K-5 Workflow workaround for stains

Hi all,

Just a little (hopefully) helpful workflow solution to those who have decided to live with a stained K-5 Sensor over the Xmas period.

The follwing method will basically enable all of the stains to be removed at the touch of a button in CS5 simply by recording an action to operate in either Batch or Individual modes. (This would need to take place prior to any cropping)

Method
Due to the fact that all of the marks are static, it is possible to record an 'Action' in Photoshop (using whatever tool you prefer - personally I would use the spot healing tool) to remove the marks. This would need to be done once only, as every other occasion would simply involve that 'Action' being 'played' by the press of a single button. Even better, this could be done in batch mode, removing marks from all photo's at once. (PhotoShop would load, fix then re-save the file)

It is a very simple solution and may help some out there when processing photo's over the Xmas period. (I would have created an action and posted it but unfortunately no-ones marks are the same!)

Just thought that this would be of help to fellow members....

Regards

And what happens if you do not believe in the great god computer? Not all of us have, or want, CS5 (whatever that may be).

Adobe Creative Suite 5

Nonetheless a useful tip for anyone who might have it.

I shall stick with my £22.99 worth of Elements 9

I know exactly where you're coming from, it's a shame we have to resort to depending upon software capabilities at times like this. but still, it may help someone.... (actions are 'playable' in Lightroom and Elements but not recordable!)



UPDATE: (A POSSIBLE FIX ALSO USING CAMERA RAW)


I've had a look and play with ACR (Adobe Camera RAW) and it is easy to do the same!!!

Method
1) Load a batch of files into ACR
2) Select the Spot Healing tool and make the fix to the photo
3) Select the "Select All" above the film strip of the photos to the left side
4) Select the next button below saying Syncronise
5) from the drop down box ensure that you select "Spot removal/healing"
6) Apply

thats it, all the changes from the first will be made to the rest

This should be better as many members will use Camera Raw via Bridge or Lightroom or Elements etc.

Hope this may help those who do not have Photoshop CS

Regards

An easier solution is to simply take photos of scenes with lots of detail and color contrast.
Stay away from clear skies and plain backgrounds. Problem solved... for free.

Just be careful with the above tips if you're not familiar with how they work...
You'll soon find these tools do not work well on *all* photos.
i.e. automatically spot healing someone's face can make for an interesting result.

Completely agree with your comments @amoringello, this is certainly not a 'one size fits all' solution but is certainly an option that is useful for Landscapes etc (probably less so for portraits.. Anyway, if it works for you, then great. If not, then just edit manually or as amoringello suggests, be more alert to the composition