LR SPot removal and sync for multiple images

[agiledogsPhotography]

One problem I have found with the algorithm for syncing spot removal is that for all images from the source to the last selected image when syncing all have the same sample coordinates. Which unless these images are very similar can create problems as the same coordinates on each selected images may not prove to be a good sample point to remove something like a dust spot.

Example. Sources image I have used spot removal to remove a dust spot in an area of blue sky at in the upper middle section of my frame, As I want that dust spot fixed in the remaining images from that day's shoot I select the group of images and click sync.

Note as the dust spot remains on each image, each image is slightly different and in content and when the clone to copies the source spot (to clone or heal) a subsequent image may have a tree trunk or other object that does not provide the correct matching background for the spot removal process.

When syncing spot removal, I would expect that the location select (the dust spot) would be fixed, but for each image the area selected for healing/cloning would vary as needed to properly remove a dust spot with the proper fill as if you manually did it for each image.

[Todd Shaner]

See if this comment from Adobe Enginer MadManChan2000 helps:

Dust removal ready for synchronize?

Heal mode should work better than Clone, but you still may have issues with the "automatic" source point selection due to picture content differences. I find the "automated" source point selection to be very poor when working on even a single image file. You may need to manually drag the source spot to a suitable location and then sync it across "similar content" image files. Using manual source positioning YOU can select a more suitable source point that will work better across a larger selection of image files.

[agiledogsPhotography]

You have pretty much made my point. The point of sync is to apply the same changes. for spot removal in the case of dust spots, the spot is a fixed location in the frame. The heal/clone point should be recalculated for each image and not take from the same exact location as currently happens when syncing. I was trying to point out a needed enhancement for a future release.

[JoeKostoss]

Nice of you to point this out to us; however, we are users just like you, not Adobe.  For new feature requests, post your request here:

Photoshop Lightroom | Photoshop Family Customer Community

[Todd Shaner · Accepted solution]

LR already has this capability–There's no need to submit a Feature Request to do what you are asking!

Please read  Adobe Engineer  MadManChan2000's comment at the link I provided!

_______________________________________

1.  Re: Dust removal ready for synchronize?  

     MadManChan2000

Apr 16, 2013 8:43 AM  (in response to juergen_68)   

If you let Lightroom auto-calculate the "source" location for a dust spot and you do not manually specify that source location, then syncing dust spots across multiple images will result in Lr automatically auto-calculating the "source" locations for all of the selected images individually.  So, the "target" or "destination" areas (which are often the same in many pictures) will be the same, but the "source" locations will be updated by Lr individually for each picture, since the overall image content may change.

If you manually override or specify the source location for a spot (e.g., you click-and-drag on the source mask), then when you sync across multiple images both the source and destination for that spot adjustment will be copied exactly to the destination picture.

_________________________________________

It sounds like you're  doing what is described in the 2nd paragraph above, which would position the source spots identically in all images that you apply Sync Settings to.

As I pointed out even when doing so you may still have issues with "poor" automatic source spot selection, which is why I suggested doing it manually for a specific group of "similar" images. EXAMPLE:  Images that have the dust spot in the sky could have a source area "manually selected" that has sky in ALL of the images to be synch'd.

If you still want to submit a Feature Request at the link JoeKostoss provided then be more specific! Such as, "Please provide a Dust Spot Removal option that works similar to the PS Spot Healing Brush Tool. Unlike the current LR Spot Removal tool's automatic source selection it uses the immediate surrounding area to create content aware fill, which works much more reliably!"

[agiledogsPhotography]

I will assume that this (referring to the Mad ManChan2000 post) is true but when I have checked out various images...even using the auto calculating the source, I still find the same location selected for healing and cloning.

[Todd Shaner]

Eric Chan (AKA MadManChan2000) is an Adobe Senior Principle Scientist. I tested the Spot Removal tool "automatic" source selection with 'Sync' across an assortment of images. In every image the source spot was in a different location including an image that was almost identical to the image being Sync'd (see below).

Try this procedure:

1) Select the Spot Removal tool and set it to Heal mode.

2) Click on a dust spot in the currently selected image file. Do NOT touch or move the "automatically" selected Source spot!

3) Use CTRL-Click to select a number of image files you want to apply Spot Removal. Make sure some of them have very different content.

4) With the original image still "most selected" click on the Sync button in the lower right-hand panel of the Develop module. In the 'Synchronize Settings' popup select ONLY Spot Removal.

If you're still seeing the same source spot being selected in ALL of the image files then you have an issue we need to trouble-shoot.