Tag Archives: Topaz

*Super deal on fisheye and Topaz Re-Style on sale for 4 more days!

by in General ramblings, Photography gear, Software tutorials / reviews and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

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A couple super deals have popped up.  Please excuse the quick break from the normally scheduled programing…  For my fellow micro 4/3 shooters, the above lens is temporarily on sale, and for all my fellow post processing enthusiasts, Topaz Re-Style is 50% off for just 4 more days.

The Bower (Rokinon/Samyang/whoever else they sell this lens under) micro 4/3, 7.5mm f/3.5 Fisheye, is now on sale for $199 at B&H HERE (price is now fluctuating between $200-250 or so), and also includes the 4% reward and Free Shipping!  If you’ve been on the fence, this is an amazing deal on a great lens (Normally about $300).  You can read my opinions on the Rokinon version (same lens) HERE.  Oddly, it is only the Bower version that is on sale, but it is the same lens as the Rokinon that I own, use and love.

Screen Shot 2013-08-28 at 10.01.59 AM

Also, Topaz Re-Style is about to wrap up it’s introductory sale this Saturday, at which point it will go up to “full” price ($59.99).  Right now, through Saturday, you can get Re-Style for 50% off HERE for $29.99 when using the code “restyleit”, enter the discount code at checkout.  I recently reviewed Re-Style HERE. Also, you can get the $30 discount off of the full collection of Topaz plugins by using that same “restyleit” discount code.

Thank you, happy shooting and carry on…

Cheers,

Tyson

*Topaz ReStyle, killer quick cross processing effects. Brand new and on Sale!

by in Software tutorials / reviews and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

restyle

Topaz continues to kick out awesome plugins, and their newest release ReStyle keeps with the recent pattern. Like most Topaz Plugins, us early adopters get a substantial discount which they offer as soon as the software is released. Read on for my take and a few examples, or if you’re already sold, go here to TopazLabs.com and use the code “restyleit” to get 50% off ($59.99 reg, or $29.99 now through August 31st).

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*Brand New Topaz Clarity Announced, discounted until the end of the month!

by in Postprocessing techniques, Software tutorials / reviews and tagged , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

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Just announced, and available HERE, (use code “claritynew” for a 40% discount!) Topaz Clarity is a new plugin that helps further define detail in your images. I’ve been playing around with the Beta version for a while and just got my hands on the full plugin last night. I can say that it is going to become part of my workflow, especially for landscape and interior work. Read on for examples and more details on this new, cool, affordable plugin…

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*Topaz Black and White Effects 2.1 Update, free for existing users, discounted for the rest of us!

by in Postprocessing techniques, Software tutorials / reviews, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

topaz B&W Effects

Hello All.  You may remember my original review of Topaz B&W Effects back a little while ago.  It was, in my opinion, a great black and white plugin for the money.  With B&W Effects 2, they streamlined the interface, added more filters along with a few other bells and whistles.  With the 2.1 upgrade, (which is a free upgrade for existing users of B&W Effects, or available for new users at a 30% discount using promo code “BW21” here at TopazLabs.com) They’ve added an 11 Zone review system along with a new smattering of awesome borders.

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*Topaz Labs and 500px team up and offer discounts

by in General ramblings and tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

topaz

Any of you who have read my blog somewhat regularly know that I love and use Topaz plugins.  Topaz Labs offerings are realistically priced, and offer unique, quality plugins.  They now have a program set up through the end of March which offers 25% off any Topaz plugin or bundle and a 3 month gift code for 500px as well as a 10% discount for current Topaz users for upgrades to a 500px “Awesome” subscription (normally $50/year) which allows users to host and sell their images through their own, modified online portfolio and store hosted by 500px.  You can see all the Topaz plugins on offer by heading over the the Topazlabs.com website (click here) USE COUPON CODE “500px” at checkout to get the 25% discount and 3 month 500px gift account.  For existing Topaz users looking to upgrade their free 500px account to an Awesome account, use code 10AWTL at 500px.com upgrade page HERE.  For those not familiar with 500px, it is a very high quality photo community that enables members to share, and sell images through their own, user modified galleries and portfolio pages.  I’ve used the upgrade discount myself from my free account, and have spent a little time now getting to know the ins and outs and it looks promising 🙂

Here are a couple past articles outlining and reviewing my favorite Topaz Plugins:

Topaz DeNoise

Topaz B&W Effects

Topaz Clean

Using Topaz Clean3 as a Fractalius like plugin for Mac users

Happy shooting,

Tyson

*50% off All Topaz Plugins!

by in General ramblings, Postprocessing techniques, Software tutorials / reviews and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

From right now through November 26th, all Topaz plugins are 50% off!!!  Kind of insane actually seeing that so many of them are already so realistically priced.

Click HERE to see the Plugins that Topaz offers (listed at full price) and enter the code “CyberSavings” at checkout to cut the price in half!

Here are some of the plugins that I’ve reviewed:

Topaz DeNoise5 (a killer noise reduction plugin)

Black and White Effects (very budget friendly B&W processing)

Clean (edge detail and skin softening plugin) which also doubles as a Fractalius like plugin for Mac!

I also love Adjust and would highly suggest any (or all) the Topaz plugins, especially at 50% off!!!

Cheers,

Tyson

*Topaz DeNoise 5, like a fine wine.

by in Postprocessing techniques, Software tutorials / reviews and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 44 Comments

***UPDATE See the new Topaz DeNoise 6 reviewed and compared to DeNoise 5 HERE***

Smooth, yet refined with an impeccable attention to detail.

Noise has become less and less an issue for digital photographers over the last few years as sensor technology gets better, in camera processing is capable of shouldering more of that load than ever before and digital asset management software/RAW converters are up to the task for much of the noise reduction needs.  Still, with analog to digital information translation, there is an inherent signal:noise issue that can always be further helped by a good noise reduction software.  Add to that, pro-sumer 35mm format models breaching the Medium Format pixel counts, or compact sensors pushing the pixel pitch to near immeasurable dimensions, there is, and will be a need for a manual noise reduction control through post processing.  While Lightroom and Aperture have good noise reduction algorithms, they are the swiss army knife of image processing, giving you many handy tools, but what happens when you need a power tool?  That little Swiss army knife’s mini-saw ain’t gonna cut through that noise riddled log for you, you’ll need a chainsaw.   Enter, Topaz DeNoise5, your powerful, noise reducing chainsaw.  You can download a free trial, or purchase DeNoise.  If interested click HERE to go to Topazlabs.com.  I’ve used Noise Ninja and Nik Define in the past, and I think both of those have just been pushed out of my workflow.  Read on for examples and my take…

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*Fractalius for Mac!?

by in Postprocessing techniques, Software tutorials / reviews and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

 

Topaz Glow

Using Topaz Glow in place of Topaz Clean gives me much better results.

 

No, the developers of Fractalius haven’t quite broken down and offered those of us using macs the plugin we’ve been pining for, but I have found a way to get similar results.  You may have seen a very cool effect in the threads or photo pools in your favorite photography forum.  I, like many, found myself attracted to the effect produced and became discouraged when I found out that the software that enabled the digital artists I’d been admiring, was a Windows only program.  I’m no fanboy, nor do I get paid to push one brand over another so I in no way mean to stoke any ‘which is better’ type conversation, but merely pass along a work around that I’ve found to create a similar effect for very, very little money…

The program is called Topaz Glow, and it’s awesome (see it via Topaz Labs HERE).

You can see my new, user review on Topaz Glow HERE.

 

 

Enjoy and we’d love to see any examples in our flickr group HERE!
Thanks for reading and happy shooting,
Tyson

*Topaz Clean 3, bang for your buck.

by in Postprocessing techniques, Software tutorials / reviews and tagged , , , , , , | 12 Comments

At first glance, Topaz Clean 3 seems like a simple, straightforward plugin.  A few presets give you distinct looks which blur detail anywhere from slight to cartoony.  If utilized properly, it can provide a great skin softening plugin, or an abstract, artistic pixel obliterator.  Coming in at under thirty bucks, it might just be the plugin you didn’t know you were looking for.

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