Photo processing comparo - 1 Touch, CorelPP, paint.net, Photoshop, Photograv, DIY etc

[john banks]

Based on discussion on this thread http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?182713-Newbie-question-on-lasering-a-photo/page2 there was a suggestion to put up a link to a source file and then between us to make versions to engrave and compare the results/settings/quality, pass on tips, learn etc.

Please post your result here with a brief note as below to show what steps you performed. Please keep the thread clean only with posts of your processed image and method and if you like a brief rationale on why you used those settings. Suggest we start another thread to discuss once we have a few examples here.

Source file is here: 4shared.com/photo/HzlKVFBP/ziggy.html
(add www), thanks Steve!

Universal 1 Touch laser photo demo, saved as wood (nothing else done), converted from bmp to png to get file size down to post on here but should look identical. Edit - resolution has been downscaled by the forum upload. I will add a link tomorrow to a higher resolution version of this result once I sort out an account. Realistically, the only way to compare will be to be able to get high resolution versions linked on the thread, I know this makes it less simple.

Here is the high resolution file that 1 Touch put out, converted to png: 4shared.com/photo/_2KNuMys/ziggy-Wood-60.html?

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[Dan Hintz]

John,

Click on the picture for the full-size version...

[Steven Cox]

Image conversion using Rastus plugin for Photoshop, note Rastus plugin should work with Corel PhotoPaint as well.
You would need to download the tif's to use or view to fully appreciate the conversions. After downloading the tif's view at Print Size then actual pixels. If you zoom it you'll see there's no shades of grey, it's all black. The diffusion pattern tricks your eye to see shades of grey.

1st Conversion, Sharpened image using PS High Pass filter at 20 Px - Soft Light, Converted to Greyscale, Extra sharpening in PS with Sharpen > Unsharp Mask at 250% at 3 Px with 0 Threahold. Exported to Rastus, set Output to 300 DPI with Bilinear Interpolation ON. I would normally use these settings for Soft Wood like Radiata Pine.

High Resolution Tif image can be downloaded here: 4shared.com/photo/747S0CT6/ziggy_rastusGray.html Note download won't show a preview cause its a .tif image


2nd Conversion, Sharpened image using PS High Pass filter at 20 Px - Soft Light, Converted to Greyscale, NO Extra sharpening in PS. Exported to Rastus, set Output to 300 DPI with Bilinear Interpolation OFF. I would normally use these settings for Natural/Coffee Bamboo Ply or Light coloured Hardwoods.

High Resolution Tif image can be downloaded here: 4shared.com/photo/mBm59GW8/ziggy_rastus2Gray.html
Note download won't show a preview cause its a .tif image

Conversion time in Photoshop from the base image was less than 3 minutes each using the above settings.

Low Res Converted Images as Jpg for preview. Note file size for previews below have been dramatically reduced.

1st Conversion = ziggy_rastus.jpg 2nd Conversion = ziggy_rastus2.jpg

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[Ruben Salcedo]

For BW conversion I used Photoshop with Topaz BW Effects filter, then I used Topaz Detail 2 filter to bring up more details, for the process image I used 1 Touch with the wood profile, i also convert it to png for a smaller file

Ruben

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[Mike Null]

I used Corel PhotoPaint and converted to gray scale then adjusted the tone. About two minutes experimenting as I go. I rarely work with photos so PP is good enough for my needs.

I probably made it a little dark but it's easy to change.

[Rich Harman]

Okay, here's mine. It was done in Lightroom. It is one click for me using a custom preset.

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[john banks]

Thanks all, keep them coming. Please keep the originals as even when I click the file the resolution is way down from what I uploaded and the detail is difficult to see. Unless I'm missing something, we need to upload them somewhere else?

[Steven Cox]

Thanks all, keep them coming. Please keep the originals as even when I click the file the resolution is way down from what I uploaded and the detail is difficult to see. Unless I'm missing something, we need to upload them somewhere else?

There's a two fold reason for wanting to see the originals:
1 Experienced users can download and examine the image detail to see the output patterns, this is something you can't do with a low res image because it will pixelate when you zoom in.

2 Both inexperienced and experienced users can try to output the images on their lasers. The base image should output at about 100mm x 120mm so its small enough not to take too much time or use up too much material and large enough to see the detail.

The problem is the Forum limitations on image sizes, file format and links, the high res images would be 1.5mb + each which exceeds the forums guide lines. Additionally the format may also be an issue and not be acceptable. To overcome this I suggest that you open a free account at a file sharing site to enable sharing of large images. I was going to use my own website for source of my images but further reading of T & C's hers felt it could be seen as self promotion so I elected to use 4shared.com and it was quick and painless to signup. Just in case, to further avoid the links issue with the forum I removed the www from the links so they just show as text. In theory this shouldn't violate the T & C's of the forum.

[john banks]

4shared registration was easy, hi res version uploaded, see link in first post.

[john banks]

4shared.com/photo/SdMM7YhC/ziggyxistucki.html?

Stucki error dithering in XiGrayDither which is a free Photoshop plug in, but can also be used by Corel Photopaint (or in this case the free IrfanView).

Note that although some machines will accept grayscale images, the ones I'm presenting here (and I think Steve also) are 1 bit. The grayscale versions will get dithered further by the software for some machines I am assuming, but it adds another layer of processing we don't see here and will not allow them to be rastered as-is on all machines.

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[Gary Cooper]

hi there all hope i am in the right place to ask this question if not sorry could you point me to the right upto date forum

just wanted to ask what is the best program to use for photo engraving on most matierials or is it you have to use more than one software program for different products

many thanks

[Steven Cox]

hi there all hope i am in the right place to ask this question if not sorry could you point me to the right upto date forum

just wanted to ask what is the best program to use for photo engraving on most matierials or is it you have to use more than one software program for different products

many thanks

Hi Gary,
The purpose of this topic was to show the different results using the same image from various programs or techniques. Really there's not right or wrong way to do it because everybody will use what ever technique/program that works for them. Once you decide on the technique/program to use then its just a matter of playing with the settings to get it to work on different materials and of course adjusting your laser settings for the different materials.

For me I use the Ratus plugin for Photoshop and that works for me, I really can't to say what I think is best cause that would just open a big can of worms so it really comes down to research and when you decide what to use, then comes a lot of testing.

[Mike Null]

Gary

Everybody has their own favorite and I haven't found anything that really stands out above the rest judging from the reading I've done here and other places. More important is the skill you have in using the software you have.

I do very few photos and usually only for my own amusement so I work with PhotoPaint and don't see a need to spend more for software I would rarely use.