FocalBlade
FocalBlade lets you work at the sub-pixel level using radius values below 0.1 pixel. One particularly useful feature is its display of several split view modes so that the user can compare original and sharpened versions side-by-side with variations of the current settings.
The developer recommends that to achieve the best sharpening with FocalBlade you deactivate in-camera sharpening or at least set it to the lowest possible value. Equally, RAW conversion software usually sharpens the image automatically when it converts to JPEG, so this, too, should be turned off. FocalBlade likes to work on a completely unsharpened image.
Comment
At the time of its launch, FocalBlade was well received by the photographic media (typical remarks called it "a gem" which "should be in every serious photographer's tool chest") it has a reputation for excellent sharpening without introducing unwanted artifacts such as halo effects.
Developed in Germany, FocalBlade is comprehensively documented with an extensive manual and plenty of tips on how to achieve the best results.
Tech info
- Plugs into: Photoshop, Elements, Paint Shop Pro, PhotoImpact, Photo-Paint, Fireworks, etc.
- OS: Windows 95 onwards; MacOS X
- Price level: Approx. $50
PhotoWiz
Harald Heim's The Plugin Site is a favorite destination for thousands of digital photographers. It is staffed by a small team of prgrammers and designers, based in Nuremberg, Germany.
From the same vendor:
- B/W Styler
- ColorWasher
- FocalBlade
- LightMachine
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