The Automatic Small Scratch Remover command finds and eliminates small, line-shaped defects that are either lighter or darker than the surrounding area.
Important: This command works on 16 million color or greyscale images only. To increase the color depth of an image, see Increasing the Color Depth of an Image.
To use the Automatic Small Scratch Removal command:
To limit the correction to a specific area, make a selection. See Using the Selection Tools. The command works best on a selection rather than the entire image.
Choose Adjust > Add/Remove Noise > Automatic Small Scratch Removal.
Mark the check box of the type of scratches to remove (you must choose at least one option):
Remove dark scratches Mark this check box to remove scratches that are darker than their background.
Remove light scratches Mark this check box to remove scratches that are lighter than their background.
Specify how scratches are removed with the options in these two group boxes:
Local contrast limits The difference in contrast between a scratch and its background. Use a value that sets the limits to where they achieve the best results. Start with the Lower limit at 0 and the Upper limit at 50. If scratches remain, the Automatic Small Scratch Removal command is unable to remove them. If scratches disappear, then adjust the limits to minimize loss of image detail. Adjust the Lower limit up to the setting just below where scratches reappear. Adjust the Upper limit down to the setting just above where the scratches reappear.
Strength The strength of the scratch removal: Mild, Normal, or Aggressive. Select the lowest setting that removes scratches. Look at all areas of the image to make sure important details are not lost.
Click OK.
Basic Steps in Improving Photographs
How to Approach Color, Contrast, and Saturation Adjustments
Common Problems and How to Solve Them
Removing Image Defects and Noise