Pros & Cons
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- Excellent AI upscaling and image denoising
- Autocorrects color and sharpness
- Simple interface
- Works as a Lightroom Classic and Photoshop plug-in
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- Slow operations
- Expensive for what it offers
Topaz Photo Specs
| Content-Aware Edits | |
| Face Recognition |
Topaz Photo from Topaz Labs comprises a large suite of AI-powered photo-enhancing tools, with its Denoise and Upscale features being particular standouts. We like its straightforward interface, and the rest of its tools, namely for adjusting color, lighting, and sharpness, all work well. That said, it lacks in-house lens profile corrections and workflow capabilities, so you still need to add other photo editing software to the equation. Adobe Lightroom Classic costs less, generally feels faster, offers workflow features, and provides more competitive tools, making it our Editors' Choice winner.
Pricing: An Expensive Subscription
Like many competitors, Topaz Photo now requires a subscription, and not a cheap one at that. You pay a minimum of $199 per year and a maximum of $39 per month if you don't commit to a full year up front. A Pro edition, which adds seat management, local AI models, and full commercial use, bumps the price up to $58 per month with an annual commitment. There's no free trial version of Topaz Photo, but you can get a refund if you cancel your subscription within seven days.
DxO PureRAW is the closest competitor to Topaz Photo, as it automatically applies denoising and lens corrections to raw camera files. It costs $119 one-time. However, PureRAW lacks the color, lighting, and upscaling tools that you get with Topaz Photo. PureRAW is solely about correcting noise and lens distortions—the latter of which Topaz Photo doesn't offer.
Topaz costs more than some full-featured photo editing applications, such as CyberLink PhotoDirector ($99.99 for a perpetual license, or $64.99 per year with additional stock content) and Adobe Premiere Elements ($99.99 for a three-year license), as well as Zoner Studio ($59 per year). Meanwhile, you can get Lightroom, Lightroom Classic, and Photoshop via Adobe’s Photography plan for $19.99 per month with an annual commitment.
What's New in Topaz Photo?
The biggest changes are that Topaz Photo is now available only by subscription (see above) and that the "AI" part has been removed from its name (although it still features numerous AI-powered tools). Still, some other feature updates are worth noting (in order of importance):
- Standard MAX upscaling model. This new upscaling model uses both cloud-based and local AI to generate highly convincing image details.
- Wonder Model. This generative AI model improves small or medium-sized images of low resolution.
- Unlimited cloud rendering. You don't need AI credits for cloud-powered enhancements.
- Healing Brush. The healing brush becomes a standalone tool in the Enhancements menu.
- New selection workspace. You now have an updated selector that allows you to choose a brush type.
- Windows ARM (Snapdragon) support. With some recent PCs, you can lean on their neural processing units (NPUs) for AI processing.
Can Your PC Run Topaz Photo?
The software runs on both macOS and Windows, and it can leverage NPU-based AI processing on Copilot+ PCs. The minimum system requirements are the most recent versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11, a processor released after 2016, 16GB of RAM, a graphics card with 6GB of VRAM, and 50GB of free hard drive space. Snapdragon-based Arm PCs require 24GB RAM. Macs must be running macOS 12 or later; the company recommends using an Apple silicon model. Helpfully, Topaz offers downloadable tools that help you determine whether your computer is capable of running the software. Alternatively, you can install it as a plug-in for Lightroom Classic, Photoshop, and Photoshop Elements.
Interface and Ease of Use: Simple and Straightforward
Topaz Photo resembles DxO PureRAW. The startup interface is sparse, and the main space has both a drag-and-drop target and a file picker button. A right-side panel shows optimization options and AI edit suggestions, and you can view your image in split, side-by-side, or full views. You can zoom with a slider or to presets like 100%, 200%, and so on. You can also pan around the image in the preview, but doing so initiates more processing.
(Credit: Topaz/PCMag)The software supports raw images from most major digital camera models, including newer models such as the Canon R6 III, Nikon Z 5 II, and Olympus OM-5 II. It also supports the raw formats from popular smartphones.
When you add images, Topaz downloads the necessary software to work with them, based on the camera and lens used. DxO PureRAW does that, too. Depending on your internet connection, it can take several minutes. Topaz uses the crowdsourced Lensfun database for lens corrections, which isn't as complete as the databases that Adobe and DxO create in their own calibrated labs. Note that DxO PureRAW works only with raw camera files, whereas Topaz can denoise JPGs too—an important distinction if you're deciding between the two.
After you add a photo, the application immediately starts analyzing it and applying denoising and lens corrections. This part of the process enhances most test images without requiring any additional effort on your part. However, you can't undo these steps.
You don’t get quite as many options for denoising as you did in previous versions of the app. For example, in the older edition, you could choose between Clear, Low Light, Severe Noise, Standard, and Raw. Now, you just have Raw Normal and Raw Strong, along with sliders to increase strength and Minor Deblur (which intents to remove smoothing that denoising causes). For JPGs, you also get an Original Detail slider.
Noise Reduction: Among the Best
Topaz has long been a leader in image sensor denoising. Its raw denoising process works with images from cameras that use Bayer sensors, which include almost everything except for Fujifilm models with X-Trans sensors.
Since many Topaz users are likely also Lightroom users, you should be aware that Adobe has recently updated its previously somewhat convoluted and lackluster denoising tool. Lightroom's latest noise reduction tool is fast, impressively capable, and, in some cases, yields more pleasing initial results than both DxO PureRAW and Topaz Photo. That said, Topaz Photo and other third-party apps (like DxO PureRAW and ON1) still did a better job on portraits and some older raw file formats like CR2. In previous tests, Topaz was the one to beat, with DxO very close behind.
Here's an original, noisy CR2 raw image that I ran through Topaz Photo, DxO PureRaw, and Lightroom:
(Credit: PCMag)And here's the same shot with Topaz Photo (left), DxO PureRaw (center), and Lightroom (right) denoising applied:
In this test, Topaz produces the best result, followed by DxO, and finally by Lightroom. Despite sharpening the eyes, Adobe glosses over the skin, particularly on the forehead, making it look like paper. Topaz Photo's result has both sharp eyes and skin detail. DxO PureRaw retains detail but lacks sharpness.
The below CR3 raw image of a bird tells another story. Topaz Photo's result is on the left, DxO PureRaw's result is in the middle, and Lightroom's result is on the right:
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Lightroom yields a more detailed image than the other two, with better detail, particularly in the eyes and feathers. But the other two produce a more noise-free background. DxO PureRaw's photo looks more sharpened, while Topaz Photo's looks softer than the other two. Topaz Photo gives you both Denoise and Deblur strength sliders, but I used the automatic settings in my evaluations. Cranking up the Deblur setting got me a result as sharp as the other two:
For a non-raw-camera-file test, I achieved remarkable results by applying Topaz's default denoising settings to a 108-megapixel HEIC landscape shot taken with a Samsung Galaxy phone. In the test shot below, you can see the trees in the forest on the right where the image has been corrected. The red cliffs are also clearer.
Other Editing Options: Fixes for Color, Lighting, and More
Topaz Photo is about more than just denoising. Its Autopilot feature makes that abundantly clear, with suggestions for things like balancing color, enhancing light, and sharpening. It also suggests local edits with subject and face detection, which I cover a bit later. The Autopilot isn't infallible, however: I added a severely underexposed shot, and Autopilot didn't suggest any lighting adjustments. By contrast, Lightroom's Auto button brought the image up to a reasonable level for viewing.
The Adjust Lighting option is unusual. Topaz applies a setting that its AI determines is warranted. You can’t see any immediate changes as you move the slider because you have to wait for further processing (and another round of denoising) before the result is visible. Regardless, the tool did improve the lighting in test photos. Still, you might need to make further manual adjustments, as with the image below:
Lightroom's Auto button brightened the same shot more, up to a usable level:
As in most photo software, you can now reduce highlights and bump up shadows with sliders after the autocorrection. Perhaps someday AI tools will be able to make those decisions as well as, or even better than, a human photographer, but that day isn't yet here.
Upscaling: Surprisingly Good
Topaz Photo's updated Upscale tool uses an impressive AI-based Standard MAX Upscaling model, which generates pixels to enhance low-resolution images. Here's what it did on a blurry smartphone shot of detailed Talavera pottery (the result is on the right):
Lightroom's Super Resolution tool merely enlarges the image canvas while avoiding pixelation; it doesn't add detail like Topaz Photo. Here's Adobe's upscaling attempt for comparison (the result is on the right):
Another advantage of Topaz Photo is that you can choose 2x, 4x, or a custom upscaling setting. Lightroom simply doubles the linear resolution (which results in a 4x upscale overall).
Super Focus: Mixed Results
Topaz Photo's Super Focus tool generates AI content to make your subject appear sharper. You start by placing an unresizable box around your subject, though, in my testing, the enhancement applies to the entire image. The tool did sharpen my subject, but it also made it somewhat unnatural (a common effect of AI image tools). The process can take a few minutes to render as well. For example, compare the high-ISO shot of a threatened Santa Marta Screech Owl that I took a picture of on a trip to Colombia. I applied Super Focus to the image on the right and just Denoise to the one on the left:
Despite my qualms about subjects looking fake, I can certainly understand how you might want to use the tool to create a sharp image from one that wasn't originally usable for professional purposes.
Local Edits: Good Performance
Topaz Photo does a decent job of determining the subject for local adjustments. You can then use the software's other local editing tools to fine-tune the selection, for example, by adjusting the brush size and feathering (which is particularly suitable for my bird picture). You can also add to or remove from the selection. Perfectly selecting fine details, such as stray hairs or tiny feathers, remains a challenge for all photo software I’ve tested, including that from Adobe. Capture One is the best at this kind of selection in my experience.
(Credit: Topaz/PCMag)The Sharpen tool is not only capable of sharpening, but it can also add lens blur and motion blur. The Balance Color aims to correct images with a color cast. During testing, the program recommended using this tool on a test scan of an old baby photo print with a strong pink color cast. The software did an excellent job with this shot, rendering a much more realistic infant.
The final two local enhancements are designed to improve faces that are too small in the background of a photo and preserve text. The Face recovery tool is similar to Upscale, except that it detects faces and applies enhancements specifically to them. You now have two model choices: V1 and V2. You can optionally include hair and necks in the enhancement, and a slider lets you control its strength. The V2 model offers options for Realistic and Creative settings. Indeed, it removed a good deal of the blotchy artifacts from the faces in the group shot below. However, the new AI model made one face appear distorted in profile.
Removing Objects: Works Fine, But Somewhat Slowly
Like a lot of photo software, Topaz Photo has an AI-powered tool to help you remove objects from photos. In the photo below, for example, I removed the hummingbird at the feeder. You brush over the object you want to remove with a resizable brush or use the object selection tools. Then, tap the Remove Selection button and wait. In one test case, this process took around 20 seconds. That's longer than the corresponding process in Lightroom and Photoshop, which works just as well. Topaz Photo's tool worked perfectly after a few attempts, though on one try, I got a truly bizarre duck-like result—good old AI.
Exporting: Decent Options
When you try to export your enhanced image in Topaz Photo, you must wait for it to process; it doesn't happen instantly. The program can export to the DNG (Adobe’s universal raw format), JPG, PNG, and TIF formats. A Preserve Input Format option converts your images to DNG or TIFF. Note that you can't save color and lighting enhancements with DNGs; these require the TIFF format. You can also choose to compress with ZIP or LZW at export and select between 8- and 16-bit output. You can't export photos directly to Lightroom, and Topaz doesn't support Photoshop Smart Filters, which would enable nondestructive editing in that app; DxO PureRAW does.
Final Thoughts
(Credit: Topaz Labs)
Topaz Photo
Topaz Photo delivers impressive AI-powered denoising, upscaling, and image enhancements, making it a powerful tool for photographers willing to invest in a premium subscription.