Dust Spot Removal.

[G B-S.]

Happy New Year to all.

Is there a GOOD dust spot removal program available?
I spend a lot of time removing the dust marks with the PS (7) healing brush and would much prefer to be using the time out and about wit bins or camera.

G B-S.

[Canis Vulpes]

Use the following as a procedure to remove dust spots quickly using photoshop:-

1, create a duplicate later
2, use the EQUALISE feature to equalise the new/duplicate layer
3, using the layers window, select the original image/layer
4, use the spot healing tool with equalise on for all spots
5, delete the duplicate layer
6, check you have them all by equalising the image.

In effect this shows all spots by equalising the image. Using layers allows you to see all spots but work on the original image.

Note:- the spots are not removed on the equalised layer.

If there are a large number of dust spots on every photograph it may be worthwhile cleaning the camera's sensor. sensor cleaning is very easy just be careful.

[G B-S.]

Dear Stephen,
Thank you for your quick reply. I have attempted your technique but was unable to find the Spot Healing Tool. Perhaps PS7 does not have this feature. It has a healing brush which I use. Obviously I have looked in the index but this is all it comes up with.
Gordon.

[Canis Vulpes]

Sorry, I had a feeling that might happen.

I use two methods for dust removal spot healing (CS2) and clone tool, both work using the method so the exact tool is unimportant.

Any problems, just post

[Don Hoey]

I use the clone brush. In this image as I used perspex below the camera, I had do a lot of work to remove all of the dust specks that were attracted to it. http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...=500&ppuser=59

Don

[G B-S.]

Thank you for your suggestions.

Posting the request has made me explore my edition of PS a little further. I fall into the trap of routine and only use the tiny area of the application I am familiar with. It seems to take me a long time to absorb information these days.

Don,
Like you I have spent 1,000s of hours in front of a lathe but have changed direction during the last couple of years and become interested in wild life.

Good luck.
Gordon.

[Mike Pearson]

Polaroid has an excellent utility for removing either black or white dust specks and is customisable. It can be set as a filter in Photoshop or Elements. Saves a lot of work on routine small dust spots. I generally sharpen slightly after using it.

Polaroid site:

http://polaroid.custhelp.com/cgi-bin...i=&p_topview=1

Mike

[Canis Vulpes]

If you shoot Nikon, there is a dust off feature on most DSLR's. The dust off feature is a reference photo taken of a plain background (I use the sky). Nikon Capture is required and takes the reference and the subject photo, compares the two and removes the common i.e. dust spots!

This feature removes 75% of all spots - just need to remember to regular dust reference photos!

[G B-S.]

Dear all,

Thank you for taking the time to write and help sort my problem.

Regards
Gordon.

[Craftysnapper]

Just another adittion to what has been said, dustspots on dslr's appear in the same place on the frame of every image so if you create a action the first time you remove them you can just apply the actiont to every frame.