- Supports high-bit images for enlarging RAW and HDR (high dynamic range) images.
- Offers sharpening and grain simulation to improve details.
- New dedicated batch processing is easier than using Photoshop actions to enlarge multiple images.
- Very easy to use.
- Will work in Windows 64-bit Photoshop CS4.
- As an automation plug-in, Blow Up only works in Photoshop and Photoshop Elements.
- Benefits are negligible for typical home photo printing (i.e. enlargements to 10x14 or smaller).
- Blow Up can enlarge photos to extreme print sizes with better results than Photoshop's bicubic interpolation.
- Detects edges and resizes using a method similar to vector scaling to avoid undesirable stair-step or halo artifacts.
- Supports all image modes--RGB, Grayscale, Lab, Duotone, and CMYK. Supports standard 8-bit, 16-bit RAW, and 32-bit HDR images.
- Works with Photoshop CS2, Photoshop Elements 4 (Mac), or Photoshop Elements 5 (Win) or later.
- Layered files can be resized without flattening. "Resize as a new image" option allows non-destructive enlargements.
- Includes a specialized sharpening method for enlargements, designed to improve contrast along sharp edges.
- Can apply simulated film grain to improve the appearance of extreme enlargements.
- New: Blow Up can resize up to the limit of Photoshop's maximum image dimensions--300,000 pixels per side.
- New: Improved speed and image quality, more sharpening control, a JPEG cleaner option, crop and rotate tools, presets.
- Multi-threaded for better performance on multi-core and multi-processor systems. Native 64-bit in Windows Photoshop CS4.
There were already several existing image enlargement products on the market when Alien Skin introduced Blow Up in 2006. In doing so, Alien Skin raised the bar for the competition, specifically addressing the shortcomings in most similar products.
Blow Up offers support for most image modes as well as high bit-depth images (such as 16-bit RAW, and 32-bit HDR), the ability to resize layered images without flattening, and options to resize in place, or as a new image. Blow Up uses a specialized sharpening method and simulated film grain to improve the appearance of extreme enlargements.
In version 2, a crop tool was introduced, with an auto-crop function, and auto rotate. The maximum enlargement size is now only limited by the maximum dimensions allowable in Photoshop (300,000 pixels per side). Presets were introduced, with more than 100 presets included and the ability for users to save their own settings. And integrated batch processing greatly simplifies multi-image enlargements.
It's difficult to show you a comparison of these products with screen-resolution images, so your best bet is to download a few image enlargement programs and give them a try. I found that Blow Up provided a visible improvement over Photoshop's Bicubic interpolation on-screen, but the printed results weren't significant enough to justify the cost for me. However, if you need such a product, Blow Up is super easy to use, performs well, offers some unique features, and can handle the high-end image modes and massive sizes that most competing products don't support.
