14 DAY TRIAL // Summer is finally here and I cannot think of someone who still hasn't got the slightest idea about the place where s/he is going to spend the holiday. Regardless of the destination you wish to go don't forget to take your digital camera with you so you can take tens and or maybe hundreds of photos you can later on share with your friends and family. When it comes to presenting your photo collection, you can either choose a common photo viewer like the one included in Windows or any other modern operating system, or you can add a little bit of magic to your image files by using one of the many graphic orientated software utilities available on the market nowadays.
The vast majority of graphic viewers also come with the possibility to customize your digital image collection - be it the common red-eye removal, or adding borders and shadows, there has to be something you can do with your photos. Today's topic is an easy-to-use piece of software named Batch Photo Factory developed by XQSoft. The very name of the application suggests one of its important features, namely that it can process your files in batches. This means that you can apply the same template to multiple images, without the need to manually open each of them and specify the modifications you wish to perform. This can be a great advantage for those who have to process a large number of photos as it significantly reduces the time needed for this action.
Installing Batch Photo Factory on a common personal computer is a breeze and shouldn't raise any problems, not even for users with little to almost no experience in working with computers. The application comes with a comprehensive and easy to use interface, with suggestively named menus placed on the top side of the main window. Let's have a closer look at all the features included in Batch Photo Factory.
Since it is a graphic-oriented, the first thing you need to do when working with it is, obviously, add the source image files. The application supports the most common graphic formats such as JPG, BMP, ICO, EMF, WMF, PNG, GIF and TIF so you shouldn't worry too much about it not being suitable for your needs, unless you are using an exotic and proprietary file format. As I said before, Batch Photo Factory allows you to batch process your image files, so you can either add them one by one or load an entire folder. You also have the possibility to preview the images together with all the modifications for a better management of the process. Another useful option of this application is that it displays the Exif information for the currently-selected image file.
One of the many useful features hosted by Batch Photo Factory is that it allows you to rename your image files. Renaming can be done in two ways: either you use a common base name with sequential numbers, or you can keep the original name but add a prefix. Select whichever you find most appropriate and click on the OK button.
Moving along, we find the Frame button which, as its name suggests, allows you to add frames to your photos, making them more pleasant to the viewer's eye. Batch Photo Factory provides you with numerous predefined frames, but should you not like any of them you can also create your own by clicking on the Edit button. In the Ornate Frame window that will open you can select the frame size that best suits your needs and preferences as well as a different frame picture stored on your hard disk.
One of the major disadvantages when it comes to publishing your photo collection on specialized websites is that it can easily be "borrowed" by others and presented as their own. Another useful feature of Batch Photo Factory aims to give you a helping hand in solving this problem by allowing you to watermark your images. By placing a small distinctive mark on your photos everyone will know they're yours. The Watermarks tab does just that. What's neat about it is that it supports both text and logo watermarks and you can adjust each of them, ensuring that the results will look really professional.
When it comes to stamping your images with a custom text, Batch Photo Factory hosts a couple of additional features designed to meet your needs. For example, if you're not satisfied with the text tiled on the image, you can manually place it by selecting one of the 9 preset positions, or you can choose to auto-fit it. You can also customize the font, size, alpha and angle parameters of the text and if you are not completely happy with the results you can always cancel the modifications and start over. The same goes for the logo watermark where, again, you can select your stamping image from a wide variety of file formats.
Our next stop is the Resize tab. There are cases when your image files need to be rescaled for a better management and this action can be performed within 3 mouse clicks using Batch Photo Factory. You can either select from 7 predefined values or specify the ones appropriate for your needs by typing the width and height of the output file.
Last but definitely not least we have the converting feature, which is independent of the others ones we have previously discussed, meaning that you can jump to converting the image files right after loading them. The conversion process is done in the blink of an eye by simply selecting the output file format and clicking on the Process Photos button. Additional parameters can be modified depending on the output format, i.e. if you choose JPG you can set the quality. Extra miscellaneous options can be set using the final tab of the application.
The Good
Considering the fact that I was initially looking for a photo viewer, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Batch Photo Factory is much more than that. It includes 4 applications in one single package, thus saving you the trouble of looking for additional software. Two features stand out among other advantages of using Batch Photo Factory: it allows you to batch process your image files and you can greatly adjust the appearance of your watermarks, adapting them to your requirements. Last, but not least, the Help file is very comprehensive and well-organized.
The Bad
Frankly, one of the main disadvantages of Batch Photo Factory is its price. The $39.95 you have to take out of your wallet for the registered version might seem a little too much, especially if we take into account cheaper applications. It lacks advanced options and features, such as image cropping, compression, and, why not, portability. There were some troubles running this software on Vista.
The Truth
Batch Photo Factory is, undoubtedly, worth a try. Although it doesn't come with advanced features it hosts more than enough to satisfy the average user. So, if you're not too bothered by the logo-watermark on the output files, why not take advantage of the 15-day trial period and bring your photo collection to life?
Here are some snapshots of the application in action:
