Not everyone can afford a camera made by Phase One—its professional-level medium format camera systems range from $26,000 to $56,000. But you don't need to spend that kind of money to use the company's photo software, Capture One.
The software works with raw formats from most major DSLRs—over 400 models. I've found it does a better job of converting raw camera data into well-defined images with more life-like color than any other software. With today's update, Capture One can use all tools as layers, annotations for collaboration, and performance speedups.
David Grover, Phase One's Business Support and Development Manager, emphasized that all the software's adjustment tools—exposure, color, levels, curves, and so on—can now be used in layers and as local adjustments. Other new features include Feather Mask and Refine Mask, designed to make masking more accurate. This comes in handy when you're making a mask based on a person's head, and the hair mixes with the background. Refine Mask can automatically add even individual hairs to the selection for more precision.
A new use for layers in Capture One is Styles, which are presets somewhat similar to filters like those you find in consumer photo apps such as Instagram. Using Styles in layers gives you the option to change the layer's opacity, letting you adjust the intensity of the style's effect. The same goes for Color Grading; you can even choose multiple color grade options, turning their corresponding layers on and off for comparison.
Annotations
Capture One's new annotations tool will be useful to professional photographers who need to mark up images to send to retouchers to perfect the images. Of course, anyone could use these simple drawing tools to write on top of photos as well. The tool features just a brush and an eraser, with five color choices.
It's not terribly different from a tool in Windows 10's included Photos app, which actually includes more writing-tool choices. One difference, is that the markup in Capture One can be entered as a layer in a PSD (Photoshop) file. Watermarks, too, can be added as PSD layers for export.
Performance Speedups
Opening large catalogs in the range of 10,000 images should take roughly half the time compared with version 10, said Grover. Adjustment sliders work more quickly, as well. One new capability that will help users' performance is a Duplicate Checker that works during import. This saves you from working with the same image multiple times. Finally, layered color adjustments have been reengineered for better accuracy.
Capture One is available directly from Phase One's site as a perpetual license or subscription. A perpetual license costs $299, and a subscription is $20 per month, or $180 per year. An upgrade to version 11 for existing owners of Capture One 9 or 10 costs $119.
Owners of Sony cameras capable of raw format can get a free but limited Express edition or upgrade to the full version for just $79. For more info on the updated pro photo software, or to try out a free, 30-day trial version for yourself, head to Capture One's website. Program versions are available for Windows and Macs.