Features to look for…
Six things to Look for in a photo editor
‘Live’ raw editing
The traditional way to process Raw files is via an intermediate tool like Adobe Camera Raw, which generates an image that can be edited in Photoshop or any other image editor. This is the system also used by Affinity Photo with its Develop persona, as well as Adobe Photoshop Elements and Corel Paintshop Pro. The trouble is that you have to repeat the conversion process if you want to change the Raw processing parameters. Lightroom and Capture One Pro do it differently. They store your Raw processing parameters ‘live’, which means you can change them at any time. Exposure X3, ON1 Photo RAW and DXO Photolab work in a similar way.
non-destructive editing
Photo-editing has traditionally been a process, where you open a photo, apply a series of adjustments and save a new version. Lightroom, Capture One, Exposure X3 and ON1 Photo RAW make every adjustment reversible. When you ‘edit’ an image in these programs you’re simply saving a series of processing instructions that alter the appearance of the picture but don’t modify the original file. This approach gives you more editing flexibility and the option of changing your mind at any time – and you can export a finished JPEG or TIFF version when you need it. The one disadvantage is that the adjustments are specific to that software and not visible in others.
adjustment vs image Layers
Layers come in two main types: adjustment layers and what we’ll call ‘image layers’. Adjustment layers are used to change the appearance of an image on the layer below without directly modifying it. The idea is that you can keep your adjustments ‘live’ and editable right up until the exact point you actually need to print, publish or share the image – when you save or export a finished version. Image layers are different – these are used to combine one image with another, merging them with masks or blending modes, and these are less common. They’re supported by some of the programs on test but not all of them.
raw conversions vary
It’s said that Raw files are your digital negatives, but it might actually be more accurate to describe them as undeveloped film. Back in the days of film, photographers were very aware that different film developers gave quite different results, and you can say the same now about different Raw converters. Adobe Camera Raw is the go-to Raw converter for a majority of photographers, but the more expensive Capture One Pro often gives smoother, sharper detail and DXO Photolab’s results are better still. The other programs in this group test can process Raw files as well, but not with quite the same finesse, control or quality of output as these three.
Browser or catalogue?
For some photographers a folder-based photo filing system works fine, which is what you get with DXO Photolab. But a folder-based filing system breaks down if you need to bring images together from across a range of folders into an album or collection, or search your entire photo library for images shot on a particular camera or with a keyword. For this you need the speed and power of a database-powered cataloguing tool like Lightroom or Capture One Pro. Some programs offer a hybrid style. Exposure X3, ON1 Photo RAW and Corel Paintshop Pro combine the simplicity of folder browsing with catalogue-style album and search capabilities.
Lens corrections explained
Almost all lenses produce aberrations of one sort or another, such as chromatic aberration (colour fringing), distortion, vignetting (corner shading) and edge softness. It is thankfully possible, however, to correct or at least reduce these aberrations using various different software. Nikon cameras, for example, can apply lens corrections to JPEG images processed in-camera – but not to Raw files, because these are, after all, unprocessed images. So it’s very useful if your photo-editing software of choice offers lens corrections for Raw files. It’s this simple fix that can often make a massive difference to the overall look and mood of an photograph.