Edit, Process, Create

Image processing software has been around us for quite a while and their evolution was quite a rapid one. We can now say that you can do anything from a given photo. All you need are the skills and the tools to do it with.

Computerinsel has developed a software capable of enhancing and modifying your pictures. PhotoLine 32 will process your digital photos, retouch and correct them, allow you to import and export PDF images, create calendars and barcodes, create Flash and GIF animations, buttons and image maps, etc.

PhotoLine 32 comes at a price of $59 and it provides the user with the chance to process digital images just like in any other expensive software a few years ago. Indeed, it is not Photoshop or PaintShop Pro, but it belongs to the same category.

The application's array of supported formats is large enough and includes image types like PLD, PDF, TIF, BMP, GIF, JPEG, CMX, PCD, PCX, PNG, PSD, EPS, PICT, TGA, IMG, ICO, ANI, XBM, IFF, ESM, CGM, PIC, CVG, GEM and WMF. The software works both on Windows and Mac OS.

PhotoLine 32 allows the user to use layers in order to create beautiful shadow or lighting effects. And what would be an image processing software without filters and effects? The software makes available a suite of seven filters, each of them having subdivisions of their own.

Automatic is the preset version of correcting the image. The user hasn't too much to say in here and only a correction wizard lets him/her choose the desired whitepoint of the image. Everything else is done automatically by the software. You may not be content with what the program does, as it may be a little out of range. All the other filters (Sharpen, Blur, Quality, Digital Camera, Stylize and Other) allow the user to manually enter the values, so that the desired aspect is achieved.

Blur filter includes Soften, Gaussian Blur, Adaptive Soften, Motion Blur, Radial Blur and Shake. Each of them can be configured either by dragging a slider or by manually entering a value. Descreen available in Quality filter category lets you select the size, the channels and the intensity.

I must admit that the number of filter categories is quite large, but more impressive are the filters themselves that are pretty flexible in what concerns the configuration. Also, the Full Preview option comes in very handy when you want to see how changes affect the real picture.

Effects is the second thing I have looked for when I opened the software and things are interesting here too, as they are in the Filter menu. Seven effects are available here too (Frame, Effect Filters,Special Tools, Shape Tools, Distort, Effects and 3D Body). The effects categories include changes of the light, of the image itself (emboss, mosaic, drawing with its ten presets, clouds etc.), distorting the image (Shape Tools - vault, waves, make circular, distort image with image/grid, arrows, distort frame, morph, page curl, bend image).

The layers work in PhotoLine 32 as in a regular layer, including image processor and their number is limited only by the amount of memory available on your system. On the right side of the application window, near the working area, there is the Layers/Channels box that permits adding a new layer in the image, duplicating or deleting them. You can also apply masks and hide layers from view and work only with the background.

The color list contains five tabs: Color (chooses the foreground color which is - as usual - he brush color), Patterns Textures, Blends and Edit (lets you combine the RGB so that you can create your own color). Some of the tools you can work with in this software include a copy brush (a cloning tool that lets you preview the area you are going to clone). The opposite of this tool is the repairing brush that allows you to select an area and "paste" it over the mistake (it can also function as a clone tool).

Creating text layers is easy, as all you have to do is select the Text Tool in the toolbox. And if you go to the Text Settings (right click context menu) you can set the Text Options and set the text to run on one of the preset paths available (circle, circle fence, rhomb, wave, bow and their derivations).

The Good

The software is not too difficult to use, although you need a little time to adjust to the interface and the placing of the options. It has lots of features and a skilled user can create magnificent images with it.

The Bad

One thing that really annoyed me was changing the tools of the same category. The user has to keep left click pressed in order to choose a tool in the category. This way, no tooltip is available except after the selection is made.

The Truth

I liked the software as it is flexible enough and, after you adjust to its features and way of working, everything goes smoothly. PhotoLine 32 is not as flexible as other softwares, as it cannot replace the professional applications on the market, but it is a good beginning for every user that wants to test different applications to find the right one for him/her.

Here are some snapshots of the application in action: