Camera
Photographer Michael Clark on Adobe Super Resolution: ‘An incredible new tool’
Photographer and friend of DPReview Michael Clark has been trying out Adobe’s new Super Resolution feature, and he’s been impressed by what it can do. In this post (originally published on Michael’s blog and reproduced here by kind permission) he goes into detail about what the new technology can do – no pun intended.
On March 10, 2021 Adobe dropped its latest software updates via the Creative Cloud and among those updates is a new feature in Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) called “Super Resolution.” You can mark this day down as a major shift in the photo industry. The new Super Resolution feature in ACR essentially upsizes the image by a factor of four using machine learning, i.e. Artificial Intelligence (AI). From the PetaPixel article on this new feature they interviewed Eric Chan from Adobe, who was quoted as saying:
“Super Resolution builds on a technology Adobe launched two years ago called Enhance Details, which uses machine learning to interpolate RAW files with a high degree of fidelity, which resulted in images with crisp details and fewer artifacts. The term ‘Super Resolution’ refers to the process of improving the quality of a photo by boosting its apparent resolution,” Chan explains. “Enlarging a photo often produces blurry details, but Super Resolution has an ace up its sleeve: an advanced machine learning model trained on millions of photos. Backed by this vast training set, Super Resolution can intelligently enlarge photos while maintaining clean edges and preserving important details.”
What does this mean practically? Well, I immediately tested this out and was pretty shocked by the results. Though it might be hard to make out in the screenshot below, I took the surfing image shown below, which was captured a decade ago with a Nikon D700 — a 12MP camera, and ran the Super Resolution tool on it and the end result is a 48.2MP image that looks to be every bit as sharp (if not sharper) than the original image file. This means that I can now print that old 12MP image at significantly larger sizes than I ever could before.
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What this also means is that anyone with a lower resolution camera, i.e. like the current crop of 24MP cameras, can now output huge image files for prints or any other usage that requires a higher resolution image file. In the three or four images I have run through this new feature in Photoshop I have found the results to be astoundingly good.
Let’s run through how this works. First off, it works with any image file, whether it is a raw images file, a tiff or a jpeg. You will have to open the image file in Adobe Camera Raw via Photoshop or Adobe Bridge as shown below. To access the Super Resolution feature, right click on the image and choose “Enhance” as shown below. A dialog window will come up so you can see how the image will look and you can also toggle back and forth between the original image and the new Enhanced version. The dialog will give you an estimate on how long it will take to create the new Enhanced image, which will show up as a separate image file. Once you are ready simply click the Enhance button in the lower right hand corner. ACR starts working in the background immediately to build the new image file and it eventually appears right next to the original file you selected wherever that one is stored.
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In my testing, as shown below, it took this old 12MP image from 4256 x 2832 pixels to 8512×5664 pixels. The screenshots below show this enlargement. The top image is the lower resolution (original) version and the bottom image is the one that went through the Super Resolution process. The higher res image look absolutely amazing. And at 48MP I could easily blow this up to a 40×60 inch print just as with any image captured using my 45MP Nikon D850.
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| The Original image at 4256 x 2832 pixels shown at 100% in Adobe Photoshop. Click to enlarge. |
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| The new Enhanced image upsized using the Super Resolution feature at 8512 x 5664 pixels shown at 100% in Adobe Photoshop. Click to enlarge. |
Once I upsized the image using the Super Resolution feature, I zoomed into the resulting image and was very impressed. The image seemed just as sharp (if not a little sharper) than the original image file but of course it is massively larger (in terms of resolution and file size). Kudos to the folks at Adobe for creating a truly revolutionary addition to Photoshop. I have tried some of the Topaz AI software options, like Topaz Gigapixel AI, but I have not seen it work this well.
So what does this mean? For starters, it means that AI technology will have a huge impact on photography. Going forward, the software we use to work up our images (and upres them) might in some instances have a larger effect on the final images than the camera that was used to capture the image. To a certain degree this new tool in Photoshop significantly equalizes the playing field no matter what camera you are working with. All of a sudden my Nikon Z6 and Fujifilm X-Pro 3 (respectively 24MP and 26MP cameras) are capable of producing stunning large prints in a way that was previously just not possible.
This feature is a huge boon to lower resolution (12 to 16 MP) and even medium resolution (24 MP) camera owners
What about high-resolution cameras you may ask? Where do they end up with all of this? The new Super Resolution tool will allow up to up-res any image as long as the resulting “Enhanced” image file is less than 65,000 pixels on the long side and under 500 MP in total. What that means is I can up-res the 102MP images from my FUJIFILM GFX 100 and GFX 100S cameras and produce insane 400 MP image files from a single image. That is getting into the absurd, but that also opens some doors for crazy huge prints. The reality is that this feature is a huge boon to lower resolution (12 to 16MP) and even medium resolution (24 MP) camera owners. Higher resolution cameras will still yield better image quality but we now have the option of making large prints from relatively low resolution image files.
This is just the start of the AI revolution. It also shows quite clearly that many of the advancements in image quality are going to come from the software side of the equation as we start to see cameras with incredible specs that might be hard to dramatically improve upon in the coming years. I am super excited about this new option in Photoshop as it will allow me to offer much larger prints than I have been able to create previously–and they will look stunning.
Update:
After talking with some photographer friends about this new feature I played around with images from a variety of different cameras to see how it varies. I ran a few images through from my Nikon Z6 and also a few from my FUJIFILM GFX 100. With the GFX 100 image, the Super Resolution feature popped out a 376MP image file that was damn near identical to the original image file, just four times larger. My jaw hit the floor when I zoomed into 100% and compared it to the original! You can see both the original and the Enhanced images below. There is no way to actually convey the 100% image size here as I have no control over the viewers screen resolution but regardless, they both look wicked sharp.
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| The Original FUJIFILM GFX 100 image at 11205 x 8404 pixels shown at 100% in Adobe Photoshop. Click to enlarge |
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| The new Enhanced image upsized using the Super Resolution feature at 22409 x 16807 pixels (376 MP) shown at 100% in Adobe Photoshop. Click to enlarge. |
From what I can tell, the Super Resolution tool seems to do an even better job with higher resolution cameras and in particular with cameras that do not have an anti-aliasing filter in front of the sensor. My Nikon Z6 images when enhanced with this tool still look impressive but not as jaw dropping as the example above. The Z6 has a very strong anti-aliasing filter, basically a filter that slightly blurs the image to reduce digital artifacts. In addition, it seems like the amount of sharpening or noise reduction applied to the image is also magnified so playing around with how the image is worked up may have a significant effect on the final image quality. I will have to do some more testing.
If you have gotten this far, and are still reading this full-on pixel-peeping madness, then you might have realized that this could be the best upgrade to any and every camera ever. This is certainly one of the most incredible features Adobe has ever released in Photoshop.
This article was originally published here and is reproduced by kind permission of the author
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Oliver Barnes and the No1 Pocket Kodak that contained the mystery negatives.
Photo: Oliver Barnes |
Here’s an interesting entry for Film Friday: Oliver Barnes, a 20-year-old antique camera fan, was in a Salisbury antique shop when he discovered a bag hiding in the corner. Inside the bag was a No1 Pocket Kodak, a camera that went into production in the 1920s. That would be an exciting enough find, but once he worked out how to open the camera, he discovered film inside, as the BBC reports.
“I was in complete shock; I was so worried I had exposed the film because they are very, very light sensitive,” he said.”It’s, like, 100 years old, so I wasn’t expecting the film to come out of it.”
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Some of the photos show a crowd of people and television crew outside the Portcullis Hotel in Chipping Sodbury.
Photo: Unknown / Oliver Barnes |
The No. 1 Pocket Kodak used 6x9cm negatives, which resulted in a decent level of detail from simple contact prints for photographers at the time. Of course, developing such negatives today isn’t as straightforward as it used to be. Barnes brought the negatives to Fujifilm Salisbury Photo Centre, where Ian Scott helped narrow down some of the details related to the images. Scott knew the film inside the camera wasn’t produced until the late 1950s, providing a more precise timeline of when the images could have been taken.
Given the age of the negatives, it was surprising how well they turned out. “They’re really good quality for how old they are; I wasn’t really expecting anything,” said Barnes. The developed images revealed more mysteries, however. Some of the images show an event of some sort. Barnes did some sleuthing and figured out the photo was taken from the upper floor of a building overlooking the Portcullis Hotel and the war memorial in Chipping Sodbury. There appears to be a television crew on the edge of the frame.
The images have sparked lots of interest locally in an attempt to identify the event. “It’s caused quite a fuss on social media round here. It got shared literally everywhere,” said local photographer Richard McDonough. “We’ve had all sorts of people coming up with speculation and different ideas of what it might be.” Some have guessed a wedding, while others have proposed an event related to the American Army, which was posted nearby during WWII. “There are so many different scenarios,” said tourist center volunteer Barry Townsend.
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This photo is believed to be of two students on the Swilcan Bridge at the University of St. Andrews, though the two men have not been identified.
Photo: Unknown / Oliver Barnes |
Another image shows two young men on a bridge who have not been identified yet. However, they are assumed to be two University of St. Andrews students. Barnes and others searching for answers hope that sharing the images may spark someone’s memory. Even if the details remain a mystery, it certainly is a fun find to stumble on. It’s also a good reminder to be careful with how you open thrifted film cameras; you never know what gems you may find inside.
| Photo: Leica |
With its latest announcement, Leica is furthering its focus on mobile photography, adding a new accessory to its lineup. The company designed the Leica Lux Grip specifically for iPhones, following up on the June release of the Leica Lux iPhone app. The grip is strictly for Leica lovers, as it will only work with Leica’s iPhone app; controls will not transfer to the default iPhone camera app or any other third-party options.
Leica says the Lux Grip is “similar to a classic Leica camera in terms of its handling and feel.” It goes even further and explains that all of the grip’s “physical controls consistently express Leica’s design philosophy and conjure up the familiar experience of using a professional camera.” Any grip will make for a more camera-like experience and make taking photographs with a phone a bit more ergonomic, so users who focus on mobile photography could certainly benefit from it.
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| Photo: Leica |
The grip relies on a magnetic MagSafe connection rather than a case-like design, which is typical in other phone grips. The magnetic attachment makes switching between portrait and landscape orientations easy while maintaining a comfortable grip with easy controls. Plus, removing the grip when it’s not needed and returning to a traditional phone form factor is straightforward. That also means that when users purchase a new iPhone, there’s no need to buy an entirely new grip specific to that phone.
The Lux Grip uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connectivity to communicate with a phone’s camera, allowing users to control camera functionality without digging into phone menus. That includes a two-stage shutter release that, like cameras, uses light pressure to focus and a full press to take a photo. There’s also a button to switch between shooting modes, two customizable buttons and a dial for adjusting settings.
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| Photo: Leica |
For those who want to go all out, Leica also released a leather case designed just for the Lux Grip, which features an AirTag holder.
The Leica Lux Grip is available for $329 on Leica’s website and B&H. The purchase includes a year of the Leica LUX Pro subscription.
Buy now:
Leica Camera AG is launching the Leica LUX Grip for the iPhone today.
The camera grip impresses with its intuitive operation and high-quality manufacturing while, at the same time, setting new standards for photographic precision using a smartphone. The Leica LUX Grip is similar to a classic Leica camera in terms of its handling and feel. Its clear design, sophisticated operating concept and easy attachment – guaranteed by secure magnetic MagSafe technology – improve the ergonomics and functionality of smartphone photography, taking it to a new level. The LUX Grip and iPhone communicate via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and are perfectly complemented by the Leica LUX app.
All of the LUX Grip’s physical controls consistently express Leica’s design philosophy and conjure up the familiar experience of using a professional camera. The 2-stage shutter release focusses with light pressure and starts shooting when fully pressed down. A button allows you to quickly switch between shooting modes. Two control elements can be individually assigned and customised via the Leica LUX app. While one button provides quick access to frequently used functions, the easy-to-grip control dial enables the precise selection of camera settings – such as zoom, aperture, shutter speed and exposure compensation. This means that photographers have all the essential aspects of image composition in their own hands, even when using a smartphone.
The Leica LUX app rounds off the photographic experience by adding the unmistakable image and colour aesthetics of legendary Leica lenses. The bokeh effect of the Summilux-M or Noctilux-M can be used to deliberately emphasise features while retaining full control over exposure, ISO and shutter speed. Unique Leica Looks – from Vivid to classic Black&White – expand the artistic palette, lending digital photography an analogue character. The Leica LUX app forms a perfect symbiosis with the LUX Grip. The full version of the app is included for one year with every Grip product registration.
The LUX Grip also sets the tone when it comes to sustainability. Thanks to its modular design, the Grip can be easily reused with all electronic components every time you change your iPhone. Only the MagSafe base plate has to be replaced. Weighing just 130 grams, the Leica LUX Grip is comfortable to hold and is equally suitable for left- and right-handed users. Its powerful battery lets you take up to 1,000 shots and will be ready for use again in a flash with a charging time of 2 hours via USB-C.
The Leica LUX Grip is now available in selected Leica Stores, in the Leica Online Store and from specialist retailers. The recommended retail price is EUR 300 incl. VAT.
| Nikon Nikkor Z 35mm F1.2 pre-production | F1.2 | 1/125 sec | ISO 64 |
Earlier this week, Nikon announced the Nikkor Z 35mm F1.2 S, a wide-angle lens with a fast aperture. We were able to spend a few hours on the streets of Seattle with a pre-production model, and got some shots that should give you an idea of what this lens is about.
A few caveats to keep in mind – given that the photos were shot with a pre-production lens, they may not be exactly indicative of how a production model would perform. Our standard lens gallery procedure also involves processing the images through Capture One, giving us precise control over what corrections are and are not applied. However, the images in this sample gallery are straight out of camera JPEGs, and thus may have corrections that wouldn’t usually be applied to images in our sample galleries.
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