Best blow up software for M8 (extreme enlargements)

[eleskin]

I print 17"x22" prints on my Epson 3800 on Exhibition Fiber. The M8 files that I have used for this size have printed out very well for this size. Sometimes, I may want to print much larger, so I am very interested in the software that is out there that can increase resolution and detail for the much bigger print. Alien Skin Blowup is one such software , but there are many others to choose from. Who on this forum has used such software for their M8 files and are you impressed with the result? Does this software make some of the benefits of owning the new M9 less so (can we get more life out of the M8 by using this software: Creating files that when increased in resolution, can simulate the M9 and other cameras i the higher Megapixel range). What software offers the best value? I have CS4, but from my research, I have concluded some of these very specialized software packages offer results that CS4 cannot do.

The M9 is very attractive to me, but my M8 has served me flawlessly since I bought it in April 2007. I may want to use these software tools until the M9.2 or M10 come (the M9 is better than the M8, but from what I am reading, not by that much. Better high ISO, full frame, but the quality of both the M8 and M9 is still outstanding.

Post some examples of files manipulated with blow up/resolution increasing software, full frame, and crops of small details so it can be seen what this software can actually do with M8 files.

 

[250swb]

CS4 is an excellent way to 'up rez' images, far more sophisticated than it used to be in earlier versions. But I like 'Genuine Fractals' as a PS plugin for its simple interface and results.

Steve

 

[D&A]

I certainly haven't tried them all and I sure there are some that might be equally good, but so far I have found Alien skin to be quite impressive. As was mentioned PS4 has improved significantly to where in certain situations it comes close to Alien skin, but on complex images, there is still quite a difference. I've been using upscaling for output to large format images since the very first week general fractals was released all those years ago. I wasn't impressed with it too much then although I used it and it was the only game in town..and ddn't feel until recently it held its own quite as much compared to others. Recently though (last version or two), it has improved significantly and does an excellent jpob. The only thing I haven't done yet is a head to head comparison of GF and Alien skin. Others have.

Lastly I've looked into the question as to whether and how close upscaling can get an M8 image to a M( one. It is very subject dependent. In some cases like many simple portraits it does extremely well..but for complex landscapes, there is no substituting for real pixels and accurate representation of detail...that is if you are printing very large. Even at the size you mentioned, there will be some images that upscaling will do, even while being critical, and some images that won't cut it. Hope this info geives you some idea.

Dave (D&A)