Issued by H&M System Software:
StudioLine Photo 2.5 - Simpler more powerful image handling for business and domestic use
Powerful, feature-rich functions for beginners and professionals
November 23, 2004 - H&M System Software announces the availability of StudioLine Photo 2.5, the latest version of its industry leading solution for the convenient and secure management, editing and presentation of digital photos.
Significant new functions include:
• GUI newly designed for clarity
• Drag & drop images on custom keyword lists
• Timeline view for Exif, file or modification date
• Sophisticated image archive filter
• New printing options, e.g., CD index and insert, greeting cards and calendars
• Dual-monitor support
• Live-Histogram
The update is free of charge for customers of version 2 and upwards. New clients may purchase StudioLine Photo 2.5 for Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP und XP/SP 2 in retail stores or online at www.studioline.net for 49.95 Euros,(£35) in the box or download it for 44 Euros, (£32). The StudioLine website also offers a 30 day demo version.
Redesigned User Interface
Designed for clarity and ease of use, this new interface is based on the familiar Windows® standards. Various organizing and editing views are now neatly 'docked' near the bottom of the left window. Users can simply move between different views (Folder view, timeline view, filtered image archive view, keyword view), the timesaving image descriptor form with custom groups and the toolbox for image enhancements, filters and effects. Views may be undocked and moved about freely to fully exploit the advantages of a second monitor.
Image Management
A "classifications" view now sorts images by keywords or categories enabling the user to set up multi-level keyword and category lists for quick organizing (e.g., family, vacation, etc.). The keywords and categories are assigned with a simple drag & drop action. Keywords are also added to IPTC properties and are included with exported images. Users can rank images on a scale from 1 to 5. Tagging images located across different folders for use in print, e-mail, CD/DVD export or web-galleries is done just as easily.
Album and their subfolder icons can also be color-coded for easy reference. The new version can display a filtered image archive view, based on one or multiple descriptions, ratings, keywords and camera tags. As in the previous version there is also a simple or advanced search form to locate images based on the content of single or multiple descriptions and tags. The timeline automatically sorts images by date - the Exif date, the file date or the last-modified date.
Presentation
The developers further enhanced the ability to share images, by including the ability to print calendars, greeting cards and jewel case front and back-covers for CDs. The new print options come complete with several ready-made templates. Additional web gallery themes for weddings, babies, etc. may be found on the StudioLine website.
StudioLine for Pros
The previous version already supported professional-grade functions, such as RAW support and extensive IPTC and Exif handling, with the ability to edit most of these image tags. The new version adds a live-histogram to immediately assess and further refine image-editing results, like the outcome of color or tone filters.
StudioLine for Protection
StudioLine 2.5 builds on the unique security concept; any changes made are stored in the StudioLine database together with the untouched original. Only at the exporting, printing, emailing or web publishing stage StudioLine applies all changes to the picture. As a result, images are securely maintained and all changes may be reversed at any time - even weeks later. StudioLine also has automatic image archive database recovery. It takes database backups and uses journaling to support forward recovery. This improves chances for a full recovery, even after a catastrophic computer glitch.
StudioLine Efficiency
As before with StudioLine, the time spent on loading images into the image archive is well invested: Users benefit from originals that always remain intact and from well-conceived mass editing of large picture sets. A click on the innovative 'Copy' button can apply names, descriptions and colour corrections to large picture sets - without the need for the user to master 'macros'.
StudioLine Photo's batch editing allows users to combine several editing steps into one - making StudioLine the leader in digital imaging productivity.
