Actually about -5.5 with nearly -2 astigmatism... so pretty short sighted

Viewed close up on my LCD: yes, oversharpened, I agree.
Viewed at arms length on my LCDs: looks fine.

But then... I almost certainly did push the sharpening too far. Before I was getting such muddy and sloppy looking images - no matter what I did. Now I can get images that I can perceive as sharp it's a case of getting my fingers under control!

EDIT: Actually it was also somewhat image dependent. But it appears the Lanczos3 algorithm (which is also available in IrfanView IIRC) seems to give me what I was looking for.

EDIT: George - that's a serious battery of flashguns you have!

Matt

Just thought I'd share a little knowledge

For a few weeks I have been fairly unimpressed with the perceived sharpness of my images that I upload to ePhotozine (1000 pixels max size). I had been using Photoshop CS2's Bicubic Sharper and a USM 100%/0.7/0 but the images still looked a bit "muddy" and lacked the "zing" that I see in other images.

So, after a little email chat with one of the pros, he pointed me in the direction of a neat little (free) utility that he uses. Well, I tried it out and it rocks!

The tool is "Easy Thumbnails" from Fookes - www.fookes.com

So, here's my current workflow (if you're still interested and following ):
* Shoot RAW
* Dump the session's RAW files into a dated subdirectory (e.g. "20070913 PentaxUser Tests"
* Run up Silkypix
* Drag the directory onto Silkypix
* Process the images I want, and develop to AdobeRGB colour space TIFF or JPG (more commonly for me) in a "Silkypix" subdirectory off the dated one.
* Run up Photoshop
* Do any localised adjustments
- Dust removal (still have the odd spot that gets in!)
- New Levels or Curves Adjustment Layer; OK the values; Change blend mode to "Multiply"; Opacity to about 20%; then use Gradient tool to paint black or white on the layer mask
- New Layer or Curves Adjustment Layer; OK the value; Change blend mode to "Screen"... continue as above
- Maybe duplicate the layer, gaussian blur (around 10 radius) and blend mode to "Overlay" or "Soft Light" to give some diffused glow. Add Layer Mask and mask as appropriate
- Probably add a Hue/Sat layer or Color Balance and tweak and mask (repeating for other selected areas)
- Use The Lights Right Studio's Professional sharpening JSX kit and do Creative Sharpening and brush it in for a bit more "bite" in areas.
* When happy, save the PSD file in a "Processed" subdirectory

* Flatten image
* Convert to colourspace sRGB
* Maybe a little extra sharpening
* Save as a high quality JPG with suffix "_sRGB"

* Run up Easy Thumbnails
* Choose [ Smart ] algorithm, Sharpness around 50 - 70, Max Width/Height = 1000
* Choose the "_sRGB" file version and convert to a thumbnail with suffix "_1k"

And there you have it
Sounds much more involved than it is

Here's an example: http://www.ephotozine.com/u16488/gallery/699091
(Hover your mouse over the [2] at the bottom of the image to see the out-of-Silkypix version. Version 1 is the hacked version )

Did I say I like Easy Thumbnails??
Matt

Heated debate on the subject here:
http://www.ephotozine.com/topic/t-52518
Matt

Jonathon,
Generally I find that using "Natural Fine" (which increases noise and adds some sharpening) and then sliding up the NR amounts (there are two sliders) - but generally I find around 10-16 is adequate for good ISO1600 images.

If you've had to push the exposure in Silkypix then you'll be raking up a load of noise and you'll have fun sorting that out, but for a well exposed high ISO shot that requires less than half a stop of compensation I don't have an issue...

There is also the preset for noise reduction priority for noisy scenes - you'll lose some detail, but you can use that as a starting point and tweak it from there.

The manual is very "Jap-lish", but has a lot of very useful pointers.
(My Silkypix guide is still on my "todo list"... right at the bottom, alas :roll
Matt

This seems relevant:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/813711

But they do advise updating to the latest service pack. You should've been on SP2 a long time ago...
But saying "I told you so" isn't going to help, is it?

Hope the registry fix works for you... remember to backup the registry FIRST!

Matt

Awwwww.... don't go and get me reading Strobist again (I'm getting no work done )

EDIT: Did you know that temporarily putting an AF360/AF540 on a film body (like MZ10 etc) will switch the mode of the flash and allow access to the other modes? (That's how I could get the *ist-D and *ist-Ds to do plain TTL using a 4P sync cord )
Matt

Gordon,
Accomplished
Will keep you all posted...
Matt

Chris,
Looks absolutely identical IIRC. (AF540 not with me today)
What breaks on the AF360 are the pins on the near-side of the main case. I'll put up an image or two of what happens a bit later...

EDIT: Here are the images:
First - the one lug that's hanging on:



Second - the broken lug:



(Please excuse the dust and grime!)
Asahi Photo offered to replace the outer shell for me. I never got round to it, but the price wasn't that bad.

Matt

Mine's been broken for a long while. Fortunately, one of the pins is still holding... and I'm being much more careful with the AF540!
I'll try and take a macro shot of the broken pin area and email it. I suspect it's the combination of using NiMH (which can be slightly larger than Alkaline and therefore exert more force), and being in a hurry when changing batteries.
Matt

Now you come to mention it...
But I always thought it was my spectacles and the angle of view into the VF creating a parallax error (had similar behaviour, especially when working under pressure, on the *ist-D)
Matt