Latest Posts

New Processing Engine for a Huge Step Up in Image Quality

Capture One Pro 7 comes with a whole new processing engine that will improve the image quality of your captures compared to using Capture One 6 on a number of parameters:

  • More precise definition of fine detail
  • Highly improved recovery of detail and color near data clipping in the highlights
  • Much stronger ability to recover both deep shadow detail and highlight detail within the same image
  • Highly improved noise reduction especially for high ISO images
  • New Clarity tool for boosting landscape images or enhancing skin tones in portraits
  • More precise and flexible Local Adjustments tool.

Capture One Pro 7 has the ability to render all those images you have already worked on in Capture One 6 exactly as they were processed in Capture One 6 but you can also have them upgraded and rendered using the new processing engine.

Left image is the raw file without any adjustments. Center image has been optimized in Capture One 6.  Right image has been optimized in Capture One Pro 7 with the new optimized High Dynamic Range tool and the Clarity tool.  Notice how much more detail Capture One Pro 7 has pulled out of the dark foreground and the more dramatic sky.
 

When working in a Session, you can simply browse to any folder with images.  If the images have already been rendered in Capture One 6, then Capture One Pro 7 will render them exactly like version 6. In the Color Tool Tab in the Base Characteristics Tool we have added the version number of the processing engine.

The Base Characteristics tool.  Here you can see the current processing engine being used for the selected image. You will also see an upgrade button that will upgrade the processing engine to version 7 and convert all settings to Capture One Pro 7 settings.
 

If you work in a Catalog, you need to import your images.  If you have already worked on the images in Capture One 6 and you want to import them to Capture One Pro 7 with all the existing adjustments then choose “Use Existing Adjustments” in the Importer tool as shown below.

The Importer tool.  Choose “Include Existing Adjustments” to ensure that the images will be rendered exactly like as when they were adjusted in version 6.
 

All new images will be rendered using the Capture One 7 engine by default.  This is also the case if you create a new variant of an image using the version 6 engine.  A new variant can be created by right clicking on the thumbnail of the image and selecting “New Variant”

Upgrading an image from version 6 to version 7:

If you work on images with adjustments from Capture One 6, you can upgrade the processing engine to Capture One Pro 7. In the base characteristics tool, you will also find the “Upgrade” button that will upgrade all your selected images.

Not all image adjustments can be 100% transformed to the new version 7 engine.  When you upgrade an image the different settings will be converted to create an image that comes as close as possible to the look you had created using the version 6 engine. However, as some of the tools have been improved from version 6 to version 7, it may not be possible to create a 100% match.

Please note that you cannot “undo” an upgrade so if you want to make sure not to lose a special look created with the Capture One 6 engine you can:

  1. Clone the variant. This will give you a virtual copy with exact the same settings and including the processing engine version.
  2. Then upgrade the new variant leaving you with two variants of the image based on the two different processing engines.

You can then compare the quality of the version 6 processing engine with the version 7 processing engine side by side and fine-tune the upgraded version if needed. It won’t take long until you’ll notice the great improvements in the new processing engine.

As mentioned, not all adjustments from version 6 can be converted to a 100% match in version 7 as many tools have been improved. The improved adjustment tools are:

  • Contrast from the Exposure tool
  • Highlight and shadow from the High Dynamic Range tool
  • Clarity settings
  • The noise reduction parameters in the Noise and Advanced Noise tool.

All the best,

Niels,

You can download the free 60 days trial of Capture One Pro 7 here

You can learn more about Capture One Pro 7 here

Sign up for the webinar

Highlights and Shadows at Loch Harport

I am not sure if I have the correct workflow, but it seems to work well for me. My approach is to expose for the highlights and let Capture One bring out the shadows.

Now, up front I have to emphasise that there is a problem with this technique, and that problem lies in the shadow areas. If I am underexposing my image to ensure the sky doesn’t clip (isn’t overexposed), then darker areas in the image might be receiving very little exposure. This isn’t necessarily a problem if I want to leave these areas dark in the final rendition, but if I want to lighten them, then the really dark areas may lack the quality I desire if I lighten them too much.

However, when using a medium format digital back with a wide dynamic range, I find that I can comfortably lighten up the shadows without too many problems, most of the time.

This would not necessarily be the case with a DSLR camera which has a narrower dynamic range. If using a DSLR, I would be better off bracketing my exposures and using a better exposure to lighten up the dark areas. I also bracket with my medium format back as well, as insurance, but I find I don’t need the lighter file very often.

This photograph of a dingy in Loch Harport on the Isle of Skye is a case in point. The original exposure is very dark in the foreground, but the sky is just about right. The camera wanted to give the image a little more exposure, but I used the exposure override to keep the histogram under control. I am always looking at my histogram for this type of work.

Using a Local Adjustment, I brushed in the foreground and lightened it. At this size and looking at a low resolution file, it shouldn’t look too bad. There’s lots of detail to be found and, as I still want to keep some blacks in this area, I’m comfortable with the result. However, as noted above, I could possibly improve the quality of this area by using another exposure which better accommodated the shadow areas, and stripping it in. But that’s a lot of work unless I plan to turn the image into an exhibition print. For book reproduction (where this image was used), the current workflow approach is more than adequate.

The late afternoon light was relatively colourless, so I added in a second Local Adjustment and helped the dingy out with a little more colour. I generally don’t change the colours that are already there, finding that an increase in colour saturation is often enough, but for the dingy I preferred the result when I also warmed up the hue. Bringing out the yellows and reds helps.

Warm colours come forward, cool colours recede, so I added in a third Local Adjustment and made the water and clouds a little blue. This adds to the mood a little and removes a little bit of the murkiness, plus creates more of a separation between the dingy and its background.

And the final step, as shown in the opening photo, was to add one more Local Adjustment and lighten up the dingy itself, giving it a subtle ‘spot light’.

Peter Eastway is a professional photographer and photography magazine editor based in Sydney, Australia. To see more of his photography, visit www.petereastway.com. Peter also offers an online Landscape Photography MasterClass. It contains articles and videos, outlining his camera and post-production techniques. Details can be found at www.betterphotography.com.

Sign up for the webinar

A Shortcut to the Ultimate Image Quality

Capture One has a multitude of keyboard shortcuts that can facilitate fast navigation around the software. These normally perform functions that would otherwise have to be done with the mouse or by selecting menu items. Shortcut keys can be a real time saver in day to day use of the software and spending time to learn them or create your own set can be very worthwhile.

Editing keyboard shortcuts

Capture One comes with a default set of keyboard shortcuts, however, you may wish to edit these shortcuts to fit with your own familiarity of shortcut keys. This is easily achieved in the Keyboard Shortcuts editor.

Within Capture One, go to Capture One>Edit Keyboard Shortcuts and the following menu will appear:

Begin by Duplicating the current set of shortcuts as the Default set cannot be edited.

Choose a name for the new Shortcut set, and now you can begin to edit the available shortcuts.

Just expand a subsection of shortcuts and double click on the shortcut you want to edit.

Then, simply press the desired keyboard shortcut. If the new shortcut is currently in use by another action, a warning is displayed at the bottom of the menu, but the selection of this new shortcut is not prevented.

Press Enter on the keyboardto save the shortcut.

If you want to change back to the default set, simply choose Default from the drop down menu.

Sign up for the webinar

Working the Workspace

NOTE: This article discusses an outdated version of Capture One. To learn more about our latest version, click here.

Workspaces in Capture One are an easy way to customise the interface so that it makes the most sense to you.  This could include elements such as:

–  Making your favourite tools easily accessible

–  Changing the layout and content of the toolbar

–  Making different workspaces for different tasks (Importing, Editing, Shooting, Focus Checking)

By streamlining the interface, your favorite functions and options can be found quickly and easily.  Different tasks will also require focus on different parts of the software.  For example, whilst selecting images from a shoot, it is not necessary to have the Tools on display, thereby creating more screen real estate for image viewing.

Building and Saving a Workspace

The default workspace in Capture One Pro 6 looks like this:

Many elements of the Workspace can be changed – among others:

–  Contents of the Toolbar

–  Adding / Removing Tools from a Tool Tab

–  Changing the position of Tools in a Tool Tab

–  Adding / Removing Tool Tabs or Creating Custom Tools Tabs

–  Creating floating windows

–  Position of the Browser and Tools

Customizing the Toolbar

Right-Click on the Toolbar and choose Customize Toolbar.

This will bring up the following menu:

Then you can simply drag and drop the required icons from the available selection into the toolbar to match your needs.

Customizing Tool Tabs

To add a new Tool Tab to the interface, right-click on the Tool Tab Area and choose Add Tool Tab.  A list of the Tool Tabs that have not yet been added will be shown in the menu.

Choose one of the available ones and it will be added to the Tool Tab area.

Note – the Tool Tab area can also be increased or decreased in size by click dragging on the edge of the Tool Area.

You can also change the order of the Tool Tabs to fit your unique workflow. Just Cmd-click and drag the icons to change the order of the Tool Tabs. If you want to add a tool to the currently open Tool Tab, you can Right-Click on the Tool Tab itself and choose Add Tool.

Finally, when you are happy with your new Workspace, choose Window>Workspace>Save Workspace.

The Workspaces can be accessed from the same menu or by using the Workspace icon on the toolbar.

Sign up for the webinar