TIFF file sharpening issue

[photog1107]

I am processing a couple hundred photos that will eventually be used in a printed publication and I am doing my pp in LR 2.0. I have read that TIFF is the favored file type for print, so I was going to export them all as TIFF after my last pp batch work. When I exported a test file, though, I noticed that--at least onscreen--I lost a noticeble amount of sharpening. Is there a reason why the TIFF would not appear as sharp onscreen? Have I really lost it? Or is it just not appearing sharp onscreen for some reason. Any insights would be appreciated from folks who regularly export to TIFF. Thanks!:

[photog1107]

Also, I am wondering if the 8 bit versus 16 bit compression for the TIFF has anything to do with it?

[teaking]

I think by the sounds of it what you have discovered is lack of output sharpening, there are three types of sharpening some people use all three others dont but the thing to bear in mind is an image will not look as sharp when printed compared to on screen. So when sharpening in PP at the end of the workflow you sharpen at 100% to what looks good on screen that is process sharpening. Then I would recommend talking to who is going to be printing your work and ask there recommendations for sharpening on there machines its usually best to do output sharpening at 50% as people dont see an image at 100% when viewing printed material. The outcome is it usually looks over sharpened on screen but great in print.

[photog1107]

Thanks for the reply, and I can see your point about asking about the amount of necessary output sharpening from my art director who'll be handling the printing of these images.

However, what I am referring to at this moment is the fact that I have exported two identical files (one jpeg and one TIFF) from Lightroom, and when viewing them side by side in my Picasa organizer, the 50% sharpening I applied in LR is evident, but the TIFF looks like no sharpening was applied. So I am somewhat stumped.

[LeeR]

The rule of thumb is that sharpening is the LAST thing you do before printing. I am not at all surprised that you have lost sharpness converting to TIFF format, but simply suggest that you sharpen the image in in its final size right before printing. I agree with the advice that speaking with the printer may be of some use, however, I would not turn things over to them. I have see times when the printer has a 'standard' conversion process they like to use that will make mincemeat of your images.(this usually involves the heavy use of an unsharp mask which can be ruinous. I tend to prefer the superior controls of the High Pass filter, though that is largely a matter of taste.) I suggest you do all you can to maintain control over your images until the last possible moment.

[photog1107]

Just out of curiosity, do you know why sharpness would be lost with the TIFF conversion?

[photog1107]

Ok... update: I have now opened both LR exported files in PSE and they now appear to be identical. So the problem may lie more with the viewer I was using (Picasa) to view my output files. In point of fact, perhaps I did not lose sharpness at all!

[teaking]

@ LEER

Completely agree with you I did mean not to let the printer do the sharpening for you but for them to advise you what level of sharpening may be needed with their equipment to get optimum sharpness in your final image. And im also a big advocate of the high pass filter sharpening method as it sharpened the edges leaving the rest and allows selective sharpening with a layer mask

Must disagree on one thing though lol some graphic designers apply capture sharpening before PP, process sharpening after the PP and then a final output sharpening for printing... seems like a ot of sharpening though its not my work flow but is supposed to give the best sharpening process, would be interesting to hear if anyone does this?

[sk66]

With lightroom, there is an "export sharpening setting". It allows sharpening for screen/matte paper/glossy paper...

For the "3 step" sharpening process.....
If you capture in Jpeg you get capture sharpening...then final PP sharpening for screen, then export sharpening for print.


BTW, Tiff is one of the preferred formats but JPEG is becoming more common for printing (unless they might want to do any PP work on the supplied images).

[photog1107]

Thanks, to all. I am much better educated in a mere 24 hours. DPS is awesome!