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Posts Tagged ‘plugin’

Ricoh’s Theta Plug-in store is now live

24 Jul

Ricoh has announced that its Plug-in Store for the Theta V 360 camera is now live, featuring plugins created by Ricoh, and others by third-party developers as part of the the Theta Plug-in Partner Program.

The Store provides access to downloadable Plug-ins which will add various features to the Android-based Theta V, including wireless streaming, automatic uploads, and an automatic face blurring feature for anonymizing people captured in 360-degree imagery.

Read our impressions of the Ricoh Theta V

Press Release:

RICOH THETA Plug-in Store Goes Live

RICOH THETA V owners can now “customize” their 360-degree camera with new functionality via downloadable plug-ins from new online marketplace

TOKYO, July 23, 2018 – Ricoh today announced the RICOH THETA Plug-in Store has gone live. The new, online marketplace makes available downloadable software plug-ins that provide new functionality for the RICOH THETA V fully spherical camera, such as wireless live streaming, remote camera control, automatic image uploads and much more. Starting today, plug-ins created by Ricoh and such organizations as Sony, NTT DOCOMO and HoloBuilder can be downloaded from the site.

The plug-ins are being created by members of the RICOH THETA Plug-in Partner Program, which allows third-party developers to create their own Android™-based software plug-ins for the RICOH THETA V, a camera capable of capturing fully-spherical 4K-equivalent video and high-resolution still images. Based on the open-architecture Android operating system, the RICOH THETA V is unique among 360-degree imaging cameras in that its functionality can be further expanded by installing plug-ins.

“The new THETA Plug-in Store helps us serve our customers with technology solutions that directly impact their bottom line,” said Mostafa Akbari, CEO of HoloBuilder, which joined the Plug-in Partner Program to build innovative, secure and user-friendly applications for the construction industry. “We are thrilled that Ricoh is providing this flexible, customizable system for developers to get 360-degree technology solutions out quickly and proud to announce our first RICOH THETA Plug-in: HoloBuilder 360 SiteStream. This is the world’s first 360-degree livestreaming application that helps general contractors and owners monitor construction site progress from a first-person perspective, in real time.”

Ricoh kicked-off the RICOH THETA Plug-in Partner Program last month, with a website that provides easy access to tools and online support. Since then, many developers have joined the program, and five third-party plug-ins are currently available from the store. Three new plug-ins developed by Ricoh are also available.

Ricoh intends to continue to add capabilities to the development environment to meet the needs of consumers and businesses.

New Plug-ins created by third-party developers

  1. Device WebAPI Plug-in

Developer:

NTT DOCOMO, INC. (Development framework provider) (https://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/english/)

GClue, Inc. (Application developer) (www.gclue.com)

NTT DOCOMO has created new functionality for the existing WebAPI plug-in (developed by GGlue) that enables it to collect information from and control the function of the RICOH THETA V’s built-in sensor. The Device WebAPI Plug-in conforms to OMA GotAPI specifications, which builds a WebAPI on the RICOH THETA V device and enables function access via a common WebAPI on other devices such as smartphones.

  1. MESH plugin for RICOH THETA

Developer: Sony Corporation (www.meshprj.com)?

MESH is a platform of app-enabled smart triggers that can transform everyday objects into smart devices that can be controlled from a phone or tablet. The new MESH plugin for RICOH THETA enables direct control of the RICOH THETA V via a MESH block.

  1. EVRYPLACE Sync

Developer: EVRYPLACE (www.evryplace.com)

EVRYPLACE Sync allows for seamless uploads of images created using RICOH THETA V camera and the EVRYPLACE app. Using the plugin, individuals using the EVRYPLACE editor can get instant updates on their projects. They can choose 360 images on RICOH THETA V, open the EVRYPLACE app, and then upload these directly from the camera to their project. EVRYPLACE is ideal for real estate sales, delivery documentation, insurance documentation, training material updates and more.

  1. HoloBuilder 360 SiteStream

Developer: HoloBuilder, Inc. (www.holobuilder.com)

HoloBuilder’s 360 SiteStream plug-in gives construction companies 24/7 access to view construction sites in 360° through livestreaming (Livestreaming duration depends on usage environment). Users can set up a RICOH THETA V in mission-critical locations on a construction site and then remotely zoom into the project from anywhere to see what is going on in real time. The plug-in allows adding an infinite number of 360-degree livestreams. The plug-in is part of HoloBuilder’s reality-capturing solution, which enables integration of livestreams into existing HoloBuilder projects to combine all visual site documentation.

  1. Fita

Developer: Everywoah (www.fita.io)

Fita is a plug-in suite that enables RICOH THETA V owners to connect to Google Cloud Storage. As an onboard RICOH THETA V camera plug-in and a companion Android or iOS app for your device, Fita allows the RICOH THETA V to upload media to a connected Google Cloud StorageTM account for optimal workflow and team collaboration for 360-degree photo and video workflow over Wireless LAN.

New Plug-ins from Ricoh

  1. Wireless Live Streaming: allows for wireless fully-spherical live-streaming on YouTubeTM
  2. Automatic Face Blur (Beta): provides facial recognition and enables faces to be blurred for privacy/security reasons
  3. File Cloud Upload: automatically uploads images saved on the RICOH THETA V to Google PhotosTM via a router

You can learn about the other plug-ins that Ricoh is planning to upload in this web page:

http://theta360.com/en/about/theta/v/roadmap.html

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Trint’s AI-powered plug-in automatically creates captions for Premiere Pro CC

13 May

We’re a little late to this one, but it’s an interesting option for video editors that is worth sharing all the same. Last month, transcription company Trint launched a new Adobe Premiere Pro CC plug-in that uses artificial intelligence to automatically create captions in Adobe Premiere Pro. Called Trint for Premiere, the new plug-in allows Premiere Pro CC users to upload videos to Trint’s system directly from Adobe’s application. Trint’s speech-to-text tech then automatically transcribes the audio and generates captions.

According to Trint, its system creates a draft transcript that the user refines in the Trint Editor. These corrected transcriptions are made available in the plug-in’s panel, providing direct SRT access within Premiere. The software also supports Edit Decision Lists (EDLs), simplifying soundbite creation.

Trint’s new plug-in is available from Adobe Exchange with a free trial. After the trial period ends, users have the option of paying a fee per-hour of transcribed video, or signing up for a monthly subscription. The free trial signup and more information is available on Trint’s website.

Press Release

Trint’s AI transcription software to add integrated panel for Adobe Premiere Pro CC in Enterprise Offering

London (April 4, 2018) – Customers of Adobe® Premiere® Pro CC, part of the Adobe Creative Cloud®, will now have the opportunity to make their workflow even more seamless using Trint’s automatic speech-to-text technologies.

Trint for Premiere, Trint’s new panel for Adobe Premiere Pro CC enables direct upload of footage to Trint for fast automated transcription. This gives users a quick and integrated flow for making audio searchable and for creating captions for their media. Using Trint’s automated speech-to-text technologies, editors quickly get a machine-generated draft transcript that they can easily polish to perfect in the Trint Editor. Transcriptions corrected in Trint will be available in the panel, giving editors direct access to SRTs from within Premiere Pro CC.

Highlighted selections of Trint transcripts will be available as EDLs, making it fast and simple to find key soundbites and the editing process much quicker for users. EDLs for videos can be exported from the panel and can be seamlessly used in the Timeline.

“Our customers have been asking us for an Adobe Premiere Pro CC integration for some time,” says Jeff Kofman, CEO of Trint. “We know that many of our users are video editors, and it’s exciting to be able to streamline their captioning and editing workflows.”

Building on its strong transcription toolkit, the company is also releasing additional enterprise features which will make it the leading transcription service for organizations.

Trint has also released the new Trint mobile iOS app that lets users record interviews and meetings on their iPhone and upload them to Trint for fast transcription and collaboration from anywhere.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Raya Pro Photoshop Plugin – How to Simplify and Speedup Your Workflow

24 Apr

For a long time, my solution for a faster workflow was to create my own Photoshop Actions. But in the last couple of years, I’ve implemented another third-party software into my workflow, the Raya Pro Photoshop plugin.

The challenge

Let’s face it, Photoshop can be an overwhelming and time-consuming photo editor. However, it’s also one that plays an important part in most photographer’s work. Either they use it for simple color corrections or more advanced techniques, most professional photographers put their images through Photoshop at some point.

I’ve been using Photoshop for the last 10-or-so years, so I would say that I’m pretty familiar with the software. My biggest challenge, or rather annoyment, since I started using Photoshop was the fact that several of the techniques I used took a lot of time to create. Even if I’m only talking about a few minutes, it accumulates when I use it several times in each picture, and I process several pictures a day.

Raya Pro Photoshop Plugin - How to Simplify and Speedup Your Workflow

I’ve used a Luminosity Mask to create local adjustments to the highlights in this image.

What is Raya Pro?

Spending time repeating the same techniques over and over again can be quite demotivating and even lead to you being sloppy in your post-processing. That’s why Raya Pro has become a part of my workflow. It’s a Photoshop Panel which allows you to make several advanced and professional-looking techniques with a simple click.

It’s a tool that’s useful for both experienced Photoshop users (to save time) and complete beginners (to learn to create professional effects).

Raya Pro consists of seven panels:

  • Raya Pro HUB
  • InstaMask
  • Precision Mask
  • Quick Blend
  • Colors
  • Dodge & Burn
  • Filters/Finish

Raya Pro Photoshop Plugin - How to Simplify and Speedup Your Workflow

Each panel contains several Actions which you easily can use to create professional-looking effects or techniques, such as Luminosity Masks, Dodging & Burning, the Orton Effect and Web Sharpening.

Most Important Features

I’m not going to lie and say that it doesn’t take some time to understand all seven panels. It’s quite a lot to get into but along with each panel, there’s a button that takes you to a series of video tutorials specifically for that panel. These tutorials are easy to follow and if you’ve already got some knowledge of Adobe software, it won’t take long for you to master the panels.

While it may seem a bit overwhelming, you’ll most likely not use all the Actions. In my experience, you’ll find a handful of Actions you use on a regular basis and mostly stick to using those. Let me make it a little easier for you and point out the ones I use in my workflow.

Exposure Blending & Luminosity Masks

One of the main features and uses of Raya Pro is to easily blend multiple images and create Luminosity Masks. (If you’re not familiar with Luminosity Masks I recommend reading this article by Raya Pro creator and dPS writer Jimmy McIntyre).

Raya Pro Photoshop Plugin - How to Simplify and Speedup Your Workflow

There are three ways to blend images with Raya Pro:

  1. With the QuickBlend Panel
  2. Using the Precision Mask Panel
  3. With the InstaMask Panel

The easiest option is to use the QuickBlend Panel. Here you can simply blend multiple exposures with one single click. However, being the easiest it’s also the most restricted so you might need to tweak it a little for optimal results. That being said, it does a good job most of the time.

The Precision Mask Panel is slightly more advanced and is divided into three sections: Exposure Blending, Color Zones and Fix Dark Blend. With this panel, you can create precise masks and further refine them by subtracting a specific color from your selection, for example.

InstaMask is the most advanced of the three but also the most flexible. Its main purpose is to create Luminosity Masks so if you want to do exposure blending you’ll need to create and apply the masks. This is my preferred panel as I’m able to further refine selections and apply either apply them to a mask or use them to create an adjustment layer.

Dodge & Burn

While creating a Dodge & Burn layer doesn’t take much time, it’s an effect that I often apply multiple times on an image; which is why I prefer having an Action (or Raya Pro) to create it quickly.

Raya Pro Photoshop Plugin - How to Simplify and Speedup Your Workflow

The Raya Pro Dodge & Burn panel.

Raya Pro has its own panel dedicated to Dodging & Burning where you’re able to create much more than only the traditional 50% Grey layer (though this is what I use the most). In this panel, you can create Dodge & Burn layers that specifically target only the highlights, shadows, or mid-tones. This is a great option to have when you’re working on local adjustments.

In addition to Dodge & Burn layers, you’re also able to create different styles of the Orton Effect; a glow effect that creates a dreamy atmosphere.

Correcting Color Cast

Raya Pro is also a great tool when it comes to working with colors. Whether you want to saturate, desaturate, convert to B&W or add warmth to the highlights, it’s all done with one simple click.

Correcting color cast is done with one simple click as well. In fact, you’ve got four options to use in case one doesn’t give you a good result: Correct 1, Correct 2, Correct 3 and Manual Correct. The three first make use of different techniques that automatically remove color cast. But should those not work, you can use the Manual Correct button for better results.

Filters & Finish

The last panel I use in my workflow is Filters & Finish. While I only use this panel for the Web Sharpening tool that doesn’t mean I don’t recommend playing around with the other effects as well.

Raya Pro Photoshop Plugin - How to Simplify and Speedup Your Workflow

You’re also able to add your own Actions if there’s a specific technique or effect you regularly create, that’s not already on the panel.

Final Words

Raya Pro has been a part of my workflow for the last couple years. While I still make the majority of the techniques, effects, or edits manually, I do use it at some point for most of my images.

It’s a plugin that is great for both complete beginners and advanced users as each panel is built differently. After some trial and error it’s pretty straightforward to use and, in my opinion, it’s never been easier to create professional looking techniques.

The post Raya Pro Photoshop Plugin – How to Simplify and Speedup Your Workflow appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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Ricoh courts developers with plug-in program for the Theta V 360 camera

10 Jan
DPReview Ricoh Theta V hands-on photo. Credit: Jeff Keller.

Ricoh has just announced a so-called Partner Program for the 360° Ricoh Theta V. Taking advantage of the fact that the Theta V runs the Android operating system, Ricoh is setting up a program that will allow developers to create plug-ins specifically tailored to the camera.

The idea is actually kind of brilliant, as DPReview’s own Dale Baskin explains:

This is interesting because most consumer-grade 360° cameras really don’t do anything unique. What makes them useful is the software (which is why I really liked the Rylo). I think Ricoh is smart to open their platform up to developers as someone may come up with a really interesting feature that could potentially drive sales of the hardware.

What we’re not clear on is to what degree developers will be able to create features from scratch, given that Ricoh uses the word “plug-in” to describe what they’ll be creating. The Partner Program graphic Ricoh released isn’t much help in that department either:

“Based on the Android operating system, the RICOH THETA V provides a user-friendly way for third-parties to not only create apps and software that extend and enhance the capabilities of 360-degree imaging but also new features and functionality for the camera itself,” reads Ricoh’s announcement. “These can include customized capabilities that enhance the RICOH THETA V’s use for specialty applications and in vertical markets.”

The first step is to give developers access to the Theta V API and SDK. And once the apps and plug-ins start flowing, Ricoh will make them available for download through “an online RICOH THETA V partner marketplace where plug-ins can be uploaded and shared.”

We consider this a step in the right direction for Ricoh, and a good reason to keep an eye on the Theta V in the weeks and months to come. The Partner Program is set to launch in Spring of 2018, at which point Ricoh hopes the Theta V will become “a constantly evolving product.”

Press Release

Ricoh announces Plug-in Partner Program for RICOH THETA V

Launching spring 2018, initiative includes an online marketplace where third parties can upload and share their Android-based plug-ins for the popular consumer 360-degree camera

LAS VEGAS (CES 2018, South Plaza, Booth #64704), January 8, 2018 – Ricoh today announced the RICOH THETA V Partner Program, which will launch in spring 2018.

The new program will support third-party developers interested in creating their own Android™-based plug-ins for the RICOH THETA V, the top-of-the-line Ricoh 360-degree camera capable of capturing fully-spherical photos and 4K video. The program will be featured at CES 2018, where attendees will be able to get a hands on experience creating their own plug-in, resulting in the creation of a new feature for the RICOH THETA V camera.

Based on the Android operating system, the RICOH THETA V provides a user-friendly way for third-parties to not only create apps and software that extend and enhance the capabilities of 360-degree imaging but also new features and functionality for the camera itself. These can include customized capabilities that enhance the RICOH THETA V’s use for specialty applications and in vertical markets. As part of the program, Ricoh is making available the RICOH THETA V’s application program interface (API) and software development kit (SDK) and will provide tools and guidance to support plug-in development. It will also open an online RICOH THETA V partner marketplace, where plug-ins can be uploaded and shared.

A unique plug-in preinstalled in the RICOH THETA V enables “Remote Playback,”*1 which makes it possible, using a compatible wireless display adapter, to mirror playback of 360-degree still images and video data stored on the camera on a large screen monitor.

“By opening the platform for application development, we are enabling the RICOH THETA V to be a constantly evolving product. For this reason, we are very excited about the new partner program,” said Wataru Ohtani, Corporate Associate Vice President and General Manager of Smart Vision Business Group, Ricoh Company Ltd. “The RICOH THETA V Plug-in Partner Program will enable third-party companies and developers to create custom features and services. Our goal is for consumers and businesses alike to benefit from RICOH THETA V and to become a standard platform for the 360-degree imagery.”

When launched in 2013, the RICOH THETA was the world’s first 360-degree*2, single-shot camera, enabling users to express themselves in new and unique ways. 360-degree still photos and videos redefined photography by giving the viewer the ability to control what he or she sees in a scene. In addition, the resulting 360-degree images were easily shared with others, allowing them to virtually experience a scene as if they were there.

Today, the RICOH THETA cameras are being used for a broad range of consumer and business applications, ranging from documenting vacation memories to photojournalism, law enforcement, real estate listings and virtual tours, and much more.

*1. Other devices are required, including the separate wireless display adapter.
*2. In the consumer products category, a camera capable of capturing fully spherical scenes surrounding the user in one shot. (as of October, 2013 investigated by Ricoh)

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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CopyTrans brings native HEIC support to Windows with free plugin

19 Dec

CopyTrans has launched a free piece of software that brings High Efficiency Image Format (HEIC / HEIF) image support to Windows, enabling PC owners to view the popular new image format that has replaced JPEGs in iOS 11.

Windows doesn’t natively support HEIC images at this time, instead receiving JPEG versions of HEIC images when they’re transferred from an iOS 11 device. And while we’ve seen other programs build HEIC support into their own Windows versions, CopyTrans’ program is the first to bring native support.

In other words, as CopyTrans software developer Niki Minkov explained to us over email:

That is, when you browse your files with Windows, HEIC files will display thumbnails just as JPEGs, double clicking will display them full size with Windows Picture Viewer, and the right-click-on-file context menu will now include a “Convert to JPEG” feature.

In fact, our plugin is using the same integration technology that Nikon and Canon used to make Windows compatible with their respective RAW formats.

CopyTrans HEIC for Windows also supports Microsoft Office, and it retains the images’ original EXIF data.

The HEIC format allows for much smaller file sizes than their JPEG counterparts, enabling a greater number of photos to be saved to a device’s built-in storage. Other advantages of the format include the ability to store burst photos, focal stacks, and exposure stacks in a single file, the ability to store image editing operations, and more. Thanks to CopyTrans HEIC, you don’t have to give those advantages up just because you own a PC.

To learn more or download the software for yourself, head over to the CopyTrans website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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The New Imagely NextGEN Lightroom Plugin Will Rock Your WordPress World

01 Mar

The New Imagely NextGEN Lightroom Plugin Will Rock Your WordPress World

It’s a new year and Imagely has released a great new Lightroom gallery plugin to make our lives easier. If you run your own photography website on WordPress, like countless other photographers, then you have probably come across Imagely and NextGEN Gallery.

Imagely provides WordPress themes and hosting, focused specifically on photographers. They have terrific support, and will make your life much easier when it comes to hosting a website. They are a service that I consistently recommend to photographers looking to create new professional websites.

The NextGEN Lightroom Plugin

Even if you already have a theme or WordPress service that you enjoy, like me, Imagely provides a gallery plugin called NextGEN Gallery. This gives you a variety of options to display your photography. After a significant amount of research on the right gallery plugin, NextGEN Gallery won me over. Both the free and paid (NextGEN Pro) versions provide you with a wealth of visual options for your gallery and make the management, proofing, and selling of your work a breeze.

The New Imagely NextGEN Lightroom Plugin Will Rock Your WordPress World

The NextGEN Pro Thumbnail Grid Gallery

But now they have added a new Lightroom plugin, which makes their offering even more enticing. Enter the Imagely NextGEN Lightroom plugin, which syncs your Lightroom catalog directly to your NextGEN Galleries. Suddenly, you can add or remove photographs and alter your albums without leaving Lightroom.

The NextGEN Lightroom plugin allows you to create new galleries or albums directly in the plugin. You can upload images directly to these galleries, edit the filename and file information, which can help with SEO, as well as specify the image size, format, quality, color space, and sharpening. The convenience cannot be overstated. What used to take five steps, exporting the file to your computer, logging into your website, selecting the correct gallery, uploading the new version of the photo, and editing the photo information – now takes only one step.

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The New Imagely NextGEN Lightroom Plugin Will Rock Your WordPress World

The plugin gives you a variety of export options.

Installation

The plugin can be downloaded here and is simple (5 minutes) to install. Here is the full documentation to get it up and running, but after installing it all you need to do are four steps.

Step 1:

Under the Library panel, navigate to Publish Services, then Imagely and select “Set Up”.

The New Imagely NextGEN Lightroom Plugin Will Rock Your WordPress World

Step 2:

Add the description for the website you are uploading to and the WordPress settings (your website address, username, and password).

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The New Imagely NextGEN Lightroom Plugin Will Rock Your WordPress World

Step 3:

Under FTP Settings, navigate to edit under the preset menu, then enter your FTP or SFTP credentials given to you by your hosting company.

Click the Browse button, navigate to your /wp-content/ folder, and save. Click OK to close the module an then click “Fetch from WordPress” under FTP Settings.

Step 4:

As you would regularly export your images using Lightroom, select the correct settings for the images that you would like to upload to the gallery. This includes color space, size and resolution, sharpening, metadata, and the watermark.

The New Imagely NextGEN Lightroom Plugin Will Rock Your WordPress World

Gallery and Album Creation

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Creating galleries and albums through the plugin is a breeze. The first step is to right click on Imagely under Publish Service and select Collection or Collection Set. Collection will create a new NextGen gallery while Collection Set will create a new NextGen album. Collection Sets can hold other Collection Sets and Collections, while Collections can only hold images.

Add images to a Collection and select “Publish” to add the gallery or album and to add the new images into them. Already published photos will be displayed in the “Published Photos” section while new photos will be under the “New Photos to Publish” section. In addition to adding new photos, you can also modify and delete them through the plugin. Clicking publish after you make these changes will sync them with your website.

Conclusion

There is a lot to be said about how advances like this can make our lives easier as photographers. But the ability to see and alter our website galleries directly in Lightroom, where most photographers do most of their work, is an incredible advantage, both in helping us to figure out the correct sequencing of our portfolios as well as to make it as simple and streamlined as possible to edit these galleries.

Have you tried out this plugin? If you have a WP site what’s your workflow? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Open source Lightroom plugin Focus Point Viewer highlights active focus points

05 Jan

Joshua Musselwhite, an underwater photographer and software developer, has launched a free, open source Adobe Lightroom plugin called Focus Point Viewer. With this plugin, Lightroom users can view the active focus point of their photos, a feature similar to the one offered by now-defunct plugin Show Focus Points. 

Musselwhite details his new software on Reddit’s photography subreddit, where he explains that Focus Point Viewer was created as a way to easily see whether the focus points in his underwater images were the ones he had intended to use. The software is currently only mapped for his camera, a Nikon D7200, but because it is made freely available anyone can take the time to map the plugin to their own camera.

Explaining how to perform the mapping, Musselwhite said:

You’ll need to map each of the focus points. The best way I knew how to was take 51 photos at each focus point and determine the x,y pixel location for each from the top left using photoshop. I searched and searched for a focus point map for my camera but couldn’t find any … The process is a little time consuming, but it only takes a couple of hours, and is described how in the README file in Github.

The Github README file with the full explanation can be viewed here, and the entire project is available here. Musselwhite has also shared a small gallery showing both the focus points in action and the metadata submenu.

Via: PetaPixel

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Fujifilm launches ‘Pro’ tethered shooting plug-in for Lightroom with live view and remote control

03 Nov

Fujifilm X-T2 owners will soon be able to shoot tethered to Adobe’s Lightroom image manipulation software application using a new plug-in that will be sold through the Adobe Add-ons website. Tether Shooting Plug-in Pro is an upgrade from the existing version of the company’s Tether Shooting plug-in that is now compatible with the X-T2 as well as the X-T1. The new version brings a Control Panel display that allows users to check their imported images more quickly and to preview the image in live view mode while at the same time being able to control the camera’s settings.

The plug-in features two shooting modes that allow the user to control settings at the camera or via the computer screen, with both modes allowing the captured images to be transferred directly to the computer by USB connection.

The X-T1 and X-T2 cameras both need the relevant firmware to be able to operate with the plug-in, and Fujifilm has announced that v1.10 for the X-T2 will be available on 8th November. This firmware also makes the camera compatible with the standard version of Tether Shooting Plug-in and Tethered Shooting Software HS-V5.

The camera firmware will be free to download, but the Tether Shooting Plug-in Pro will cost $ 79.

For more information visit the Fujifilm website.

Press release:

Tether Shooting Plug-in PRO for Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom®

PC tethered shooting support for FUJIFILM X-T1/X-T2

FUJIFILM Corporation (President: Kenji Sukeno) is pleased to announce the launch of “Tether Shooting Plug-in PRO for Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom®” to enable tethered shooting of FUJIFILM X-T1(hereafter X-T1) and FUJIFILM X-T2(hereafter X-T2)* to a compatible computer.

“Tether Shooting Plug-in PRO for Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom®” is a tethering software plug-in that allows Lightroom users to connect X-T1 / X-T2 to a computer via USB cable for direct saving of captured images onto computer, and controlling the camera from the computer**.

“Tether Shooting Plug-in PRO for Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom®” will be available from Adobe Add-ons website*** for US$ 79. The launch of the Mac OS X / macOS Sierra version*4 is scheduled for release around the beginning of November 2016, and the Windows version*5 is scheduled for release around the beginning of December 2016. The detail launch schedule will be informed on this page.

(1) Featuring the “Camera Mode” and “PC Mode” to control shooting on camera or from computer
In Camera Mode, the camera is held in hand or set up on a stand. The images taken will be transferred directly and saved onto computer for use in Lightroom. Adjustment of exposure and other shooting settings as well as the shutter release is carried out on the camera. In PC Mode, users can check the viewfinder image of a remotely-setup camera in the LIVE VIEW window, operate the camera and adjust its settings on the computer screen. The user can also take images and have them transferred directly and saved onto a computer for use in Lightroom. Adjustment of exposure and other shooting settings and the shutter releases are carried out from the connected computer.

(2) Featuring the “Control Panel” to check captured image and to control camera
In addition to the features of “Tether Shooting Plug-in for Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom®” (standard version)*6, “Tether Shooting Plug-in PRO for Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom®” has Control Panel which can check captured images and to control the camera. The Control Panel PREVIEW window allows users to check transferred images in quicker than before.

The Control Panel also allows users to check shooting angles with LIVE VIEW, to set shooting conditions from computer, to operate interval/bracketing shootings and to backup/restore all the camera settings*7.

* * X-T1 and X-T2 must be upgraded to the tethering-compatible firmware (X-T1: Ver. 3.10 or later, X-T2: Ver.1.10 or later). Internet connection is required for downloading compatible firmware.
* ** Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 6 or CC is required.
* *** https://creative.adobe.com/addons/
* *4 The compatible OS is same as that of Lightroom. To use on macOS Sierra, Lightroom should be upgraded to 6.7 or later / CC 2015.7 or later.
* *5 The compatible OS is same as that of Lightroom.
* *6 The current version (Ver.1.2) of “Tether Shooting Plug-in for Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom®” (standard version) is compatible only with X-T1. X-T2 will be supported with upgraded version (Ver.1.3) or later.
* *7 Backup/restore is only compatible with X-T2.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Shutterstock adds Photoshop CC plugin

09 Sep

Shutterstock is bringing its collection of stock imagery and photography directly into Photoshop CC with a new plugin. It gives users the ability to search Shutterstock’s catalog and access their accounts within the app, as well as access previously purchased images. The plugin will also allow users to make adjustments to watermarked images, and will re-apply edits to the image once purchased.

Photographers won’t find a way to easily contribute images through the plugin, a feature that Adobe’s own Stock app supports for its contributors. But the Shutterstock plugin will no doubt appeal to designers who rely on the service and want to smooth out their workflow. The plugin is available now for Photoshop CC 2014 and 2015 Mac and PC users.

Press release

Shutterstock Launches Adobe Photoshop® Plugin: Simple Installation Enables Access to Largest Collection of Stock Images

Shutterstock brings nearly 100 million photos and illustrations direct to creative professionals’ workflow

NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Shutterstock, Inc. (NYSE: SSTK), a leading global provider of commercial imagery and music, today announced that its vast collection of high-quality photos and illustrations is now accessible within Adobe Photoshop® software through its new custom built plugin. With more than 100,000 new images added every day, the Shutterstock plugin boasts the largest collection of photos and illustrations that can be licensed directly within the Creative Cloud desktop application.

This plugin is the latest technological innovation by Shutterstock that furthers its mission to empower the world’s storytellers, providing an image experience that enables creative professionals to work smarter and faster. The first-ever Shutterstock plugin for Adobe Photoshop® software is designed to simplify the creative process, saving users time searching and downloading imagery online and enhancing productivity within the design workflow.

“This is the largest stock photography collection to ever integrate with the Adobe Photoshop® application. With this plugin we are providing creative professionals the convenience to search for and test more images than ever, directly from the editing tool they are using,” said Jon Oringer, Founder and CEO of Shutterstock. “We are bringing productivity, efficiency and inspiration to designers everywhere, through tighter integration of Shutterstock with their workflow.”

Key features of the new Shutterstock plugin include:

  • Access to Shutterstock’s fast and innovative search technology
  • Ability to edit any watermarked image for free, with those edits automatically reapplied to the image when purchased
  • Direct access to existing Shutterstock accounts, including Premier, Shutterstock’s Enterprise Platform
  • Ability to view existing lightboxes and access previously previewed and purchased images
  • Instant inspiration from Shutterstock’s curated collections
  • Everyday design essentials such as isolated images, textures, and images with room for text
  • The Shutterstock plugin works for Photoshop® CC 2014 and Photoshop® CC 2015 and it is available for Mac and PC users in English.

Learn more about this integration, as well as Shutterstock’s API here.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Plugin allows direct Instagram posting from Lightroom

21 Jun

Despite its success and millions of users, many people still think of Instagram as an image sharing platform for teenagers to post selfies and pictures of their breakfast. In reality, Instagram is full of inspiring photography as many professional photographers and talented amateurs have discovered the platform as a viable tool for promoting themselves and their work.

Problem is that, despite more and more ‘serious’ photographers using it, Instagram remains a mobile platform and posting pictures that have been taken with a non-connected camera and edited on a computer typically involves some third-party uploading tool or image transfer to a mobile device for upload. 

Now a new Lightroom plugin makes things considerably easier, at least for those users who rely on Adobe’s editing and image management software. LR/Instagram lets you post images to Instagram directly from Lightroom. Once installed you can authorize one or more Instagram accounts. Images are uploaded by dragging them into a publish collection and before you do so you can add hashtags or captions or crop your images to an aspect ratio that is supported by Instagram. By default images are auto-padded with a white border.

The plugin can be downloaded and installed for free from the LR/Instagram website but the developers ask for a $ 10 contribution via registration in the Lightroom Plugin Manager if you like the tool.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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