After a long session in beta, ACD Systems has slammed down the latest version of its popular ACDSee Pro 4 image editing, browsing and organisation software.
It’s been our image cataloguing weapon of choice for many years, and the shiny new ACDSee Pro 4 hopes to tempt folks away from rival software Lightroom by chucking in improved image editing tools, including their patent-pending LCE (Lighting and Contrast Enhancement) single exposure HDR (High Dynamic Range) algorithms which are built into the software’s RAW technology.
Designed to “dramatically improving lighting and contrast in photos,” LCE lets photographers “increase the exposure of dark (underexposed) photos, increase the contrast and vibrancy of dull photos, correct uneven lighting, correct backlit photos, selectively brighten dark areas and darken bright areas (automatic dodge and burn), and create an HDR image from a single exposure.”
Browse directly
Unlike most other photo cataloguing programs, Pro 4 lets you browse and view your photos directly from the source (hard drive, SD card, network) rather than having to faff about importing them first. It’s one of the program’s reatest strengths.
Face off
The usual slew of handy batch tools are also onboard, although ACDSee have once again decided to omit any kind of face recognition software – something we’d find very useful indeed.
Fully customisable, the software also offers free access to ACDSeeonline.com, a cloud-based sharing service letting photographers create password protected portfolios on the dedicated website, as well as Facebook, Twitter, SmugMug, Zenfolio and on their own web sites.
ACDSee Pro 4 is available for $239.99/$167.99 upgrade – substantially cheaper than Lightroom. [ACDSee website].
ACDSee Pro 4 Provides Best Combination of Capabilities to Reduce Time, Cost and Complexity
ACD Systems today announced the availability of ACDSee Pro 4, the most complete solution for the enhancement and control of image production demanded by professional photographers. Pro 4 is the only solution that allows photographers to carry out the essential elements of the photography creative process and distribution in one place. Over 50 million ACDSee products have been downloaded worldwide.
ACDSee Pro 4 lets photographers create, organize and distribute the highest quality images so that they can increase revenues while enhancing their reputations and market reach. As the amount of photographs taken using digital photography explodes, photographers search for the best combination of editing and management capabilities that reduce time, cost and complexity. With ACDSee Pro 4:
Photographers receive the highest flexibility for the best artistic control. The patent-pending LCE (Lighting and Contrast Enhancement) single exposure HDR (High Dynamic Range) algorithms are built into Pro 4’s RAW technology. ACD developed the technology to give users a simple and efficient means of dramatically improving lighting and contrast in photos. Photos are fine-tuned to more accurately reflect the subject, and if desired, enhance the representation of the original subject. With LCE, photographers can increase the exposure of dark (underexposed) photos, increase the contrast and vibrancy of dull photos, correct uneven lighting, correct backlit photos, selectively brighten dark areas and darken bright areas (automatic dodge and burn), and create an HDR image from a single exposure.
Original RAW images are rendered in full-size and at amazing speeds. Lighting and exposure problems, including high contrast and backlit scenes, insufficient flash, dull images, and under and overexposure are corrected in seconds. The alternative, multi-exposure HDR, is extremely labor intensive and requires additional, specialized software. It can also result in motion blur, as well as process and capture complexity.
Photographers never have to import or export images into a vendor-controlled database resulting in a virtual view. Unlike other solutions, Pro 4 allows them to edit photographs in real-time, directly from the source – whether it be a camera memory card, hard drive or computer system — and then save those changes to the original equipment.
Allows edits to be seen in real-time and previewed in full screen. Batch processing is intuitive and very fast. Photographers can experiment, yet have the peace of mind of knowing that their originals are always safe with Pro 4’s non-destructive editing capabilities.
ACDSee’s catalog-based technology stores key identifying metadata for each image, including date, location, and equipment used. This makes it fast and simple to perform tasks such as search according to keywords, dates and other important information, and to drag and drop images to compare characteristics and tags with other images.
Gives photographers the freedom to organize photos and their digital workspace according to their individual needs and preferences. They can customize their application toolbars and layout to reflect the way they naturally work with their images—Manage, View, Process and publish Online.
Allows photographers to view and manage a wide range of file types.
“As a professional photojournalist, I have to be able to take world class photos, quickly edit them and send them anywhere in the world within minutes,” states Peter Pereira. “A product like ACDSee Pro 4 can make or break me. I was recently in Mexico to photograph the Chichen-Itza ruins. I happened to be there during the Spring Equinox. I took photos and immediately realized their value. While out in a remote area of the Yucatan, I was able to have the best editing tool on my laptop and could send photos I was proud of to an editor in Boston interested in purchasing them. That’s the kind of thing ACDSee lets me do. It would take at least three other products to give me what Pro 4 does incredibly well. I’ve used it for years and it’s been game changing for me.”Photographers can quickly and easily share photographs using ACDSeeonline.com, a free, cloud-based photo sharing site. Privacy controls are set by the photographer, ensuring the highest levels of control and security. And ACDSee Pro 4 allows selected contacts to download password protected full resolution images. Photographers can also share images on the most popular social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, SmugMug and Zenfolio, and/or via their own websites.
And ACDSee Pro 4 doesn’t dictate what editing tools photographers use. For example, they can use editing products such as Photoshop and then import their images into Pro 4 for management and distribution.
“At ACDSee we pride ourselves on being intensely customer-focused,” said Doug Vandekerkhove, CEO of ACD Systems. “We’re nimble enough to quickly respond to what photographers tell us they need, yet established enough to be able to execute market-changing products that have a dramatic impact and will last. ACDSee Pro 4 maintains that legacy and demonstrates our dedication to helping our customers make a difference. Photographers have responded by making this product our most popular to date.”
