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ArcSoft PhotoStudio Darkroom


(3.5 out of 5)

MSRP: $99.99


This photo-editing app is easy enough for amateurs but sophisticated enough for the pros to edit RAW photos—at a price both can appreciate.

Review date: Jun 9, 2008

If you’ve already invested in a serious digital SLR camera, you might as well toss another 100 bucks toward decent photo-editing software, especially when you can get one as affordable as ArcSoft’s PhotoStudio Darkroom. One of the main advantages to DSLRs—besides lens quality—is their ability to shoot in high-information RAW format. Darkroom is well suited for those who want to take advantage of the RAW data but are inexperienced with photo editing at a more professional level. This versatile program allows for full color and exposure manipulation in a completely nondestructive format; changes are exported to a new photo file, keeping the original digital negatives intact. This isn’t new—Apple’s own iPhoto offers similar functionality—but the ease of use with ArcSoft’s software is addictive. Installation and Interface

ProsCons
  • Nondestructive image processing
  • Can save editing macros
  • Intuitive interface
  • Cheaper than RAW-compatible programs like Aperture
  • Limited tool suite
  • Doesn’t integrate well with iPhoto library
  • Lack of graphic enhancements

Read Full Review @ LaptopMag.com by Scott Stein