Where to apply Unsharp Mask Effect.

Good

My 2 cents, having watched the discussion so far ... and that's about what anyone's adice on sharpening is worth if they're not sitting at your computer looking at the media.

First, the comment earlier about making sure you set things with a good sharp frame to begin with is SO spot-on. And make sure you're only checking sharpness on the things that are clearly the sharpest things in the image.

Next ... if the media all needs sharpening, you need to do it in multiple small steps. I would apply a basic level in the Lumetri Creative tab with the sharpening tool there. Enough to make a slight difference in the sharpest things in the image, when viewed at 100%. This would be the same over all clips. You might make a Lumetri preset that includes this set to what you need, along with any other settings that seem to apply to the vast majority of clips from that camera ... would save time.

When ready to export, you could then go through the sequence and where you really, really needed more sharpening, add a bit more in an added Lumetri effect at the bottom of the effects control panel layer stack. Again, barely enough to see the difference when you toggle on./off that instance of Lumetri with the image showing at 100% in the Program monitor or transmit-out.

Video when watched is actually not all "that" sharp, especially compared to stills images. Don't judge sharpness with the image paused. Only judge sharpness while it's moving, and preferably with a monitor you can set to the same refresh rate (or double) as your sequence frame-rate.

Film certainly isn't "sharp". A few of the colorists I know who are awesome at getting a 'filmic' look include a very slight lessening of sharpness as their very first step to any digital-camera produced image. When they apply a "grain" filter, it's either just after the de-sharpening or near the end of the process.

Either way, it's to ensure that the basic image is de-sharpened and then grain is applied that is not de-sharpened.

Neil

@ruminir Did you ever determine a solution for this? Have you come to an opinion about what works best for applying sharpness to GoPro footage? I posted a similar question recently and I'm looking for more details about what other GoPro users are doing for sharpening after applying the Protune setting for Sharpness to "Low". Would really appreciate any details you can share with me.  My question is posted here if you can add a response: https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro/best-method-for-sharpening-gopro-protuned-footage-in-premiere-pro/m-p/11758418?page=1#M323795

Thanks!

One thing to remember is that Unsharp mask is a non-accelerated effect, so placing such an effect in "wrong" place can slowdown rendering significantly. Well, at least in my experience. More details here:

Re: Order of filters/effects and drop in CUDA-rendering speed, is it a bug or a feature?

I guess I would do all your edit stuff and color etc.. and then add the adj. layer above everything with the unsharp mask and export.

Why do you need to apply unsharpen mask. Is this just for one clip or entire timeline?

Unsharpen mask can at times do more harm then good.

I could give a bit more information  I suppose.

Sharpening is a sharp-edged tool. Pun intended and appropriate. What specifically are you sharpening and why are are sharpening that bit?

Until you know the answers to those questions you can't know exactly when and how to apply sharpening effects.

Essentially you sharpen where you need to and only when you need to. And for a specific part of the image. Sharpening is something that can so rapidly lead to artifacts and banding and blocking. Halos.

Neil

Where it gives the effects you like.

Neil