These are the latest updates from the world of photo-editing software. It’s not exhaustive because some news items are more important than others, and some are just routine marketing, but if there are any big events, I’ll cover them here.
DxO is promising the latest version of its RAW batch processing and image enhancement plug-in will deliver the best results yet, and also comes with time-saving presets, local adjustments and a brand new interface.
ON1 has made its name with its all-in-one photo organizing, editing and effects tool ON1 Photo RAW. This is a very effective Lightroom/Photoshop alternative which offers many of the same tools, a huge catalog of preset effects and, should you want it, a subscription-free purchase. But now it’s setting off in a new direction with LightPanel, an AI-powered Lightroom add-on for image culling and styling.
If you’re wondering whether to take the plunge with Lightroom, you’ve put it aside for a while or you’re just not convinced you’re getting your money’s worth, this catch-up with everything that’s new since 2022 might just convince you.
The October 2023 Lightroom update brought an important change to the way Lightroom (that’s the ‘web’ version, not Lightroom Classic) handles your files. Now you can browse and even edit photos on your local drives without having to import them into Lightroom and its cloud storage.
Adobe updates Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements every year, and this time around it seems to be focusing heavily on one-click effects and AI, which is where the industry is going right now. So what’s new in Elements 2024 and is it worth using as a photo editor?
FilmPack 7 has a number of new features, including luminosity masking for more control over image adjustments, 25 new analog film renderings, new ‘digital’ renderings replicating modern digital camera picture styles, and an ‘enriched’ Time Machine mode where you can browse historical photos and recreate their look with your own images.
DxO has launched a major new version of its flagship DxO PhotoLab raw processing, correction, enhancement and editing tool. DxO PhotoLab 7 brings new color calibration tools, support for LUTs, the ability to use HSL tools for local adjustments and a new black and white workflow.
There are no new plug-ins in the Nik Collection 6 this time around, but significant feature additions to some and improved local adjustment tools across the board.
Sky Swap AI is one of the big features in ON1 Photo RAW 2023, but ON1 has now split it out to also offer it as a standalone program and plug-in. You can open ON1 Sky Swap AI as an app, or launch it from Capture One, Affinity Photo, Corel Paintshop Pro, Apple Photos, Photoshop or Lightroom Classic.
The improvements in PhotoLab 6.3 mainly target the Elite edition, with an extension to the soft proofing tools that can no incorporate on-screen simulations of papers and inks, to allow even more accurate color visualization and control over printed output.