I'm planning to make some large prints (24"x36") from sharp 5DSR tiff files and curious on experience in relying on the automated "sharpen for print" algorithm in Lightroom for large prints. Thanks
I find that the "Low" setting is effectively "none", "Medium" is "low", etc. Can you make a test print at size to see for yourself? If you're making a 24"x36" print, a crop of 1870 x 1247 pixels* from a part of the image where you need the sharpening to be perfect, printed so that the longest edge is 7.75", will be the same size as that area of the image printed to 24"x36". You can fit two of those on one 8.5x11" sheet of paper.
* This is assuming your sensor is 8688x5792 pixels, which I think is what a 5DSR is.
Keep in mind that the Print and Export sharpening algorithms in Lightroom are based upon the Photokit Sharpener Plugin. Part of the process taking place is PK Sharpener includes the finished size of the image and the resolution you specified for the print. Even a cropped portion printed on letter sized paper will not receive the identical sharpening that would be applied to a 24x36 inch print.
Any 'test' prints you create that are smaller than the original desired print will show sharpening based on that smaller target and may not be a closely associated approximation of what the finished full size print will be. It's much different than how sharpening is applied in pixel based editing prior to printing in Photoshop.
Good point. I never print from Lightroom so this hasn't come up for me. I export a TIFF from LR, which I then print via Quadtone RIP. I assumed that because the OP referred to generating a TIFF, the procedure he was using was similar (in the sense of printing from outside LR).
I would think that if you export the whole file (and let LR apply what it thinks is the appropriate sharpening for a file of that size), and then crop out the bit you want to test print and print that outside of LR, it should be fine? Am I wrong?
butchM wrote:
Keep in mind that the Print and Export sharpening algorithms in Lightroom are based upon the Photokit Sharpener Plugin. Part of the process taking place is PK Sharpener includes the finished size of the image and the resolution you specified for the print. Even a cropped portion printed on letter sized paper will not receive the identical sharpening that would be applied to a 24x36 inch print.
Any 'test' prints you create that are smaller than the original desired print will show sharpening based on that smaller target and may not be a closely associated approximation of what the finished full size print will be. It's much different than how sharpening is applied in pixel based editing prior to printing in Photoshop....Show more →
To answer my own question... I just tried it both ways: (1) crop inside LR, apply "low" sharpening for Matte paper on export, and (2) export the whole image with "low" sharpening for matte paper, and then crop to the desired size outside of LR.
I had to zoom in and study the two files side-by-side to notice any difference. There is definitely a difference in a screen comparison, but it's very subtle. I doubt it would be noticeable in a print. Applying more aggressive output sharpening would likely make a more noticeable impact.
My bottom-line: the question the OP is asking (which is a good question) is probably best answered with a bit of personal testing, because how much is too much (or too little) sharpening is partly a matter of taste. Good luck!
I don't print much but did some tests with a local printer to see how much sharpening to apply for 8 by 10 prints. I I found standard the best for events. High was a tad too much for general shooting.
There is camera festival this month and a printer had a workshop. I submitted a few files and one was a full frame shot of an osprey. I sent them in at high because I wanted the details there for a bird shot. It was only 8 by 10 but free. It looked pretty good but I wanted the beak and eyes to be crisp.
rdeloe wrote:
Good point. I never print from Lightroom so this hasn't come up for me. I export a TIFF from LR, which I then print via Quadtone RIP. I assumed that because the OP referred to generating a TIFF, the procedure he was using was similar (in the sense of printing from outside LR).
I would think that if you export the whole file (and let LR apply what it thinks is the appropriate sharpening for a file of that size), and then crop out the bit you want to test print and print that outside of LR, it should be fine? Am I wrong?...Show more →
Yes and no ... the OP did mention a TIFF file, but he did not indicate whether he was printing the file from Lightroom or exporting the file to be printed using different solutions. For me, the Print module was one of the primary reasons I adopted Lr over a decade ago. I've never regretted that move. Likewise, I was using the PK Sharpener Ps plugin for many years before Lr ever existed but I digress ...
Either way, the results would be the same as far as the sharpening algorithms are concerned. Pixel dimensions of the original data file and the desired physical dimensions of the interpolated print size (or intermediary file to be printed elsewhere) along with the chosen ppi factor into the process for sharpening the exported file or resulting print.
Judging the end results of the sharpening ... as with all printing, profiling, and other variables ... is purely subjective.
Just to clarify I do not plan to use the Print module in Lightroom, just export files using the resize and output "sharpen for print on glossy paper" algorithm in Lightroom. I recognize test prints is probably the best way to optimize sharpness but curious on hearing any experience with results just using the "standard" sharpen setting. Thanks
