One of my favorite pieces of software for editing photographs, Topaz Photo AI, was recently updated to version 1.5.0 with yet another long list of enhancements. The update comes only about a month after the software’s other most recent major iteration update, version 1.4.0.
Citing the change log, version 1.5.0 brings the following changes:
– Added recover original detail slider to non-RAW Remove Noise
– Redesigned status bar, moving it into the right panel
– Improved customization of auto-upscaling, including support for always enhancing at <=1x as well as more decimal points for scale
– Fixed cancelling crop setting the crop to the full image, and resetting the masks and face selections
– Added warning when applying a crop will reset the masks and face selections (thanks to the previous fix, canceling will avoid that reset)
– Fixed CLI upscale can change DPI to wrong DPI CM/IN
– Maintain original resolution when upscale is turned on and px unit is selected
– Fixed using enter or escape inside a text field within an edit mode causing the edit mode to close
– Images that store their resolution metadata within JFIF tags will now be read correctly
– Preserve Text automatically turns off if text mask is empty
– Preview no longer swaps to the original image when previewing faces or a mask if there’s nothing to display (no faces detected or an empty mask)
– If there are no unsaved changes, the preferences panel may now be closed by clicking outside the dialog
– Several tooltips added around the app
– Various wording tweaks around the app
– All edit modes (crop, subject, face selection, text) force single image view
– Updated lensfun
In addition to version 1.5.0, two more recent updates in the form of versions 1.5.1 and 1.5.2. Albeit less substantial, these updates further enhance the software as indicated by the change logs below:
Version 1.5.1
– Selecting cancel after turning on Preserve Text will now disable the filter
– Right clicking dialogs should no longer close them
– Renamed “Clear Strokes” button in subject refinement to “Reset Mask”
– Text field preferences now save correctly when clicking “Save” while focused
– Parameters on non-Autopilot selected filters should no longer reset automatically
– Fixed Remove Noise Autopilot indicator sometimes being wrong
– Added tooltips to the Autopilot dot and reset button
– Shift shortcuts are now disabled when inside an edit mode
– Hovering over crop button now highlights image in navigator
– Installer now downloads model files for all available devices
– Subject Only toggle is now disabled when there is no subject
– Change “Edit Subject” to “Select Subject” when subject detection is None
– General preferences reset button should now properly grey out when at defaults
Version 1.5.2
– Updated the RAW photo pipeline to fix aliasing and color fringing
– Fixed crashes and poor performance on NVIDIA A-series GPUs
– Updated design for the face selection panel
– Fixed “Subject Only” toggle sometimes being un-toggleable when there is a subject selected
– Auto upscaling preferences can now be based on inches or centimeters
– Update lensfun
What makes Topaz Photo AI so special, you might ask? Chiefly the fact that it uses artificial intelligence to automatically enhance any imported photograph. Without any clicks on the user’s behalf, the software removes unwanted noise, fixes motion and focus blurs, improves resolution, and fixes other image imperfections.
Of course, while much of the magic happens on autopilot, users can fine-tune settings manually before ultimately exporting their enhanced photograph. That said, it’s easy to get the result you’re looking for without settling for whatever the software spits out at you.
If you’re interested in grabbing Topaz Photo AI for yourself, the software is regularly $199 at the developer’s website, but it’s currently on sale for just $159 for a limited time.