I have always looked for software that suited my eye and my requirements . My eye ? , the interface , something quick , simple and I don't need a degree to learn to use it . At best I'm nothing more than a enthusiastic Happy Snapper taking around 4 to 5000 frames a year on cropper Canon cameras with the vast majority going on the net and never getting printed at more than around A3 or A4 . OK , software . I have gone down the Adobe route and don't like it apart from an old Elements I use for cloning out telephone wires and Garbo bins etc. I call it "Bloatware" 2.46 GIG ..
My New Years resolution for 2014 , "Find Something Holty" and I think I have . Over the past 6 weeks I have download around 4 gig of trials and updates etc and compared them side by side to see if there is anything new or with new improvements over the past 12 months . Yes, I even downloaded new Adobe stuff as well including Elements 12 .
OK what stayed , got upgraded or purchased and I will put them in no order ..
While it may be a HDR program I use it on single images and I love it , so simple and quick , I have shown people printed photos including Lab tech's and no one picked HDR .
A lot slower than Oloneo with an interface that looks Windows 95 in comparison BUT a great ghosting algorithm , especially for hand held shooting. . I have made some of my own "presets" that make the photo look non HDR , just a little more punchy to put on the net , especially Flat Face Facebook . If you ever want to see a good photo look like crap put it on there . .I am VERY surprised Facebook haven't come up with a "Hi Res " membership that allows better quality photos , sizing and graphics on sites when you consider how many businesses are now using it .
Very sexy , if you can call software sexy . A bit slow on my box but I love it for when I get serious . Quality breeds quality and for me this is it . It has even made me get off my butt and go out and take some decent photos because I wont use this program for happy snaps.
I saved "MY" best until last . Not long back from who knows where and now Open-source and cross platform with a user base of 35,000 and growing rapidly . You can read the spiel on their site and while it has an unusual process of membership before downloading I can see the reason in their methodology . I have only just begun to use this but within minutes it fitted "my eye" and logic . Once I get more familiar with the program I will put a few photos online in my Photo bucket site . The irony of this is being Open-source it is free and compared to some of the other stuff I have played with over the past 6 weeks or so I would gladly pay $100 dollars for it . I cant even make a "donation " .
ADDED 14th FEB
Sorry guys windows only . I don't know where this has been hiding but is a no brainer for me and within an hour of finding it I put it on both machines and deleted programs I have used for many years . Simple to use , quick , well quick enough for me but I don't have huge downloads / folders because I don't shoot 1200 frames a session at 8 FPS then sort and throw out 1000 .The only thing to date it doesn't have that I use is a Perspective function but apart from that its great . If this program ever gets it I can stop using an old Elements 10 and then I will be totally Adobe FREE !!!!
BTW:
Love the full frame viewer with the hidden menu bars that don't hog screen space and only "pop up" when you scroll over them when needed . Also I have set the 100 % magnifier to "click" so if you left click and hold down you can scroll at 100 % anywhere on the image . Finally we wont mention footprint size will we Adobe bloatware.
Footnote: These are my personal choices and comments , you are entitled to yours .
Holty..
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