Need some advice

[akovia]

Ok PS users, I need some help here.
I am trying to put together some quick tips for image enhancements. Most basic tools and such translate well between PS and gimp, but 2 tweaks I use all the time in gimp don't use stock tools and require external plugins/filters. For gimp this is a no-brainer as they are all free so it just requires finding and installing them. What I am looking for are peoples favorite smoothing and sharpening strategies, whether it be stock tools or external plugins/filters. (Just please notate whether they are free or not.)

Also, I am not looking for any esoteric techniques here. What I want are your first Go-To strategies that seem to work on the bulk of images you work with. Please feel free to share any esoteric tips and techniques as they are always welcome, but for this certain request I am looking for the ones you just can't live without.

Lastly I would like to know if there are any free descreening filters out there for PS. If not, can you recommend one of the paid plugins and describe your results and whether it was worth the price of admission. My goal is to be able to point people to the most often used tools and techniques to enhance or repair images. In my personal experience I find I use 6-7 tools extremely often and never really need to use more unless I want to either get creative or have a very poor source that I have to experiment on. Please add to this list if I've overlooked something.

Photoshop / Gimp
Content-Aware Fill / Heal Selection
Clone Stamp / Clone Tool
Healing Brush / Healing Tool
Levels / Levels
Smooth / Smooth*
Sharpen / Sharpen*
Descreen Descreen*

Thanks for any help you PS gurus can share.

[ZincRider]

http://www.descreen.net/ has a descreening plugin for Photoshop. The demo version (up to 2000x2000px) is free.
Neat Image is great for noise reduction and overall smoothing. The free demo works for images up to 1000x1000px. It's a powerful tool, but easy to overuse.. It can be used for descreening as well, but I wouldn't recommend it for that.

[akovia]

http://www.descreen.net/ has a descreening plugin for Photoshop. The demo version (up to 2000x2000px) is free.
Neat Image is great for noise reduction and overall smoothing. The free demo works for images up to 1000x1000px. It's a powerful tool, but easy to overuse.. It can be used for descreening as well, but I wouldn't recommend it for that.

Thanks ZincRider.
I guess I was overshooting to think many good free plugins exist for PS. I looked at the Neat Image site, and from the examples it truly seems astounding.
Appreciate the tips!

[ZincRider]

I haven't been looking that hard. I stumbled upon NeatImage when I was looking for a descreening filter and it turned out to be quite useful

[akovia]

You PS guys are really stingy. I guess it has something to do with PS being closed source, so it's users are closed lipped.

[Obi-Wan]

u are right akovia problem is, most of the good plugins costs a lot and dont be free, and the free ones are... well... free but not realy good
i just can say - the best thing in photosop to boost your image is the CAMERA RAW FILTER ! - i think after v13 its a normal FILTER and can be used on any normal image as a filter ( best used on a smartobject, because u can always edit it )
with camera raw u can adjust and boost the colors, contrast, graining... normaly its a programm in the programm with so many features ( just check youtube for camera raw filter tutorials )
so my advice to PS people who wants to boost their images ( and clean them too ! ) - CAMERA RAW FILTER !

... may the fart be with you

[akovia]

Thanks Obi-Wan.
Every little bit helps.

[JoWill]

Tips for descreening and noise reduction in Photoshop: http://photoshopninja.com/photoshop-top ... ng-images/
Mostly works very well, and it's free.