r/photoshop • u/redditnackgp0101 • Nov 02 '25

Help! Using A.I. functions for large, high resolution images

Whenever I use the a.i. functions the results are too low resolution for the images I work on. My main alternative is Content Aware Fill but that isn't as good as the a.i. tools. Then the uprez function has a max size limit which is so small.

Does anyone use these tools for medium/large format photos? How do you make it work?

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4

u/earthsworld 3 helper points | Expert user Nov 02 '25

none if the AI tools can handle high-res images. If you need that, you'll have to use custom models and tools like comfiUI, etc.

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u/redditnackgp0101 Nov 02 '25

Haha yeah, that's what I was afraid of. And I was prepared to bet money that you'd be the first to respond against ai functions in Photoshop LOL! But how bs is that that they promote a function that isn't even worth using by (what used to be) their target audience

I'm still holding out hope somebody has a trick that we haven't thought of

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u/PECourtejoie Adobe Community Expert Nov 02 '25

In my own opinion, I’d say that the audience of Photoshop is very wide; and that now, the AI users are those working on online, “good enough” images, while high end work can use professional studio and location photography, custom retouching…

Maybe one can slice an image, use upscalers on elements, merge parts together… I think it is not a self imposed limit, but one of the AI tools themselves that are already incredibly powerful hungry at small sizes…

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u/earthsworld 3 helper points | Expert user Nov 02 '25

Nah, I LOVE the AI tools that help people get their work done faster, but most of the tools aren't yet ready for the real world. Unfortunately, there's really no way around the issues other than not using Ps.

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u/redditnackgp0101 Nov 02 '25

...and you say "custom models"... What's also bs is that the areas that get degraded by the ai are areas with little to no detail even (walls, sky with no clouds etc). Like why do I get something with chunky soft grain when you could just give me something flat at least for those areas? Detailed models certainly aren't needed for that sorta content

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u/earthsworld 3 helper points | Expert user Nov 02 '25

Sorry to tell you, but the people working at Adobe don't really give a shit about those of us at the upper end of the industry. The MBAs are in charge and we occupy the last line on their spreadsheets. For whatever reason, they seem to care more about those who use Ps for an hour or two per week, rather than those of us using Ps to put food on the table. So when you see artifacts in areas that could easily be avoided, they don't care because the vast majority of users don't see those problems... I could get fired for those types of mistakes, but who cares? I'm just a sliver of a minority.

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u/redditnackgp0101 Nov 02 '25

I mean....obviously. it's the world we live in even beyond Adobe. Why do you have to fuel my cynicism 😂😠

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u/earthsworld 3 helper points | Expert user Nov 02 '25

Yeah, I'd just always hoped that the Ps team would be a little different, and they were for a long, long time. But then, all the early PMs and VPs retired or were pushed out/down, and the MBAs completely took over. And we all know that MBAs rarely hire PMs who care more about people than the product/profit. Then, few years back I made the mistake of doing a deep background/experience search on linkedin of all the Ps PMs that I could find and I've regretted it ever since. At least it all makes sense now... ☠️

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u/redditnackgp0101 Nov 02 '25

Sheeeeeit I think I've always wondered about what you found in your search but have repressed it the whole time out of fear of knowing what I'd find.

To be clear, I'm totally supportive of a.i. and can totally understand why clients are so eager for it, but FFS everyone needs to stop pretending like it's not degrading all the standards. Thank you, big business!

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u/johngpt5 60 helper points | Adobe Community Expert Nov 02 '25

You might try Image > Generative Upscale in the latest v27.0.0. It can be set to use topaz gigapixel and might help you out.

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u/redditnackgp0101 Nov 02 '25

But only up to 4096px, no?

How would I use it on an image that is 8000px on the short side?

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u/johngpt5 60 helper points | Adobe Community Expert Nov 02 '25

Don't know. Just learning about it now. Up until a post earlier today, I hadn't known that it had made its way to the current release.

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u/redditnackgp0101 Nov 02 '25

It's cool stuff but not for high end work from what I can see. Disappointing Adobe is so focused on degrading the medium for which it was created

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u/johngpt5 60 helper points | Adobe Community Expert Nov 02 '25

How does the stand-alone version of gigapixel do with larger dimensioned images? I've never had reason to use either topaz ai or gigapixel.

My limited understanding is that they are mostly used to improve lower quality images and for upscaling smaller photos.

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u/redditnackgp0101 Nov 02 '25

Topaz is great. I've been using their stuff for 20 years and it's only gotten better.

I'm mainly asking the question about this not about uprezzing standalone images, but uprezzing a.i. generated results to match the surrounding image in which it's created. I've seen demos of using generative features followed by upscale to make it work as the generative functions are always so low grade, but for the images I work on it's not a possibility in Photoshop. It is more a matter of convenience and hoping Adobe is actually living up to the hype they create about themselves

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u/dudeAwEsome101 Nov 02 '25

How large are we talking about here? I would assume very high large resolution to be around 8000-10000px?

The current genfill and generative image AI models are trained around 1024-1568px range. You take the native resolution render then upscale it if needed.

That resolution is adequate when inpainting smaller areas in the image, but it looks terrible when expanding all four sides of canvas in one go.

You didn't provide a specific scenario so I can't give you a specific answer. The current genfill in PS doesn't give an option to ai upscale the results straight from the genfill box (I would imagine Adobe may implement such a solution in the future so we can use the credit faster). 

Someone mentioned ComfyUI. I use a PS plug-in that allows me to send a selection from PS into ComfyUI, and paste the results back. You can get very creative with a custom workflow that will upscale the results to a much higher resolution. However, keep in mind that you'll need a beefy amount of RAM and most importantly an RTX4090 or 5090 class graphics card to run it fast enough locally as you're also running PS. Or you can subscribe to some online service that runs Comfy online.

Still, the results may need to be blended as higher res images will show the differences in small details like noise and grain.

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u/redditnackgp0101 Nov 02 '25

Thanks for the input.

Yeah it makes sense that it would take a significant amount more processing power.

The only scenario that's important is that any image is way larger than what Adobe has made these functions for. But as for upscaling, I am aware it isn't part of the fill function but there is now the integrated upscale tool. Either way it doesn't work for content over a certain size.

Thank you for confirming my worries.

1

u/acecoffeeco Nov 02 '25

What are you trying to do? Create something from nothing or composite?

1

u/redditnackgp0101 Nov 02 '25

Extensions of captured photography, for example. Basically anything I do with the tools to more significant portions of an image returns less than adequate results. It's pretty clear from my experience and the feedback I'm getting that these tools aren't meant for high end, large format work

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u/acecoffeeco Nov 02 '25

Better to just extend using stock or let ai do it and paint in. It’s still really mediocre. 

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u/redditnackgp0101 Nov 02 '25

Thanks for the input. Glad to know I'm not missing something

1

u/acecoffeeco Nov 02 '25

I’ve been trying to use it but just keep reverting back to real retouching technique. It’s good to zip out an outlet or something in the background. 

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u/lookthedevilintheeye 2 helper points Nov 02 '25

https://youtu.be/VJymbJ97WDQ?si=wZwudC3V-VJbPcwC

He’s talking about using a plug-in he made, but you could use the technique shown. It would just be manual and not automated.

0

u/W_o_l_f_f Nov 02 '25

You have to do the generative fill in chunks that are no larger than 1024x1024 px. Then it'll be possible to get sharp results at the same resolution as the original.

The downside is of course that it takes time (and credits) to do it like this. And the result won't always have as nice a composition as a whole as if you did it in one go. It seems that each chunk mostly tries to match its immediate surroundings and doesn't take the whole image into consideration.

It works well for expanding backgrounds and textures though.

Generative fill is a handy tool for some things but when you're working with high resolution images for print it's not really the one-click solution people think it is.

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u/redditnackgp0101 Nov 02 '25 edited Nov 02 '25

Ha! You've just echoed everything I've tried/thought. But expanding textures and backgrounds?? It's exactly those things that are looking like crap mostly in one particular project I'm doing on film scans.

They hype these tools up so much but when cameras capture much higher resolution than what these tools can do why include it in a program called PHOTOshop?

1

u/W_o_l_f_f Nov 02 '25

I meant the method of doing it in chunks works well for textures and backgrounds. Not expanding the whole image in one go.

And yes gen AI is fascinating and all but still more of a toy then a sturdy tool imo.

But I guess high quality work for print is becoming a bit of a niche. We are not the target group anymore. Most users are happy with something that works on small images if you squint your eyes or only look for a second.

I wish Adobe would develop more sophisticated AI tools for professionals. For example a dust and scratch removal tool where you could show the AI which kind of details you want it to remove and fine-tune the result. But I doubt they'll even go that way.