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What's the current thinking on LR sharpening settings for m43 sensors

Started Feb 9, 2016 | Questions
jsaras Contributing Member • Posts: 610
What's the current thinking on LR sharpening settings for m43 sensors

I've come across varying ideas as to what the best approach for capture sharpening for m43 sensors (I have an Olympus E-PL6 FWIW).  Does the 16 megapixel sensor and the pixel density require that one stay within certain amount, radius and detail boundaries?  I'm fully aware that these settings are subject and ISO dependent.  I'm just wondering if there's technical reasons for doing or not doing certain things.

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Olympus PEN E-PL6
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Guy Parsons
Guy Parsons Forum Pro • Posts: 40,000
Re: What's the current thinking on LR sharpening settings for m43 sensors
1

jsaras wrote:

I've come across varying ideas as to what the best approach for capture sharpening for m43 sensors (I have an Olympus E-PL6 FWIW). Does the 16 megapixel sensor and the pixel density require that one stay within certain amount, radius and detail boundaries? I'm fully aware that these settings are subject and ISO dependent. I'm just wondering if there's technical reasons for doing or not doing certain things.

For me sharpening always depends on the final use of the image, big print/small print needs different approach. Shrink the image for comfortable web display and sharpening needs change again.

Different lenses need different sharpening, such as I can get much the same centre detail with the 9mm body cap lens as with my 12-40mm at its 12mm sweet spot with judicious contrast and sharpen adjusts to the 9mm image.

Not a Lightroom user but other programs I always seem to be using mostly 0.3 radius and tickling the amount to suit the occasion. Usually trying to avoid edge halos and avoid sharpening noise too much. Nothing worse than an over-sharpened image, it looks gritty and digital, make it spot on or very slight under-sharpen and it is more pleasing.

In the early days of digital where it was starting to take over from film (maybe 12 years ago?), I handled thousands, and I mean thousands, of prints from around the world in a few local International competitions. My eyes are still hurting from some of those early over-sharpened prints.

Regards..... Guy

zuikowesty
zuikowesty Veteran Member • Posts: 4,158
Re: What's the current thinking on LR sharpening settings for m43 sensors
1

jsaras wrote:

I've come across varying ideas as to what the best approach for capture sharpening for m43 sensors (I have an Olympus E-PL6 FWIW). Does the 16 megapixel sensor and the pixel density require that one stay within certain amount, radius and detail boundaries? I'm fully aware that these settings are subject and ISO dependent. I'm just wondering if there's technical reasons for doing or not doing certain things.

For overall sharpening, I will usually go for a fairly high mask value (80-100) by holding Alt key then adjusting slider until only only the relevant detail is masked. Then repeat with the other sliders, again holding the Alt key to view the masked results. By masking, I can often use sharpness from 50-70 without increasing noise much at all, although often sharpness from 25-40 is plenty, as I try to avoid the over-sharpened look. Radius is usually 0.9, and detail from 25-50, although again, noise will increase with higher detail.

I sometimes find that if only a portion of the photo needs significant sharpening, I am better off to use a local adjustment tool along with sharpness/clarity just to tweak that area.

I will usually sharpen first, then add some NR if the sky or shadows are noisy, but otherwise avoid NR until ISO 400+

Bear in mind that this is all for screen images - I have not made any prints for a while, although I am planning to soon.

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