Hi all. I recently shared a video about my noise and sharpening workflow which happened to use a plug-in (Click Here to see it). Well, I got a lot of questions about overall plug-in workflow because both Lightroom Classic and Lightroom have a couple of different ways to use plug-ins.
So, while I use Topaz in this video, the video is really meant as an OVERALL tutorial on how to get in and out of plug-ins if you use Adobe. Enjoy!
PS: I create a little Topaz Photo AI Learning Center with another video and some FAQs as well as the PDF I promised. If you do decide to purchase/renew, You don’t have to do anything else and it won’t cost you a penny to use. Just use the link in the Learning Center Page.
You’ll get the same price. I do get a small commission that helps take my wife out to dinner 😉 And if you do use the link, I’ll throw in a PDF Shortcut Guide for Topaz Photo AI as a thank you (see below).
I love teaching and photography... In that order. I feel that enjoying photography, and photo editing can get WAY too complicated. So my personal mission (and favorite thing to do), is to create education that simplifies the process of taking great photos, and how to edit them to get the results you’ve always wanted.
Hi Matt,
Thank you for your video. it is very appreciated. I have been using Topaz Photo AI for a while and have been doing your recommended workflow for some time. However, I noticed that when you export the file from Photo AI back to Lightroom that it exports as a dng. Mine exports back to LrC as a tiff.file. I would like to export as a dng. I looked for where to change the setting. I am using the latest version of both LrC and Photo AI. To change from exporting from Photo AI as a tiff to dng, I looked in LrC Preferences/ External Editing/Additional External Editor/ Topaz Photo AI/ File Format – but was not offered a dng. My choices were Tiff/PSD/ JPEG. So I looked in Topaz and all I could find under Preferences/Export as Use Adobe DNG SDK for export. This setting is already enabled. Can you please tell me where I make the change from exporting from Photo AI as a dng and not a tiff back into LrC? I would be most appreciative. Thanks Janette.
Trying to watch the preset tutorial.
Thanks!
My LRC on windows 11 DISPLAY MODULE, FILE > PLUGIN EXTRAS does not show my topay plugins. I can only get them from Photo EDIT-IN. How do I get my plugs to show up under file? thanks
Hi. As I mentioned in the video, if something isn’t where it should be you’ll need to contact the plug-in company for help. Thanks.
Hi Matt, recently bought the Topaz Photo AI plug in using your page link. hope you received your commission.
Was wondering how I access your shortcut guide. Thanks
I tried to purchase your topaz course The transaction did not go through I asked for help and they said they would put a one dollar charge which was refundable..my cc rejected a charge of 55 attempted what going on
Does Topaz Photo AI also work on other file types? such as .JPG? I shoot RAW, but my wife uses her iPhone.
Thank you
Yes, it works on all image files.
Matt, I bought and dove into your course yesterday. So many essential tips! Thank you. Question, please: Maybe I missed this, but does Topaz Photo AI treat an incoming DNG as raw? It’s not automatically denoising mine. And if not, is there any advantage to choosing Plug-in Extras in LrC vs. Edit In? Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
Hi Jack. If it’s a native raw file (not a compressed one that was saved with compression) it will treat it as raw I believe. As for which to use from LrC the course will teach you that. Thanks.
Hi Matt, Long time customer here and I appreciate your work. I realize that you get a commission from Topaz when folks order through your site and that’s great but since I have also been a Topaz user for quite a while I had already updated my software before the big sale and I did so directly through Topaz Labs so I shall assume that I am not eligible to receive your little short cut guide pdf? Is that correct?
Hi. Shoot me an email through the site please.
Thanks for the video, Matt! I have found two issues: PS won’t save back to LR, and it also won’t save back for cloud images as opposed to local.
For what it’s worth, it seems, if you do any adjustments to brightness or color while working on the raw file in PhotoAI, the image file will be exported back to LRC as a TIFF file rather than a DNG file.
Topaz tells you this upfront
Is the shortcut available for purchase ?
When I go to plug in extras the AI program does not open. I see a bar that says metadata saved but program does not open
Hi. You should contact Topaz if something isn’t working. Thanks.
As of July 2024 (the last time I inquired) and well before that (when I first asked Topaz about this) Photo AI cannot process Raw files from Trans-X Fuji sensors and, if used, gives unacceptable results. I was told in July that they were not going to fix this. I want to use the RAW algorithm, but unfortunately have not been able to.
Any help in getting this addressed by TOPAZ would be much appreciated.
I greatly appreciate your teaching and have several of your courses. I follow your stuff assiduously. Thank you.
Rob Sirota
Hi Rob. As I wrote in a private message to you, feedback is the way to get things changed. While I can write them and say that 1 person contacted me, you writing them and saying you need this, and getting every Fuji shooter you know to do the same, would go much further. They’ll listen to large quantities of people much more than they’ll listen to me 🙂 Thanks and good luck!
How do I add plug in for Topaz in LR Classic thru the “File” option? They are available under “Photo” but not in “File”, I get the message “not defined”. I use them all the time accessed in “file”
Thanks
Hi Walter. Definitely contact Topaz if it’s not working correctly. Thanks.
Great set of two videos. I myself moved to Topaz a couple of years ago. Since then I have been shooting high ISO often. Being a senior I shoot mainly at zoos. With my problems hand holding I have started the following. Shutter at 1/800 or 1/1000. Aperture to fit the composition. ISO set to auto (I try to Ignore it while shooting. I find that every shot goes through Topaz. If NR is not needed it does not over do it. Also Topaz customer service is pretty good. Every time I write to complain about a change they tack on a couple of months to my contract.
Finally I would like to see a debate between you and Blake. I try to watch everything both of you do. Your view are very different but I have achieved a workflow that really works of me by compromising the two. (He pushes High Pass for sharpening).
Again Great stuff
Abe
Thanks Abe. A debate would probably get ugly 😉 What I can tell you is this… High Pass or any sharpening in Photoshop will not come close to plug-ins like Topaz or even DxO. I hate to work in absolutes, but in this case it simply will not come close. Thanks!
Hi Matt,
I tried using your link to add to my subscription but because I’m on their auto-renew program their site won’t let me add anything to the current subscription setup.
Could I get your shortcuts for a price? Pretty much everything you do is super helpful so don’t really want to lose out on this one just because Topaz has things set up the way they do.
Thanks
Andy
Hi. Please email us using the contact option.
I have been a big fan of Topaz for several years, so when they offered a pre-offer sometime recently, October, I think, I jumped at the chance to automatically get the upgrade of Photo AI when my license expires, which is later in November. So,I can’t get it through you, unfortunately. I’m really hoping, out of the goodness of your heart, that you would send me the PDF link anyway. Any chance of that?
Hi. Please email us using the contact option.
Matt, have you tried the Super Focus feature in Topaz? I find the results to be outstanding, however, it takes forever to complete the processing. I have to go away from my computer while it processes the file and come back an hour later to export the file to LRC. No, I am not getting a new computer anytime soon. It has lots of memory and a fairly fast processor.
Hi Jeff. Yes, I mentioned it in my video yesterday. Thanks!
Matt, do you have a preference of which plugin to use first if you are using more than one? For example I will go from Lightroom Classic (LRC) into Photoshop to remove distractions from the photo. When the picture returns to LRC I will then Edit In Topaz for sharpening and noise reduction and maybe upsizing. Would it make more sense to use Topaz first and then Photoshop or does it even matter?
Aha, actually no it does not answer my question from yesterday, because when I right click there is no folder on my hard drive, as all my all photos are stored in the Adobe cloud. Have I forgotten that I could also if necessary fill my hard drive with all my RAWS and have them synced with the cloud? My workaround seems to be that I export from Lightroom desktop the raw file plus adjustments And then open that in Topaz AI and then save it as a RAW and re-import it into LR? Bit of a slog but I think that works.
Great – that answers my query from yesterday- I did renew my Topaz licence via your link but missed the pdf guide!
You can send an email in and we can help out. Thanks!
Hi Matt,
Very helpful as usual!
One question: Since there is an upscale option included in PhotoAI, why would one want to buy their Gigapixel Plug-in?
Thanks
Gerhard
Hi. Their website has a chart that shows Upscale vs Gigapixel. Can’t find it offhand but maybe poke around. Overall for most photographers Photo AI is what you should be using. Thanks.
Thank you! I didn’t know the plug-in option. And — my license expires tomorrow!
Thanks helpful suggestions
Thanks for these videos, Matt. Very helpful. I’ll check my Topaz renewal dates, and use your link if I upgrade or buy Cloud Credits. I noticed DxO in one of your dropdown menus. What, if anything, do you use it for? Or were you just trying it out?
Hi Jack. I don’t use it. Just tried it out. Thanks.
Just became a fan of Topaz, works great for me!
Love topaz, Thanks for your help
Matt
I learned what I know from between you and Scott from the books you wrote for PS Elements.
I already own all the Topaz products going back to their legacy products. I already extended my licenses.
Please send me the link to your book on topaz
Thanks
Thanks Matt, I will be buying the new course as soon s it comes out. I don’t understand how the new software works so thats why I buy your courses. I did use your link and extended my subscrition, however I did not see where to get the PDF shortcut sheet, I guess I will wait until the new course comes out.
Thanks again,
Semper Fi,
Joe W.
Thanks, Matt! Very helpful info — I especially appreciate the information on the file format being manipulated by PhotoAI.
Matt, thanks for this video, I was unaware about the difference in image quality in terms of the two ways to access Topaz Photo AI from LR Classic. My question is this: my workflow takes me from LR Classic into Photoshop and then I typically use Topaz within PS as a plug-in as you demonstrate in this video. But now I am left wondering if I should be doing something different to maintain the best image quality throughout post in terms of how to get my images from LRClassic into PS? I am currently doing that via the “Edit In” dialogue in LR Classic with a right mouse click with my Preferences set to PSD (vs TIFF). Is there a (better) way to get your LR Classic images into Photoshop that maintains the RAW file? If not, then would you now recommend taking images from LR Classic into Topaz stand alone first and only then taking that Topaz optimized file into PS?
I Don’t see a discount on Topaz with your site. $200.
Hi Jay. Their prices are what they show on their site. My link is not a discount. Simply linking to the sales that Topaz has. Thanks.
I would love to see a short video on the workflow for cloud users. I guess it would be export the raw, edit, then add into LR cloud.
Will
Matt,
Using the TPAI plug-in (to keep the workflow in RAW format) exports a RAW file to LrC where the EXIF data is changed by TPAI, most importantly to me the date created is changed to the date modified by TPAI. The original and edited versions, with dates changed, move to the end of my folder (which is sorted by date captured). This means I need to change the capture time to keep my photos in a useable order.
There has been discussion about this on the Topaz user form for 6-8 months. If you have any thoughts about a workaround or any clout with Topaz it would be helpful to have this problem resolved.