If you have a Few hundred rupees to invest and a burning desire for a terrific, easy-to-learn image-editing program, Corel's Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 will make you smile. Whether you're a novice or a professional, the program has lots to offer—from a Learning Center for beginners to an amazing photo-merging feature for advanced users. Packed with applications for downloading, viewing, sorting, and editing/processing images.......Rajendra
In the world of photo editing programs, Paint Shop Pro has always been the leading alternative to Adobe Photoshop, for those who are unable or unwilling to afford the hefty price of the market-leading product. Originally launched by Jasc Software in 1992 ,it has grown to become a powerful photo editing and organising suite with a wide range of powerful functions, many of which rival those of Photoshop. Jasc was taken over in 2004 by Corel Corporation, and the new owners have invested serious development and marketing resources into Paint Shop Pro, adding many new features and promoting the product to take advantage of the growing popularity of digital photography and home photo editing.
There are several features that are unique to Paint Shop Pro however, and which reflect its more consumer-oriented market. Version X2 adds new features including an Express Lab, Graphite workspace theme, HDR photo merge, new layer styles, visible watermarks, picture tubes and picture frames, black and white film conversion, new and improved makeover tools, and a new Crop to New Image feature. Let us see whether by the launch of X2 a digital photographer’s dream come true or not?
Express Lab
This new streamlined mode in Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 helps users quickly view and fix multiple photos in the same amount of time it used to take to edit just one. Common tools such as crop, rotate, red-eye removal, makeover /blemish removal, brightness, saturation, and other quick fix tools are available inside this interface
The Express Lab is a quick finish system allowing batch images to be edited in a much faster time. The folder of images needs to be loaded into the preview bar at the bottom of the page and then Express Lab can be found in View or as a small Icon above the preview pane. The images are loaded in individually and a smart photo fix editor is displayed on the right featuring Brightness, Shadows, Highlights and Saturation and a histogram to check the exposure. A Suggest settings box is also available with a reset button next to it if everything goes horribly wrong. More options are available below the main picture which include a Crop tool, Smart fix, Makeover tool, Clone and Red-eye reduction. The rest of the images are shown as thumbnails along the bottom of the page. Interestingly, the image has the EXIF data laid out in the bottom left for easy perusal.
Makeover Tools
Corel previously included a selection of “makeover tools” in earlier versions of Paint Shop Pro Photo, but X2 includes several new tools to make portrait editing quick and easy. In addition to the standard red-eye removal, blemish remover, toothbrush, and suntan tools, X2 adds “Thinify” which (as the name suggests) makes people look thinner and the “Eye Drop” tool which whitens the white part of your subject’s eyes.
HDR Photo Merge
If you hate over-exposed highlights or under-exposed shadows in your images then X2 comes to your rescue with the High Dynamic Range (HDR) Photo Merge tool. With this tool, users can combine two or more bracketed exposures in order to produce one perfect exposure. In other words, X2 takes the shadows from one image and combines with the highlights in another image to create one image with the best shadows and highlights
Layer Styles
You can now easily apply effects such as embossing, drop shadows, or even reflections that will automatically update whenever the underlying layer is edited.
Visible Watermarks
This useful feature allows you to “stamp” your images with a watermark of your choice. This is perfect for protecting your copyright when uploading images online
Auto-Preserve Originals
You’ll never lose your favorite photos by mistake again thanks to a feature that automatically preserves the original photos when you save an edited version … giving you a way to get the original image back in case you make a mistake during the editing process.
Selective Color Replacement
Now you can change the color of any object in a photo with just a few clicks of your mouse! If you ever wish to change the color of a flower (or of your wife’s dress) the color of your dreams is just a click away. Unlike similar editing tools in other programs, the selective color replacement tool in X2 preserves the shading and texture in the original image … so if you select a “normal” color then the new color looks perfectly real.
Perspective Correction
If you’ve ever taken a photo of a tall building from up close and noticed how the top of the building looks thinner than the bottom then you’ve probably wished there was a way to “straighten” those lines in the building. Well, X2 gives you a fast and simple tool to correct perspective in your images. Just click on the four corners in a photo that should be square, double click, and magically your buildings look the way they should. No other image editor does this type of correction so easily
DOF Control
One of the common problems with compact digital cameras is the lack of shallow depth of field (DOF). In other words, if you take a portrait of someone standing in front of a building with a compact digital camera then both the subject and the background will look sharp and in focus. In that case, the background is distracting and takes attention away from your subject. With a shallow DOF you can “blur” the background while leaving your subject in focus. X2 gives you the tool to draw attention to the main subject in your image by creating this simulated DOF effect.
Photo Aging Tools
A unique and easy-to-use feature in X2 is the ability to apply aging filters to your images and make them look like film images from decades long ago. The “Time Machine” feature gives you a choice of seven different historical periods to give your photos some creative effects. You can also customize the preset options to give your images a unique look ... such as combining saturated colors with a late 1800's style vignette.
Object Remover
Every photographer has taken at least one photo with one or more objects in the frame that you wish could be removed. Maybe it’s a “funny picture” that your cousin put behind your head in the last family portrait, or maybe it’s that annoying dog on the beach who ruined that wonderful photo of your wife and daughter playing in the sand. With the Object Remover tool in X2 you can quickly and easily remove unwanted objects and people from your photos.
One small warning with the Object Remover tool is that complex textures tend to confuse the tool. For example, if you want to remove something in the wavy sand on a beach then the Object Remover tool might not seamlessly replace the sand
Purple Fringe Remover
Another common problem with compact digital cameras (particularly ultra-zoom cameras) is chromatic aberration (also known as “purple fringe”) around high contrast areas in an image. With two quick clicks of your mouse you can instantly remove purple fringe from your images.
Infrared Film Simulator
Similar to the “Time Machine” feature that I mentioned previously, the Infrared Film effect in X2 simulates the ethereal effect of infrared photography by adding flare, film gain, and a unique black and white process to the image.
RAW Image Editing
One of the major additions to the Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo program in recent years is the ability to edit RAW image files. Unlike compressed image formats like JPEG, RAW images record more color, greater dynamic range (more shadow detail and more highlight detail), and allows you to easily change the white balance during post-processing in case you used the wrong white balance when you took the photo. X2 supports a wide range of RAW image formats including “unofficial” support of the Adobe DNG open standard RAW format.
Unfortunately, the RAW image editor built into X2 is not as functional as it could be. Corel currently only supports RAW image formats from a handful of cameras, and I also discovered during testing that not all DNG images could be opened by this application. Beyond this, X2 also lacked the functionality to change the white balance settings before opening the image. So, if you “need” to edit a variety of RAW images then X2 may not be the best program for you to use at this time.
Compatibility with Photoshop Plug-ins
An excellent feature in Corel's Paint Shop Pro Photo series that doesn't get much attention is compatibility with “most” Photoshop plug-ins and filters. Many creative plug-in filters such as those from Nik Software or Dft tools , are 100 percent compatible with X2 ... so you can use many of the same creative tools used in Adobe Photoshop. However, not all plug-ins are fully compatible with X2 ... and X2 cannot use Photoshop Actions or Scripts. Bottom line, check with the plug-in manufacturer to confirm X2 compatibility.
Crop to New image
The Crop to New image feature is a relatively simple idea and works by creating a new image when the original is cropped, so the new image can be deleted if it looks wrong.
The new features on the system are great and I was amazed at what some of them can do. The program is very good for photographers with large amounts of images to process as the Express Lab can churn them out fast like a photo processor and portrait photographers will find the new features impressive and useful as they will cut a lot of editing time down.
Some of the existing features like the skin smoothing are still very slow, however the program will warn you before starting that it needs a lot of memory. The performance of these features may be worth the wait, though.
Pros
Affordable, full-featured image editor
HDR Photo Merge is G-R-E-A-T!
Makeover tools are easy to use
Selective Color Replacement is amazing
Reasonably fast on new computers
Compatible with many Photoshop plug-ins and filters
VERY easy to use overall
Cons
Very limited RAW editing capability (almost useless for RAW)
Slower than it should be on older computers
Thinify tool is needs improvement
Included with your package is 3.25 hours of training from Lynda.com that is right on the disk. There is also a version of Corel Media One Plus for special download that will allow you to create multimedia shows with your images and music. There are also other extras such as picture frames, edges, patterns and textures that are available as well.
You can simulate film types or preset looks (from "glamour" to "vibrant foliage"), go sepia or infrared, or even send your photo backwards on a timeline (via the "time machine" tool) to make it look like it's from another era altogether. Especially if you commonly use pictures as illustrations or components of a scrapbook collage, the flexibility and the fun of Paint Shop Pro will appeal.
All in all Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 appears to be a very good product especially considering the low price. It has a lot of higher end capabilities and it is very easy to use, especially for new users. The new features show that this is a maturing product and should continue to improve.
In the world of photo editing programs, Paint Shop Pro has always been the leading alternative to Adobe Photoshop, for those who are unable or unwilling to afford the hefty price of the market-leading product. Originally launched by Jasc Software in 1992 ,it has grown to become a powerful photo editing and organising suite with a wide range of powerful functions, many of which rival those of Photoshop. Jasc was taken over in 2004 by Corel Corporation, and the new owners have invested serious development and marketing resources into Paint Shop Pro, adding many new features and promoting the product to take advantage of the growing popularity of digital photography and home photo editing.
There are several features that are unique to Paint Shop Pro however, and which reflect its more consumer-oriented market. Version X2 adds new features including an Express Lab, Graphite workspace theme, HDR photo merge, new layer styles, visible watermarks, picture tubes and picture frames, black and white film conversion, new and improved makeover tools, and a new Crop to New Image feature. Let us see whether by the launch of X2 a digital photographer’s dream come true or not?
Express Lab
This new streamlined mode in Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 helps users quickly view and fix multiple photos in the same amount of time it used to take to edit just one. Common tools such as crop, rotate, red-eye removal, makeover /blemish removal, brightness, saturation, and other quick fix tools are available inside this interface
The Express Lab is a quick finish system allowing batch images to be edited in a much faster time. The folder of images needs to be loaded into the preview bar at the bottom of the page and then Express Lab can be found in View or as a small Icon above the preview pane. The images are loaded in individually and a smart photo fix editor is displayed on the right featuring Brightness, Shadows, Highlights and Saturation and a histogram to check the exposure. A Suggest settings box is also available with a reset button next to it if everything goes horribly wrong. More options are available below the main picture which include a Crop tool, Smart fix, Makeover tool, Clone and Red-eye reduction. The rest of the images are shown as thumbnails along the bottom of the page. Interestingly, the image has the EXIF data laid out in the bottom left for easy perusal.
Makeover Tools
Corel previously included a selection of “makeover tools” in earlier versions of Paint Shop Pro Photo, but X2 includes several new tools to make portrait editing quick and easy. In addition to the standard red-eye removal, blemish remover, toothbrush, and suntan tools, X2 adds “Thinify” which (as the name suggests) makes people look thinner and the “Eye Drop” tool which whitens the white part of your subject’s eyes.
HDR Photo Merge
If you hate over-exposed highlights or under-exposed shadows in your images then X2 comes to your rescue with the High Dynamic Range (HDR) Photo Merge tool. With this tool, users can combine two or more bracketed exposures in order to produce one perfect exposure. In other words, X2 takes the shadows from one image and combines with the highlights in another image to create one image with the best shadows and highlights
Layer Styles
You can now easily apply effects such as embossing, drop shadows, or even reflections that will automatically update whenever the underlying layer is edited.
Visible Watermarks
This useful feature allows you to “stamp” your images with a watermark of your choice. This is perfect for protecting your copyright when uploading images online
Auto-Preserve Originals
You’ll never lose your favorite photos by mistake again thanks to a feature that automatically preserves the original photos when you save an edited version … giving you a way to get the original image back in case you make a mistake during the editing process.
Selective Color Replacement
Now you can change the color of any object in a photo with just a few clicks of your mouse! If you ever wish to change the color of a flower (or of your wife’s dress) the color of your dreams is just a click away. Unlike similar editing tools in other programs, the selective color replacement tool in X2 preserves the shading and texture in the original image … so if you select a “normal” color then the new color looks perfectly real.
Perspective Correction
If you’ve ever taken a photo of a tall building from up close and noticed how the top of the building looks thinner than the bottom then you’ve probably wished there was a way to “straighten” those lines in the building. Well, X2 gives you a fast and simple tool to correct perspective in your images. Just click on the four corners in a photo that should be square, double click, and magically your buildings look the way they should. No other image editor does this type of correction so easily
DOF Control
One of the common problems with compact digital cameras is the lack of shallow depth of field (DOF). In other words, if you take a portrait of someone standing in front of a building with a compact digital camera then both the subject and the background will look sharp and in focus. In that case, the background is distracting and takes attention away from your subject. With a shallow DOF you can “blur” the background while leaving your subject in focus. X2 gives you the tool to draw attention to the main subject in your image by creating this simulated DOF effect.
Photo Aging Tools
A unique and easy-to-use feature in X2 is the ability to apply aging filters to your images and make them look like film images from decades long ago. The “Time Machine” feature gives you a choice of seven different historical periods to give your photos some creative effects. You can also customize the preset options to give your images a unique look ... such as combining saturated colors with a late 1800's style vignette.
Object Remover
Every photographer has taken at least one photo with one or more objects in the frame that you wish could be removed. Maybe it’s a “funny picture” that your cousin put behind your head in the last family portrait, or maybe it’s that annoying dog on the beach who ruined that wonderful photo of your wife and daughter playing in the sand. With the Object Remover tool in X2 you can quickly and easily remove unwanted objects and people from your photos.
One small warning with the Object Remover tool is that complex textures tend to confuse the tool. For example, if you want to remove something in the wavy sand on a beach then the Object Remover tool might not seamlessly replace the sand
Purple Fringe Remover
Another common problem with compact digital cameras (particularly ultra-zoom cameras) is chromatic aberration (also known as “purple fringe”) around high contrast areas in an image. With two quick clicks of your mouse you can instantly remove purple fringe from your images.
Infrared Film Simulator
Similar to the “Time Machine” feature that I mentioned previously, the Infrared Film effect in X2 simulates the ethereal effect of infrared photography by adding flare, film gain, and a unique black and white process to the image.
RAW Image Editing
One of the major additions to the Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo program in recent years is the ability to edit RAW image files. Unlike compressed image formats like JPEG, RAW images record more color, greater dynamic range (more shadow detail and more highlight detail), and allows you to easily change the white balance during post-processing in case you used the wrong white balance when you took the photo. X2 supports a wide range of RAW image formats including “unofficial” support of the Adobe DNG open standard RAW format.
Unfortunately, the RAW image editor built into X2 is not as functional as it could be. Corel currently only supports RAW image formats from a handful of cameras, and I also discovered during testing that not all DNG images could be opened by this application. Beyond this, X2 also lacked the functionality to change the white balance settings before opening the image. So, if you “need” to edit a variety of RAW images then X2 may not be the best program for you to use at this time.
Compatibility with Photoshop Plug-ins
An excellent feature in Corel's Paint Shop Pro Photo series that doesn't get much attention is compatibility with “most” Photoshop plug-ins and filters. Many creative plug-in filters such as those from Nik Software or Dft tools , are 100 percent compatible with X2 ... so you can use many of the same creative tools used in Adobe Photoshop. However, not all plug-ins are fully compatible with X2 ... and X2 cannot use Photoshop Actions or Scripts. Bottom line, check with the plug-in manufacturer to confirm X2 compatibility.
Crop to New image
The Crop to New image feature is a relatively simple idea and works by creating a new image when the original is cropped, so the new image can be deleted if it looks wrong.
The new features on the system are great and I was amazed at what some of them can do. The program is very good for photographers with large amounts of images to process as the Express Lab can churn them out fast like a photo processor and portrait photographers will find the new features impressive and useful as they will cut a lot of editing time down.
Some of the existing features like the skin smoothing are still very slow, however the program will warn you before starting that it needs a lot of memory. The performance of these features may be worth the wait, though.
Pros
Affordable, full-featured image editor
HDR Photo Merge is G-R-E-A-T!
Makeover tools are easy to use
Selective Color Replacement is amazing
Reasonably fast on new computers
Compatible with many Photoshop plug-ins and filters
VERY easy to use overall
Cons
Very limited RAW editing capability (almost useless for RAW)
Slower than it should be on older computers
Thinify tool is needs improvement
Included with your package is 3.25 hours of training from Lynda.com that is right on the disk. There is also a version of Corel Media One Plus for special download that will allow you to create multimedia shows with your images and music. There are also other extras such as picture frames, edges, patterns and textures that are available as well.
You can simulate film types or preset looks (from "glamour" to "vibrant foliage"), go sepia or infrared, or even send your photo backwards on a timeline (via the "time machine" tool) to make it look like it's from another era altogether. Especially if you commonly use pictures as illustrations or components of a scrapbook collage, the flexibility and the fun of Paint Shop Pro will appeal.
All in all Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 appears to be a very good product especially considering the low price. It has a lot of higher end capabilities and it is very easy to use, especially for new users. The new features show that this is a maturing product and should continue to improve.
No comments:
Post a Comment