[KNOWN ISSUE: SQUARE GRID ARTIFACTS] - Click here if you get this

If you get square/grid artifacts in your photos while or after processing in Photo AI, check below for a few potential solutions:


CHECKING IF YOUR COMPUTER MEETS THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS


This is a processing issue, and computers that don’t meet the minimum system requirements can have this issue. Here are the minimum requirements for Photo AI.

If you want support for checking your System Profile, send us an email at help@topazlabs.com (steps to get your System Profile are in the minimum requirements page) and we can have a look.


UPDATE YOUR GRAPHICS CARD DRIVERS


If you are on Windows, ensure that your graphics card drivers are the most up-to-date version. Here are a few tools to check that information:

  • For NVIDIA graphics card, open the NVIDIA app or the NVIDIA Experience app, and then install the latest Studio driver.
  • For AMD Graphics card: Use the AMD tool.
  • For Intel Graphics, use the Intel tool

On Mac, there is no driver updates needed.


WORKFLOW ISSUE


If you have RAW files, it is recommended that you use this path so you have RAW Denoise applied to your photos: File > Plug-in Extras > Process with Topaz Photo AI
Using the edit in path will not give you this option and the regular Denoise could produce this issue.

CONTACT US


If you still have issues after testing this, please send us an email at help@topazlabs.com with the type of file you are having issues with (RAW or JPEG), your System Profile, and a screenshot of the issue and we can troubleshoot with you.



**The development team is investigating this issue and we will post here once we release a fix for the issue. **

By writing us an email we can ensure that we add your contact info on the appropriate development team ticket and we can circle back with you directly once a fix found and released.

1 Like

Going through some Aurora shots. RAW file. In autopilot before trying and adjustments the preview is showing me some crazy square artifacts.

Steps to reproduce issue:

  1. Step 1. Import RAW file
  2. Step 2. View preview
  3. Step 3. That’s it

Topaz Photo AI [v3.04] on [Mac M2 Max MBP]

Would you mind sending in some more information to get a better understanding of the problem you are having with this particular type of image? Please send the following information:

  1. The original image file.
  2. The processed image.
  3. A screenshot or description of the settings panel so I can see what adjustments were turned on.

You can securely submit your image(s) to my Dropbox using the link below.

Dropbox File Request

Please be sure to send me a note to let me know you sent something.

Hi John -

Just uploaded a screenshot. The marked up screenshot shows where the artifacts displayed on the preview. I didn’t actually process them yet.

Kind of embarrassed - I forgot which was the original file. I’ve attached a RAW from the set and I think that was the one. I took a bunch of photos.

In the past when I have had artifacts with TPAI it has been with exporting lower quality jpegs. This time I didn’t even begin the process - the preview of the autopilot setting displayed the artifacts.

Just upgraded to PhotoAI 3.1.0 on Mac.

After using any Denoise tool I notice a subtle checkerboard pattern or a subtle grid-like windowpane pattern of darker or lighter lines - so far mainly noticeable in the sky of my landscape images. Has occurred on multiple images. Sometimes the artifacts appear as a checkerboard pattern of lighter and darker squares. Other times they appear as light or dark grid lines. They are subtle and only noticeable in certain places.

Starting with a DNG from Lightroom Classic. No artifacts visible in original DNG. Tried several different ways of opening in PhotoAI.

Steps to reproduce issue:

  1. Drag DNG from Lightroom into PhotoAI. Opens in PhotoAI and applies Raw Denoise. Artifacts appear and persist in exported DNG.

OR

  1. Open DNG from Finder (not from LR) into PhotoAI. Same result.

OR

  1. Open DNG in Photoshop. No artifacts.
  2. Duplicate layer.
  3. Use Filter->Topaz to edit in PhotoAI via plugin. Artifacts appear in PhotoAI and persist when exported back to Photoshop.

OR

  1. Open DNG in Photoshop.
  2. Save as TIFF. No artifacts.
  3. From Finder, open TIFF into PhotoAI.
  4. Apply Denoise. Artifacts appear.

Screenshot and system info below.


2024-07-25-09-45-12.tzlog (95.7 KB)
Mac Studio.spx (8.0 MB)

I think I have experienced the same issue, although I’d describe it as denoise adding faint horizontal and vertical bands to low contrast areas of the image.

I have attached two images and the PhotoAI log. The original image is a section of a photo with part of an aircraft wing in front of a gray sky.

Steps:

  • Open the original photo in Lightroom Classic 13.4
  • In Lightroom, Choose Edit In, Photo AI
  • Apply denoise to the entire image, strength 20, minor deblur 1, original detail 0
  • Send the photo back to Lightroom
  • Apply Dehaze 100

Applying the same Dehaze treatment to the original image does not produce the bands.

Computer:
MacBook Pro, Nov. 2023, Apple M3 Max, Sonoma 14.5

If it would be helpful, I can provide the Photo AI log.


1 Like

Hi,

I wanted to sharpen and denoise but the image did not come out as expected. I noticed magenta patches in the images and the colours are different.
In the exported images you can see what I mean. I also exported a set that makes it more clear to see.

Steps to reproduce issue:

  1. Step 1 send to Topaz
  2. Step 2 make corrections to noise and sharpness ( if you know what to look for you can already see the magenta patches.
  3. Step 3 export to LR


Topaz Photo AI [v1.x.x] on [Windows/Mac]




Please send me your system profile information so I can check if your computer hardware is up to date.

You can securely submit your files(s) to my Dropbox using the link below.

Please be sure to send me a note here to let me know you sent something.

Hi John,

I just uploaded my system profile to your Dropbox.
May be I should also mention that the files I tried to sharpen and denoise are raw files.

Hartelijke groet,
Mario

I’m having problems with visible tiling in some images with high contrast or where I want so enhance sharpening for effect. The tiling becomes so excessive that I cannot use the dng denoised or denoised+sharpened images to generate the images that I want. I notice this most with cloud and high contrast range sky photography. Is there a way to reduce the amount of tiling?

Would you mind sending in some more information to get a better understanding of the problem you are having with this particular type of image? Please send the following information:

  1. The original image file.
  2. The processed image.
  3. A screenshot or description of the settings panel so I can see what adjustments were turned on.

You can securely submit your image(s) to my Dropbox using the link below.

Dropbox File Request

Please be sure to send me a note to let me know you sent something.

John,

I uploaded the original file of one type of image that I have trouble with, an NEF file, a final image of what I was wanting that was processed from the NEF file in Affinity, the DNG file from Photo AI, a screen shot of the processing that shows the tiling in Affinity as I was generating the type of image I was wanting, and finally a screenshot fro Photo AI this morning of the settings that would have generated the DNG. I have noticed the tiling anytime I have a high contrast image or where I want to boost local contrast in Affinity or in DarkTable.

My case may be very atypical since I shoot with a very specific goal in mind, and in cases that requires sharpening and increasing clarity and local contrast beyond typical bounds.

Thanks for taking a look at these. I shoot with a Nikon D850, and typically a Nikon 200-500 zoom.

Bryan

iBryan
rocdoct@icloud.com

I’d like to get more information about the machine you are using with Photo AI to help troubleshoot this problem.

Please send me your system profile information so I can check if your computer hardware is up to date.

You can securely submit your files(s) to my Dropbox using the link from this thread.

Please be sure to send me a note here to let me know you sent something.

John,

I uploaded the .spx systems report on my MacBook pro to your dropbox this morning. Hope that helps.

Bryan

iBryan
rocdoct@icloud.com

On a basic denoise and sharpen I’m getting literal squares in different exposure zones on an image. As well as a generally blurry overall result. There is no real improvement.

Steps to reproduce issue:

  1. Open Photo Ai and import Sony Raw from A7r3
  2. Let automatic recommendation apply Denoise + Sharpen
  3. Export

Topaz Photo AI [v3.2.2] on Macbook Pro 16’ M3 Max 128gb Unified Ram

Would you mind sending in some more information to get a better understanding of the problem you are having with this particular type of image? Please send the following information:

  1. The original image file.
  2. The processed image.
  3. A screenshot or description of the settings panel so I can see what adjustments were turned on.

You can securely submit your image(s) to my Dropbox using the link below.

Dropbox File Request

Please be sure to send me a note to let me know you sent something.

I have uploaded the requested files to your dropbox. It’s pretty clear that the Raw Denoise is the issue, as in the samples I provided I only used Raw Denoise and the problem is present.

Same Problem here, same Camera.

I’m getting checking board background when denoising and sharpening. It happens with JUST denoising too.

MacOS


15.0.1

1 Like