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Jason007
Participant
May 21, 2017
Answered

Output Sharpening applied on top of editing sharpening?

  • May 21, 2017
  • 2 replies
  • 932 views

Hi,

Is Output Sharpening upon export, applied on top of the sharpening I'm doing when I edit the photo? Can't seem to find the answer to that question anywhere, anyone know?

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Per Berntsen

The sharpening you do in the Develop module (capture sharpening) is designed to compensate for loss of sharpness when the image is captured by the camera. Capture sharpening should make the image look sharp, but not too sharp. If in doubt, sharpen less.

Sharpening (and noise reduction)  must be applied at 1:1 view - any other view will be inaccurate and misleading.

Output sharpening compensates for loss of sharpness in the printing process and/or because of resizing, and is meant to be applied on top of capture sharpening. There is no preview for output sharpening, so you need to experiment to find out what works best.

Also note that output sharpening works optimally only for the size you are exporting at.

So instead of resizing an exported image that has been sharpened for output, export again with the new dimensions.

2 replies

Conrad_C
Community Expert
Conrad_CCommunity Expert
Community Expert
May 21, 2017

Jason007  wrote

Can't seem to find the answer to that question anywhere, anyone know?

It's not clear from the documentation, but the sharpening in Lightroom (and Camera Raw) is based on the three-stage sharpening workflow by Bruce Fraser. The three stages are capture sharpening, creative sharpening, and output sharpening, and that's why Lightroom has sharpening controls in three places (Detail panel, adjustment brush, and output). They are applied and maintained separately, but the effect is intended to be cumulative.

    Per Berntsen
    Community Expert
    Per BerntsenCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    May 21, 2017

    The sharpening you do in the Develop module (capture sharpening) is designed to compensate for loss of sharpness when the image is captured by the camera. Capture sharpening should make the image look sharp, but not too sharp. If in doubt, sharpen less.

    Sharpening (and noise reduction)  must be applied at 1:1 view - any other view will be inaccurate and misleading.

    Output sharpening compensates for loss of sharpness in the printing process and/or because of resizing, and is meant to be applied on top of capture sharpening. There is no preview for output sharpening, so you need to experiment to find out what works best.

    Also note that output sharpening works optimally only for the size you are exporting at.

    So instead of resizing an exported image that has been sharpened for output, export again with the new dimensions.

      J
      Jason007Author
      Participant
      May 21, 2017

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