Nik Software Complete Collection Lightroom Edition NIK-1402 User Guide

Product codes
NIK-1402
Page of 52
20
Sharpener Pro
 3.0
User Guide
Chapter 6: Sharpening Photographs
Sharpener Pro 3.0 offers two filters for sharpening your images: the 
RAW Presharpener and the Output Sharpener.
RAW Presharpener
RAW presharpening is the first step of a two-step sharpening process 
that some photographers have found can provide better quality in 
some images than a typical single-step sharpening process. When 
working in a two-step sharpening process, some small amount of 
sharpening is applied immediately after converting a RAW file, while 
a second, more aggressive amount of sharpening is applied directly 
before output. If you plan to utilize only a single sharpening step, 
only apply the Output Sharpener to your images.
The RAW Presharpener from Sharpener Pro 3.0 provides unique 
selective control utilizing U Point technology as well as advanced 
control over the presharpening process. When using the RAW 
Presharpener, images should be sharpened slightly to notice a  
small difference and a slightly enhanced clarity in the fine details  
of an image.
The RAW Presharpener filter should be used immediately after 
processing a RAW file and after any noise  reduction has been 
applied. When using the RAW presharpener filter, ensure that 
sharpening has been turned off in your RAW conversion tool such 
as Adobe
®
 Camera RAW, Adobe
®
 Photoshop
®
, Apple
®
 Aperture
Capture NX 2, or Canon
®
 Digital Photo Pro.
Output Sharpener
The Sharpener Pro 3.0 Output Sharpener filter is designed to 
sharpen based on the loss of detail caused through different 
output methods, eliminating guesswork normally associated with 
sharpening for output. Covering the widest spectrum of output 
devices including display, inkjet, continuous tone, half tone, and 
hybrid tone techniques, the Output Sharpener filter provides optimal 
controls for creating perfectly sharpened images for any output. The 
highest quality sharpening and the power to selectively apply the 
sharpening with the use color ranges or of U Point
®
 powered control 
points make the Output Sharpener filter the professional’s choice for 
sharpening their images for output.
In addition to the U Point powered control points, the Output 
Sharpener filter also offers new controls for creatively sharpening 
images to enhance fine details and textures. The creative sharpening 
techniques in Sharpener Pro 3.0’s Output Sharpener provide 
photographers with the a full toolset for creatively sharpening 
images to draw focus and attention to specific areas of your images 
while also precisely sharpening images.
The Output Sharpener filter should be used as the very last step 
in the workflow, after any cropping or resizing. Use the Output 
Sharpener filter to prepare your file for the output device of 
your choice. If applying the sharpening and then saving, it is 
recommended that you note in the file name that sharpening has 
been applied to that image.