Getting Used To Studio 2?

I’ve used Studio since it came out and also own Studio 2, but somehow with Photoshop updates, I didn’t notice that I’ve been using Studio 1 all these years until it was pointed out to me during a demo I was giving.

I downloaded and installed Studio 2 today and nearly freaked out when I saw that all the Clarity presets were gone. I know exactly what presets to use in my work and really, really depend on these. I re-installed Studio 1! I’m sure that Studio 2 must have great features once you get to know them, but at first glance it’s not at all intuitive and I’m very dismayed that the presets are gone.

I did try to migrate my favorites into studio 2, but I couldn’t find them.

Have you found that eventually you figured out Studio 2 and were able to replicate the looks that you like? Anyone go back to Studio 1 like I did?

I’m looking for tutorials on how to get the same looks with Studio 2.

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OK, just found my presets under “My Looks” . Whew. At least that’s something. I’m going to have to watch tutorials to get used to Studio II.

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I pretty much tend to use the original Topaz Studio … I do have Studio 2 but I prefer the original Studio … Dave Kelly (Creative Tool Box) does some videos on YouTube that feature Topaz Studio 2. I think there is a way to bring some of your presets across from original to 2 (just can’t recall at this moment).

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Not any more - It’s been broken for a while now and there’s no sign of an imminent fix for it.

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I was just able to import my favorites to Studio 2. Much to my relief!

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@lnicole Have you checked to confirm that they’ve actually been installed? The process tells you it’s imported them, but for most of us it doesn’t actually do it.

@PaulM Yes, they appear to be there.

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I’m still using Studio, and my copy of Studio 2 is sitting around unloved most of the time.

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Looking around at tutorials online. I guess it’s time for me to actually learn more about using the various filters in Topaz Studio rather than depending on the presets. I mean, I do tweak the preset filter settings in Studio 1, but I’ve been meaning to really go in-depth on learning them. When I think of it, Clarity is usually using Precision Contrast and HSL Color Tuning, so if I really learn those, I should be able to replicate the looks I want and probably do them better since I’ll really understand the controls.

In the meantime, I’m keeping Studio 1 installed as well!

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Inicole said, “Yes, they appear to be there.” so, have you actually tried to use the “My looks” filters from Studio I? And, if you had tried the filter in Studio II, do you get the same results?
Al

I tried very hard to like Studio 2, what it does it does well, but it is nowhere near as comprehensive or as flexible as Studio 1. Nor does it look like that is about to change as no updates or improvements have been seen on Studio 2 for months (unlike the AI products that seem to have updates every hour of every day!).

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I have somewhat sadly come to the view that Topaz are possibly hoping users of Studio 1 and Studio 2 will eventually go away and find alternative editors, and they can then quietly bury these two products.

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I have downloaded many of the TS1 Looks - but there is now no way to migrate them easily into TS2. The only answer is to open each Look in TS1, and make a screenshot or two of all the settings.

Then you must manually input these settings of the TS1 Looks into TS2. But don’t rest there: you must tweak the new Looks as it is never a straightforward translation of the settings of a TS1 Look into TS2, as there are subtle differences.

Best of luck!

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Wow, I hope not! I can’t live without it! Perhaps they just want to get the AI software to where they want it before they turn their attention back to TS2.

Yes, I just tried Studio 1 vs Studio 2 using my favorite “Clarity / Flower III” setting. It’s pretty close and actually, I think I like the Studio 2 rendition better!

I’m going to start doing comparisons and learning Studio 2 better. Let’s see if I can upload my comparison image. OK, it’s saying I can’t put images in a post so I’ll see about posting or putting it somewhere else to link to.

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It’s not letting me post my image here so I put it on Dropbox. Let’s see if it let’s me link to it.
Clarity Flower III comparison.

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Just a smidgen of deeper contrast in the TS2 version?

Yeah has more contrast - particularly deeper shadows - but it also seems to be crisper. Maybe just the contrast, but seems sharper, with more, well, clarity.

I just checked the settings for Precision Contrast in both and they are identical so I can’t explain what made the difference.

lnicole,

Studio 2 cannot handle the distortion and vignette that often occurs with wide angle and wide aperture lenses, as it has no lens correction functionality (which Studio 1 had), so those images have to be developed in alternative software. The crop function of Studio 2 is also less than satisfactory. These are just two of the issues with Studio 2 which have been known to Topaz for a very long time now, and there has been absolutely no official indication that they will ever be fixed.

I still use Studio 1 from time to time, but in light of the continuing silence from Topaz Labs on the future of Studio 2, I’ve given up on it.

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May I ask if you’ve found a suitable alternative?

BTW, I do my 1st edits in Lightroom, which can handle lens corrections, so that isn’t as important to me. I’m also working in Photoshop, so for me Topaz isn’t my one stop shop. I just want it for the enhancements to the edits I’ve already done in LR and PS.