Adobe Lightroom Classic recently rolled out significant updates to its AI-powered Denoise, Super Resolution, and Raw Details features. Gone are the days when invoking these commands forced Lightroom to create a separate “-Enhanced.dng” file.
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With the Lightroom Classic 14.4 update, all three of these Artificial Intelligence-driven commands are now fully integrated into the Develop Module like all of our other nondestructive editing tools. This seamless integration means a more efficient and intuitive editing experience.
Denoise: Cleaner Raw Files, Seamless Workflow
The Denoise feature gains the most notable improvements from this workflow update. The ability to apply Denoise directly to your current raw file, rather than forcing Lightroom to create a separate copy, offers three key advantages:
- Saves Hard Drive Space and Reduces Confusion: Fewer files mean less clutter and a more straightforward catalog. You’ll no longer find yourself with those “-Enhanced” versions taking up valuable disk space.
- Nondestructive and Adjustable: You’re no longer committed to the Amount of noise reduction that you apply on the first try. If you find your initial setting isn’t enough then you can adjust the Amount slider again and again at the top of the Details panel. This flexibility allows you to fine-tune your noise reduction without starting over.
- Synchronize Denoise Across Images: This is a significant workflow improvement for photographers working on sequences of similar photos. Because Denoise now behaves like any other Develop Module setting, you can easily copy and paste your Denoise settings from one image to another or include it in a Develop Preset.
Important Note: Adobe’s Denoise feature only works on raw files. This is yet another reason why raw captures remain the preferred file format for serious photographers.
Super Resolution: Enlarging Photos with Unprecedented Detail
While Denoise is often best applied early in your editing process, Super Resolution is frequently a late-stage enhancement. Traditionally, enlarging photos can lead to blur and a significant loss of detail; however, Super Resolution intelligently quadruples the number of pixels in your image while remarkably preserving sharp edges and intricate details.
This feature is particularly useful for creating large prints or when you’re working with heavily cropped images that need a boost in resolution.
Raw Details: Unlocking Finer Sensor Data
A third, albeit subtle feature in Classic’s new Details Panel, is the Raw Details option (formerly called Enhanced Details). This feature changes how Lightroom demosaics your raw sensor data.
For most images and camera sensors, the improvements that Raw Details offers are barely noticeable. However, there are notable exceptions, particularly for photographs captured with Fuji X-Trans type sensors. With Fuji images, enabling Raw Details can result in visibly sharper and more refined fine details.
It’s worth knowing that Raw Details is automatically enabled whenever you use Denoise or Super Resolution. Adobe has designed these features to work in tandem when using their other AI enhancements. While this automatic activation won’t harm your images, Fuji shooters might also consider enabling Raw Details even when Denoise or Super Resolution aren’t required to get the absolute best out of their X-Trans sensor data.
Precision raw processing is faster and easier thanks to these amazing tools and this thoughtful update!
