2003
31,643
10,067
136
I'm looking to get topaz video, but will be looking for a Black Friday deal. I tried AVClabs and Topaz, and got similar results. I want to restore some old 8mm film. (Me as very young) :)
Did you sharpen just the face? IMO it looks very out of place compared to the rest of the photo. The software did do a nice job though. I'd try sharpening the whole photo to give it a uniform appearance.

Personally, I'd keep the original. It's just as much a reflection of technology at the time as it is your age
 

biostud

Lifer
Feb 27, 2003
18,271
4,785
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Did you sharpen just the face? IMO it looks very out of place compared to the rest of the photo. The software did do a nice job though. I'd try sharpening the whole photo to give it a uniform appearance.

Personally, I'd keep the original. It's just as much a reflection of technology at the time as it is your age
I think there is a difference between a photo and video when using AI. I did apply a face recognition filter and I agree it did look a bit weird in some situations.
 
Jul 27, 2020
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Bringing the face into focus AFTER the fact seems so magical and sci-fi :eek:

Reminds me of the lightfield camera but with this tech, you don't need one!
 

thestrangebrew1

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2011
3,459
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I just picked it up on Friday on sale but haven't really messed around with it yet. I've got flag football and soccer team pics I'll be taking in about a month so if I mess up it'll be useful lol. Been out of the photography game for a bit but starting to get back into it now that I have more time.
 
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SKORPI0

Lifer
Jan 18, 2000
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I've been using it since last year on old family photos and some on-line, nice AI face recovery and upscaling up to 4X.

Leonard Nimoy at the set of "Star Trek" at Desilu Studios with his 1964 Buick Riviera. Seen next Nimoy is William Shatner's 1963 Chevrolet Corvette (which he bought in 1966).
Screenshot 2023-08-30 at 05-39-13 Facebook.png

AI enlarged and face recovery.
Screenshot 2023-08-30 at 05-39-13 Facebook-topaz-enhance-faceai.jpeg

Add to it a AI colorization - https://www.myheritage.com/incolorScreenshot 2023-08-30 at 05-39-13 Facebook-topaz-enhance-faceai-Colorized.jpg
 
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A///

Diamond Member
Feb 24, 2017
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Highlights are a little blown but otherwise good. I've been following some upsampling youtube channels lately and stunned at how good ai is making things look. they look as if I remember seeing them almost 50 years ago but obviously never were or did and what we're seeing today is bad quality copies. I'm tempted to scan in some family photos dating back a hundred years and more and playing around with topaz.

can it fix that pinked over effect some old photos have?
 

biostud

Lifer
Feb 27, 2003
18,271
4,785
136
Black Friday bundle.


I'll probably get it and use it to improve some old digitized 8mm film and dias from my childhood.
 

biostud

Lifer
Feb 27, 2003
18,271
4,785
136
Leftmost is original JPG, middle is JPG -> PhotoAI, right one is: RAW->PhotoAI->JPG (Which looks pretty amazing compared to the original and the jpg->AI)
juletræ.png
So if you have raw files, run them through photoAI first and the edit the processed raw files.
 
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Fenixgoon

Lifer
Jun 30, 2003
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so i got back from a work trip and used traditional noise reduction, topaz, and adobe's AI-NR in lightroom as a comparison. Adobe's AI-denoise function also works pretty damn well. i think it might be a case of "topaz works for X better, adobe works for Y better" but both will be provide substantial NR without loss of detail.

sadly since it's a work trip, can't post pics :(

will have to give it a shot on personal stuff for a cross-comparison
 
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biostud

Lifer
Feb 27, 2003
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so i got back from a work trip and used traditional noise reduction, topaz, and adobe's AI-NR in lightroom as a comparison. Adobe's AI-denoise function also works pretty damn well. i think it might be a case of "topaz works for X better, adobe works for Y better" but both will be provide substantial NR without loss of detail.

sadly since it's a work trip, can't post pics :(

will have to give it a shot on personal stuff for a cross-comparison
I don't have an adobe subscription, as I don't need most of its features. I just bought a key for PS elements 2024 and premiere elements 2024 for ~$70, so I can do the basic photo and video editing. PS elements both support raw and can us TPAI plugin, so that is why I use TPAI and not lightroom.
 
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