Using the new Photoshop and Generative Upscale

[LarryRC]

Photoshop 27.0.0 has added Generative Upscale in the Image Menu. It offers 3 models: Firefly Upscaler, Topaz Gigapixel (with or without face recovery, I selected it), and Topaz Bloom (with a Creativity Slider from 0 to 10, I selected 5). And a choice of 2x or 4x (I selected 4x).

So I took a badly faded and color shifted photo from almost 50 years ago and scanned it at 200 dpi on my Epson WF all in one. The resulting jpg is under 100k. I did only 2 quick edits to it adjusting the red channel in Levels to correct the histogram and added a bunch of contrast. Obviously the photo needs more color correcting but that's not what I'm testing here. I did a 4x upscale with all three models and Photoshop Image Size (which yielded very poor results which are not posted here).

The results blow me away. Firefly is very so so. The two Topaz models on the other hand are impressive. So the Topaz Gigapixel kept the people looking like how they look while the Bloom took poetic license and the people look different. Bloom however rendered the in focus portions to be sharp while apart from the faces Gigapixel did not. Bloom also added the missing top button on my vest that wasn't in the original photo. Either Topaz rendering could be upsized additionally without the photo falling apart. It would be easy to print a nice looking 17" x 22" at 360 dpi from the original photo! I'm sure that many Topaz folks have seen this. It is new to me as I used an original Gigapixel version from many years ago and hadn't tried it again.

These models use up your Adobe AI credits really fast and additional one's can be expensive, but, for me a casual user I think this will work out fine.

PS The photo is me with a friend's wife at her Black and White Party taken in Valera Venezuela in 1978.


Original




Firefly 4x




Gigapixel 4X, face recovery on




Bloom 4x Creative slider at 5

 

[NEO54321]

I just tried this feature and have mixed feelings. I must point out that my observations are based on one single test image, conclusion may be different with different images.

Topaz Gigapixel produced the best result and Topaz Bloom produced the worst result. Firefly was closer to Gigapixel but was not as detailed. Bloom added unnecessary and unrealistic features, resulting image looked distinct different from the other two and the original.

The most disappointed aspect was the limit on image size. Even a 20 MP image was too big for 2X upscaling.

 

[Krish6102]

I just tried this feature and have mixed feelings. I must point out that my observations are based on one single test image, conclusion may be different with different images.

Topaz Gigapixel produced the best result and Topaz Bloom produced the worst result. Firefly was closer to Gigapixel but was not as detailed. Bloom added unnecessary and unrealistic features, resulting image looked distinct different from the other two and the original.

The most disappointed aspect was the limit on image size. Even a 20 MP image was too big for 2X upscaling.

I agree - this was the message I got the very first time I tried it with Topaz Gigapixel

 

[Major Jack]

I just tried this feature and have mixed feelings. I must point out that my observations are based on one single test image, conclusion may be different with different images.

Topaz Gigapixel produced the best result and Topaz Bloom produced the worst result. Firefly was closer to Gigapixel but was not as detailed. Bloom added unnecessary and unrealistic features, resulting image looked distinct different from the other two and the original.

The most disappointed aspect was the limit on image size. Even a 20 MP image was too big for 2X upscaling.

Exactly right. They give you this new Upscale feature, but they limit the size of the file you can use to upscale. Completely illogical to me. And they are doing that because the software system they are using, is just not ready to be used for larger images, and will bog down the system.

Plus, to be honest I can simply RESIZE the image the OLD way, with Preserve Detail 2.0 and then use a High Pass Sharpening Filter to boost the sharpness, and it give almost the same results without having to spend my credits on that Upscaling version.

 

[Major Jack]

Photoshop 27.0.0 has added Generative Upscale in the Image Menu. It offers 3 models: Firefly Upscaler, Topaz Gigapixel (with or without face recovery, I selected it), and Topaz Bloom (with a Creativity Slider from 0 to 10, I selected 5). And a choice of 2x or 4x (I selected 4x).

So I took a badly faded and color shifted photo from almost 50 years ago and scanned it at 200 dpi on my Epson WF all in one. The resulting jpg is under 100k. I did only 2 quick edits to it adjusting the red channel in Levels to correct the histogram and added a bunch of contrast. Obviously the photo needs more color correcting but that's not what I'm testing here. I did a 4x upscale with all three models and Photoshop Image Size (which yielded very poor results which are not posted here).

The results blow me away. Firefly is very so so. The two Topaz models on the other hand are impressive. So the Topaz Gigapixel kept the people looking like how they look while the Bloom took poetic license and the people look different. Bloom however rendered the in focus portions to be sharp while apart from the faces Gigapixel did not. Bloom also added the missing top button on my vest that wasn't in the original photo. Either Topaz rendering could be upsized additionally without the photo falling apart. It would be easy to print a nice looking 17" x 22" at 360 dpi from the original photo! I'm sure that many Topaz folks have seen this. It is new to me as I used an original Gigapixel version from many years ago and hadn't tried it again.

These models use up your Adobe AI credits really fast and additional one's can be expensive, but, for me a casual user I think this will work out fine.

PS The photo is me with a friend's wife at her Black and White Party taken in Valera Venezuela in 1978.


Original


Firefly 4x


Gigapixel 4X, face recovery on


Bloom 4x Creative slider at 5

You may, or may not like this version. But, just wanted to show you what ChatGPT did.

I simply ask ChatGPT to restore the original image. Yes, it does change the facial features somewhat, but the question is, ................. how do you like it?







--
Major Jack
"You are welcome to retouch any photograph I post in these forums without prior consent from me". Have fun, and play as you wish.

 

[BobKnDP]

I'm surprised by how radically ChatGPT changed the image.

I expected a little digital Botox, but the changes are much stronger than that. The subjects appear to have been transmuted into different people, to my eyes.

The result is a nice picture, but not something I'd want if I wished to recall the people in it.

 

[Major Jack]

I'm surprised by how radically ChatGPT changed the image.

I expected a little digital Botox, but the changes are much stronger than that. The subjects appear to have been transmuted into different people, to my eyes.

The result is a nice picture, but not something I'd want if I wished to recall the people in it.

I understand, I truly do.

I look at this one, as almost a very good "Painting" type of restoration. A painting is never accurate, as the painter is never able to replicate the actual features, they can only recreate them based on what they see. But, the question is, would this COUPLE like it? Is it close enough and does it do a justice to the old worn out photo?

Hope you agree?

 

[ishwanu]

Firefly is very so so. The two Topaz models on the other hand are impressive. So the Topaz Gigapixel kept the people looking like how they look while the Bloom took poetic license and the people look different. Bloom however rendered the in focus portions to be sharp while apart from the faces Gigapixel did not. Bloom also added the missing top button on my vest that wasn't in the original photo.

Bloom is expressly designed to 'creatively' and visibly change things.

https://www.topazlabs.com/bloom

Gigapixel is not (although it might).

https://www.topazlabs.com/topaz-gigapixel

 

[BobKnDP]

I'm surprised by how radically ChatGPT changed the image.

I expected a little digital Botox, but the changes are much stronger than that. The subjects appear to have been transmuted into different people, to my eyes.

The result is a nice picture, but not something I'd want if I wished to recall the people in it.

I understand, I truly do.

I look at this one, as almost a very good "Painting" type of restoration. A painting is never accurate, as the painter is never able to replicate the actual features, they can only recreate them based on what they see. But, the question is, would this COUPLE like it? Is it close enough and does it do a justice to the old worn out photo?

Hope you agree?

IMHO, it's not close enough to reality to "do a justice".

The woman's image, in particular, has been made more generic. (I'm not black, but I don't think that they all look alike.)

As "art", it's an improvement. Especially as it got rid of the magenta cast.

 

[LarryRC]

Photoshop 27.0.0 has added Generative Upscale in the Image Menu. It offers 3 models: Firefly Upscaler, Topaz Gigapixel (with or without face recovery, I selected it), and Topaz Bloom (with a Creativity Slider from 0 to 10, I selected 5). And a choice of 2x or 4x (I selected 4x).

So I took a badly faded and color shifted photo from almost 50 years ago and scanned it at 200 dpi on my Epson WF all in one. The resulting jpg is under 100k. I did only 2 quick edits to it adjusting the red channel in Levels to correct the histogram and added a bunch of contrast. Obviously the photo needs more color correcting but that's not what I'm testing here. I did a 4x upscale with all three models and Photoshop Image Size (which yielded very poor results which are not posted here).

The results blow me away. Firefly is very so so. The two Topaz models on the other hand are impressive. So the Topaz Gigapixel kept the people looking like how they look while the Bloom took poetic license and the people look different. Bloom however rendered the in focus portions to be sharp while apart from the faces Gigapixel did not. Bloom also added the missing top button on my vest that wasn't in the original photo. Either Topaz rendering could be upsized additionally without the photo falling apart. It would be easy to print a nice looking 17" x 22" at 360 dpi from the original photo! I'm sure that many Topaz folks have seen this. It is new to me as I used an original Gigapixel version from many years ago and hadn't tried it again.

These models use up your Adobe AI credits really fast and additional one's can be expensive, but, for me a casual user I think this will work out fine.

PS The photo is me with a friend's wife at her Black and White Party taken in Valera Venezuela in 1978.


Original


Firefly 4x


Gigapixel 4X, face recovery on


Bloom 4x Creative slider at 5

You may, or may not like this version. But, just wanted to show you what ChatGPT did.

I simply ask ChatGPT to restore the original image. Yes, it does change the facial features somewhat, but the question is, ................. how do you like it?

Thanks for doing the Chatgpt version. I notice it like Bloom added the top vest button where it was missing in the original. Firefly and Gigapixel are the most true facial features.

 

[LarryRC]

If this was a mission critical photo i’d take the gigapixel heads and use bloom for evertything else and have a really nice result. The AI credit cost would be around .20 usd.

 

[Major Jack]

If this was a mission critical photo i’d take the gigapixel heads and use bloom for evertything else and have a really nice result. The AI credit cost would be around .20 usd.

Your wish............ Your Bloom version, with the Gigapixel faces. I also fixed the red in her eyes, and the color balance. I then added more to the bottom of the photo to make it more of a Portrait size using Generative Fill in Photoshop.




Click on image to view Full Size file.



--
Major Jack
"You are welcome to retouch any photograph I post in these forums without prior consent from me". Have fun, and play as you wish.

 

[Lensmate]

Photoshop 27.0.0 has added Generative Upscale in the Image Menu. It offers 3 models: Firefly Upscaler, Topaz Gigapixel (with or without face recovery, I selected it), and Topaz Bloom (with a Creativity Slider from 0 to 10, I selected 5). And a choice of 2x or 4x (I selected 4x).

So I took a badly faded and color shifted photo from almost 50 years ago and scanned it at 200 dpi on my Epson WF all in one. The resulting jpg is under 100k. I did only 2 quick edits to it adjusting the red channel in Levels to correct the histogram and added a bunch of contrast. Obviously the photo needs more color correcting but that's not what I'm testing here. I did a 4x upscale with all three models and Photoshop Image Size (which yielded very poor results which are not posted here).

The results blow me away. Firefly is very so so. The two Topaz models on the other hand are impressive. So the Topaz Gigapixel kept the people looking like how they look while the Bloom took poetic license and the people look different. Bloom however rendered the in focus portions to be sharp while apart from the faces Gigapixel did not. Bloom also added the missing top button on my vest that wasn't in the original photo. Either Topaz rendering could be upsized additionally without the photo falling apart. It would be easy to print a nice looking 17" x 22" at 360 dpi from the original photo! I'm sure that many Topaz folks have seen this. It is new to me as I used an original Gigapixel version from many years ago and hadn't tried it again.

These models use up your Adobe AI credits really fast and additional one's can be expensive, but, for me a casual user I think this will work out fine.

PS The photo is me with a friend's wife at her Black and White Party taken in Valera Venezuela in 1978.


Original


Firefly 4x


Gigapixel 4X, face recovery on


Bloom 4x Creative slider at 5

You may, or may not like this version. But, just wanted to show you what ChatGPT did.

I simply ask ChatGPT to restore the original image. Yes, it does change the facial features somewhat, but the question is, ................. how do you like it?

Two thumbs up there Jack.

-M

 

[Major Jack]

Photoshop 27.0.0 has added Generative Upscale in the Image Menu. It offers 3 models: Firefly Upscaler, Topaz Gigapixel (with or without face recovery, I selected it), and Topaz Bloom (with a Creativity Slider from 0 to 10, I selected 5). And a choice of 2x or 4x (I selected 4x).

So I took a badly faded and color shifted photo from almost 50 years ago and scanned it at 200 dpi on my Epson WF all in one. The resulting jpg is under 100k. I did only 2 quick edits to it adjusting the red channel in Levels to correct the histogram and added a bunch of contrast. Obviously the photo needs more color correcting but that's not what I'm testing here. I did a 4x upscale with all three models and Photoshop Image Size (which yielded very poor results which are not posted here).

The results blow me away. Firefly is very so so. The two Topaz models on the other hand are impressive. So the Topaz Gigapixel kept the people looking like how they look while the Bloom took poetic license and the people look different. Bloom however rendered the in focus portions to be sharp while apart from the faces Gigapixel did not. Bloom also added the missing top button on my vest that wasn't in the original photo. Either Topaz rendering could be upsized additionally without the photo falling apart. It would be easy to print a nice looking 17" x 22" at 360 dpi from the original photo! I'm sure that many Topaz folks have seen this. It is new to me as I used an original Gigapixel version from many years ago and hadn't tried it again.

These models use up your Adobe AI credits really fast and additional one's can be expensive, but, for me a casual user I think this will work out fine.

PS The photo is me with a friend's wife at her Black and White Party taken in Valera Venezuela in 1978.


Original


Firefly 4x


Gigapixel 4X, face recovery on


Bloom 4x Creative slider at 5

You may, or may not like this version. But, just wanted to show you what ChatGPT did.

I simply ask ChatGPT to restore the original image. Yes, it does change the facial features somewhat, but the question is, ................. how do you like it?

Two thumbs up there Jack.

-M

That is all ChatGPT Lensmate. I get no credit for this one. LOL. I just put the image in, and told it to restore. LOL

--
Major Jack
"You are welcome to retouch any photograph I post in these forums without prior consent from me". Have fun, and play as you wish.

 

[LarryRC]

If this was a mission critical photo i’d take the gigapixel heads and use bloom for evertything else and have a really nice result. The AI credit cost would be around .20 usd.

Your wish............ Your Bloom version, with the Gigapixel faces. I also fixed the red in her eyes, and the color balance. I then added more to the bottom of the photo to make it more of a Portrait size using Generative Fill in Photoshop.


Click on image to view Full Size file.

Thanks!