Review: Topaz Photo AI - The AI Works Great...Until It Doesn't!

Howto & Style


1. Article in Markdown Syntax

Introduction

Hey everybody, today we're talking about Photo AI, a relatively new product from Topaz. It combines their sharpening, gigapixel, and denoise products into one package, but it comes with fewer sliders. Stick with me to the end, and I'll show you examples where it excels and where it falters. Let's dive in!

High ISO Noise Reduction: A Quick Recap

A few weeks ago, I made a video on high ISO noise reduction using nine different methodologies, including Photo AI. At the time, it was a mixed bag, performing well in some areas but doing weird things in others. Today, I'm revisiting this with four different photos to see how Photo AI fares.

Case Studies

Volleyball Player (ISO 5000)

  • Settings: ISO 5000, 140mm, f/2.8, 1/1000s
  • Initial Edits: Color and exposure adjustments; noise reduction and sharpening turned off

Import into Photo AI:

  1. Open the photo in Lightroom.
  2. Export to Photo AI using the "Edit a copy with Lightroom adjustments" option.
  3. Photo AI detects subjects and makes automatic adjustments (removes noise, no sharpening, no face recovery).

Results:

  • Remarkable noise reduction
  • No sharpening needed
  • Overall, the photo looks great.

Nighttime Football Player (ISO High)

  • Settings: Similar to previous; high ISO
  • Initial Edits: Color and exposure, no noise reduction or sharpening

Import into Photo AI:

  1. Follow the same steps as before.
  2. Photo AI attempts to recover the face, detect the subject, and remove noise.

Results:

  • The AI struggled with the face mask, making the photo look worse.
  • Turning off face recovery improved results.

Daytime Soccer Match (Multiple Faces)

  • Settings: Daylight photo, main subjects in the center
  • Initial Edits: Color correction, no noise reduction or sharpening

Import into Photo AI:

  1. The software detects multiple faces and attempts to recover them.

Results:

  • Main subject's face looks fine.
  • Other faces take on an unnatural "plasticky" look and some even make the eyes look odd.
  • Result: Need to manually select which faces to recover to avoid weird effects.

Highly Cropped Image (Broad Daylight, High Megapixels)

  • Settings: Shot with Nikon Z9, heavily cropped
  • Initial Edits: As usual, edited for colors

Import into Photo AI:

  1. Crop the photo significantly.
  2. Export to Photo AI.

Results:

  • Photo AI enhances resolution by 1.7x (the first time it's done this in my tests).
  • Significant improvement in quality; transforms an unusable image into something useful.

Conclusions

  • Photo AI works well on individual images if you're paying attention to it.
  • Bulk processing is not recommended.
  • It struggles with face masks, making it unsuitable for sports like football and lacrosse.
  • For targeted fixes, Photo AI can be impressive.

If you're interested in trying Photo AI, you can find a link below. Note that if you own the sharpening, gigapixel, and denoise bundle, you may get Photo AI for free. Give it a try!

Thank you for reading!


2. Keywords

Keywords

  • Topaz Photo AI
  • Noise reduction
  • Sharpening
  • Gigapixel
  • AI processing
  • Lightroom plugin
  • Image enhancement
  • Face recovery
  • High ISO
  • Photo editing

3. FAQs

FAQ

What is Topaz Photo AI? Topaz Photo AI is a software that combines the features of Topaz's sharpening, gigapixel, and denoise products into one package.

Can Topaz Photo AI handle bulk processing? No, Topaz Photo AI performs best when used on individual photos.

How does Photo AI handle faces with masks? The software struggles with face masks and may produce subpar results, making it less suitable for sports like football and lacrosse.

What are the ideal conditions for using Photo AI? Photo AI excels in noise reduction and face recovery in images without face masks and on individual photos where targeted fixes are needed.

Can I try Photo AI for free? If you already own Topaz's sharpening, gigapixel, and denoise bundle, you may get Photo AI for free. Otherwise, there may be a trial version available via an affiliate link.