Topaz Labs recently released their latest plugin Photo AI. This is largely a product combining the features of Topaz DeNoise AI, Topaz Sharpen AI and Topaz Gigapixel AI into a single plugin that uses an Autopilot option to analyse an image, select the subject and automatically apply corrections for noise and sharpening and can also upsize an image if needed.
To date my experience with Topaz plugins has been largely with DeNoise AI and Sharpen AI. I use them through a Photoshop action which applies them to a separate layer which I then mask. I have found DeNoise AI at it’s default setting usually provides a very good noise reduction with gentle sharpening. At times , especially for motion blur, I will add in Sharpen AI specifically masked to the areas needing adjustment. I have not used the masking feature built into the plugins much, usually using the Photoshop select and mask option which I find mostly quick and accurate. For the Topaz plugins I use the Comparison view which lets me compare 4 different AI models. Standard is usually fine but at times one of the others will be better for the specific image. This is generally quite a quick process.
If you have a current licence for the Topaz Image Quality Bundle (DeNoise, Sharpen and Gigapixel) this includes a free licence to Photo AI. As a result I have been trialing this over the past week and my initial impression is that it provides a easy automatic option for many images. To me it seems a slower option because a lot of initial time is spend selecting the subject then looking for faces before applying the adjustments. Once done it is very similar to to the default standard adjustments.
For some images better results can be had by applying DeNoise followed by masked sharpening. I have had images that needed a little extra sharpening in certain areas and if forcing PhotoAI to add sharpening when it hasn’t done so automatically, results in artefacts in other areas than cannot then be masked out without masking out all the adjustments to that area. In this case it is better to use Topaz DeNoise AI or Photo AI as a first step and then add in a layer using Topaz Sharpen AI and mask it to only the area needed as shown in this next image.
In summary, after a brief trial my feelings are that Topaz Photo AI for me adds nothing that I can’t achieve with the individual plugins. Because it spends time identifying the subject and looking for faces (which my bird images don’t have) it seems slow compared using the individual plugins without subject selection enabled. I am happier with the control the individual plugins give me. If I had purchased Photo AI I would be feeling disappointed but I must credit Topaz with giving a free licence to those with a current upgrade licence to the Image Quality Bundle.
My anxiety is that this suggests a future path where PhotoAI replaces the individual plugins. If that is going to be the case it will need some better manual control options. While it is possible to run PhotoAI to remove noise, save it to a layer and run it again and manually deselect noise reduction and apply sharpening, there is only the choice between removing Lens blur or Motion blur (with no adjustments to the models which is available in the individual Sharpen AI plugin). Each time you run Photo AI it spends time selecting the subject and looking for faces so multiple trips wastes time.
Having a preferences control to disable Autopilot as a default and to include more of the AI models for Noise reduction and Sharpening and a comparison preview would address this issue and make it a realistic replacement product. While a one click solution can be tempting and a selling point to maximise a market, it risks alienating experienced photographers who prioritise quality and control over convenience. At this stage if you want maximal control I would have to recommend the Topaz Image Quality Bundle over Photo AI if you are investing in Topaz plugins. If you are not comfortable in Photoshop and layers, Topaz Photo AI provides a very capable one click solution that will improve most images. Topaz PhotoAI is currently available at a discounted launch price of US$159 ($40 off).
One caveat to my comments. All of my testing has been relation to processing bird images. I suspect that for people photography the AI driven subject and face selection would be more useful than I have found.
Photos with Nikon Z9. Albatross with Nikkor Z100-400mm f4.5-5.6 VR S with 1.4x teleconverter, Blue Duck with Nikkor Z 800mm f6.3 VR S
Update 2 October 2022. After publishing this post this morning, I began editing some images and noticed an update to PhotoAI had been released. This already addresses some of the issues I raised. Preferences now exist to turn off subject and face detection which significantly speeds up things in my workflow and eliminates one of my major concerns. I look forward to further updates to make this a better plugin.
