How to remove the feather effect from a selection

[Quaerendo]

Photoshop allows you, once you have done a selection, to add the feather effect to it. But, is it possible to do this vice versa? That is if you have a selection with the feather effect on it, is it possible to remove this effect in order to make it sharper?

In my case, ctrl + shift + z is not an option.

Thanks in advance.

[Bojan Živković · Accepted solution]

Here is solution which may work for you:

• After creating selection press Q to enter quick mask mode.
• Press Ctrl + L to bring up Levels dialog.
• Drag left and right sliders inside and watch result, this should remove feather.
• Once you ae done confirm Levels and press Q again to exit quick mask mode.

[Quaerendo]

It works perfectly, thanks!

[Hominid Pinkage]

Works great!  In my case I had an object in a street scene that I wanted to emphasize, but because of the distance and the camera I was using at the time, it wasn't very clear.   This method fixed that perfectly.

[joeltock]

This is going to save me so many hours I might cry

[Stephen Marsh · Accepted solution]

My suggestion is similar to Bojan's, however I would use Image > Adjustments > Threshold 128

What is interesting is that if the original selection was rectangular, then feathering will round the corners. What is "fun" is working out a way to return the selection back to square cornered again, as close to the original as possible (i.e. feather 20px, maximum filter 20px/preserve squareness, minimum filter 20px/preserve roundness).