Topaz Labs makes it possible to salvage photos that are out of focus or grainy.
I recently had the opportunity to photograph a wedding in a challenging lighting environment. The venue featured exceptionally high, dimly lit ceilings, and it presented the additional challenge of mixed indoor and outdoor lighting streaming into the space. Managing the lighting conditions for anything beyond staged portrait shots became quite a task. As a result, the candid shots, action-packed moments during the ceremony, and the lively dance scenes exhibited varying levels of noise. While Lightroom offers some useful tools to mitigate noise in photos, they simply don’t match the effectiveness of Topaz Labs’ Image Quality applications.
Overview
Topaz Labs’ suite of Image Quality applications encompasses DeNoise AI, Gigapixel AI, and Sharpen AI, each seamlessly integrating with Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop as plugins to deliver impeccable photo quality.
At the core of Topaz Labs’ mission lies their expertise in AI technology, dedicated to crafting user-friendly image and video enhancement software through the power of deep learning. With over one million users and an impressive annual growth rate of 2.4x, their impact in the industry is undeniable.
The lineage of Image Quality applications began with their initial releases in 2018 and 2019. The latest addition to this impressive suite, Photo AI, amalgamates all these powerful image tools into a single, automatic photo editor, a breakthrough introduced in 2022. Across the board, these applications leverage deep learning to identify and rectify image quality issues.
DeNoise AI harnesses the power of deep learning to effectively eliminate noise from photographs. Through a process of analyzing millions of images, it has learned to adeptly distinguish genuine image details from unwanted noise. This remarkable capability allows users to simultaneously enhance critical image details while effectively denoising their photos.
Gigapixel AI also uses deep learning to increase the resolution accurately when upscaling photos.
Sharpen AI, on the other hand, specializes in addressing issues like motion blur, focus problems, and softness, yielding more natural and refined outcomes compared to alternative sharpening tools.
Main Features
DeNoise AI → Banishes disruptive image noise
- Ideal for: wildlife, night, macro, and portrait photography
- Compatible with JPEG or RAW files
- Restores lost details while quelling noise
- Achieves a natural noise reduction
- Enhances image quality
- Boasts continually advancing AI capabilities
Gigapixel AI → Upscales and enhances images up to 600%
- Recover natural details and textures in low-resolution faces with Face Recovery AI
- Add image detail that looks completely natural.
- Enhance the texture of feathers
- Improve fur texture and sharpness
- Higher-resolution landscapes
- More detailed cityscapes
- Crystal-clear upscaling with no blocky artifacts
- Fix extreme pixelation in low-resolution images
- Create better prints
- Increase DPI by increasing the image’s real resolution
- Remove close-up compression artifacts
- Better zooming and cropping
- Enhance different patterns in fabric and flora
- Natural texture that looks like it was never upscaled
Sharpen AI → Recovers images from missed focus, lens softness, and motion blur
- Make your photos pop naturally
- Extra sharpness that looks completely natural
- Powerful depth of field throughout your photo
- Take significantly sharper handheld photos
- Accurately sharpen different kinds of subjects
- Rescue very blurry photos
- Reduce perceived movement
- Focus on the eyes
- Recover image detail
- Increase real (not simulated) sharpness
- Rescue multiple types of motion blur
- Save misfocused images
Privacy Policy
As outlined in the privacy policy available on topazlabs.com, user information is gathered during various interactions, including registration, order placement, newsletter subscription, survey participation, form completion, or when reaching out to our support team. You can access the comprehensive privacy policy by clicking here.
Pricing and Availability
Topaz Labs software is solely accessible via topazlabs.com. Users benefit from live chat support and a 30-day money-back guarantee. The software license encompasses standalone plugins for Lightroom and Photoshop, compatible with both Mac and Windows. Users are also granted the flexibility to download and install these plugins on up to two computers.
Each piece of software can be purchased individually or as a part of a bundle.
- Image Quality Bundle → $199.99
- DeNoise AI → $79.99
- Gigapixel AI → $99.99
- Sharpen AI → $79.99
Every license is yours indefinitely and comes with a complimentary year of updates. You can opt for an upgrade plan at $99, granting you unlimited upgrades for all your image apps for one year. Alternatively, individual software licenses can be upgraded for $49 each.
Topaz Labs also provides a free trial for their Image Quality apps. To learn more, you can click here to review the system requirements for Topaz Labs Image Quality apps.
User Experience
Among the standout advantages of employing Topaz Labs Image Quality apps is their seamless integration into your existing workflow. These applications are compatible with Adobe Lightroom Classic and Adobe Photoshop, offering you the flexibility to use them within these familiar environments. Additionally, each app can function as a standalone product.
The initial phase of the user experience involves acquiring the software for your device. This can be accomplished through a couple of methods. Firstly, you can access the application via your Topaz Labs account, where you’ll find installer links for the version you own and the latest version, both conveniently available on your account page. Alternatively, users can opt to download the applications directly from the Download Page, which exclusively features the most up-to-date versions of the currently available software.
After successfully obtaining the software packages for your system, the next step is to proceed with their installation into your chosen programs
- Install into Lightroom Classic (Mac instructions): Go to Preferences in Lightroom > External Editing tool > Choose > Applications/Topaz Labs LLC > Preset = Custom > Save Current Settings as New Preset > Name the Preset
In my specific scenario, which involved shooting a wedding in low-light conditions, I discovered that it was more convenient to utilize the individual apps rather than running them collectively through Photo AI. Let me outline the step-by-step process I followed.
- I color-corrected the images in Lightroom and did light touch-ups to the photos to improve the skin tone of some of the subjects. I would also crop and straighten photos before running them through the Topaz Labs apps.
- I reviewed each photo individually because there were different lighting situations and activities happening in each photo. For example, the dancing images took place later in the evening than the set-up photos which still had some exterior sunlight entering room.
- I started the image editing with noise reduction and DeNoise AI. For most of the photos, I was able to use the Standard setting but for some of them I needed to use the more advanced options available.
- If the photo still needed some enhancement due to motion, I would edit them in Sharpen AI. Again, the Standard setting was adequate for most images.
- The last step in my process was to utilize the Fade preset in Image AI to match color tones throughout the images.
After completing these steps for each image, I considered it ‘finalized’ and ready for delivery to my client. However, I did find the process of editing each image individually to be somewhat labor-intensive. While this approach allowed for greater precision, it would be advantageous to have the ability to apply a predefined set of edits to multiple photos when they share similar issues. In Lightroom, there is a feature that enables users to copy attributes from one image and paste them onto others using the copy/paste function within the application. Having a similar functionality within the Topaz Labs app would be a valuable addition. Once an edit is made, it could then be easily copied and pasted onto another photo in Topaz Labs, streamlining the editing process, much like other effects in Lightroom.
I’ve discovered that the Image Quality apps are exceptionally effective and have consistently delivered outstanding improvements in image quality. Not only does the software perform its intended functions with remarkable precision, but it also boasts an exceptionally user-friendly interface, making it accessible to individuals of all skill levels. The well-designed and intuitive user interface ensures easy navigation and swift access to the necessary features. Furthermore, the results achieved are truly remarkable, enabling users to effortlessly create high-quality images. In summary, the Image Quality apps are an excellent option for anyone seeking to elevate the quality of their images.
Conclusion
The highly versatile Image Quality apps by Topaz Labs have garnered widespread acclaim for their impressive capabilities and overall performance. These apps offer users a comprehensive set of tools to enhance image quality, including sharpening, smoothing, denoising, and various exposure and color correction features. Their exceptional functionality is complemented by an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making them the perfect choice for photographers of all levels, from beginners to seasoned professionals.
