Unprocessed RAW v JPEG print test

Selectibe sharpening can be applied by making a Selection in Photoshop and applying the sharpening within the selection. You can feather the edges of the selection to avoid sharp transitions if required.

I don't have Photoshop and I'm unlikely to get it anytime very soon. It's expensive and I have a bit of an ilogical hang-up about any selective processing - feels too much like cheating. Well, I did say it was ilogical

You said it.

I spelt "illogical" wrong as well

I like the logic of spelling in Shakespear's day. Just make it up!

If you compare it to the "old" days with dodging, burning, masking, etc...
We are simply doing the same thing today only in the comfort of our living room and without the toxic chemicals.

Photoshop is expensive, but you can do allmost the same with Gimp for instance but the user interface is not as easy to understand.

But then again, how expensive is Photoshop compared to the equipment you use in a darkroom to develop your pictures?

Photoshop CS is expensive, Photoshop Elements is not. In fact, for its capabilities, I find the Elements very reasonably priced, and you can do various sharpening operations.

I purchased Photoshop Elements 6 for £18 on Amazon about 1 month ago. It was listed in the second hand or new section. It didn't have a box so was listed as second hand. Very good value.

An other and far better option is a program called Photokit Sharpener.
Arguably the best sharpening tool on the market, available for Windows and Mac. Comes as stand alone and as plug in for PS. Does every kind of sharpening you can wish for. Capture sharpening, web and print sharpening.
All the sharpening forms can be used in a selective way too.
Available here.

Martin.

I'm generally happy with Silkypix's sharpening. Despite not offering selective sharpening, it's actually very sophisticated and good, so I don't want to shove the output through another program if I can avoid it. (The example picture I posted in this thread isn't my best effort with the program).

If I do get a special sharpening software one day, it might be Focus Magic - which supposedly can even somewhat reverse the effect of motion blur. Now that's what I call magic!