Sharpening Raw photo in Develop persona reverts to blurred image

[EdZap326]

I am having an issue when I am developing .CR2 files. I am able to adjust the image sharpness in the Develop Persona but when I click the Develop button it reverts to the unsharpened version. What am I missing?

[walt.farrell]

Welcome to the Serif Affinity forums, @EdZap326.

Probably you are applying the sharpening while zoomed  out so you can see all the image. You need to evaluate the sharpening at a zoom level of 100% or greater, as that's the only way to see what is actually happening.

When you are zoomed out (zoom < 100%) Affinity uses something called MipMaps to represent the image content, which allows for faster display. Unfortunately, when you're doing things like sharpening it also gives a false view of what's really going on. So apply your sharpening at 100% zoom and it should appear accurate, and then will match once the image is develope3d.

[EdZap326]

Hi Walt. Thanks for the welcome however, I am doing my sharpening at 100+% so I do see all the effects and they look great until I hit the develop button which reverts to the pre-sharpened image. This only happens in the Develop persona. If I use Unsharp Mask or High Pass filters to sharpen I have no problem.

[walt.farrell]

Thanks for the additional info.

In that case, we may need some additional info. The following would help, I think:

1. A screenshot in the Develop Persona before you sharpen.
2. Another after you sharpen. Please make sure it includes the sharpening controls.
3. Another in the Photo Persona immediately after the Develop processing finishes.

Please make sure all are at 100% zoom.

It might also help to have your .cr2 file.

[R C-R]

On 6/27/2021 at 2:42 PM, EdZap326 said:

I am able to adjust the image sharpness in the Develop Persona...

Maybe I am being particularly stupid today but what exactly are you adjusting in the Develop persona to change image sharpness?

[h_d]

Details - Detail Refinement. 

[R C-R]

56 minutes ago, h_d said:

Details - Detail Refinement. 

I thought that might be what the OP meant but does detail refinement do exactly the same thing as (for example) sharpening via an unsharp mask? What about the Clarity filter vs. the Clarity slider in Basic > Enhance?

Regardless, using either detail refinement or Clarity in the Developing persona, when I click the develop button the changes are applied & shown in the Photo persona.

[EdZap326]

new image

[walt.farrell]

45 minutes ago, EdZap326 said:

The shot on the right is after making the adjustments in the Develop Persona but before hitting the Develop button.The right side is the result after the Develop button is hit.

Please clarify which is which.

Also, please confirm that both screenshots were taken at 100% zoom. And R C-R asked above for details on how you did the sharpening (and I requested that the screenshot show those controls). Please provide that information, too., too.

 

[EdZap326]

Ok. Here are screenshots at 100% The first is after adjustments but before developing. The second is after develop button is pushed. I have been doing my adjustments in Affinity since it first came out and have never had a problem before. You can actually see the image lose it's sharpness when you hit the develop button.

[walt.farrell]

Thanks for the new screenshots.

Sorry; I'm not sure what's going on there.

[Pšenda]

1 hour ago, EdZap326 said:

The first is after adjustments but before developing.

And what does the image look like if you just developy it without making any adjustments in Develop Persona?

[Michael123]

I think this user raised a good point here. Nearly by accident I compared CR2 pictures sharpened via Canon' digital photo professional which looked quite sharper than those developed via affinity.  I tried to create the same result using affinity but the best possibility to for sharpening in a similar way is exactly what was described: Details - Detail Refinement. 
And this is not being saved when clicked on "Develop".

Any other thoughts on that?
 

[MEB]

Hi @Michael123,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
Affinity doesn't apply any sharpening by default when you open a RAW file so it does look less sharp when compared to other editors that do apply some sharpening or when compared to a processed JPG.
Regarding the detail adjustment not being saved after clicking Develop, are you comparing both at 100% zoom level (before/after develop)? Zoom levels below 100% will not give you an accurate preview of most adjustments (in particular those related with noise/sharpening/micro detail). Please pick and image, set the zoom to 100%, select an area where the sharpening is quite obvious, then click Develop. Did it change after being processed? Is so can you attach the sample RAW you are using for us to take a look along with your OS and system specs please? Thank you.