Due in part to the availability of free photo-sharing sites such as Flickr and even Facebook, an increasing number of individuals have taken an interest in digital photography. Use of the industry standard Photoshop can make it an expensive hobby – but there are options that provide professional editing tools without the expense or complexity. One such photo-editing program, Serif PhotoPlus X4, makes it simple for beginning digital artists to create quality effects – while providing more advanced tools for accomplished users.
Usability
Like Serif’s drawing program, DrawPlus X4 (previously reviewed here), PhotoPlus X4 seems to put strong emphasis on usability. The default workspace layout is reminiscent of most design software with basic functions across the top, tools on the left, and panels for more advanced editing on the right in collapsible menus that are easy to move and rearrange. However, given the sheer number of tools and options available, even the logical arrangement of the default interface does not entirely eliminate the learning curve for software of this depth.
Still, we found that Serif PhotoPlus X4 provides plenty of assistance in getting familiar with the software and its features. The Help menu features a detailed visual reference for all of the program’s toolbars and elements in addition to a searchable index that is organized by topic. A How-To Menu further focuses on specific tasks with step-by-step instructions for common photo-editing processes. Also of benefit to the novice user are the tutorials available from the Serif website that cover adjusting photographs, creative effects, the makeover studio, and more.
Though it may not match tool-for-tool the functionality of Photoshop, PhotoPlus X4 is extremely versatile, offering a wealth of tools and options that are more than sufficient for most photo tasks, from simple retouching to more advanced creative effects. In addition, it supports batch processing using macros, letting you quickly and automatically apply a series of edits to a group of images.
Retouching and Adjusting
When it comes to photo editing, retouching and adjusting tools are often taken for granted – but not when it comes to PhotoPlus X4. The basic Red Eye Tool and Blemish Remover easily provide better than adequate results with little effort. The Clone or Scratch Removal Tools and Patch are useful for blending out small discolorations – or for removing objects, though achieving a precise blend from this method can be challenging. The same tools or other techniques can be used to smooth skin or remove under-eye dark circles and hot spots on portraits.
PhotoPlus X4’s PhotoFix interface allows for easily changing white balance, lighting, curves, and more using built-in or custom filters; adjustment and filter layers allow for the same edits without affecting the original. Key adjustments like levels, curves, and even the sharpen tool are simple to use, though an experienced eye is needed to know how far to take changes. With these and more advanced techniques like masks and layer blends, PhotoPlus X4 affords several options for achieving specific photo effects.
With the Raw Studio, PhotoPlus X4 invites even more creative expression, letting you work with the added information of raw image files to adjust white balance, recover blown highlights, alter exposure, and reduce noise. Along with adjustment layers that can be hidden for comparison, PhotoPlus X4’s view options let you compare changes as you make them. The Photo cropping tools feature plenty of useful options – from specified size crops to the rule of thirds grid, along with resolution choices for sharing in print or on the web. The Straightening Tool can be useful for preparing off-center images for presentation, but we found creating a new horizontal line more challenging than it sounds.
Creative Effects
No comprehensive photo-editing software would stop with those basic editing processes, however, and PhotoPlus X4 is capable of far more advanced effects for the digital photographer. It offers a range of black-and-white look options beginning with the relatively simple Grayscale Color Mode and Saturation Adjustment all the way to the more particular monochrome style of adjustment layers and blend modes. Color effects like selective color and popping color are also made possible with variations on these adjustment techniques
With the editing features of PhotoPlus X4, the variety of creative effects is really only limited by the photo artist’s imagination. Using a combination of filters, adjustment layers, and layer masks – or convenient Macros – a photo can be given an antique look, an infrared effect, or even turned into a fantasy landscape. The online tutorials for PhotoPlus X4 provide an example of the versatility of the program’s creative tools by turning the same photograph into a winter, sunset, and storm scene.
Files and Compatibility
When it comes to photo editing software, it is important to be able to open and edit the file types with which you most often work. Along with standard image file types such as .bmp, .jpg, .gif, and .png, PhotoPlus X4 supports Microsoft Paint (.msp) and Photoshop (.psd) files along with many others. It also boasts support for a variety of common RAW files from cameras such as Casio, Canon, Kodak, Nikon, Olympus, Fuji, Sony, and more.
These RAW camera files open in PhotoPlus X4’s Raw Studio for editing, and can then be saved as PhotoPlus project for later layer editing or, like all PhotoPlus X4 projects, exported to common file formats like TIFF, PNG, or JPEG. Images from PhotoPlus X4 can even be saved with their layers in Photoshop format when necessary. All considered, the program has surprisingly good compatibility and flexibility when it comes to image file types.
Summary
It seems only natural that Serif PhotoPlus X4 will be compared to more expensive photo-editing software like Adobe Photoshop. While the latter may have more power and clout, as well as a few more tools, PhotoPlus X4 can get the job done when it comes to most photo-editing tasks. With a host of advanced, professional tools, it supports a range of features and techniques from routine adjustments to advanced effects – more than enough to satisfy most digital photography artists. As in any photo editing program, results will depend largely on your skills and experience, as well as patience in learning to effectively use the available tools. With its wide variety of features, detailed guidance, and usable design, PhotoPlus X4 provides a strong compromise between basic editing programs and the complexity (and expense) of Photoshop.
Buy Serif PhotoPlus X4 now for only $24.49 with free shipping at NothingButSoftware.com.
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