In this Topaz Photo AI Review, we’re looking at the latest version of Topaz Labs’ superb image enhancement studio that combines Gigapixel AI, Sharpen AI, and Denoise AI into a single easy-to-use interface.
As a result, Topaz Photo AI is the ultimate one-stop shop for denoising, sharpening, and upscaling your images. But like everything else, Topaz Photo AI isn’t perfect, is quite expensive, and may offer you more than you need to pay for. So, is Topaz Photo AI right for you? Let’s find out. Jump to Conclusion
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Table of Contents
- What is Topaz Photo AI
- What does Topaz Photo AI do?
- Topaz Photo AI Tutorial
- Topaz Photo AI Review (Video)
- Topaz Photo AI Test
- What is Topaz Photo AI like to use?
- Is Topaz Photo AI worth it?
- Topaz Photo AI Compared
- Conclusion
What is Topaz Photo AI
Topaz Photo AI is an all-in-one image enhancement application for PC and Mac that combines the power of Gigapixel AI, Sharpen AI, and Denoise AI into a single easy-to-use interface. As a result, you can use Topaz Photo AI to denoise, sharpen, and upscale your photos.
There are two ways to use Topaz Photo AI. First, you can run Topaz Photo AI standalone and independently of any other photo editing software.
Alternatively, you can use Topaz Photo AI as a plug-in for the Photo Editors listed below.
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Lightroom Classic
- Capture One
Topaz Photo AI Release Date
15th September 2022
Topaz Photo AI Price
Topaz Photo AI costs US$199, excluding sales and promotions. Sign up for my weekly newsletter and be notified of the latest deals and discounts on Topaz and other products.
Topaz Photo AI Download
Download Topaz Photo AI from Topaz Labs.
Topaz Photo AI Trial
You can download the free Topaz Photo AI trial here – Download
What does Topaz Photo AI do?
Broadly speaking, Topaz Photo AI will sharpen, upscale, and denoise your images. However, it is the way all these enhancements come together that makes Topaz Photo AI special.
Photo Sharpening
Topaz Photo AI features artifact-free image sharpening that’s head-and-shoulders above traditional image sharpening. Topaz Photo AI’s sharpening is so good it can correct poor focus and motion blur, and for this reason, Topaz Photo AI is the best image sharpener I’ve ever used.
However, if you’re only after World-class image sharpening, Topaz Sharpen AI is just as good and costs much less. Read my hands-on Topaz Sharpen AI Review for more information.
Noise Reduction
Topaz Photo AI leverages the AI-based noise reduction technology in Topaz Denoise AI. As a result, Topaz Photo AI is one of the best noise reduction software applications you can buy today. But don’t take my word for it; check out the sample below.
But if you only want noise reduction, Topaz Denoise AI is just as good. Read Topaz Denoise AI Review.
Upscaling
Unlike traditional photo enlargement applications, Topaz Photo AI’s artificial intelligence anticipates and inserts additional detail into your enlarged photo for superior results, as you’ll see in the sample below.
You can use Topaz Photo AI to enlarge your photos by up to 600%. But if you only want to upscale, Topaz Lab’s Gigapixel AI is just as good. Read Gigapixel AI Review.
Enhance Resolution
Enhance Resolution inserts additional detail without enlarging your photo. Ideal for low-resolution photos.
Face Recovery
Topaz Photo AI automatically detects Faces and recovers additional detail. This is particularly effective on low-resolution images. Sometimes, it’s better left off, but it’s always worth a try.
AutoPilot
In addition to putting its greatest hits under one roof, Topaz Labs has come up with Auto Pilot. With Auto Pilot enabled, Topaz Photo AI will automatically assess your photo, identify and mask your subject, and apply the appropriate amount of sharpening and noise reduction without you lifting a finger.
As you will see later in this Topaz Photo AI review, Autopilot effectively and reliably produces images on par with those processed with manual adjustments.
Topaz Photo AI Tutorial
Topaz Photo AI is designed to be easy to use – especially if you leave it in Auto Pilot.
#1 Open your Image
Upon opening your photo, Topaz Photo AI’s Autopilot will assess your image and automatically apply noise reduction and sharpening as it sees fit. At which point, you could be done!
#2 Making your adjustments
Alternatively, you can ignore Autopilot and process the image yourself. There are five different adjustments. Noise Removal, Sharpening, Face Recovery, Enhance Resolution, and upscale. Adjust each until you like what you see. If you wet the bed, you can always restore the autopilot settings.
#3 Reviewing and Saving your image
Topaz Photo AI offers three different review modes. A full-screen option allows you to bounce between the original and processed image, while a side-by-side comparison view serves both versions to your eyes at once. Finally, there’s an excellent old before-and-after slider view. Once you’re happy with your image – hit the big blue Save Image button, and you’re done.
Topaz Photo AI Review (Video)
Topaz Photo AI Test
This part of this Topaz Photo AI Review is where we find out if Topaz Photo AI is any good. To that end, here is a collection of before and after samples cropped to 100%.
Topaz Photo AI for Wildlife Photos
This is a 24-megapixel raw image of a fantail processed with Topaz Photo AI on Autopilot with a little extra sharpening for good measure.
Topaz Photo AI for Portraits
Many software applications struggle with portraits, as processing requires a light touch to maintain skin tones and features. In this regard, Topaz Photo AI nails it by correcting this poorly focused portrait without corrupting the subject’s features.
Topaz Photo AI for fine detail
Like Topaz Sharpen AI, Topaz Photo AI excels in correcting motion blur. Fine detail? No problem.
Topaz Photo AI Stress Test
This photo was taken with a 3-megapixel point-and-shoot, and I include it here as a stress test for Topaz Photo AI. Overall, Topaz Photo AI did a great job. If you have a load of old photos to remaster, try Topaz Photo AI.
What is Topaz Photo AI like to use?
Ease of Use
Topaz Photo AI is very straightforward to use. For instance, leaving Photo AI in its automatic Autopilot mode means you’ll barely lift a finger. But even if you make the adjustments yourself – you’ll find the settings accessible, sensibly categorized, and well-named.
Performance
Speed has always been a weak point for Topaz products, and Topaz Photo AI is no exception. For instance, when you open your image and apply or adjust an enhancement, Topaz Phot AI will pause between 10-15 seconds to rerender the image.
Furthermore, Topaz Photo AI will slow further with each enhancement you add. For instance, if you denoise and sharpen your photo, you’ll wait twice as long.
Nonetheless, I consider the wait entirely reasonable, given the quality of the result. But if you’re happy to trade a little quality for speed, an alternative product is coming up soon in this Topaz Photo AI review.
Is Topaz Photo AI worth it?
Topaz Photo AI remains one of the best image enhancement applications today and one of the few that combines AI-powered noise reduction, sharpening, and upscaling. As a result, Topaz Photo AI is both capable and convenient – offering a one-stop-shop route toward a well-enhanced image.
Topaz Photo AI Compared
Topaz Photo AI vs Topaz Image Quality Bundle
In practical terms, Topaz Photo AI is all the Topaz Image Quality Bundle applications rolled into a single application. Therefore, I recommend Photo AI for the sake of convenience. Read Topaz Image Quality Bundle Review.
Topaz Photo AI vs DxO PureRAW 2
In technical terms, Topaz Photo AI and DxO PureRAW 2 are pretty different. Specifically, Topaz Photo is an all-in-one AI-powered denoiser, sharpener, and upscaler. In contrast, DxO PureRaw 2 is an AI-powered noise reduction application.
However, DxO PureRaw 2 is cheaper, and its noise reduction is much faster and at least as good as that of Topaz Photo AI. And while DxO PureRaw 2 cannot fix poor focus or motion blur, its camera-and-lens-specific optical modules process and enhance soft photos to perfection.
So, if you’re looking for a quick way to denoise and polish unblurred raw files, check out DxO Pure Raw 2. Read DxO PureRaw Review.
Topaz Photo AI vs ON1
ON1 also has some fantastic image enhancement apps. In terms of upscaling, denoising, and sharpening – there’s ON1 Resize AI and ON1 NoNoise AI. Alternatively, you can buy both of these applications as part of the ON1 Plugin Bundle and enjoy an HDR plugin and the excellent ON1 Effects. Read ON1 Plugin Bundle Review.
However, I would skip the bundle and pay a fraction more for ON1 Photo Raw, a full-blown photo editing and management tool that includes all ON1 Plugins built-in. Read ON1 Photo Raw Review for more information.
Topaz Photo AI vs OM Workspace
Topaz Photo AI’s image sharpening and noise reduction are superior to OM Workspace. And unlike OM Workspace, Topaz AI will process JPEGs and Raws taken with any camera – not just the Olympus OM-D M1ii and newer.
So, if you’re looking for the best photo noise reduction for your Micro Four Thirds images, Topaz Photo AI won’t disappoint. Read OM Workspace AI Review – Noise Reduction Tested.
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Conclusion
Topaz Photo AI combines first-class image enhancement applications Gigapixel, Denoise AI, and Sharpen AI and places them into one single coherent application. In other words, Topaz Photo AI is the sum of its excellent parts with a little dash of convenience on top.
But as the sum of its parts, Topaz Photo AI also inherits some issues – namely speed. While Topaz Photo AI is no slower than most AI image enhancement tools, ON1 alternatives such as NoNoise AI and Resize AI do much the same thing faster. And you can have those tools AND a fully-fledged photo editor in ON1 Photo Raw.
Furthermore, Topaz Photo AI only makes sense if you want denoising, sharpening, and upscaling. For instance, if you only want an excellent noise-reduction application, you’d be better off buying the equally effective Topaz Denoise AI as a standalone.
But if you want two or more of these standalone Topaz products, Topaz Photo AI is the way to go. Topaz’s noise reduction technology is outstanding, and its sharpening technology is so good it corrects poor focus and motion blur to the point where I’m impressed every time I use it.
So if you’re looking for world-class sharpening, noise reduction, and upscaling in a single ridiculously easy-to-use package – Topaz Photo AI is your ticket.
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GET TOPAZ PHOTO AI
SAVE $40. APRIL 21ST
BUY TOPAZ PHOTO AI
Buy Topaz Photo AI for a one-off fee plus 1-year’s worth of updates.
$199 $159
TOPAZ PHOTO AI TRIAL
Topaz Photo AI Free Download. No Credit Card is Required.
$0
Plus: Refund for any reason within 30 days
Read more Topaz Reviews
OM Workspace Review – AI Noise Reduction Tested and Compared
Topaz Denoise AI Review – A Flawed Gem.
Topaz Photo AI Review – Almost Perfect
Gigapixel AI Review 2023 – Almost Perfect. Almost.
Topaz Image Quality Bundle Review 2022
Topaz Sharpen AI Review 2023 – Nearly Perfect but needs to be Faster
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Very nice blog post. I absolutely love this website. Continue the good work!
Thanks – and will do! 🙂