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  • Sharpening using GIMP

    Hey guys

    I use GIMP to edit my photos. Turning and cropping the image, adjusting the levels, adding saturation and resizing work just fine. But I have a huge problem with the sharpening. I just can't get the perfect sharpness, neither with USM nor "smart sharpen".

    If anyone else uses GIMP and has figured out how to smarten an image properly, I would be very, very grateful for some pointers!

    -Ben

  • #2
    Hi Ben,

    I'm also using GIMP to edit my photos and never had any problems regarding perfect sharpness. Just try it first with USM and after that with the normal sharpener. That should be the right procedure. But always apply less and check in the preview before applying more sharpness.

    Hope that helps


    Greets,
    Patrick

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    • #3
      Hey Patrick

      Could you tell me what settings you generally use (radius, amount, threshold etc)?

      Thanks,
      Ben

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      • #4
        There is also the Refocus plugin http://registry.gimp.org/node/3864
        . It is usually enough to change the radius parameter only....
        http://www.jetphotos.net/showphotos.php?userid=21893

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by biggerben View Post
          Hey Patrick

          Could you tell me what settings you generally use (radius, amount, threshold etc)?

          Thanks,
          Ben
          Assuming it does the job as for example Photoshop, try for example:
          0.2 / 250 / 5 after resizing, with a few passes, or
          0.3-0.4 / 250-350 / 5 once before resizing and the afore mentioned after resizing, or
          0.4-0.6 / 80-100 / 5 after resizing, with a few passes

          Check also Jid's Workflow (link in his signature or in the upload guidelines)

          Cheerio
          My photos on Flickr www.flickr.com/photos/geridominguez

          Comment


          • #6
            Hey Gerardo. I'm guessing it uses a different (and quite probably inferior) algorithm than PS, sadly. Tried out your values and they are obviously not intended for GIMP. Thanks anyway, though!

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            • #7
              The sharpening in GIMP is massively different to that in Photoshop. I've messed with GIMP several times over the last couple of years and find I can do most of what I need to do except sharpening. The sharpening in GIMP looks terrible to my eye regardless of the settings used. I've tried large values on large images, small values on small images, smaller values on bigger images and pretty much every combination I can think of, and regardless of what I try the sharpening still doesn't look clean enough. I really do think it's the single limitation of an otherwise excellent piece of freeware, but unfortunately it's quite a serious limitation in my eyes as sharpening is simply a fact of life for digital photographers.

              Unfortunately I think the only way round it is to edit using a different program. I just don't think GIMP is capable of results even approaching those of Photoshop or other similar editing software, and I think you've reached a level as a photographer where you perhaps need something a little more refined. Many of your recent uploads have been absolutely superb in every respect except one, and unfortunately it's the one area GIMP doesn't do well! I know you run Linux so running Photoshop isn't easy, but I think you need to compromise somewhere and either accept you probably won't ever get the results you want out of GIMP or get a decent Windows/Mac computer to use solely as an editing machine. I know it's all additional money but sometimes sadly there's no other way of getting the results you want.

              Paul
              Last edited by PMN; 2010-07-26, 22:22.
              Seeing the world with a 3:2 aspect ratio...

              My images on Flickr

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              • #8
                Hey Paul

                Thanks for your post, even if it is not what I wanted to hear! Maybe I'll figure out a way to use photoshop in the not too distant future!

                -Ben

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                • #9
                  ... or Elements. Far cheaper than Photoshop but apparently still doing the job.
                  My photos on Flickr www.flickr.com/photos/geridominguez

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Sorry,

                    did not have time to reply so far.
                    Now my settings are as follows (of course depending on the shot):

                    USM: R=5,0 ; M=0,50 ; S=0

                    In most cases only the M value is ajusted.
                    On the normal sharpener normally 10 -20 % are applied.

                    Of course GIMP does not have all the nice features like PS, but indeed it does a very good job. There is way good sharpening and more possible.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by patrickphs View Post
                      There is way good sharpening and more possible.
                      Good results are indeed possible, but just not as good as other programs are able to deliver. I've played a lot with GIMP and never managed to get what I consider to be adequately clean sharpening, I always end up seeing jaggies on images I'm able to sharpen very easily in Photoshop. I'm not saying GIMP can't work and shouldn't be used because I do think it's a great program for something that's free, but I am saying it's unreasonable to expect it to deliver results equal to something as well developed as Photoshop. It just isn't capable of that kind of performance. As Gerardo says you don't need a CS version either, the basic sharpening tools in Elements are very good and out-perform those in GIMP.

                      The nature of how digital photography works makes it an inherently soft medium. This being the case, if you're serious about photography then it really does make sense to pay 50-70 quid for a program that can allow you to bring the best out of your images.
                      Last edited by PMN; 2010-07-27, 14:26.
                      Seeing the world with a 3:2 aspect ratio...

                      My images on Flickr

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by PMN View Post
                        The nature of how digital photography works makes it an inherently soft medium. This being the case, if you're serious about photography then it really does make sense to pay 50-70 quid for a program that can allow you to bring the best out of your images.
                        That's not the problem. The problem is I use Linux and It would be more like 1000 quid (and a lot of room) to get a new computer and screen and Windows to install PS on!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by biggerben View Post
                          That's not the problem. The problem is I use Linux and It would be more like 1000 quid (and a lot of room) to get a new computer and screen and Windows to install PS on!
                          Again, you have to compromise. You either have to accept that you can't run anything other than GIMP and make do with (what I consider to be) sub-standard sharpening or find a way to run other software. You can't have both unfortunately!
                          Seeing the world with a 3:2 aspect ratio...

                          My images on Flickr

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Oh, but the refocus plugin in part of the package "gimp-plugin-registry" . I am also using the Gimp on Linux exclusively for editing my pictures...
                            http://www.jetphotos.net/showphotos.php?userid=21893

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              arnie, what settings do you use generally to sharpen a side-on shot?

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