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Digital Deluxe Toolbox version 1.0 DOWNLOAD This actionset for Adobe Photoshop 6 is intended for use with digital images, to aid and assist the photographer in achieving better images. The set consists of following actions: De-noise Deluxe 1.2
This new denoise action is primarily intended for refining low-iso (ISO 100) digital photographs. It is also extremely usefull when the intent is to create B/W photos from colour originals (channel mixing), and in rescuing detail in compressed JPG files. Because of the differences in camera models, and the continuos advance
in technology, it is near impossible to create a fully automatic noise
reduction algorithm that will fit all cameras. However, this was my intended
goal. The main test camera was a Nikon
Coolpix 995, but other models has been tested as well. How it works: A flattened work copy is made from the original document, masks are created, the chromanoise action runs, and complicated, yet discreet luminosity de-noising occurs. After the manipulation, the work copy is flattened, closed and copied into your original document as a new layer. - In other words, this action (as well as many of the other actions included) leaves your original document completely unaltered, with Histories, Channels and Layers intact! It even purges all used memory in the duplicate to free resources. Only difference is the new layer that has been de-noised. This makes it easy to compare before / after, and eases further manipulation. The De-noise Deluxe 1.2 action utilizes no less than three masks to protect fine detail from alterations; EdgeMask protects fine detail, in-focus areas
from changing altogether. These masks are created automatically from the source image composite channel. De-noise Deluxe then uses these Masks in different degrees to protect detail and focus on larger fields of colour or out-of focus areas, where the noise is most visible and annoying. At first glance, the difference might seem very subtle, and this is by design. Everybody knows how critical detail and colour can be, and this is an action that takes these demands seriously. However, take a look at the Colour Channels, and you´ll notice a dramatic improvement. Tip: Hit the Tab key on your keyboard to hide tools and palettes when
running this action. This will visually show you what is taking place
as it goes. Tips for reducing noise in general: Always avoid high ISO unless absolutely unavoidable. I almost always
shoot with the lowest possible ISO value. This action is an extra de-noiser you can run after the De-noise Deluxe action to further reduce luminosity grain in the image. This action is more aggressive than De-noise Deluxe, but utilizes some of the same techniques and masks. It does not remove additional chromanoise. Intended for mid-ISO photographs. This action is an extra de-noiser you can run after the De-noise Deluxe action to further reduce luminosity grain in the image. This action is very aggressive, and makes a compromise with image detail. I recommend using a Layer Mask on it to regain detail from the original. Runs an extra step of chromanoise removal. Intended for hi-ISO photographs, with severe grain and chroma noise. Classical chromanoise action. Creates a work copy of the original, which are converted to Lab mode, and a+b channels are blurred, slight noise and saturation is added before closing and copying into the original as a separate layer. Leaves original document completely unaltered, save for a new layer. In some cases, due to its nature of blending colours, the chromanoise
action (included in De-noise Deluxe and Hi-ISO
grain actions), can create selective loss of saturation in fine colour
detail. This is far from always the case, but for some critical work (and
photographers) this Action can get back original colour. It is a simple,
yet very practical action: It creates a copy of the Background layer (where
your original image is expected to be), puts this new layer in Color Mode,
adds a Layer Mask, selects the mask, and automatically selects the Paintbrush
Tool and a white foreground color so you are all set to paint back color
detail directly in the image. Very, very easy, so I don´t want to
hear about any loss of colour! Tip: Show / hide the De-noise Deluxe or chromanoise layer to see where
the loss of colour occurs. Tip: If you´ve flattened the image after running chromanoise, you can regain colour by using the History Brush, setting the History State to Original image. Creates a new alpha-channel from the composite RGB channel. Despeckle, Find Edges filter and a few curves and blur commands are run to create an all-situation reliable edgemask around fine detail in the image. Useful for many situations, like sharpening and de-noising. Creates a new alpha-channel from the composite RGB channel, then identifies the lightest areas, and protects these from aggressive de-noising, thereby keeping detail in these delicate areas. (Production action for De-noise Deluxe, hardly useful on its own). 'Underexposed' uses a few of the included actions to normalize an underexposed or overexposed image automagically. It runs the De-noise Deluxe action and the contrast masking action in succession to de-noise and auto-correct the image in one go. Finally, it applies a curve command to increase visible dynamic range. 'Contrast masking' evens out areas of underexposure and overexposure and is very well suited for bringing a subject out of the shadows for instance. It does so by creating a merged duplicate layer, desaturates, inverts, puts the image in Overlay Mode, and finally, custom heavy blurring are introduced. A little bit of magic. A merged duplicate layer is created, put in Soft Light mode, and the Hi-pass filter runs with a custom value. This is an alternative sharpening technique I learned from Bruce Fraser. Think of it as a Sharpen Adjustment Layer. Creates a merged duplicate document, converts to Lab mode and retrieves the L channel and places it as an alpha channel in the original document. Very handy when you need that Luminosity Channel. I find I often do.
January 2002.
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