RAW Developer 1.4

Iridient Digital today released , a major update to its RAW image conversion application for photographers using Mac OS X. Version 1.4 features over 50 new features, a wide variety of improvements and support for 20+ new camera models including the Canon EOS 5D, Nikon D50, Minolta Dynax/Maxxum 5D and Olympus E-500. It also includes significantly expanded and revised documentation, according to the developer. RAW Developer 1.4, a free update for all currently registered users, is available for $100 with a special $30 discount available through the end of the year. It requires Mac OS X version 10.3.9 or later and a PowerPC G4 or G5 processor.

The appplication offers new support for direct association of settings with individual RAW images, including automatic loading of image associated settings file(s), fast and easy saving of per image settings files and flexible image settings file storage locations. The new "Batch Window" streamlines workflow when working with large numbers of photos, offering support for sending opened files directly to the window for "background processing." It also offers unlimited undo/redo for Settings adjustments and extensive new support for direct RAW image file management including extremely fast and flexible batch file rename, move, copy, duplicate, move to trash and reveal in Finder functionality.

Iridient says the update also offers white balance adjustment by Kelvin color temperature and green-magenta color correction--in addition to direct RGB channel balance adjustments. RAWDeveloper also offer new support for up to eight custom user set white balance presets. Six of the user presets are stored on a per camera basis and two of the settings are global (identical for all cameras used). Support is now included for reading camera preset values in addition to the previous support for "As Shot" white balance directly from RAW files for Canon, Fuji and Minolta cameras.

Version 1.4 also offers more tools and features for working with photos. It features highlight, shadow and saturation clipping warnings with fully adjustable warning levels and colors. RAW Developer now offers expanded adjustment range for color noise reduction for more effective noise reduction and an expanded unsharp mask radius adjustment range as well as faster sharpening performance. A new "dropper" style cursor tool is offered for each of the tone curves (camera native RGB, working space RGB and CIELab). Users can also enjoy better image rotation, cropping and high quality resizing support as well as a new "straighten" cursor tool for making rotation adjustments.

by MacNN Staff