Probably one of the biggest “sleepers” of RAW file processing is the resolution and sharpening performance. Consider this. We’re starting with the Bayer Array- a matrix of red, green and blue pixels. Out of that we have to build a file of RGB pixels, thatis pixels that are made up of three channels, not one. (Take a look at the blog post on multi-shot sensors for a little more on that, here).

Here’s the thing. Every pixel in the final image is “virtual”, that is, it is a calculated value based on three colors (four actual pixels, R, G, G, and B, to be precise) surrounding the approximate area. As such, we have to make some resolution decisions- how many pixels can we construct with the available RAW data? - and some sharpening decisions- how defined do we want the borders between values to appear?

Adobe Camera RAW: Sharpening & Noise Adjustments	Phase One Capture One Pro: Sharpening & Noise Adjustments

Here we’re seeing some very distinct differences between processing approaches. Using our basic resolution chart we can compare the edge definition and sharpness produced by both processors.

Canon RAW Files 

Canon: Adobe Camera RAW

Canon: C1 Pro

Nikon: Adobe Camera RAW

Nikon: C1 Pro

Olympus RAW Files

Olympus: Adobe Camera RAW

Olympus: C1 Pro

This again is giving us some consistent conclusions across the board. Phase One is applying some fairly aggressive sharpening to it’sfile processing with all three cameras, as shown but the characteristic hum at the top of the edge profile curve. This hump indicates fairly typical Unsharp-Mask style sharpening strategy- the idea that you amplify the pixels at the edges of a value, making the blacks blacker and the whites whiter, for example, to increase the appearance of a crisp border.

This has been a philosophy of Phase since the earliest days of their MFDB products. A Phase One file from roughly the ’98 to ’03 period could be identified from across the room, with a very pronounced appearance of crispness and resolution. In the years after that Phase toned down the approach, but that initial impression of an ultra snappy image sold a whole lot of Phase backs to a whole lot of skeptical photographers.

Under the “Details” tab you have sharpening controls which are going to appear very familiar to users of Unsharp Mask in Photoshop, with the usual Amount, Radius and Threshold settings, in spite of the fact that RAW file sharpening is a slightly different process than “output sharpening” in Photoshop.

That said, in general, the Adobe philosophy is to apply a fairly low amount of default sharpening to the RAW file, and allow for output sharpening in Photoshop. This, of course, follows the different intended functions of the software at their core. By allowing an amplified “output” style sharpening, Phase allows the photographer to process and output finished files all within the Phase One system, without the need to move to Photoshop to complete the work.