What is new in Topaz AI Denoise 3.1?

It seems in the last day or two there is a new release for Topaz Denoise. What is different between this new 3.1 version and 3.03 version I am using now? 
Is it worth updating? And does the update on a PC go smoothly without all the issues with NVidea driver updates, hosing up by installer not removing older versions etc that has been the case with Topaz installers in the past?

Thanks,
Roberta Olenick
www.neverspook.com

neverspook wrote:It seems in the last day or two there is a new release for Topaz Denoise. What is different between this new 3.1 version and 3.03 version I am using now? 
Is it worth updating? And does the update on a PC go smoothly without all the issues with NVidea driver updates, hosing up by installer not removing older versions etc that has been the case with Topaz installers in the past?

Thanks,
Roberta Olenick
www.neverspook.com

Hi Roberta,

I installed this update on two windows machines yesterday without a problem. No glitches. It seems that the update has four noise reduction/sharpening options vs three previously. It also seems faster in processing and has a status bar when applying the selection. This software is almost almost like getting a new camera, IMO. 

As far a Nvidia, I have found that performing a clean install removes any possibility of glitches when updating video card drivers.

Mark Robinson wrote:

neverspook wrote:It seems in the last day or two there is a new release for Topaz Denoise. What is different between this new 3.1 version and 3.03 version I am using now? 
Is it worth updating? And does the update on a PC go smoothly without all the issues with NVidea driver updates, hosing up by installer not removing older versions etc that has been the case with Topaz installers in the past?

Thanks,
Roberta Olenick
www.neverspook.com

Hi Roberta,

I installed this update on two windows machines yesterday without a problem. No glitches. It seems that the update has four noise reduction/sharpening options vs three previously. It also seems faster in processing and has a status bar when applying the selection. This software is almost almost like getting a new camera, IMO. 

As far a Nvidia, I have found that performing a clean install removes any possibility of glitches when updating video card drivers.

Thanks, Mark. 
By clean install, do you mean clean for the NVidea drivers?
Do these drivers need updating for the latest Topaz Denoise? Last time that was an issue. But if it is not for this version, I won't worry about the Nvidea drivers right now.

If you upgraded the nVidia drivers last time when there was a problem, you won't have one this time. As for what's new, Topaz snt out an emil to registered users about it this morning.

E.J. Peiker wrote:If you upgraded the nVidia drivers last time when there was a problem, you won't have one this time.  As for what's new, Topaz snt out an emil to registered users about it this morning.

Thank you.

E.J. Peiker wrote:If you upgraded the nVidia drivers last time when there was a problem, you won't have one this time.  As for what's new, Topaz snt out an emil to registered users about it this morning.

I like Topaz Denoise but that elk image they used in the promo for the upgrade is pretty lame!

Jim Zipp wrote:

E.J. Peiker wrote:If you upgraded the nVidia drivers last time when there was a problem, you won't have one this time.  As for what's new, Topaz snt out an emil to registered users about it this morning.

I like Topaz Denoise but that elk image they used in the promo for the upgrade is pretty lame!

I agree, the elk looks terrible, all smudged out. I have been running the 3.0.3 version on some images I used DeNoise on using the previous version to that to compare them. I find the 3.0.3 version of AI Clear way oversharpens things compared to the previous version. The 3.0.3 version of AI Denoise seems to leave strange lines at an angle in smooth backgrounds which the earlier version did not. 3.0.d AI Clear does not leave those angled lines so I have mostly been using it, but it produces more colour shifts which the older AI Clear did not. I have to always change the blend mode to Luminosity to avoid those colour shift. I will try the 3.1 version but may end up going back to the version that immediately preceded 3.0.3

You can always back off a bit on the defaults

Also, by going back to the older version you give up the new super handy comparison tool that shows you on screen the effect of each DeNoise model and even allows you to adjust the parameters for each one individually while in comparison view. I think going back is not a good move, simply adjust the parameters to your liking while deciding which AI model you want to use.

Go to the Topaz YouTube channel if you need some guidance on all of this.

I'm still using 2.2 so was thinking about this one. Probably try a trial to see if it's worth it. I use it enough that it probably is.
Thanks for the good notes on the comparisons.

E.J. Peiker wrote:You can always back off a bit on the defaults

Also, by going back to the older version you give up the new super handy comparison tool that shows you on screen the effect of each DeNoise model and even allows you to adjust the parameters for each one individually while in comparison view.  I think going back is not a good move, simply adjust the parameters to your liking while deciding which AI model you want to use.

Go to the Topaz YouTube channel if you need some guidance on all of this.

I have watched various Topaz webinars etc on Ai Denoise in the past. I do tinker with the parameters as I always have in every version. I don't generally rely on the defaults. I just find even tinkering I don't get results I like as much with the 3.0.3 version at least for my taste. And those weird diagonal lines in the backgrounds for the new AI Denoise do not go away at any setting I would use do I end up sticking with AI Clear and then masking to reduce the oversharpening on the subject, which is time consumer. The comparison view is helpful but not a fair tradeoff for a better result. I will try the updated 3.1 version and see how it compares. 

Note they put out 3.1.1 - perhaps that fixes the issue.

E.J. Peiker wrote:Note they put out 3.1.1 - perhaps that fixes the issue.

I have not yet tried any of the 3.1 releases. I will try the latest one and see if I am happier with the results before deciding whether to go back to the pre-3.0.3 version.

Thanks.

Another question re updating. Is there any difference between updating when you are in Topaz Denoise and click on the message when it says there is a new version vs. just downloading the new version from their website and running it?
If there is and the former is best, how do I get to see that message again? I bypassed it when it first appeared.

Thank you.

There is no difference. If you want to see the message again just click Help > check for software updates

E.J. Peiker wrote:There is no difference.  If you want to see the message again just click Help > check for software updates

Excellent, thanks!