The Sharpener Pro 2.0 plug-in has five sliders to enable selective adjustments based on color.Nik Multimedia Inc. is offering more control over image sharpening in Nik Sharpener Pro 2.0 plug-in for Adobe Photoshop and other image-editing applications.
Nik has redesigned the basic menu controls and settings, adding sharpening filters for viewing distance, paper type and printer resolution for use with inkjet printers, said Parker Plaisted, manager of product marketing for San Diego-based company.
The Nik Sharpener Pro 2.0 also adds support for 16-bit images.
"This version release has added more tools for controlling where sharpening is applied in digital images," Plaisted said.
The Advanced menu option in Version 2.0 has five sliders that enable adjustments to the amount of sharpening applied to specific areas of the image based on the color of those areas.
For example, the user can reduce the amount of sharpening applied to the skin in a portrait photograph or the sky in an outdoor photograph.
Photoshop CS2 takes sharpening to a new level. Click here to read more.
The new Selective tool enables the creation of an adjustment layer, and lets the user brush in the amount of sharpening applied to an image. This tool takes advantage of the layer technology in Photoshop and creates the adjustment layer with one click.
Version 2.0 also addresses the image rendering characteristics of different printing processes and differences between inkjet printer manufacturers.
Nik Sharpener Pro 2.0 will be available in June in specialty camera stores and at the company's retail Web site.
Pricing will be $169 for Nik Sharpener Pro 2.0 Inkjet Edition will be priced at $169 and $329 for Nik Sharpener Pro 2.0 Complete Edition.
