Topaz software

[JeffK]

Hello all:
Some years ago I had bought Topaz Simplify and Adjust when I first began fiddling with Photoshop. Although I still have the license, I haven't used that software in ages.
Recently I bought Topaz Sharpen AI. Maybe my expectations were too high and I'm just not overly impressed although I have had some good outcomes.
I'd like to put a bit more money in the software and was thinking of Topaz Denoise. I just noticed that since I own Sharpen, Topaz is offering me a discount to buy Gigapixel and Denoise together at a discount as if they were part of the bundle. So I would have to buy both.
Any opinions on the software? If you use these, how often do you find yourself taking advantage of their capabilities?
I generally make my decisions slowly and painfully so please forgive me for asking what might be obvious....
- Jeff

 

[thebestcpu]

Hi @JeffK
I have most of the Topaz applications yet mostly because I had their software a long time ago and had many free upgrades and very low cost transition to their AI products. I use and can comment on the DeNoise AI, Sharpen AI, and Gigapixel AI

I use Gigapixel AI the most (and not to a large degree) and less so for the other two.

DeNoise AI and Sharpen AI deliver good to great results yet have never been "astonished"

With Gigapixel AI I get a range of results from being astonished to throwing the result away.

Part of it as with any tool is knowing what the tool is good at and what it is not good at which means getting experience with the tool

Keep in mind that AI software comes from being feed a myriad number of situations and software tuned to know what to do with those situations. They keep updated their software so it gets better with time which I believe for the most part is more training of its software and given the user more control of options to guide the AI. If the AI does not properly recognize the elements of your image, it will apply an approach that might not be appropropriate so it makes results somewhat unpredicatable yet really fantastic when it nails it.

Nice software yet not miracle working level yet
John Wheeler

 

[JeffK]

Nice software yet not miracle working level yet

Exactly. Unfortunately they only show you the miracle results in their ads so you come to them with high expectations.
I'm trying to be practical - cost vs how many times I'll actually use it. Sharpen AI was an impulse buy although I have gotten results that range from what-the-heck-just-happened to spectacular. And yes, the right tool for the right job. At least PS gives you the opportunity to reverse a mistake if you've managed to "strip a bolt head". Been there, done that.
So many temptations out there...software I mean...
- Jeff

 

[JeffK]

@thebestcpu - broke down and bought/downloaded Topaz Denoise. They had it discounted and there was another 15% off with a coupon code.
Gigapixel is an outlier since I don't really upsize pieces.
My next mission - deciding whether or not to jump into Illustrator....