P: (Technology Preview) Enhance: Denoise, Super Resolution, Raw Details

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

With Camera Raw's latest update, editing with features like Enhance is now easier and more flexible. When Technology Preview is enabled (configured via Preferences), Super Resolution, Raw Details, and Denoise can be used seamlessly and readjusted like any other non-destructive edit tool without creating a separate DNG file. 

Try out the latest experience and share your feedback with us as we continually improve this workflow. Please also include the following details in your forum post: 

• Camera raw version
• System details
• Workflow steps
• Example image(s) if you wish to share 

Thank you!

Lisa Ngo - Lightroom Product Manager

Posted By:

[Erik Bloodaxe]

Camera Raw 17.0.0.2043 on Windows 11

An observation:

New AI Features and Settings Panel checked.

Open existing DNG file in Camera Raw.

Apply Denoise as standard edit feature (new).

Resulting file causes Photoshop 26.0.0 to crash when selecting Open Object orOpen from Camera Raw.

When noise reduction is performed manually or the older method of applying Denoise and producing a new -Enhanced-NR.dng file , the file opens correctly in Photoshop.

The same applies to Raw Details and Super Resoltion processes.

[Erik Bloodaxe]

Further experimentation indicates that this freezing of Photoshop issue only occurs when Camera Raw is hosted by Bridge.

If hosted by Photoshop then Open and Open Object work correctly after Denoise or Super Resolution is applied using the new parametric adjustment.

[Lumigraphics]

Works fine here on Intel Mac with Radeon 5500M, Sequoia 15.0.1, using the tech preview (no DNG) with CR2 and CR3 files. Either Photoshop or Bridge-hosted ACR does the job with no crashes. I did have a black screen in ACR on first run but a system reboot fixed it.

[Erik Bloodaxe]

After reading your comments I tried the same procedure with some CR2 files. No joy, Photoshop locks up when file is opened from Camera Raw hosted by Bridge. I'm on Windows 11 though.

[jrsforums]

No problem with Panasonic G9ii RAWs.  Also, Win11.

i did have an initial problem just with PS after upgrading.  Reset preferences.  Don't know if that has any part.

[umlautnord]

Posted this in the Photoshop forum, but probably better suited to this thread. I've been having an issue with AI Enhance Denoise settings "sticking" when applying via ACR on a DNG opened as a Smart Object in Photoshop. It seems to just discard the AI Enhance Denoise entirely whenever I reopen the smart object in ACR via PS.

--

Expected behavior: Opening a DNG smart object layer in ACR should not reset/turn off AI Denoise (tech preview) in Photoshop once initially applied.

Actual behavior: AI Denoise is applied initially as expected. However, re-opening the Photoshop smart object layer in ACR deactivates/resets AI Denoise.

Reproduce:

1) Open DNG as Smart Object in Photoshop.
2) Double-click on layer to open ACR.
3) Enable AI Denoise. Wait for Enhance to process. Choose any number setting.
4) Click "Done." Photoshop will display the denoised image as expected.
5) Double-click on smart layer to reopen ACR.
6) AI Denoise has been turned off, while other ACR settings remain as previously applied. Reenabling AI Denoise requires full recalculation of Enhance, or reverting to earlier snapshot in ACR.

System:

MacOS Sequoia 15.0.1 on MBP 13” M1 2020, 16GB memory
ACR v17.0
Photoshop v26.0 (same behavior on Beta v26.1)
RAW DNGs captured on an iPhone 12

[som3rsault]

I often use the denoise functionality, it saved some of my photos and I love it. 

But I often apply it to a lot of photos simultaneously, sometime more than a hundred, and I leave it to calculate in the background.

With the new way it works, it opens a window (like applying smart masks) and I have to wait until it finishes. And that totally destroys my workflow! The window is locked in the foreground, and I can't open any other window of any other app to work on non-camera raw stuff. That's so inefficient, and I hate the way this works! Please, PLEASE change that!!!!

[redcrown on guard]

On my Windows 11 system I see some strange CPU usage with Denoise AI in ACR 17, but waited for an update before commenting. Now with ACR Version 7.0.1.2048 I still see strange and excessive CPU usage.

My workflow: I open a virgin Canon CR2 in ACR via Bridge and just tick Denoise. I get the normal "Enhance" progress window, and see some expected CPU in the Windows Task Manager. Takes about 5 seconds, and I see a denoised image preview. All seems good. But then I notice the CPU takes off, climbs to +95%, and stays there for 30 to 40 seconds before dropping back to idle.

I click "Done" in ACR and get the xmp and acr sidecars. Now, when I reopen the image in ACR I see the same strange CPU behavior. Ramps up to +95% for 30 to 40 seconds while I just watch without doing anything. If I open the image via Photoshop instead of Bridge I see the same thing.

If I open the virgin file via Photoshop, click Denoise, and then click Open as fast as possible after the Enhance window closes, I quickly (2 secs) get a proper denoised image in Photoshop, and the CPU quickly drops to idle. That seems to indicate that the 30-40 seconds of high CPU is not really doing anything! I get the same denoised image whether I let the CPU run or not. I got suspicious ACR was phoning home, maybe uploading stuff. So I disconnected my system from the Internet. I still get the high CPU session when air gapped.

Also, when I host ACR in Bridge and open a denoised image into Photoshop, I have a 25 second delay before the image appears. If I host ACR in Photoshop and open, there is no delay. Image opens in about 2 seconds. So, I've been dragging and dropping from Bridge to Photoshop to avoid the long delay.

[MattYksk]

Version: Camera Raw 17.0
Platform: PC Windows 11
Reproduce Issue by: Simply add some masking and apply denoise, try to change the masking

The new denoise feature is certainly a step forward with its adjustable levels, but I’ve encountered a frustrating drawback. Whenever I use the denoise function, it prompts me to "Update AI Settings," which takes an unnecessarily long time. Worse, it often disrupts my brush edits and mask settings in the process.

When editing over 100 photos, even minor adjustments to masks, brushes, or denoise settings trigger long waiting times—sometimes up to 10 minutes for a batch to process. Despite using a Dell XPS 17 with an RTX 3060, which isn’t top-of-the-line but fairly capable, these delays are difficult to manage.

My current workaround is reverting to Camera Raw 16.5, where I can apply denoise to all photos at once, export the DNG files, and work on them without delays. However, this limits access to the generative expand feature, making it a trade-off.

It would be incredibly helpful to have the option to enable or disable the adjustable denoise level feature (allow people to create static dng files instead of noise sliders), offering flexibility for different workflows.

Best regards,

Matt

[ExUSA]

Clarification on using the Technology Preview-

With this disabled, Camera RAW and Lightroom Classic can apply Super Resolution to PSD files. In LrC, just right-click an imported PSD. In ACR, File->Open, select the PSD file, and change format to Camera RAW to open into ACR, then Enhance.

With the Preview turned on, Enhance is not available for PSD files so ACR cannot apply Super Resolution.

I assume this is by design. Is this correct and will ACR (and presumably LrC) add this capability in the future, once this is a release feature and not a Preview? If not, please consider retaining the old Enhance method so we don't lose a feature.

And yes this is useful. When working with older, low-resolution, noisy RAW files, applying Denoise and then Super Resolution actually works well.

[ExUSA]

Enhancing (Super Resolution) a JPEG file using ACR and the "New AI Features and Settings Panel" creates an invisible .acr file with the enhance settings. Opening this enhanced JPEG and saving over the old file doesn't delete the .acr file which will in turn add a lot of unneeded data on the hard drive.

1. Enable Technology Previews->New AI Features and Settings Panel in Camera RAW

2. Right-click a JPEG file in Bridge and Open in Camera RAW

3. Check the Super Resolution box

4. Open the processed JPEG into Photoshop

5. Save As and replace the old JPEG on disk

Expected: .acr file is deleted

Actual: .acr file remains on disk

The new JPEG has the enhanced resolution and doesn't rely on the .acr file, the Camera RAW settings badge in Bridge is no longer shown, and the JPEG will open directly into photoshop instead of Camera RAW. The .acr file is no longer of any use but takes up significant disk space, as much or more than the actual JPEG. Being invisible, it will not show up by default in Bridge or Finder/Explorer.

[ExUSA]

ETA:

Bridge 15.0.3, ACR 17.2, Photoshop 26.4.1 on Mac Sequoia

[redcrown on guard]

The *.acr files are definitely a mystery, and a problem. They are created by Denoise AI, Masking, and Super Res. Strangely, you can delete them (outside of Adobe with Explorer, Finder) and they will be simply recreated when ever necessary, with no damage to the image. For example: Denoise AI a raw file, see the acr file, delete the acr file, reopen and process the raw file in Camera Raw, see the acr file magically reappear.

On a recent project, I Denoised about 100+ images and got 2.5 gigs of *.acr files! My advice is to be patient. The implementation of the "AI" versions of Denoise, Masking, and Supe Res is still in Version 1.0. Trust that the developers are working to enhance efficiency. I check my Creative Cloud daily, waiting for the next update to Camera Raw.

[ExUSA]

Yes the .acr files are binary data that holds the Enhance settings and Ai masks. They are created from scratch when you first edit your images, and so can easily be recreated. Once a linear format like JPEG is resaved, the .acr data is baked in (just like saving a processed RAW file to PSD or JPEG.) I haven't tested TIFF files but I assume its also a problem there.