3/16/2023 0 Comments Topaz studio 2 simplify![]() I can’t imagine why they’d put one of the three main pillars of their program in a tiny box. When you use the brush tool to mask an area, the stroke line appears over your photo, then disappears as soon as you release your mouse button. ![]() It’s hard to tell, though, because you’re forced to look at your mask in the tiny preview in the control window. I believe they do have promise, mainly thanks to the ‘Edge Aware’ setting. Odd interface choices hamper the potential of the masking toolsĪccording to the developers, one of the main selling points of Topaz Studio is its masking tools. It makes me wonder how long Adobe will wait before implementing a similar update to their tools. Precision Detail offers the same zoomed-in approach to the Texture slider in Lightroom. It works along the same lines as the ‘Clarity’ slider in Lightroom, but with much more control over the results. Perhaps the best technical editing tool included in Topaz Studio 2 is the ‘Precision Contrast’ adjustment. I realize that I’m working on a high-resolution RAW image, but doing edits at full size should still feel snappy and responsive. Working with the Heal brush also causes some very noticeable lag, especially when working at 100% zoom. I did notice some response lag when first applying basic effects like saturation tweaks, which is pretty disappointing in a program that’s already reached version 2. Given this thoughtfulness, it’s frustrating that all the fundamental exposure and contrast controls are applied as a single step via the ‘Basic Adjustments’ filter. ![]() This is a nice touch that allows you to go back and experiment with different editing styles easily without having to go back through a linear chain of ‘undo’ commands. Each edit is applied non-destructively as a stacked ‘filter.’ The stack order is adjustable. Before and After of some standard edits with Topaz Studio’s ‘Basic Adjustments’ filterĭespite the focus on ‘creative editing,’ Topaz Studio contains all the standard adjustment controls they dismiss in their marketing pitches. As you’d expect, editing controls are on the right, with your image front and center. I found the menu and tooltip text rendering a bit fuzzy on my 1440p monitor, though. The interface is cleanly designed in the now-universal layout style shared by every photo editor released in the last 10 years. A Topaz account is required to use the program A quick introductory guide helps new users learn the basics, although it doesn’t scale up cleanly above 1080p Topaz Studio 2 is available on both Mac and PC, as a standalone program and a plugin for Photoshop and Lightroom. Topaz Labs shifted to a flat-rate model, though, with the release of the latest version. Topaz Studio was first released as a free app with paid modules for specific adjustments and effects. However, that’s the program’s guiding philosophy. It’s an extremely difficult line to walk, as an over-dependence on ‘creative filters’ makes it all too easy to wind up with cookie-cutter results. The most important thing to remember about Topaz Studio is that it’s aimed at users who want a simplified editing process that still creates superbly stylized images. Let me save you some time: I’ll take you through Topaz Studio with a photographer’s eye. I’m sure you feel the same way about your own workflows but can’t be bothered to put every new program through its paces. I always want to make sure that I’m using the best tools out there, whether I’m editing photos for clients or retouching my personal images. Why Trust Me for This Topaz Studio ReviewĪs a long-time reviewer and photographer, I’ve tested out nearly every photo editor under the sun.
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