Sharpener Pro 2

Nik Multimedia’s Sharpener Pro 2 Photoshop plug-in replaces the complicated and impractical sharpening methods provided by Photoshop’s Unsharp Mask and Smart Sharpen, and DeBabelizer’s Convolution filter, enabling users to sharpen images based on algorithms, which differ depending on the output device and medium being used. 

The Complete version, reviewed here, supports 16-bit images, six colour (and above) inkjet printers and comes with a RAW pre-sharpening filter that must be applied before you start. Traditional sharpening methods rely on you viewing the results on-screen, but this is not the case with Sharpener Pro 2. Here, the process depends entirely on the automatic analysis of the image’s characteristics. 

Simply set the output size for the image, the viewing distance (with Auto as a default), the paper type and the number of inks used. Hit OK, and you’ll create a temporary adjustment layer without any sharpening applied. Only once you’ve chosen one of the selective application methods and hit Apply will sharpening occur. 

The Advanced tab lets you control sharpening across a range of five colours by picking up a colour with the pipette and moving a slider. And, best of all, you can apply sharpening by painting with a brush on those areas that need livening up, so you will always end up with the best-looking results, without any danger of halos or over-sharpening of soft-focused areas.