Hi everyone. Adobe released a small “March 2021” update to Photoshop today so I wanted to give you a quick review of what they added. Also, here are some links mentioned in the video:
For more info on Enhance Details: https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2021/03/10/from-the-acr-team-super-resolution.html?fbclid=IwAR19HrGS4K6UXFSBA9O5jQcRF3bnwtR8FJBcyjn78M-Dy5oR9Uq6SkJ8EyY#gs.vba5rz
More info on latest updates: https://helpx.adobe.com/ca/camera-raw/using/whats-new.html
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, I have just downloaded my photos from my iPhone 8 only to find that all the photos have an HEIC File. I am a pensioner so that computer savy and was hoping you could help me. Many thanks.
Thanks Matt for the update! I do have a question. If you have a RAW image that you know you’re going to crop heavily, would it be better to go ahead and crop it then run Enhance, or would it be better to run Enhance on the RAW image and then crop it???
Hi. I don’t know that there’s a rule for this. Maybe give it a try on both and compare… and let us know what you find. Thanks!
As always you are super. Thanks for the info.
Matt, can you elaborate on your statement about Lightroom vs Camera RAW. Are you saying Adobe will be migrating from Lightroom to Camera Raw for editing?
Hi. Lightroom develop and camera raw are the same thing. Same controls and results just a different interface.
Hi Matt
Always a legend in PS well done and thank you
been in and out of hospital since October last year, what a pleasant surprise after another 2 weeks
Thank you so much for all those years of easy learning
Regards,
Gary
………….AU
Again, many thanks!
Good stuff, Matt. I’m using Windows 10 and my images are converted to DNG. Open in Camera Raw. Go to Enhance. No problem. Great instructional video, as always.
Thank you Matt!
Great work as always, Matt. Thanks for helping keep the rest of us up to date. You always make it understandable.
Hi Matt,
Thank you for the newsletter and the video. I’ve tried to duplicate the process using Windows / LrCC / PS but it did not work. If I open a LR photo is in PS, ACR does not work this way and the option is unavailable. It does, when I open it the photo via Bridge, but that complicates the workflow, as I do not use Bridge that often. Any suggestions?
Cheers!
Matt, when I tried to upload the latest PS update, I received the message “files incompatible” I have Mac Pro late 2012 (Yes, it’s an older model, but so far I could download any Adobe upgrade till the last one). I don’t want to buy a new computer (or refurbished one) as I have maxed out my memory, added a new video card, and have 6 external hard drives attached to the machine for back up purposes for different photo genres. Any suggestion? Thanks for your help.
I have that same problem. I’m saving for another iMac because we can’t get any more updates. Apple won’t even sell me the newest operating system.
The latest version of Photoshop requires macOS Mojave 10.14 as a minimum. If you are not there and can upgrade your macOS to Mojave, that should solve your issue. I think the previous version of Photoshop (2020) had High Sierra 10.13 as the minimum.
I have a Mac 2015 and the latest MacOS Big Sur 11.2.3 and then I try to use Enhance it says that I need a graphics card with metal support. Anyone else get this message? Any suggestions. Do I need a new graphics card or is there an update?
I have a 2017 iMac and I get the same error message. I have a Radon 580 8 GB and it supports Metal but, it still will not open Enhance in ACR. Any ideas?
There is NO direct capability to go from LrC to Camera Raw …. BUT I played around this afternoon and came up with this workflow which works fairly well for now. This works best with dual monitors where you can keep finder on the 2nd monitor … but if you have a single display, you can downsize the LrC window and Finder to crowd them both one 1 – important as we will be doing a drag ‘n drop from one window to another……
* Edit your raw (whatever) image in LrC using all the features
* EXPORT it as a DNG to a folder on your system drive – that will export it it retaining the original image and all your edit metadata
* Navigate to THAT in Finder/PathFinder and double-click on it and it SHOULD open in Camera raw (hosted by PS)
* Within Camera Raw, Shift CMD-D you should be able to invoke the new ML SR – click [Enhance] it will run for a few seconds and you should get a 2nd file saved in the same folder with an “-Enhanced” suffix. Close/Kill Camera Raw and PhotoShop
* Back to LrC; Setup LrC in Grid mode; and navigate to your original folder (although you are likely already there) in Library
* Right-click on the folder name in the Library sub-panel and select “Import to this folder…” It will open the import dialog.
* Change the importation mode from COPY to MOVE so the newly created file will migrate right into your original folder.
* Just drag ‘n drop the “-Enhanced” image from the finder window (from the 2nd monitor) into the Import window – and complete the operation by clicking on [Import] in the lower right.
The enhanced image will be imported to LrC and, if you are sorting by Filename, it ought to be side-by-side with your original.
Now, here is the really cool part … wait for it … if you have done slider adjustments or Spot Clone/Healing, adjustment brushes and gradients on the original they will ALL BE PRESERVED AND CARRIED THROUGH and scaled to the new file …. you might have to touch up the spot healing as the feather might not be perfect but all the adjustment ‘masks’ will be scaled to the new file. So the new file is an up-res’ed version of your original, retaining all the edits and being revisable. Changes made to the ‘new’ file won’t propagate backwards, of course, but you do at least get all the revisable edits propagating forward.
Now you have the original file and the enhanced in LrC and with the new file, you can proceed to print or whatever.
This process also works with JPG’s and HEIC’s as well as raws.
jc
Jim, your suggested workflow is certainly necessary for opening TIFF, JPEG or HEIC files in Camera Raw although there is an alternative method which I have suggested in a comment below.
But for raw files, can I suggest streamlining your workflow:
• Edit raw file in LrC
• CMD-R (reveals the raw file in Finder)
• Double-click the highlighted raw file (opens in Camera Raw)
• Shift-CMD-D (opens the Enhance dialogue)
• Click Enhance (and wait until it completes)
• Click Done (exits Camera Raw)
• The new enhanced (Raw Details + Super Resolution) DNG is automatically saved in the original folder
• CMD-Tab back to LrC and type G to enter Grid mode
• Right-click original folder name and select Synchronize Folder
• Lightroom will recognise that a new file has been added to the folder and offer to import it.
• Click Synchronize (Enhanced DNG is imported ready for further editing)
Any edits to the original raw do not carry forward using this technique (as Cam Raw edits the original from essentially a RESET starting point). After you re-import, you need to copy/paste the edits from the original -OR- click on the original, ‘D’ for Develop mode; then click on the re-imported photo and click [Previous] to copy them over.
Jim, that is not what I am seeing. When I use the steps I have outlined above with a raw file, the enhanced DNG comes back to Lightroom with all edits (sliders etc) exactly as they were in the original raw file.
If I open a layered TIFF file in Camera Raw and use Enhance, the image is flattened but any Lightroom edits that were made to that layered TIFF are preserved.
Thank you so much for that Paul. I tried exporting from LrC to Photoshop as smart object but found the enhance detail function wasn’t showing when double clicking on the image to open in camera raw; however the method you describe here works like clockwork and makes life so much easier than having to go back to the original raw image.
Thanks for the update Matt
OK, so I compared Topaz Gigapixel Ai at 2X and the Enhance and they were close enough that going to Gigapixel Ai is not really necessary if you need a 2X increase in file dimensions.
The Topaz product showed a little sharpening, even with all of the enhancements turned off.
But honestly, I will continue to use Gigapixel Ai because it can go all the way to 6X is I need it, and I can set an exact ratio, or pixel height or width.
Thanks for the update.
Another nice video on the updates. I just wish you could bring up the camera raw adjustments upon initially opening with LR using the “edit in” Dialogue. Using Bridge or finder is a waste of time.
Thanks Matt for the update info.!
I also would like to see a comparison between Gigapixel Ai and the new enhance super resolution. I guess I will have to try to figure that out for myself until someone posts a comparison. Of course Gigapixel Ai allows for up to a 6X increase.
Hopefully Topaz will come out with a comparison soon.
I suppose I should get started.
Great information. Watching you is better than reading what Adobe gives out in “What’s New” when I update my software. Thanks!
You are outstanding… and extraordinary as a helpful photographer
Thanks Matt! I just tried right clicking in LR and enhance is there as well. Is it the same process?
Matt, I have camera raw 13.2 but don’t have the film strip icon and no “enhance” when I click on the three dots on the right. This is after I have closed and reopened Photoshop and rebooted the computer (iMac).
FWIW, I opened a .NEF file from Lightroom: no super enhance. When I opened Camera Raw from the Filter menu, no super enhance. When I opened the file from Bridge, the super enhancement showed up
Just an update on my previous comment. I can access Camera Raw with the “enhance” feature only if I open a photo in camera raw from Bridge but not from Lightroom or Photoshop cc. Strange. Any answers Matt?
Hi Ron, I’m not Matt but perhaps the answer you are looking for…
In Photoshop’s Open dialogue select the JPEG or TIFF you wish to open in Camera Raw.
Click on the Format drop down menu and from the list of formats select Camera Raw.
Click Open.
Right-click on the image in Camera Raw and choose Enhance.
For non-raw files you only have the option for “Super Resolution”.
Ok. I had to stop the video to try out Enhance since I shot drone aerials yesterday for a client. I updated PS to the latest and, as you said, had to restart. Then I did it and it was quick. I opened the jpg I created for the client yesterday from my dng file and the new ‘enhanced’ file and …daaaang! Awesome. Suddenly my mavic files are so much more detailed! I thought they were good before but now they’re super! Thanks Adobe and thanks Matt.
I’ll be interested in seeing how the new Enhance feature compares with Topaz Labs Gigapixel AI in upsizing images. I suspect the latter will win out since there’s considerable flexibility in choosing pixel dimensions and resolution.
Great video as always. Is it possible, to specify the size of the photo using enhance?
Matt:
I have Bridge as part of the package in my monthly billing from Adobe. I do not know anything about Bridge, yet you and others talk about it and use it in presentations. It looks powerful and is a powerful program. I have not found anything on how to use it.
Do you have a course in how to use Bridge? If so, please let me know.
Thank you.
There are a few courses on Adobe Bridge in LinkedIn Learning
The way I understand it is that Bridge and Camera Raw (together) are the equivalent of what Lightroom does. Bridge is the photo management part and Camera Raw is the Development tool etc… in Lightroom. I have been using Bridge as part of Blake Rudis 30 Days of Photoshop Mastery and I do not find it as versatile as Lightroom. You can find Bridge tutorials on Youtube.
Hey Matt many thanks
Would this be as good as Topaz gugapixel do yiu think
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Great work Matt. I have been a fan since the beginning.