My reason for picking DT as my #1 editor over excellent free offerings like Rawtherapee or commercial offerings like Lightroom is the exceptional masking options in DT. I have not seen anything that approaches it in other programs. I probably under utilize the brush tool for masks. I also only last week discovered the threshold slider for masks that is so good for sharpening and denoising modules to limit the effect based upon detail and edges.
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Tell me more!! … please
I believe you mentioned it in one of your posts already??
The details threshold slider allows you to select detail to sharpen without bringing up the noise in the skys or smooth surfaces. The mask could be inverted so luma denoising worked in the areas lacking details but doesn’t soften important details.
https://darktable-org.github.io/dtdocs/en/darkroom/masking-and-blending/masks/refinement-controls/
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Oh yes, very useful
It was one of my most wished-for features when I moved over from Lightroom, because I was used to the “masking” option in Lr that works in a similar way. So, when it arrived in darktable I jumped on it in an instant. It’s now part of my basic processing style that I apply to all images, with a detail threshold set at something like +75. That just sharpens most obvious edges but leaves most of the image unsharpened, which I prefer. I can then tweak it to every individual image.
One thing I’ve wondered though is whether feathering should be used with it or not. I find most dt masks need feathering, but not sure about the details threshold ones. Anyone have any thoughts on that?
I come to look at the diffuse or sharpen presets including lens deblur as my go to for sharpening. The module seems to produce a really nice effect without artefacts. The detail threshold slider will be a great addition to my toolkit.
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This is something that is probably my fault … there are occasions where I find that the mask is simply not displaying. This could be a conflict by my use of the over/under mask. What I however find frustrating is that once the problem shows-up, I find it hard to solve short of restarting the problem module.
Are others finding the same difficulty?
I implemented that code and would say “normally without feathering”. The mask is calculated a) pixelwise with only the next surrounding locations taken into account and b) use some sigmoid transition so that should be ok/better right as is if you use som blurring / sharpening algo.
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Sorry for asking, but how do you get this details threshold slider? it’s not showing up here.
this version 4.2.1 (flatpak linux mint)
What is your darktable version? Looks like it is quite outdated!
I always recommend and use the latest version. On Windows I use 4.3 weekly builds, but since my Windows ccomputer had a cardiac arrest last weekend I am using 4.2 on linux. It looks like you are using an old version that lacks all the latest benefits. I only found out about the threshold slider this week and I am so happy because it really helps with both sharpening and luma denoising.
Are you on a jpg by any chance… you won’t see it in that case… I think both bayer and x-trans have it but maybe not I will have to check…
oh stupid me, I selected a jPEG…
I am surprised this is not an option with JPG. I presume some technical limitation.
I implemented that. No chance for jpegs, xtrans not supported.
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We’re talking about the details threshold? I just tried it on images from my X-T4 and it works fine.
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Aaah, thanks for making me remember how i finally did implement it 
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Yes you certainly did implement it because I’m a Fuji x-trans user and have been happily using it since it was implemented. It was one of my most wished for features so you are a hero in my book!