I’m happy to announce the release of a new version (numbered 1.7.6) of the G’MIC image processing framework. As always, I encourage upgrading to this new version as soon as possible .
This version is backward-compatible with the previous one (1.7.5), meaning that all new filters added in this version have been also backported for users of the previous stable version.
EDIT: Please upgrade to next version 1.7.7, if possible, as two critical bugs have been fixed in color conversion routines RGB->HSL and RGB->HSI. Those functions return wrong results in version 1.7.6.
What is G’MIC?
G’MIC is a full-featured open-source framework for image processing. It provides several different user interfaces to convert/manipulate/filter/visualize generic image datasets, ranging from 1d scalar signals to 3d+t sequences of multi-spectral volumetric images, thus including 2d color images.
The following is the full Changelog of the version 1.7.6, as compared to the previous stable version 1.7.5.
Enjoy !
New features:
[core] Added support of CMake to build the software (cli interface, gimp plug-in and C++ library). Thanks to Andrea Ferrero (from Photoflow).
[core] The math parser now understands expression I#ind, which is equivalent to I(#ind) (access to vector-valued pixel of image ind at current processing position (x,y,z,c)).
[core/gimp] New command -retinex and associated GIMP plug-in filter Colors / Retinex apply the Multiscale Color Retinex algorithm for improving color consistency in images.
[stdlib] Command -blend_median has been recoded from scratch and is now more efficient (faster and less memory-consuming).
[core] Several optimizations have been done in the Cimg Library (base library used for the image processing routines), proposed by Ingo Weyrich and Sébastien Fourey. A big thanks to them!
[gimp] Improved preview rendering when icc profiles are used for color-management (much thanks to Andrea Ferrero for his help!).
[gimp] Filter Degradations / Pixel sort has new options for parameter Sorting criterion.
The specifics of the watermarkish thread is that watermarks are ineffective at preventing image piracy and degrade the viewing experience; they’re ugly. Take a look at the thread linked above
Is it possible for the “Tone enhance” filter to make more color spaces available? Maybe also RGB and Linear RGB?
If this is possible for the “Tone enhance” filter, then please can you also make them available for the “Sharpen [gradient]” filter and the “Sharpen [tones]” filter?
Another thing;
Can you make a filter for gradient smoothing?
Is there a chance to make these filters multiscale?
As it happens, I already have such a version of Tone enhance that I’m working on. The Bright controls have been exchanged for what I think is more useful - gamma (still per tone range). Because it’s a fairly big change I might first trial it under testing as Tone enhance 2 and ask your opinion!
The other things might have to wait a little (I’m already spending time that I shouldn’t ) but will certainly look at in future.
Edit: added Tone enhance 2 under testing > garagecoder
Colour space choice can affect the detail map (probably very small differences) so I might work on that later if it turns out to be annoying. The gamma stuff should all be OK though.
@garagecoder, thank you. Please also keep the current “Tone enhance” filter, because of the big change.
After refresh, your new filter isn’t there yet. Although I am very curious, I will wait patiently for an G’MIC server update.
edit: It is updated, so now I can test.
Description under filter “proposed update to Tone Enhance”
Again, please keep also original filter, because that is already useful. Maybe other people want also keep the functionality of original filter, so please make this filter after testing available as a new filter. Or make original functionality available within the new filter. Thank you very much.
edit2: I am very happy with this filter. Because of available color spaces, you can now see the different effects (saturation, contrast, lightness etcetera) these color spaces have, with using this filter.
edit3: These filters are also very good dehaze filters. (play with cut and normalize)
edit4:
After some testing I can say, I realy like this filter, It is nice to be able to change the gamma. I have the feeling that there are less “gradation artefacts” now you can change the gamma instead of brightness. But I miss the opportunity to set the overall brightness, so I have few wishes : Please add sliders for contrast and brightness for final editing. If it is possible (and takes not to much time, it’s no big wish) also (a) slider(s) for saturation.
What I might do is create the detail map always from RGB (otherwise it possibly has to build from one channel so not as accurate) but all adjustment will still be in the selected space.
I’m reluctant to keep both filters when they’re near duplicates, in fact I’d say the new one can do all that the old could only better. But if you’re convinced they should both exist I’ll consider
That’s probably a good idea, I think the original has an “override” forcing it to the main branch > details - if you can remove that I’ll set it in my filter file in a couple hours instead. Then when ready I’ll change the new version to be in the main branch and move the old to testing.
Also, Andy, don’t be shy, and do not hesitate to move your useful filters in the main branch when you consider they are working as expected
Regularly, I have to check the Testing/ folder to decide which filter could be moved, and this gives me some more work. I trust you enough to let you decide which filter to move by yourself
then I can customize my filters. But to programm filters by myself, will be to complicated. I think it would take years to make something useful. So thank you all to make all these things possible within G’MIC (for GIMP).
@iarga, yes you can add some brightness or contrast sliders from other gmic filters to this nice tone enhancer v2, just have a look at the third article in that serie. It’s really easy to do.
@garagecoder: nice enhancement to an already nice filter, thanks!
I started making my own filters a few years ago and they were very simple at first, but after a while, they became much more complex. I think it is worth to give it a go, even if it is something simple.
@iarga Funnily enough I do have another test filter for brightness (based on gamma to avoid clipping) and saturation so might be able to merge in, provided the filter doesn’t become too “busy”.
@David_Tschumperle Yes indeed, I’ll probably move the new “Temperature balance” in while I’m at it.
Probably a few hours before I can work on it all though. Thanks everyone!
I tested your new “tone enhance” filter with very dark and backlight pictures. Your new filter is maybe more subtle, but it doesn’t have the strong effect your original filter has. If I light the shadows with the “old” filter, the effect is strong. In your new filter there is much less lighting of the shadows.
So please keep also the old filter, because the difference is great now. So then we can choose the filter for the effect we want.
I understand that for already decent taken pictures, your new “Tone enhance” filter is more suitable, but for almost “forensic” changing very bad, dark and difficult backlight pictures, the original filter is very useful too.
edit: I played with following pictures from the Gimp Chat forum:
With this kind of pictures the original filter can almost do a miracle. Yes maybe there is clipping and maybe there are more artefacts. But when working with layers, you can nevertheless use this.
For already good pictures, your new filter is much better.
.
) but will certainly look at in future.
: Please add sliders for contrast and brightness for final editing. If it is possible (and takes not to much time, it’s no big wish) also (a) slider(s) for saturation.
. I will have a look into the tutorials made by 
