Software & Photography

Well, as I have posted before, I am now working at Excel Photo (a professional photo lab in Salem) in I.T.. I get to spend all day around photography and yet I am in the computer field. It is more than I could have ever asked for.

As part of my job last week, I was asked to test some new imaging technology. Athentech Imaging has released new technology to enhance a photograph, pixel by pixel. It corrects color and tint and beyond. Currently, the only software vendor utilizing this technology in consumer-level software is Bibble Labs. Bibble 4.7 has this "Perfectly Clear" technology in the form of a single checkbox. Simply check the box and the photo magically is enhanced. Better than that, images can be batch processed to save time. I am simply amazed by the technology and in awe of the results.

Below is a sample of the advantage of shooting in RAW format and then utilizing "Perfectly Clear" technology. I took the first image (yes, that is exactly how it came from my camera) and converted it from RAW to a JPG using Capture One. At the point of that RAW conversion, I bumped the exposure compensation up to brighten the image. After that I opened in up in Bibble 4.7 (Click here to download the 2-week trial) and applied the "Perfectly Clear" correction as well as a couple other options in Bibble. The bottom image is the final result. A printable and usable image. Download the trial and try it for yourself. You will be amazed!

FYI: Bibble 4.7 is $70 to $130 depending on your needs. Capture One is only for RAW images and there is a "LE" version available for $99. Yeah, they are more that free software like Google's Picasa2 and Gimp, but they are a must have if you find yourself shooting in RAW and using a PC. Apple's Aperature would be the Capture One equivilant on the Mac. I would still recommend Bibble on the Mac. They have both PPC and Intel Mac versions and you get a lot of bang for your buck.