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ContrastMaster Changelog

What's new in ContrastMaster 1.13

Nov 14, 2022
  • Standalone:
  • Support for the raw files of 25 new cameras based on MetaRaw 3.12
  • Installation:
  • Installation support for Photoshop Elements 2023 and Affinity Photo 2
  • The installation now deletes the registry keps that keep Photoshop Elements 2022/2023 from loading plugins that crashed 3 times.
  • Support for the MS Store version of Photoshop Elements 2022. Does not try to install into the WindowsApps folder anymore.

New in ContrastMaster 1.12 (Sep 21, 2021)

  • The "Photoshop Dark" skin style is now used by default
  • Bug Fix:
  • Some tab buttons are not blocked anymore in certain modes when using a skin. Unusable tab buttons are not displayed anymore.
  • Copying settings from one preview tab to another does not requires switching to that preview tab first anymore.
  • Standalone:
  • Support for the following new raw formats: CR3, SRW, MFW, BMQ, CINE, HDR, IA, KC2 and PXN
  • Support for the raw files of 120 new cameras based on MetaRaw 3.10
  • Bug Fix: When minimizing a maximized window two times, the controls previously vanished when displaying the window again.
  • Metaraw.dll does not require vcruntime140.dll to be installed anymore
  • Installation:
  • Installation support for newer versions of Photoshop Elements
  • The installation now deletes the registry keps that keep Photoshop Elements 2020/2021 from loading plugins that crashed 3 times.
  • Demo version:
  • The window of the demo version can now be expanded up to a size of 1680 x 1050 pixels (instead of 1024 x 768).

New in ContrastMaster 1.11b (Nov 16, 2018)

  • Affinity Photo:
  • Fixed control repositioning in Affinity Photo 1.6.4 when maximizing the window
  • Color dialogs are now displayed in Affinity Photo.
  • Standalone:
  • Support for the raw files of 35 new cameras based on MetaRaw 3.03.
  • Support for saving grayscale 8-bit images as PSD files
  • No more crash when reading the EXIF data from DNG files taken by the Huawei P20 (Pro).
  • Plugin Installer:
  • Works again under Windows XP
  • Support for the Microsoft Store version of Photoshop Elements 15

New in ContrastMaster 1.11 (Apr 24, 2018)

  • All tools can now be used if the preview zoom is 200% or higher
  • Bug Fix: The preview coordinates on the Info tab sheet are displayed correctly if the preview zoom is 200% or higher
  • Plugin:
  • Plugin Installer:
  • Supports the Microsoft Store version of Photoshop Elements 2018
  • Standalone:
  • Support for the raw files of 70 new cameras based on MetaRaw 3.01.
  • Bug Fix: Saving PNG files works again
  • Installation:
  • Bug Fix: The External Editor Installer previously crashed on some systems. This should not happen anymore.

New in ContrastMaster 1.10c (Oct 24, 2017)

  • Scrolling the preview with a maximized window on a 4K screen now works fluently. It also works faster on Full HD screens.
  • Plugin:
  • Affinity Photo Fixes: Bug Fix: No more crash when applying the plugin a second time to a 16-bit/channel image.
  • Bug Fix: When opening the maximized plugin window for the second time, the controls do not vanish anymore.
  • Plugin Installer:
  • Support for Paint Shop Pro 2018
  • Support for Corel Draw & Photo-Paint 2017
  • Fixed support for Corel Draw & Photo-Paint X5 and older
  • The Add Folder button now asks if you want to install the 64-bit versions of the plugins in the new folder. Previously the 32-bit plugins were automatically installed in the new folder.
  • Standalone:
  • Support for the raw files of 200 new cameras based on MetaRaw 2.54.
  • Support for the 16-bit PSD files created by ON1 Photo Raw, ON1 Photo 10 and OnOne Perfect PhotoSuite 9. Previously these files were displayed distorted. Now you can pass images from ON1 to the standalone as 16-bit per channel PSD files.
  • Bug Fix: The standalones do not produce TIFF files with empty IPTC meta data anymore, which are not supported by Lightroom.
  • The manual now includes instructions on using it in ACDSee, AfterShot Pro, Capture One, DxO Optics, Exposure, ON1 Photo RAW and Raw Therapee.
  • External Editor Installer: Support for Exposure X3

New in ContrastMaster 1.10 (Sep 6, 2017)

  • "The Plugin Site" sub menu does not appear at the top of the Filter menu anymore, because the leading space character was removed.
  • Bug Fix: No more error message or crash when running the plugin on images larger than 2 GB, but it is not possible to process such large images by clicking OK.
  • Standalone/Lightroom Version:
  • Support for the raw files of 38 new cameras based on MetaRaw 2.07.
  • Bug Fix: The automatic image rotation previously produced strange results for 180 degree rotated JPEG, TIFF and PSD images.
  • Bug Fix: The EXIF orientation item was previously not adjusted when saving JPEG files, which resulted in wrong rotation when opening the saved file again.

New in ContrastMaster 1.09 (May 18, 2016)

  • Support for HiDPI:
  • The Standalone/Lightroom versions do not show a scaled up UI by default anymore.
  • The UI-Scaling-Preview-Cutoff problem in Photoshop CC 2014/2015 and Photoshop Elements 13/14 was fixed. However, the Soft Proof effect is not visible in the preview anymore if UI Scaling is active.
  • Histogram display was fixed
  • The positions of some control were readjusted for high dpi settings.
  • Larger cursors and program icon
  • Standalone Bug Fix: When saving to a path, which contained a dot character, and the entered file name contained no extension, the file was previously saved to the wrong folder with a wrong file name.
  • Double clicking the hand tool activates Fit zoom.
  • Double clicking the split view tool deactivates the Split View feature.
  • Improved installation:
  • Three less clicks are necessary, because the language, start menu and ready pages are not displayed anymore.
  • There are no separate Start menu folders and desktop icons added for different versions anymore. So better uninstall previous and demo versions before installing new/full versions.
  • Under Windows 8 & 10 there are even less icons with better names installed on the All Apps section of the Start menu to avoid clutter.
  • Please uninstall from the Control Panel as the uninstall icon is not added to the Start menu anymore.
  • Plugin Installer supports HiDPI

New in ContrastMaster 1.05 (Sep 23, 2010)

  • Standalone and Lightroom versions of ContrastMaster are now available. Both can open multiple images and support images with 8-bit and 16-bit/channel.
  • The Lightroom version can be used as an external editor in Adobe Lightroom 1, 2 and 3.
  • The Standalone version is a program that runs on its own. It offers a batch processing feature and opens the following image formats: Camera RAW (including DNG), JPEG, TIFF, PSD, PNG, BMP, TGA, PCD, PCX, WMF. It can save JPEG, TIFF, PSD and PNG files.
  • Selections are shown in the preview. This means that the effect is not applied to pixels outside the selection in the preview.
  • Please move your self-saved presets to the Presets sub folder at the following location to make them appear on the arrow-down menu:
  • 2000/XP:
  • c:\Documents and Settings\\Application Data\ThePluginSite\ContrastMaster\
  • Vista/7:
  • c:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\ThePluginSite\ContrastMaster\
  • To avoids write permission conflicts the .ini, preset and log files are now saved in this folder.
  • To unify the UI of all PhotoWiz plugins the following changes were made:
  • New maximize and exit buttons on the title bar. When maximizing the window the task bar is respected. When clicking the maximize button again the normal window size correctly is restored. Double clicking the titlebar logo does not maximize the window anymore.
  • New Instant Preview check box that makes the sliders react instantly. It is activated by default. No cursor flicker anymore when moving sliders with Instant Preview activated.
  • New key shortcuts: H/Space for the hand tool, M for the sample area tool, I for the eyedropper and S for the splitdrag tool, + and - for zooming, R for reset. If the input focus is on an edit or combo box, you need to additionally hold down the Alt key to make the shortcut work.
  • Double clicking the label of a slider resets it to its default value.
  • No cursor flicker anymore when moving sliders with Instant Preview activated.
  • The Reset button now deactivates the Show Blown Highlights check box.
  • On the Info tab sheet only 8-bit pixel values are shown (even for 16-bit images).
  • Under Vista and 7 the height of the sliders is slightly larger to avoid cuting off the arrows buttons.
  • The "Auto Preview" check box was renamed to "Preview".
  • The "Multiple" check box was renamed to "Multi"
  • "Deactivate Multiprocessor Support" was renamed to "Multi-CPU Off".
  • If you change something on the Prefs tab sheet and press Cancel, all settings are saved. Previously you needed to press OK to save changes on the Prefs tab sheet, which meant that you would need to apply the effect to the image even if you did not want that.
  • The rendering time is measured more accurately.
  • Bug Fix: Deinstalling the demo version after the full version was already installed, causes no problems for the full version anymore.
  • All files are now installed in the "The Plugin Site" sub folder of the Program Files folder by default. Additionally "The Plugin Site" sub menu of the Start menu is now used for installation items.
  • Support for silent installation: If you run the installer with the /silent or /verysilent command line parameter, the installation will run automatically and require no click. Plugin Installer will then automatically install the plugin in every supported application that it can find.
  • Plugin Installer supports more applications, e.g. Sagelight and Fireworks CS2 to CS5, and displays less options during installation.

New in ContrastMaster 1.04 (Jan 29, 2010)

  • The histogram is now only calculated if the Histo tab sheet is displayed. This makes the preview update faster especially when the ContrastMaster window is maximized.
  • The dialog layout was brought in line with the other PhotoWiz products: The default window width is now 800 instead of 806 pixel. Aditionally the controls were moved by a few pixels.
  • New sizing grip in the right bottom corner.
  • Bug Fix: A crash (e.g. when resizing the window) does not occur anymore.
  • Bug Fix: Opening a preset from the menu list disabled the Open Preset and Save Preset options
  • Bug Fix: Occasional mess-up of the controls should be fixed now.
  • Bug Fix: The HTML manual now displays correctly for the 64-bit version