Difference between Super Resolution in Camera Raw and AI Sharpen in Photoshop?

Some other differences, if your goal is upscaling…

Super Resolution can work with raw files, so if you need more resolution for larger prints, doing it at the raw level can potentially (but not necessarily) be better than doing it after passing the raw file to Photoshop.

If it’s an open document in Photoshop, then you actually have a lot of old and new upscaling options in Photoshop which you should compare, to see which one does the best job with the type of images you print:

• Image > Image Size command. Try the different Resample options; for upscaling, try Preserve Details and Bicubic Smoother. Image Size is the oldest upscaler in Photoshop, so it may or may not look any better than Super Resolution.
• Image > Generative Upscale. Try the different generative AI models such as Firefly Upscaler and Topaz Gigapixel. This is the newest feature. (The standalone version of Topaz Gigapixel, sold separately, is very popular with people upscaling for large prints, although I haven’t used it.)
• Filter > Neural Filters, Super Zoom. This machine learning upscales is not as new as Generative Upscale, but it has a few other features like Enhance Image Details, Remove JPEG Artifacts, Noise Reduction, and Sharpen. Might be worth trying.

A possible issue with Generative Upscale and Super Zoom is that their minimum upscale is 2x, which is what Super Resolution does, so they won’t necessarily solve the problem of too many pixels for AI Sharpen. Out of those options, only Image Size lets you upscale less than 2x, if you’re trying to get under the AI Sharpen limit.

Here’s another idea: If the images exceed what AI Sharpen allows when you use one of the options that have a minimum 2x upscale, you can try upscaling 2x, then using Image Size to get it just under the AI Sharpen size limit, then run that through AI Sharpen.

Upscaling is not necessarily the same as detail enhancement. If you are more concerned with detail enhancement without increasing the resolution, then you can try:

• In Camera Raw, try Raw Details, then maybe a combination of Sharpness and Texture depending on the detail frequency.
• In Photoshop, try Filter > AI Sharpen. You already know about this one. It is the newest feature.
• In Photoshop, try Filter > Sharpen > Smart Sharpen. This is older and more basic, but sometimes it is enough.

As far as your question about workflow, Adobe raw photo editors were traditionally designed around the three-stage sharpening workflow made popular by Bruce Fraser in his articles and books about Photoshop and Camera Raw. The stages are capture sharpening, creative sharpening, and output sharpening. That workflow shows up this way in Camera Raw and Lightroom:

• For capture sharpening, use the overall Sharpening controls in the Detail pane.
• For creative sharpening, apply sharpening through a mask.
• For output sharpening, apply the sharpening settings in the Print module (Lightroom Classic) or Export dialog box (in Camera Raw, Lightroom Classic, and Lightroom).

If you get the first two right, you might have less need to use AI Sharpen in Photoshop. I only say that if a lot of your images run into the AI Sharpen size limit after upscaling.

Keep in mind that properly managing overall contrast, local contrast, and micro-contrast can make an image look sharper even before you get to the sharpening controls. Like targeted edits to the tone curve, careful/masked use of Clarity and Texture, etc.

Also remember that if your workflow works well enough that you don’t need AI Sharpen, then you don’t have to worry about its limits. Remember…AI sharpening is so new that the vast majority of the exhibition-quality large prints ever made did not use AI Sharpen, and they look great.

Hi ​@tcwaters, Welcome to the Photoshop Community! Let me break down the two different tools.

1. Understanding Super Resolution:

   • Super Resolution enhances an image to 2x the linear resolution, effectively increasing the width and height, resulting in 4x the total pixel count. This is particularly useful for creating larger prints from cropped images.

   • It maintains the original image quality while increasing resolution, making it suitable for large displays and prints.

2. Sharpening in Camera Raw vs. AI Sharpen in Photoshop:

   • Sharpening in Camera Raw: This tool enhances the edges of the image, improving overall clarity, but does not change the resolution or file size significantly.

   • AI Sharpen in Photoshop: This feature uses artificial intelligence to sharpen images intelligently, focusing on details and textures. However, it may require more processing power and can be hindered by large file sizes.

3. Optimizing Workflow:

   • Reduce File Sizes: Before using AI Sharpen, consider reducing the file size of images by:

     • Saving in a more compressed format before applying sharpness.

     • Using the "Save for Web" option to optimize images for size while maintaining quality.

   • Use Super Resolution First: Apply Super Resolution to enhance the image before using sharpening tools. This can help maintain detail and improve the effectiveness of the sharpening process.

Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about these tools. Otherwise, our community can weigh in on their own workflows for large prints. I hope this helps! ^CH