Sensor dust

[Hson278]

Hello Everyone. I am new to the forum and Affinity. I am really enjoying the software!  I shoot a lot of Long exposure and  I'm due to clean my sensor soon(been lazy). In the past before I started using Affinity I used a feature in Lightroom cc called Visualize spots which quickly helped me find the sensor dust easily. Does Affinity have this feature or something close to it? Thanks in advance -Harry

[Lee D]

Hi Harry,

Welcome to the forums.

 

Affinity Photo doesn't have a tool like the one in Lightroom, it has been previously requested, so it may be added in the future. We have a tutorial available that does touch on the subject of removing sensor dust spots (Around 3:40).

[Hson278]

Hi Harry,

Welcome to the forums.

 

Affinity Photo doesn't have a tool like the one in Lightroom, it has been previously requested, so it may be added in the future. We have a tutorial available that does touch on the subject of removing sensor dust spots (Around 3:40).

Thank you so much Lee.  I will view the tutorial you provided. 

[CCS]

Hi @Lee D!

The Tutorial you've mentioned six years ago is no longer available. Is there an update available?

I have about 50 pictures with identical sensor stains. I remember in Photoshop I could create a layer, just for the repair spots. I could then copy this layer into all other images and apply the correction (for an explanation of this technique in German see: https://fotoschule.fotocommunity.de/makel-stoerungen-und-sensorflecken-effizient-entfernen/ > last chapter)

In Affinity I didn't manage to get that working. I copied the repair-layer to the next picture, but trying “Bearbeiten > Füllung > Inpainting” (German Version, in English maybe: Edit > Filling > Inpainting)  don’t work this way.

I’ve found some tutorials – but it seems that other photographers only have one single picture to repair. Couldn’t find no explanation how you repair may pictures with just one setting / layer. Call me lazy 😊

Any hint greatly appreciated!

Conrad

[NotMyFault]

Hi Conrad,

i think you need to create a selection of the areas with dust, and save this as mask and/or spare channel.

You can re-use this mask (selection from layer) and re-apply inpainting on any image (or use it for other adjustments and filters).

Unfortunately the type of correction normally depends on content (e.g. brightness/ colors / blurriness by depth of field) which may change between images.

Another hint: most cameras (at least Canon) have an option to create „dust delete data“, by taking a image using specific instructions. These data can then be used with Canon DPP to automatically correct RAW images. This is explained in the linked article, so superfluous.

[NotMyFault]

The legacy tutorials are still available, unfortunately direct links no longer work.

 

[CCS]

Than you @NotMyFault!

>i think you need to create a selection of the areas with dust, and save this as mask ... You can re-use this mask (selection from layer) and re-apply inpainting on any image

That's exactly what I thought of - unfortunately I can't get it right ...

>Unfortunately the type of correction normally depends on content (e.g. brightness/ colors / blurriness by depth of field) which may change between images.

Well, of course the inpainting must be newly calculated with each picture. That's how PS did it - and I still hope to find a way in Affinity too.

 

Regarding the tutorials: Couldn't find a tutorial for "removing sensor dust spots" in You Tube either.

[carl123]

I think I documented something similar to your problem previously, but I can't find it now

If I recall it went a bit like this....

1. Start Macro Recording
2. Use Marquee tool (set to add) to select all sensor dust spots
3. Edit > Inpaint
4. Close and save macro to Library

Batch process all your images using that macro (i.e. File > New Batch job)

 

If you can figure it out then uploading 3-4 images should allow us to see what you are working with and how to assist further

[CCS]

Thanks a lot @carl123!

I've thought a macro would be a fine solution. Didn't realise, that Affinty has got a macro-function. But unfortunately, the macro doesn't record everything. The Inpainting-Klicks are shown in the Macro - but not executed:

Only the two first commands are excuted: A nex pixel layer + renamed to "Sensorflecken". That's it, no Inpainting (Restaurieren) is done. It's also amazing, that other things I did while recording the macro, like Zoom in, Change the size of the brush and yes, made sure that the pixel-layer is connected with the picture-layer, didn't make it to the list (since I can't read the source-code of the macro I can't tell if they have been recorded at all). But I've also tried other macros without changing anything to the settings - but it always turns out the same: New layer - new name - nothing else done. Even if I spare the layer and work directly on the picture - no chance. The Inpainting-Steps are listed in the macro, but don't do nothing at all ...

SIGH! Would be such a wonderful thing ... only if it does work!

[NotMyFault]

Macro recording is quite limited. There are multiple variants of inpainting, which did you use?

• global inpainting via menu
• brush inpainting (same layer)
• non-destructive brush inpainting (layers below).

in some cases, the result of a recorded function is memorized, instead of executing the function with content of the next file. This might happen in your case.

[NotMyFault]

 Based on the list of recorded steps, it looks like inpainting is executed on the empty new layer.

[carl123]

7 hours ago, CCS said:

Only the two first commands are excuted: A nex pixel layer + renamed to "Sensorflecken". That's it, no Inpainting (Restaurieren) is done. It's also amazing, that other things I did while recording the macro, like Zoom in, Change the size of the brush and yes, made sure that the pixel-layer is connected with the picture-layer, didn't make it to the list (since I can't read the source-code of the macro I can't tell if they have been recorded at all). But I've also tried other macros without changing anything to the settings - but it always turns out the same: New layer - new name - nothing else done. Even if I spare the layer and work directly on the picture - no chance. The Inpainting-Steps are listed in the macro, but don't do nothing at all ...

SIGH! Would be such a wonderful thing ... only if it does work!

That's nothing like I described, what to try.

You should just have a series of "Set current raster selection" commands and one "Inpainting" command at the end of the macro

Like so.... (where I made 4 marquee selections of different parts of the image, and then Edit > Inpainted them all at once)

 

[CCS]

@NotMyFault Thank you!

It's Non-destructive = working on an new layer with layer below (=picture) activated. And it worked perfectly, when executed during the recording of the macro, but failed when executing the macro. And BTW, the Macro don't work if you work directly on the picture, too.

@carl123 Thank You again. 2 problems:

1. I'm not too familiar with Affinty yet. So sorry for any confusion caused.
2. I'm working with a German Version, which adds to the problem, since I have to figure out what the German equivalents for the English functions are. Sometimes it's easy, but in this case I wasn't able to "Use Marquee tool (set to add) to select all sensor dust spots" - I guess it’s "Auswahlpinsel", but I can't find a setting "add". But I found the Tool "Restaurieren", which in English is Inpainting (at least that is what I've learned from some YouTube-Video). And this brush worked perfectly - until it came to playing the Macro 😞

Can someone confirm, that "Marquee tool" =  "Auswahlpinsel", maybe I'm just looking at the wrong place ...

OT: I’m often thinking in melancholy of my old SmartWare-Program by Informix (an office tool). You could freely switch and mix commands in English, German and even French and Spanish. 30 years later an American Program like Excel doesn’t even understand the English commands, if you have a German Version installed … strange ways of progress ☹

[NotMyFault]

7 minutes ago, CCS said:

It's Non-destructive = working on an new layer with layer below (=picture) activated. And it worked perfectly, when executed during the recording of the macro, but failed when executing the macro. And BTW, the Macro don't work if you work directly on the picture, too.

Can you try the 3rd option, selecting all areas (in additive mode), and then using the menu function?

The layer must be rasterized to allow inpainting this way, so add this step (before).

[NotMyFault]

I must apologise. I found time to check recording a macro with pinpointing step on MacOS.

Bad news: When executing the macro, the inpainting step simply deletes the current layer! This is clearly a bug, I file a report.

 

 

Edited September 26, 2023 by NotMyFault
wrong observation

[NotMyFault]

I tried it with a 4K document and a stock image (https://www.pexels.com/photo/selective-focus-photography-of-assorted-color-ornaments-1208091/)

Macro works. You can import the macro and try on your own.

Inpaint tester.afmacro

[NotMyFault]

1 hour ago, CCS said:

2. I'm working with a German Version

If possible, just switch the GUI language to English (if taking screenshots for the forum). You may install a beta app, to keep your working app in German. This will really help forum users to interpret the screenshots, and the app will show the correct terms. Translation service are of no use, as these UI terms are named quite "interestingly" in Affinity

[CCS]

Thank you again @NotMyFault and @carl123

I'll try your macro later on.

@carl123 triggered me to try another way. And yes, this one does work eventually. Here is my documentation in German. In case someone needs a translation feel free to ask - but as mentioned above the problem is, that I’m often not sure what are the English / German equivalents (And to add to the confusion in the German-Version sometimes the German Term "Restaurieren" is used and other times the English "Inpainting" ...)

Sensorflecken entfernen

Die verwendete Funktion heißt in Englisch „Inpainting“ in der deutschen Version wird teilweise  „Restaurieren“, teilweise „Inpainting“ verwendet.

Einzelnes Bild

Am besten geht es mir dem Restaurieren-Pinsel in der Palette Reparaturpinsel.

Der Restaurieren-Pinsel läßt sich sowohl auf dem Bild direkt, als auch zerstörungsfrei auf einer Pixelebene anwenden. Achtung: „Aktuelle Ebene & Darunter“ muss aktiviert sein!

Leider läßt sich die Restaurierungs-Ebene weder auf ein anderes Bild übertragen (also übertragen kann man sie schon, bringt nur nix), noch läßt sich diese Technik in einem Makro ausführen. Sie ist also nur geeignet, wenn man Bilder einzeln reparieren will.

Mehrere Bilder  

Mit einem Makro läßt sich folgender Weg aufzeichnen:

1.       Neue Pixel-Ebene

2.       Auf der neuen Ebene mit dem Auswahlpinsel die Sensorflecken markieren. Dabei

• „An Kanten ausrichten“ deaktivieren
• „Alle Ebenen“ und „Weiche Kanten“ aktivieren

3.       Auf die Bildebene wechseln! (Wichtig, auf der Pixelebene funktioniert es nicht!)

4.       Menü: „Bearbeiten > Restaurieren“

Stolperfallen:

• Nicht Zerstörungsfrei! Nachdem der Schritt 4. ausgeführt wurde, lassen sich die Auswahlen im Bild nicht mehr bearbeiten. Das Restaurieren läßt sich nicht rückgängig machen, obwohl dafür eine eigene Ebene angelegt wurde!
• Trotzdem ist die Verwendung einer eigenen Ebene sinnvoll. Ggf. Schritt 4. nicht mit aufzeichnen, falls einzelne Punkte in anderen Bildern entfernt werden müssen. Im Makro kann dieser Schritt aber auch bei Bedarf deaktiviert werden.
• Es gibt auch eine Funktion Bearbeiten > Füllung > Inpainting > die funktioniert hier nicht!

[NotMyFault]

Mein macro macht das Zerstörungsfrei durch „Sichtbares zusammenlegen“. Dabei wird eine Kopie erzeugt, und das Restaurieren passiert in dieser Kopie.

[CCS]

OT: Wow - you can change the language in Affinty easily. A Macro, that's recorded in German works fine in English too! I'm deeply impressed. Looks like the small Serif-Company does a much better job on language handling then the huge Microsoft. Chapeau!

[CCS]

Good Idea to copy the Original Layer @NotMyFault!