Buyers’ guide
Buyers’ guide Worry-freeworkflow Capturing the image is only the first step – the real work is yet to come – so you need smooth workflow to save time and get the best results without stress. This manual will help you find those must-buys
paper, ink and printer, so what comes out looks like it does on the monitor. A big factor in workflow is the choice of editing software. In this field, the options are enormous. Remember, you can try before buying, and most software is available as a fully functional, time-limited download. There’s every excuse to shop around. Our handy guide picks out some of the top kit to consider.
monitor. That means, at the very least, the image you are working on is the correct colour. The other extreme would be colour managing everything, from capture through to printing. For this, more kit with charts and software will be required, so once your shots are in software, you can make sure the colour is truthful. If you home print, yet more kit can help profile your
COLOUR-MANAGED WORKFLOWS save time and keep stress levels down, meaning you spend less of your day in front of the monitor, and more of it out there taking pictures. How deep one goes into organising workflow is up to an individual and how they prefer to operate. If you would rather keep it simple, the minimum investment you should make is a calibration device for your
PaintShop Pro 2022 Ultimate › paintshoppro.com/en/ › £69.99
Datacolor SpyderXPro › spyder.datacolor.com › £159
Corel’s PaintShop Pro 2022 takes a step forward from purely traditional photo editing, adding an element of graphic design. The professional photo editing tools are certainly there, and perform to a high standard, offered in one of multiple workspaces. Expect AI-powered tools such as upsampling, artefact and noise removal, and the painterly
Zoner Photo Studio X › zoner.com ›Windows $59 a year, $5.99 amonth Combining all the essentials in a neat package is Zoner Photo Studio X. The interface is clean for editing and cataloguing, with images found by location, date, keyword or the folder system. The tools themselves provide everything one would expect for processing and editing Raws and JPEGs, offering local and global adjustments and retouching, layers for cloning, sky replacement and other more significant steps. On top of presets and automatic enhancements with landscape and portrait options, ZPS X has editing capabilities for time-lapse or advanced clips. kit at £379 has the SpyderX Elite, Cube and Print for precise colour management all the way through the workflow. The SpyderX Pro is a quick-to- use precision monitor calibration device, priced at £159. It’s modelled around lens-based colour engine tech, with higher light sensitivity and the latest sensors. Offering multiple monitor support and projector calibration is the SpyderX Elite, priced £239.
Datacolor has solutions for the whole imaging workflow, from capture with the SpyderCheckr and Cube, through to output with the Spyder Print. The company offers a range of boxed kits to make shopping even easier and save you a few quid, too. For example, the SpyderX Photo kit costs £259 and includes the Elite, Checkr 24 and Cube – everything you need to optimise your shots in a single box. The SpyderX Studio
effects of AI Style Transfer. For those seeking the most
The Ultimate has the same features, plus several not on the standard version, like MultiCam Lite and Painter Essentials 8.
of preset effects. Other notable features include support for Raw, HDR and 360° photos, scripts and batch processing.
straightforward possible approach, there are a number of automatic one-click corrections and a host
Calibrite ColorChecker Display › colorconfidence.com › from£157.20
£229.20 and £260.40, respectively. The former is ideal for enthusiasts, supporting four displays. For home printers, ColorChecker Studio at £522 is the unit for you. It checks that a monitor is delivering correct colours, but also the performance of your projector. And it produces ICC profiles for your printer/paper combination.
Calibrite, powered by X-Rite, offers colour management solutions for filmmakers, designers and content creators, as well as photographers. For images, it delivers calibration devices, from capture and editing to printing. The ColorChecker is available in three options: the Display, Display Pro and Display Plus, priced at £157.20,
Issue 99 | Photography News 29
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