Denoising removes grain but also slightly softens the image - it's an unavoidable trade-off. The solution is a targeted sharpening pass after denoising to restore edge crispness without reintroducing the noise you just removed. Here are the specific settings for different scenarios.
Why Post-Denoising Sharpening Is Different
Normal sharpening can use higher amounts and larger radii. But after denoising, the image is in a specific state:
- Edges are slightly softened but still defined
- Flat areas are very clean (noise removed)
- Texture is reduced compared to the original
Sharpening needs to target edges without re-emphasizing the smooth areas that denoising cleaned up.
Recommended Settings
After light denoising
The image is mostly clean with subtle noise removed.
- Amount: 70-90%
- Radius: 0.5-0.7px
After moderate denoising
Noticeable noise was removed, some softening occurred.
- Amount: 90-120%
- Radius: 0.6-0.8px
After heavy denoising
Significant noise was removed, visible softening.
- Amount: 100-140%
- Radius: 0.7-1.0px
Key Principle: Small Radius
Keep the radius small (under 1.0px). Large radii create wide sharpening halos that can look like the noise pattern you just removed. Small radii sharpen only the finest edges - the ones denoising affected most.
The Workflow
- Denoise with appropriate strength
- Check the result - is it too soft?
- Sharpen with settings from the table above
- Compare before/after at 100% zoom
- If noise reappears, reduce the Amount
Conclusion
Post-denoising sharpening is about restoring what denoising took away - edge crispness - without bringing back what it removed - noise. Use moderate Amount with small Radius, and always judge at 100% zoom. The Denoise and Sharpen tools together produce clean, crisp results when used in the right order with the right settings.
Try it yourself
Free, private, runs in your browser. No sign-up required.