@Eigil_Skovgaard
In the file browser, if you highlight a picture then press control ‘I’ it goes into inspector mode where it displays an enlarged view of the embedded jpg of the raw file. You can adjust layout just by grabbing at edges and you can scroll through the images to look at them using arrow keys. I found this an easy way to preview images. Is this the sort of thing you were looking for? If so, then that might make it 3/5 for you…
@jonathanBieler
I think you already can rotate elipses and rectangles, it is under the area controls.
Inspector mode is really nice…nice that you can have the histogram inlaid and focus mask and throw a couple of quick curves at it to see how the overall image is tonally…its a nice little viewer…
@jonathanBieler
I am not saying that it is impossible to rotate the RT-spot, but it seems difficult to me.
But why?
Probably the easiest problem to solve is the GUI
But the big problem is the algorithm. All is in “iplocallab.cc”
Briefly when I designed this algorithm about 5 years ago, the following principles were put in place (simplified)
for a majority of processes (color and light, exposure…), the part of the image constituted by the center rectangle (the reference circle), and delimited by the 4 delimiters (top, bottom, left, right) is used to calculate the functions (Tone mapping, Exposure, etc.), even if we use ellipses…(or perhaps one day “polygons”, “Beziers curves”, …)
in some cases (Denoise, inverse) the calculation uses the whole image (pipeline problem), but only in preview mode. Knowing that then the deltaE and transitions algos will start working from the previous rectangle.
the algorithm must take into account the position of the rectangle, globally inside the image or distributed between the image and imaginary positions
etc.
Then, we apply the transitions (this will be one of the major problems to deal with…) according to the shape of the RT-spot and the deltaE (for example with “transit_shapedetect2” - in iplocallab.cc, it’s one of 5 or 6 functions to to address this problem)
Ingo @heckflosse has worked hard to optimise these processes, to process only the part of the RT-spot within the whole image.
So if we rotate the Spot what happens to the rectangle and all the algorithms that process only a part of the image … In fact almost all “iplocallab.cc” is to review …
Of course, there is no reason why the problem should not be addressed, but the difficulties will be significant.
But I am ready, when 5.9 is released, to help those who wish to start.
That presentation of the embedded JPG may serve others, but in my case I want to compare the current state of the edited raw file with earlier versions of the same raw file - now in the shape of TIFs - in a quick sliding show.
Further, I am missing a couple of functions/tools from RT - the Capture Sharpening with the Contrast threshold slider, the Highlight compression under Exposure (though the Tone Equalizer isn’t bad), the HSV Equalizer, an a few more where I think RT has the intuitive navigation better.
So my verdict is more like I got 1.5 of my 5 wishes.
This is further due to the fact, that with the dev version of ART I have installed on the desktop, the generating of thumb nails is very slow.
If I could take the Local Editing section, and the Perspective Correction from ART and move it to RT and keep RT’s sliders for vertical and horizontal shift - I would do that. I would also find more generally accepted terms for the masking brush and absolutely include the very important straight line shift-key-combination. The Alt-key could be used to switch between paint and delete.
With this 3 of 5 would be fulfilled.
The last 2 wishes would be a slider function in the File Browser showing the largest possible image of the - current state - of all images, raws as well as jpgs and tifs.
This would make it unnecessary for users to load tifs or jpgs into the Editor for the only purpose of being presented for a larger image, while they had no intention of changing anything. Then the arrows in the bottom of the Editor could be removed, and the strange mix of browser and editor functionality would leave the design.
Alberto, the author of ART is an amazing guy and he always seems to address user comments and where possible fix or include features within reason or the scope of the project so I am going to loop him in here as a few of the most recent comments in the thread relate to issues around functionality in ART and he may have comments or feedback for you.
Thanks Alberto, I think @Eigil_Skovgaard is trying to evaluate ART vs RT for his workflow and I just wanted him to have your contact should he have further queries…thanks as always for being so generous…
Would you please take a look at the two images below.
The first one shows the effect of Shadow lifting on a part of the shadow site of an old church (not that the lift is necessary in this case - but for the sake of the example). The arrows are showing the difference the adjustment makes to a similar shadow area.
Though the mask adapt somewhat to the nearest edge (difference in contrast) - it would be very helpful with a “straight line function” for architectural objects - as explained earlier in this dialog. The common way is to use the shift key and the left mouse button as follows:
a. Point the mouse at the starting point A and press Left-click.
b. Move the mouse to the end point B and press Shift+Left-click.
Effect: The space between A and B is masked in a straight line limited to the size of the brush/pencil etc.
Such a function is an incredible time saver when masking along straight lines is dominant.
As you use the Shift key to alter the painting mode to erase mode, you could consider using Alt in stead for this purpose - and thus free Shift.
You may also consider, if the slider named Transparency (the correct technical term of course) actually should be named “Strength” and work from left to right, as the strength (effect) of the mask is decided here.
Please forgive me, if I have overlooked functionality that actually cover these items.
if you need such regular structure I would suggest to take a look at Area Masks, that let you define polygonal shapes easily, rather than using a brush. Did you try that?
No, I mean something like this, which is not a “quick” mask but impossible to make without the straight line function. This is an extreme example, but there exist an infinite number of situations with this combination of irregular shapes and straight lines.
This was to find the right color combination in advance.
The general mask was not completed in details - as the primary purpose was to isolate the bike from the background and then test with different color combinations.
This mask could have been made in Adobe Camera Raw and Lightroom and Capture One, which all have a masking brush with a a straight line function. And to your pleasant information - Micro, they are all raw editors. Oh, sorry - “Mica”.
@Eigil_Skovgaard This has nothing to do with back pedaling. To be able to do what you request is simply not a feature that belongs in a raw processor imho.
And if this has turned into a discussion of how to use a certain feature in ART, please use another thread for that.
Edit to add: The purpose of the raw engine (in RT) is to optimally process photographs from raw data to either 1) something you like as an end product, or 2) can be used - without loss of fidelity - in another software for post-processing. The raw engine never intends do something that has colloquially become known as “photoshopping”
Not at all my friend. You fail to realize that the development of RT is achieved by dedicated people who don’t get paid for their work. They do it for the pleasure of creating a RAW editor that is second to none when it comes to extracting the best from RAW files. Obviously you think so too or you wouldn’t be so keen on using it.
Unless someone pays real money for the extensive development of these features you seek, then I say wishful thinking.
Accept RT for what it is and use whatever other software you need to in order to do the things that RT can’t.
