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ACDSee releases free beta of Gemstone, its brand-new Photoshop competitor

08 Jul

ACD Systems, the maker of image software like Photo Studio and Photo Editor, has launched a free beta version of its all-new photo editing software, Gemstone.

Gemstone is a new standalone multi-document interface, similar to Adobe Photoshop. Gemstone features a layered image editor and up-to-date RAW image support. Gemstone will include a combination of all-new features and familiar features from ACDSee’s Photo Studio and Editor products, including:

Light EQ
Frequenty Separation
Path text
Pixel Targeting
Color Wheels
Tone Wheels
Liquify Tool

Beyond these features, Gemstone offers full RAW development support for more than 500 camera models. The multi-document interface (MDI) allows users to have multiple documents open simultaneously and supports split view. Images can be edited across multiple layers, allowing users to perform complex adjustments and add layered effects within a non-destructive workflow.

Gemstone can work with RAW images from more than 500 cameras. Credit: ACDSee

‘We are expecting tens of thousands of users to try Gemstone and provide input. Gemstone is complete with a multi-document interface, layered editor, and RAW support. We are excited to share what we have built so far, and what is to come,’ said Frankl Lin, COO and CTO at ACD Systems.

The Gemstone beta is available now for free. You can download the beta by signing up here. To run Gemstone, you must be using Windows and have an Intel or AMD processor with 64-bit support. 4GB of RAM is required, although 8GB is recommended. You must have a DirectX 10 compatible graphics adapter. For the full list of system requirements, visit the Gemstone product page. ACDSee expects the full Gemstone product to release this fall.

ACDSee has published numerous videos providing an overview of Gemstone, which can be seen below.

Alongside product overview videos, ACDSee has published a Gemstone beta review with professional photographer Alec Watson. In Watson’s review, you get a great look at Gemstone’s user interface, layers, RAW editor, and more. You can even see Watson use a sharpening adjustment layer, something not available in Photoshop. He calls Gemstone ‘super easy to use’ and gives it a thumbs up.

That is, of course, just one photographer’s opinion in a video published by the manufacturer. If you want to try Gemstone for yourself, visit ACDSee.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Sony Announces Brand-New, Ultra-Wide, 12-24mm f/2.8 Lens

14 Jul

The post Sony Announces Brand-New, Ultra-Wide, 12-24mm f/2.8 Lens appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

dps news sony 12-24mm f/2.8 lens announcement

Sony has officially announced its FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM lens, which is impressively wide, and offers a very fast aperture for such a wide-angle zoom.

While Sony did release a 12-24mm zoom back in 2017, it packed an f/4 maximum aperture, which just doesn’t offer the same low-light utility as a wide-angle f/2.8.

But now, with the new 12-24mm f/2.8, Sony shooters have the opportunity to work with an ultra-fast wide-angle lens, which is perfect for any sort of night photography, and astrophotography in particular.

In terms of the lens’s specs:

A lens offering a maximum f/2.8 aperture is bound to be somewhat large, but Sony has kept both the size and the weight fairly reasonable:

5.5 in (137mm) long, 29.9 oz (847 g) heavy.

This means that landscape photographers and travel shooters won’t have too much trouble carrying the 12-24mm f/2.8 around in their bag.

The lens comes with a permanent hood, and the front element is unsurprisingly big, which means you won’t be able to use standard filters. However, Sony has designed the lens with a rear filter mount, which allows photographers to work with cut gel filters.

As for the optics:

Given that this is a GM lens, you can expect quite a lot, and early reviews seem to bear this out. The Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 is incredibly sharp, in the centers to the corners, both wide-open and stopped down.

Now, if you’re in need of a fast wide-angle zoom, you have two main options:

The new Sony 12-24mm f/2.8.

Or the Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM, which is a very impressive lens in its own right.

Ultimately, picking between these lenses will come down to personal choice, but the extra 2 mm on the wide end can be pretty significant, especially for landscape and astrophotographers.

That said, while the Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 is a truly excellent new piece of glass, the cost ensures that only the most serious of photographers will be able to add it to their bags.

It’ll ship in mid-August with a starting price of around $ 3000 USD.

Bottom line:

If you’re looking for a pro-level, fast, wide-angle lens for landscape photography, then this is going to be a good option, assuming you can afford the price.

The post Sony Announces Brand-New, Ultra-Wide, 12-24mm f/2.8 Lens appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.