Photoshop 2026 and editing software problems

hark

hark

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Recently I updated my late model 2015 iMac to a new 2024 iMac M4 and never expected the problems I've run into with photo editing. Photoshop 2026 is different because I had to use an older version of Photoshop (2023) as well as an older version of Camera RAW on my 2015 iMac (I prefer CR over Lightroom). This Photoshop 2026 version renders photos in what appears to be a subpar quality especially when it comes to noise reduction and sharpening. No clue why though.

My previous version of Topaz DeNoise that used to be stellar really doesn't do much now – but of course some of that most likely is related to compatibility issues (it was purchased rather than the subscription they offer now – so I've had it for years).

I downloaded On1 NoNoise AI 2024, and that won't even configure with Photoshop 2026 as a plugin. Instead the plugin tries to open the image in On1 before shutting down right away and going back to Photoshop without any changes (can't even access settings to make changes). BUT On1 works fine as standalone software.

So instead I added On1 No Noise to Photoshop 2023 as a plugin which I also have installed on my new iMac. Photoshop 2023 is what I was using on my previous iMac although I didn't have On1 No Noise with it. But nope. On1 won't work properly with Photoshop 2023 on the new iMac either. I uninstalled On1 and reinstalled it. However, once again it won't work as a plugin.

Has anyone run into this issue? I much preferred the photo editing results of my older iMac – and might have to pull it out to use for editing until I get this current issue resolved. Any suggestions?
 
hark

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I wound up contacting On1 regarding NoNoise 2024 and was told that version isn't compatible with Golden Gate. So I updated to their NoNoise 2027 version.

Since I don't want to go with a subscription (which means Topaz is now out), I decided to test NoNoise 2027 against DXO Pure RAW 6. Although the image below was shot at ISO 100, I did compare images shot with ISO 5000. Both programs did an excellent job with noise reduction.

However, I was really looking for something that will sharpen similar to how Topaz Denoise worked on my previous Mac.

Not sure you can tell much difference below, but take a look at the tip of the nose where the fur meets the flesh colored area. Can you see the first image has slightly more sharpening to the fur as that area starts to become out of focus? The first one is NoNoise 2027. The second is DXO Pure RAW 6. Any color or contrast differences are due to these two programs. All Camera RAW settings in Photoshop were the same – except for the crop. Just couldn't quite get that to be identical. Both images were processed with the default settings.

Over the weekend, I shot some Aztec dancers who participated in a local cultural festival. Something wasn't working well with my lens even though I calibrated it to the body a couple years ago. Everything came out with a soft focus (same lens used in these images but mounted on my D500 for the Aztec dancer photos). NoNoise 2027 was the clear winner with those when it came to sharpening vs. DXO Pure RAW 6. No matter what images I used for comparison, NoNoise 2027 wound up rendering sharper images. Like I said, both did well with noise reduction.

An advantage to NoNoise 2027 is it can be used as standalone software or as a Photoshop plugin. DXO Pure RAW 6 has to be used outside of Photoshop but can be exported to open in Photoshop. But it doesn't work as a plugin.

_2010741 On1 edit no CR low res.jpg



_2010741-DxO_DeepPRIME XD3 low res.jpg
 
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hark

hark

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nikonpup said:
MAGIC :) View attachment 431886
Click to expand...
My intention wasn't to sharpen the overall photo or decrease the bokeh. Since I didn't have any bird photos with feathers at hand, I decided to use this photo of Micah and do a comparison of sharpening between the two programs. The first program (On1 NoNoise 2027) always produced more sharpness than DXO Pure RAW 6. I figured with feathers or fur, I'd be able to get a better view of the differences in sharpening.

Recently I took photos of Aztec dancers with my D500 coupled with my 24-120mm f/4 lens. A couple years ago I calibrated the lens. But due to some physical limitations, I haven't taken many photos during the past couple of years. And I wound up being appalled by the lack of sharpness from the combo. If I had relied on DXO Pure RAW 6, I wouldn't have been able to share many of the images. On1 NoNoise 2027 made them usable ... not perfect, but they were okay.
 
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