Image filters

[Davidk]

This query is about electronic image filters, applied to an image after it is taken as opposed to the physical optical ones attached a camera to get an image.

I have been contemplating updating my old Jasc photo album software, and since Corel took Jasc over some years ago, Paintshop pro seems the natural path. In that context, the availability of post-exposure image filters has become a factor.

I was recently shown how a digital SLR has built-in post-exposure filters that 1) were applied to images that had already been obtained, and 2) produced images which were quite interesting. Not only to get an improved image, such as an electronic blue filter similar to a physical one, but also to get some unusual and attractive ones. I was rather taken with the ones that showed an image with it's hot spots. With a bit of research, I've found that the 6year old Pentax K100D camera I have has some of those, but they seem rather basic (B&W, sepia, 8 ranges of colour etc) variations of the base image.

The software I've used has image adjustment wizards, where you can independently manipulate things like contrast brightness gamma colours etc, but that's all tedious. So, the question is . .

Does Paint shop pro have any fixed post exposure image filters that would combine a specific range of adjustments in one hit? If it does, is there any accessible doco that describes it?

Davidk

[wds937]

Paint Shop Pro contains a number of filters, some of which have the "one hit" aspect you seek, though most are limited in what they will do with that one hit. The specific filters vary by PSP version. Examples of the built-in filters include:

• Effects > Photo Effects > Film and Filters...
• Effects > Photo Effects > Graduated Filter...
• Effects > Photo Effects > Retro Lab...
• Adjust > Color > Fade Correction...
• Adjust > Hue and Saturation > Colorize...
• Effects > Artistic Effects > Aged Newspaper...

Recent Ultimate versions of PSP have variously included plugins that can give you many more features, some of which may be what you seek. These plugins are:

• Magic Bullet PhotoLooks
• Nik Color Efex Pro
• KPT Collection (particularly KPT Gradient Lab, KPT Equalizer, and KPT Channel Surfing)