[Leica] Sharpening - was: A very fleeting blossom

[drodgers at casefarms.com (David Rodgers)]

Sharpening is easy. Sharpening well can be challenging. 

Sharpening may be one of the most complex aspects of digital
photography. 

While every image needs some sharpening, each is different in how much
of what it needs. It depends on things like content and method of
output. Do you want to optimize for the monitor, for instance, or for
printing?         

I use unsharp mask two ways. A small amount and large radius can change
macro contrast. A larger amount with a small radius can make an image
appear less soft. 

I often use both, sometimes the latter several times. 

Sharpening is very much an art, IMHO. It affects many things. Too much
is worse than not enough. Too much can be ugly. The wrong kind can be
ugly, too. Not enough leaves an image less than it can be.  

My hat is off to anyone who is expert in sharpening. It's not an easy
thing to learn.