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Apple has recently released Aperture 1.1, the first Universal Binary version of Aperture. If you already have Aperture 1.0, visit the Aperture 1.1 Update page to get the latest version.

This update includes:

• Universal Binary (i.e. support for Intel Macs)
• improved RAW image quality
• RAW fine tuning (contrast boost, sharpening, chroma blur, etc)
• auto noise compensation
• new color meter
• enhanced export controls
• now handles layered Photoshop files
• generally improved reliability and performance

In addition, Apple has lowered the price of Aperture from $499 to $299. Apple is offering a $200 e-coupon good on the online Apple Store to licensed users of Aperture 1.0. Licensed users of Aperture 1.0 Academic will receive a $100 e-coupon.

This is a wonderful move by Apple, showing that they are serious about the professional photography market and are willing to listen to feedback on pricing issues.

Download the e-Coupon here: Aperture 1.0 e-Coupon.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, apple, mac, os x, photography software, RAW processing, RAW conversion, aperture, photography workflow, photography, RAW files

Filed under: Asset Management,RAW Files,Software,Workflow
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Digital Outback Photo has published a review note by Charles Cramer, comparing RAW conversions on his Phase One P45 (39 megapixel) RAW files using both PhaseOne Capture One and Iridient Digital’s RAW Developer: Capture One vs. Raw Developer.

While Phase One’s Capture One gives lovely low-noise images, RAW Developer gives more fine detail, especially in low-contrast areas of the image. So Capture One would probably be better for use in portrait and product photography where smooth noise-free results are favored, while RAW Developer would be very well suited to use in landscape photography where fine detail matters most.

As Charles concludes – the winner in this contest is the Phase One P45!

Other RAW Developer articles:

• Alain Briot’s RAW Developer Review
• Digital Outback Photo’s RAW Developer 1.4 Review
• PDNOnline Forum discussion on RAW conversion applications
• MacUpdate user reviews
• MacGuardians.de RAW Developer Review (in German only)

Technorati Tags: RAW conversion, RAW processing, phase one, p45, digital photography, medium format digital, capture one, raw developer

Filed under: Phase One,RAW Files,Software
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Bibble Labs have released Bibble 4.6, integrating Picture Code LLC’s Noise Ninja noise reduction software. For detailed information see Bibble Labs’ Bibble 4.6 press release.

New features and improvements include:

• Advanced noise reduction with Noise Ninja technology
• Bibble 4.6 now runs natively on Intel Macintoshes, which is great news for those with shiny new toys.
• Revised and simpler user interface.
• Speed improvements when converting Canon RAW files.

Bibble 4.6 is a free update for all existing licensees of previous versions of Bibble 4.

For more information, see the Bibble Labs web site.

Filed under: RAW Files,Software,Workflow
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Bibble Labs Inc has reached an agreement with PictureCode LLC to include a fully-integrated version of Noise Ninja in the next release of their RAW workflow software Bibble.

Noise Ninja is one of the best-performing and most popular noise reduction programs for digital photographers.

The new versions of Bibble will soon be available as an upgrade to all current Bibble 4.0 users at no additional charge. The most recent Windows, Macintosh, and Linux releases of these products will be available for download at the Bibble web site and are priced at USD$129.95 for the Pro version and USD$69.95 for the Lite version.

You can read the press release at the Bibble web site.

Filed under: RAW Files,Software,Workflow
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Non-profit advocacy group OpenRAW has just launched a survey to gather empirical data about “the experiences, beliefs, and preferences of photographers concerning RAW imaging technology”.

It’ll only take about 15 minutes, but your participation will help to ensure that photographers’ rights and concerns are addressed by camera and software makers. It’s totally confidential, and the results of the survey will be released into the public domain so that everybody has full access to them.

Please visit the OpenRAW site and fill in the survey.

The survey will run until March 31, 2006 24:00:00 GMT.

Filed under: RAW Files
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Previously released as a beta version, Adobe has now announced the official release of Adobe Camera Raw version 3.3.

This update adds support for the following cameras:

• Canon EOS 5D
• Canon EOS 1D Mark II N
• Canon EOS 20Da
• Kodak EasyShare P850
• Kodak EasyShare P880
• Fujifilm FinePix E900
• Fujifilm FinePix S5200/5600
• Fujifilm FinePix S9000/9500
• Mamiya ZD
• Nikon D200
• Olympus E-500
• Olympus SP-310
• Olympus SP-350
• Olympus SP-500UZ
• Pentax *ist DL
• Pentax *ist DS2
• Sony DSC-R1

In addition, the following improvements have been made to the software:

• Improved redraw speed at some zoom levels.
• Added warning dialogs when attempting to cancel or reset the dialog when there are changes to non-selected images.
• Tuned Bayer demosaic algorithms.
• Fixed DNG decoding for some camera models.
• Write “legacy” IPTC data block (in addition to the existing XMP data block) to TIFF, JPEG, and PSD files saved directly.

Filed under: RAW Files,Software
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The Luminous Landscape has just posted an article on Adobe Lightroom Tips and Tricks. This is a very valuable resource for people just starting to explore the free beta of Lightroom.

I’ve also created a new page collecting links to Adobe Lightroom Reviews.

Filed under: Asset Management,RAW Files,Software,Workflow
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Well, it looks like those rumors had legs. Adobe announced the Beta release of Lightroom today, their software for importing, selecting, developing, and showcasing large volumes of digital images.

Michael Reichmann has posted a pretty comprehensive Lightroom First Look and Primer that’s definitely worth checking out. Jeff Schewe from PhotoshopNews.com has also posted an overview.

If you’d like to get jumpstarted with Lightroom, check out Adobe’s first Lightroom video tutorial.

PhotoshopNews.com has posted a Lightroom FAQ which contains a lot of useful info, as well as a great background article on the Shadowland/Lightroom Development Story.

You can discuss Lightroom with others in the Luminous Landscape Lightroom Forum.

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Michael Reichmann from the Luminous Landscape has written a very insightful and brutally honest Non-Review of Apple’s Aperture.

This article gives a very good overview of what Aperture tries to do, where it succeeds and where it fails. The basic summary is that the current version of Aperture doesn’t meet Michael’s image management needs, but he believes it’s worth keeping an eye on and is likely to grow into something very useful.

What do you think? Have you used Aperture? Are you one of those early purchasers who “feels cheated”?

Filed under: Asset Management,RAW Files,Software,Workflow
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Bibble Labs has released version 4.5 of its popular raw workflow software.

Additional cameras supported:

• Nikon D200
• Olympus EVolt E-500, SP310, SP350, Sp500UZ
• Pentax *ist DS2
• Sony DSC-R1

Other improvements:

• Using Bibble’s integrated Photoshop plug-in, users of older versions of Photoshop including 7.0 and CS and Photoshop Elements 2.0 can now open raw images from the latest cameras without having to pay for a costly upgrade.
• Reworked some of the internal processing and reprofiled the Canon .CR2 based cameras for better Canon color then ever before and elimination of occasional green casts in the shadows. Also rebalanced the exposure tables of these cameras to better match results from in camera images.
• Several minor enhancements and fixes.

Source: Bibble 4.5 press release

Filed under: Asset Management,RAW Files,Software,Workflow
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