Silkypix Developer Studio 3.0 – Review – Windows and Macintosh

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Original Review on Photo News Today on April 12, 2008

Silkypix Developer Studio 3.0
Windows & Macintosh
Silkypix Developer Studio Web Site – http://www.silkypix.com
Supported Cameras
License: $149.00
Shortcut Software (Home of Silkypix)

I have been a proponent of using RAW as a format for digital photography for quite a while now. I believe, like many others, that using RAW allows me to have the greatest opportunity to “develop” my images exactly the way I want and with the greatest amount of control.

First, before I get to the review of Silkypix, let me explain what RAW images are and why it offers the most control for a photographer. When you take an image with a digital camera, the sensor records the image, and sends the output (data bits) to an internal processor, which develops the image according to some of the camera’s settings, and then saves the image to a memory card. Once the images has gone through the processor and saved, there are only a limited amount of adjustments available using image editing programs. A RAW image comes from the sensor and bypasses the processor and is saved in a (usually proprietary) RAW format. What was once done by the processor is now available by software. Instead of getting an image, JPG or TIFF, that’s been processed by preprogrammed instructions, you make the decisions as to how the image is processed.

This is where Silkypix comes in (Silkypix is sold by Shortcut Software). Once you have saved your images on a computer and load them into Silkypix, the workflow begins. You can use Silkypix’s presets, roll your own, or some of both and you can process one image at a time or a complete batch.

I downloaded a copy and installed it on my Windows XP computer (Silkypix works with most all cameras, including the latest Nikon, Canon, Olympus, Sony, Pentax, etc. cameras). During the installation process, I noticed the EULA (End User License Agreement) states you can only install a copy of Silkypix on one computer. I take some exception to this as I would imagine others would, as abiding by the letter of the EULA, you can not install a copy on both your desktop and laptop. I sometimes travel with a laptop and process my images after I get back to the hotel. I don’t really like having to pay for two copies, when I’m only using one at a time.

Prior to using Silkypix, I took my Canon XTi out and took some images around the house, both in sun and shade. As I usually, do, I downloaded the files from the compact flash card and put them in a folder on my hard drive, using a memory card reader.

After starting Silkypix, I told it where to find my images and, using the downloaded PDF from Silkypix, worked my way through “developing” one image. Silkypix brings up a grid of thumbnails from the image/file folder. By double-clicking on a an image it enlarges to full screen (the size is adjustable), which is receommended to see the image details.

By default, the controls are on the left but can be changed, which is good, as I prefer the right side. At the top, the first control allows you to set the exposure bias. While you can adjust the exposure slightly, both above and below the centerline (the exposure of the image as stored), you cannot compensate for grossly over/under exposed images. You can, however, easily correct approcimately two stops in either direction. Silkypix requests you accompliush this prior to making any other changes and I concur. It’s far easier to see the changes in a larger image than in the thumbnail.

Following adjusting the exposure bias, there are five or six other presets to either accept or change: White Balance, Contrast, Color, Sharpness and Noise Reduction. In each of those, you can accept a default, use a pull-down to choose some other preset or use the sliders to customize the setting. Immediately adjacent to each preset is a small button, when pressed, opens a “Taste” panel. If you’ve made some custom adjustments, this taste panel allows you to save your settings as a new preset.

Once I went through the tutorial in the help file, all of this was easy to remember for the next image; I was doing each image separately to get accustomed to the settings. If you have two similar images, you can use the standard “Copy” “Paste” to copy the settings used in one image to another. Quite handy. Also, and this is where Silkypix shines, you can use the existing settings or a stored/saved setting to batch develop an entire set of images.

That’s the basics of performing RAW development. There are a few other powerful adjustments you can make including a histogram; open a white balance adjustment circle (where you can make fine changes to the white balance (there is also a white point and gray point eye dropper, if you were smart enough to include a gray card or white reference in your image batch); a tone curve tool; a highlight controller (chroma, saturation, luminance restoration and a dynamic range adjustment tool; a fine color controller; a lens aberration controller; and a rotation and digital shift tool (good for making perspective adjustments).

This is a software product I can use daily. It’s quite easy to understand the tool-set, but learning to not over-control and also learning to see your image and what it needs comes over time and use. Silkypix is easy to learn and has more power than most of us would use, but it’s there if needed. One important elemetn I need to mention is Silkypix is non-destructive. It leaves the original RAW image as it was.

Silkypix is “try before you buy” software, so you can download either a Windows® or Macintosh® version and play with it before licensing a copy. As I said in the opening of this review, my only sticking point is the “one computer per license” policy.

If you have a camera that supports RAW images, it’s to your benefit to learn how to use a RAW image tool, such as Silkypix, to take control of your processing and not rely upon the camera manufacturer’s pre-progrmmed firmware.