I have not used auto fine tuning much. It just seems to have appeared without much explanation, and does not seem to be mentioned in the online help.
Please could you give some explanation about how it goes about its task. How does it decide what is noise and what is real texture?
Is there a way to have each file in a batch auto fine tuned as it is processed? If it could be done, would it be a good idea?
auto fine tuning
Auto fine-tuning is shortly introduced in the user guide, "Step III. Fine-tune the rough device noise profile". Further discussion of its use has been taking place mostly in this forum. For example, there is a discussion on the topic of fine-tuning vs manual fine-tuning in a nearby subforum: http://www.neatimage.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=56
AFT is meant to automate the process of selecting and analysing flat feature-less areas. This is especially important when you build profiles using the test target. With AFT, you don't need to manually select a number of areas many times (for every device mode). That is actually a feature that does what you suggested earlier - special treatment of the test target shots for faster and easier profiling - but it also works with many other images, not necessary that of the test target. AFT usually does a good job but you can always override it by doing an additional manual fine-tuning afterwards. By doing this you can check (compare EQ values) whether AFT produces the same results as your manual fine-tuning analysis.
Having the AFT automatically applied to every file in a queue is a good idea. We will probably incorporate this as an option in NI with one of the future software updates. Then processing will take more time but will potentially be more accurate, depending on the input images.
Thank you for the suggestion.
Vlad
AFT is meant to automate the process of selecting and analysing flat feature-less areas. This is especially important when you build profiles using the test target. With AFT, you don't need to manually select a number of areas many times (for every device mode). That is actually a feature that does what you suggested earlier - special treatment of the test target shots for faster and easier profiling - but it also works with many other images, not necessary that of the test target. AFT usually does a good job but you can always override it by doing an additional manual fine-tuning afterwards. By doing this you can check (compare EQ values) whether AFT produces the same results as your manual fine-tuning analysis.
Having the AFT automatically applied to every file in a queue is a good idea. We will probably incorporate this as an option in NI with one of the future software updates. Then processing will take more time but will potentially be more accurate, depending on the input images.
Thank you for the suggestion.
Vlad
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Tomasz Major
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sat Jan 24, 2004 11:39 pm
job's AFT
While I'm aware that there is AFT option available in "Filtration Queue" window, I'd like to have a checkbox in "Filtration Job Editor" window, "Output Image" tab that sets AFT option for the job in much the same way as I can mark "Auto save output image". Similarly "Job Defaults" tab in "Options" window would have "Auto fine tune" next to "Auto save output image".
This requirement becomes most pronounced if a job starts immediately and one have to stop it first, then select AFT, then restart again.
This requirement becomes most pronounced if a job starts immediately and one have to stop it first, then select AFT, then restart again.
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Tomasz Major
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sat Jan 24, 2004 11:39 pm
Do you mean it is possible to do it now? If yes, please let me know how. I can't see it.Yes, it is possible to add AFT option to Queued processing box in Output Image tab.
It could be there, you are right - this might be a better place. Location, however, is not the issue; timing is. I'd like not to perform this lenghthy job right when I click, but in the background when the jobs are processed in the queue.Why do you prefer to have it there instead of clicking the AFT button in Device Noise Profile tab?
I meant we, programmers, could add it there. We will probably do this.Tomasz Major wrote:Do you mean it is possible to do it now? If yes, please let me know how. I can't see it.Yes, it is possible to add AFT option to Queued processing box in Output Image tab.
I see. Probably this will help you: if you create not one, but several jobs in the queue (you can open several images at once), the Filtration Job Editor will not open (you anyway do not use it in the scenario you described). Then you can select all these new jobs in the queue and set the auto fine-tuning to all of them at once. This will speed up things.Tomasz Major wrote:It could be there, you are right - this might be a better place. Location, however, is not the issue; timing is. I'd like not to perform this lenghthy job right when I click, but in the background when the jobs are processed in the queue.Why do you prefer to have it there instead of clicking the AFT button in Device Noise Profile tab?
Vlad
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Tomasz Major
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sat Jan 24, 2004 11:39 pm
I didn't know one could open several images at once using "New" button in "Filtration Queue" window (I believe it is not mentioned in help). This is handy. Thank you for pointing this out. BTW, I'm a programmer too, and I think NI is really neatly done, plus I appreciate the level of control available to the user. Those 2 won me as your customer, away from NoiseNinja.
I'd like to outline my current workflow in NI so that your team is aware of usage patterns amongst its customers. I process one or more films (batch scanner PF3650PRO3) at once, where each picture receives certain "Device Noise Profile" (usually the same, one per film type, scanner always set up the same way) and than I spend more time adjusting "Noise Filter Settings" separately for each image. Sometimes I want to AFT the profile to the specific image. You are welcome to critique this if you see flaws.
Returning once again to checkboxes: why deslecting "Auto start processing" in "Batch" window disables "Auto fine tune profiles" checkbox next to it.
I'd like to outline my current workflow in NI so that your team is aware of usage patterns amongst its customers. I process one or more films (batch scanner PF3650PRO3) at once, where each picture receives certain "Device Noise Profile" (usually the same, one per film type, scanner always set up the same way) and than I spend more time adjusting "Noise Filter Settings" separately for each image. Sometimes I want to AFT the profile to the specific image. You are welcome to critique this if you see flaws.
Returning once again to checkboxes: why deslecting "Auto start processing" in "Batch" window disables "Auto fine tune profiles" checkbox next to it.
Thank you for details on your workflow. I don't see how AFT could be useful AFTER adjusting the filter settings. Fine-tuning affects filter and therefore should be done BEFORE filter tweaking. And if you don't touch filter settings then there is no need to go to the editor and you can AFT the profile from the queue.
Regarding the Batch window, disabling AFT when ASP is off will be changed in the next versions. Now this simply means NI cannot do fine-tuning if processing is not started.
Vlad
Regarding the Batch window, disabling AFT when ASP is off will be changed in the next versions. Now this simply means NI cannot do fine-tuning if processing is not started.
Vlad
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Tomasz Major
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sat Jan 24, 2004 11:39 pm
I don't use preview feature too much. I just learned what I can expect from picture and settings and adjust those settings based on the characteristic of the image and my experience with NI - I guess the right settings in other words. In this scenario AFT is not really after or before - it is just part of the guess.I don't see how AFT could be useful AFTER adjusting the filter settings.
The reason I don't use preview is that it is too small for me (films scanned @ 3600dpi) to judge the effects on the entire picture. I'd like larger preview area but it would be slow, so maybe better a number of areas with the current size arranged side by side.