One of the primary frustrations of many professional photographers, designers, and illustrators in the digital realm seems to be color consistency. While there are quite a few software and hardware calibration tools available today, coordinating all of your hardware so that they’re all on the same page can seem like a shot in the dark. With the Spyder3- Studio SR package, this task just got a whole lot easier (and more accurate).

Datacolor presents the product in a beautiful package and storage case, which, in most instances, would be a worrisome sign; however, it’s appropriate. The Spyder3Studio SR includes everything you’ll need to properly calibrate everything in most design studios. One standout and well-thought-out feature is the ability to adhere the display sensor to the monitor, either by suction cup or counterweight, so it rests on the screen.

The Spyder3Elite software monitors your ambient lighting conditions and reminds you to recalibrate your display. The cables, software, cradle, storage pouch, cleaning cloth, and Pelican-style mini-briefcase are all included. Setup is surprisingly easy and screen calibration is complete within 5 minutes thanks to a step-by-step assistant or an advanced method in the software. The entire calibration process of the devices takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish.

Starting with the display, the software takes you easily through the process with a user-friendly interface after selecting the type of display (there’s even a laptop option). After launching the Spyder3Elite application and selecting your method of calibration, you have the option to either recheck your current settings or recalibrate your color pro le. Once you select that, a white box appears with an image of the sensor to ensure proper placement of
the device on your screen. Click Continue and wait a few moments for the software to work. It’s magic and that’s it. You can toggle between the before and after once the process is complete as well. Your “previous,” “current,” and “target” levels display to complete the process. For best results, calibration should take place after your monitor is turned on for 20–30 minutes.

Calibrating a printer is a matter of connecting the Spectrocolorimeter directly to a USB port on your computer and launching the Spyder3Print SR software. (Note: USB hubs used in this test didn’t recognize the device.) Again, simple navigation through a clean interface allows for easy page setup via your operating system, as well as more helpful information about color management and the use of the Sypder3Studio SR package.

Before calibration, there are options to check print quality and media settings. Select your target mode, place the calibration tool on its cradle for white balance, and run your tests. The results, like the display calibration, are accurate and the print quality is excellent. Running the calibration twice may help provide best results and a basis for comparison.

The SpyderCube is simple and has white, gray, and black zones along with a chrome ball to analyze specular highlights. Think of it as a gray card on steroids. Shooting the properly situated SpyderCube in RAW mode under your desired lighting conditions and opening the image in your editing software allows for easy calibration using the eyedropper tools. The SpyderCube includes its own storage pouch and makes an impressive difference—especially when shooting for product photography and on full white or black backgrounds.

Company: Datacolor
Price: $599
Web: www.datacolor.com
Rating: 5

Burning CDs and DVDs is built into most operating systems, so it amazes me that the value for this product remains. With the tenth version of Toast sporting tremendous updates, improvements, and revisions, Roxio continues to provide more than just a better burning option. Having reviewed every version over the years, I’m still impressed because with each version Roxio bundles even more tools for a very well-rounded suite for burning and archiving your media.

Roxio is moving forward and responding to the new formats, technologies, and the demands of their customers. According to Vito Salvaggio, Sonic Solutions V.P. of Consumer Products, “We want to make sure that, as consumer usage patterns change and evolve, our product evolves with [them].” It was an expected pleasure to find support for the newer AVCHD video archive type (used by newer models of HD camcorders) and that things such as Disc Cover and CD Spin Doctor are still there, too.

The Toast 10 Titanium Pro package includes versions of SoundSoap (noise-reduction audio software); FotoMagico (HD image presentations); LightZone (image editing); Streamer (content streaming to iPods, iPhones, and other mobile devices); and Sonicfire Pro (soundtrack editing for video), plus support for Blu-ray and high-definition authoring. Salvaggio continues, “We asked ourselves, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we could move the entire contents of the camcorder to a pristine archive?’ so you can archive and back up your [video] in its original high-def quality.” The answer is, indeed, yes.

Is Toast a necessity? If you find yourself doing a lot of archiving, video, and duplication of media (including iPods, iPhones, and external drives), then the answer is, again, yes. Toast 10 will save you a lot of steps and expenses with great results.—Daniel M. East

Company: Roxio
Price: $149.99
Web: www.roxio.com
Rating: 5

Hot: Full-featured; easy to use; superior to OS disc burning
Not:

There are quite a few plug-ins, tricks, and techniques for creating smoother skin in portrait images, but finding that “just-right” method for your most-frequent corrections can become a time-consuming and costly endeavor if it’s all trial and error. With Imagenomic Portraiture 2, there’s a balance of smoothness and color to the output. While it can do more than just correct images, it can be overkill if not used judiciously.

There’s a lot of improvement in the new version that jumps right out at you, starting with a vastly improved user interface. The performance was also appreciably improved over version 1, and the addition of unlimited user presets saves a lot of time in the fine-tuning. The factory presets, however, should really be a jumping off point—particularly when used with smaller and lower-resolution images—and seem to have a cooler colorcast. Another wonderful, yet simple improvement is that Portraiture 2 now generates a new layer in Photoshop, saving steps.

Clearly, Imagenomic has taken note of what their end users are asking for and made some major enhancements to an already fine product. As always, the results tell the story, but Portraiture 2 is now more intuitive, easier to navigate, and better performing than ever.—Daniel M. East

Company: Imagenomic, LLC
Price: $199.95
Web: www.imagenomic.com
Rating: 4

Hot: Great results; big improvements; performance
Not: Presets can be harsh for certain image sizes

Having reviewed SmartSound products for nearly seven years now, the question was, “How has Sonicfire improved and at what cost?” Sonicfire Pro 5 has come a long way and the essence of what it does is simple. You take your video footage and add soundtracks for mood, emotion, or just to set the stage for what might happen next. By current standards, this product does much more than Apple’s iMovie or pasting your favorite song from iTunes into your video-editing software of choice. These are the audible elements that you need to create a sense of the moment on your screen, making you feel like you’re conducting rather than just placing music.

For example, imagine the difference between the miscellaneous chatter of “so nice to see you” and “thanks for coming” in footage of a wedding receiving line compared to beautiful stereo background music that’s fully orchestrated, set by your arrangement for full or partial instrumentation, and timed perfectly for this scene. By opening a video file, you can add your own audio, or one of the titles available, quickly and easily. The music libraries available are extensive and offer every conceivable style of music with excellent sound quality.

With features such as Mood Mapping to control your arrangements, adjustable tempo and pitch, and an intuitive interface, Sonicfire helps the subject matter convey the emotion of the moment. What you can do with the catalog of music that’s available on disk or for purchase via download is only limited by your time. And like previous versions, you may find yourself having fun and playing with all the options. Sonicfire Pro 5 can be the difference between making videos and producing films.—Daniel M. East

Company: SmartSound Software, Inc.
Price: $99.95
Web: www. smartsound.com
Rating: 5

Hot: Fun; easy; feature-rich; good value for price
Not:

Colorizing old photographs has come a long way, and AKVIS has six versions of this software to prove it. Coloriage V.6.0 is another step in the right direction for image professionals who want great results in Photoshop (or from a standalone application), as it brings a little more performance and slightly better results than previous editions. It also adds support for EXIF and IPTC data as well as a new manual correction brush (Recolor Brush). I would, however, like to see the addition of more automated functions, such as a “magic wand” type selection tool with feather adjustment control.

Starting with an old Kodak T-MAX 400 35mm portrait image for this test, the idea was to start with the skin tones, but I found that starting with the eyes was more effective in order to see the contrast to the skin tone and to avoid oversaturation. Categories that include People, Glass, and Wood help make selections more appropriate to the subject. The AKVIS standard interface layout is clean and easy to navigate. Once you outline each portion to identify what elements receive color, hand correction is simple. Manual lines and erasing tools are there, along with multiple undos. Clicking on each tool also allows diameter adjustments, so accuracy is excellent. Your output appears (when applied in Photoshop) on its own layer as well.

Coloriage is a very good colorization tool that has a lot of features for its price. (It’s a bit steep for what can be done manually in Photoshop but it can save you time.) If you need to bring color to your memories, or you want to recolor current ones, AKVIS has a fine solution.—Daniel M. East

Company: AKVIS Software Inc.
Price: $97 (Home); $246 (Business)
Web: http://akvis.com
Rating: 4

Hot: Good colorizing; simple interface; EXIF data support
Not: No auto-color or “magic wand” selection tool

You may ask, “Why is third-party software necessary to simply burn CDs and DVDs?” For Roxio, there always seems to be more features that go beyond the burn. Toast 9 Titanium adds functionality that makes it slightly ahead of its time, such as the latest mobility, digital video recorder (DVR), and compression tools. Version 9 is one of the best ever updates for this software.

Although the cool Quartz-effect progress bar is gone, the look and feel of Toast is essentially the same. Just pick your item, drag it to your source, and burn to your heart’s content. With the optional HD/BD plug-in (see below), Roxio has added Blu-ray burning to store up to 50 GB of data, HD DVD support for up to 30 GB, and video capture from your AVCHD camcorder and DVR hardware and software (such as TiVo or EyeTV).

In addition, there’s live audio capture to record from any source—including live Web radio—and you can stream content from your home Mac to any Wi-Fi-connected iPhone or iPod touch, or Internet-connected Mac or PC. Toast 9 Titanium also adds long-awaited integration with Apple Aperture and iLife ’08 software, making it a great solution for consumers and professionals.

To use all of the Blu-ray and HD DVD-authoring features, you’ll need to add the HD/BD plug-in for around $19.99. This is a great value that includes 15 high-definition menu styles for your discs. Once again, Roxio has delivered so much more than just another disc-burning utility.—Daniel M. East

PRICE: $99.99
FROM: Roxio
WEB: www.roxio.com
RATING: 5

LAYERS VERDICT
HOT Batch processing; Blu-ray; import DVR video; audio capturee
NOT

Canon’s reputation for outstanding image quality carries over throughout their product lines and, in this high-definition world that allows us to create everything from Blu-ray to YouTube videos, getting serious about camcorders is becoming more mainstream. The XH A1 high-definition camcorder has so much going for it that all of the other manufacturers will have to sit up and take notice, again.

In this class of video equipment, the XH A1 is relatively lightweight at just over 4 lbs, but there are so many features for this size. You can shoot with almost zero effort in fully automatic mode or explore the huge range of functions including HD SDI, time code, and 60i/50i modes, as well as both miniDV and 16:9 HD aspect ratios. Lens and overall image quality are very high, especially at this price, and Canon has included two built-in neutral-density filters (1/6 and 1/32) for nearly any shooting environment.

For all of its impressive video, the only bump in the road was in the audio levels. The XLR input was always a bit hot, even with the basic attenuation on-board, but the built-in microphones distorted beyond around 102 dB, with poor frequency response between 180 and 320 Hz (depending on proximity to the audio source).

As impressive as its features are, the XH A1 is surprisingly easy to operate. This is a great choice for broadcasting applications for users ranging from professionals to film students. Overall, this is an incredible value for a video camcorder that produces impressive results and outperforms some other brands charging more than twice the price.—Daniel M. East

PRICE: $3,999
FROM: Canon U.S.A., Inc.
WEB: www.usa.canon.com
RATING: 4.5

LAYERS VERDICT
HOT Stunning image and lens quality; lightweight; value
NOT Distorted audio at higher SPLs from onboard mics

Softpress has come a long way with its release of Freeway 5 Pro. My introduction to their software goes back to the days of Claris Homepage and when GoLive was still a company with a product called CyberStudio. Freeway has always offered graphics-rich authoring and an interface that works well for those used to page-layout applications. This latest version brings some wish-list items on board, as well as enhancements to some favorite features to bring Freeway 5 Pro into today’s world of search engine optimization and home-based e-commerce.

One of the major changes in Freeway 5 Pro is the addition of precise CSS control in an otherwise graphical approach, but with little change in the learning curve for Softpress’ faithful client base. If you’re not familiar with the clean interface, it takes only a few clicks to get your bearings and you’ll be on your way. More advanced designers will enjoy how Freeway 5 Pro now supports layered transparency from Photoshop and Illustrator (with overlapping) using anti-alias blending directly in the site layout. It looks great and you can export those images into a huge range of file types. It also supports essentially code-free creation of dynamic effects with actions for fade, pulse, or blind; new blogger templates that can be customized for the individual style; plus sliceable background images and onboard inclusion of actions for Google Maps and AdSense.

Softpress has always offered a huge surplus of design templates, lots of tutorials, and third-party add-ons to further enhance the user experience, and this new version is no exception. Freeway’s loyal fan base seems to have the company listening, as is evident by how Softpress added so many features that people were asking for in their user forums and client requests. One example is the new email address encryption that reduces email “spiders” that virtually harvest addresses from webpages and, most likely, end up as spam.

There are two things that some may consider obstacles. First, there’s no full source view for hand coding and editing. As a code generator, not a code editor, getting used to this difference doesn’t take very long. Second, onboard JavaScript effects allow the use of impressive visual and audio effects within each page. But with today’s mobile Web browsing, not every viewer will appreciate these effects, so you might want to either employ some code that recognizes the browser type and platform or simply create additional versions for multiple devices.

One particularly nice addition is the Freeway Shop set of actions to create simple shopping carts and set up your payment processing. Softpress also offers support and pricing with Mal’s e-commerce that provides free shopping cart services.

Somewhere between GoLive, iWeb, and Dreamweaver, a little patience and some open-minded thinking can bring your websites into the next generation of the Internet interface design game. Sites can really come to life with beautiful and seamless motion that carries the content without overpowering it. With only a modest learning curve, Softpress plays hardball with a serious Web-authoring application.—Daniel M. East

PRICE: $249 (Upgrades from $99)
FROM: Softpress Systems Limited
WEB: www.softpress.com
RATING: 4

LAYERS VERDICT
HOT Advanced features; great compatibility
NOT No source editing

With a loyal user base, LaCie’s LCD displays have a reputation for excellent color balance, accuracy, and contrast. Their latest offering, the LaCie 526, is an extraordinary 25.5″ model with all of that plus some connectivity options and calibration tools, so your output looks as good as your input for digital photography, design, and layout. The smooth precision still has a few bumps in its road to monitor nirvana, however.

Out of the box, the 526 factory defaults look reasonable but aren’t even close to what I’d call a desired setup. The blue eye colorimeter and software (included) install easily to provide a simple calibration technique. The software automatically detects connection type (VGA/Analog/DVI) and presents a small zone to overlay the sensor during the process. For our test model, proper calibration took several attempts, and “eyeball” adjustments to the display’s onscreen settings were required for best results. After comparing LaCie’s calibration results to results from the Apple factory ICC for the 526 and from another third-party calibration tool, the blue eye did the best job for saturation, density, and overall accuracy. In particular, grayscale is outstanding and appears to be spot-on.

The only hurdle was with the blue levels (or absence of yellow) in the initial setup. After receiving fast and patient support from LaCie’s staff, I actually found that my manual adjustments were most helpful; but reducing the display’s luminescence target to 100–150 produced greatly improved clarity. With additional use, the white balance required recalibration as well.

The LaCie 526 is more expensive than its competition from Samsung, Planar, and NEC, but the accuracy and performance of this display produced better results from digital photos without that hard contrast and excess black level often plaguing most LCDs.—Daniel East

PRICE: $2,419.99
FROM: LaCie
PHONE: 503-844-4500
WEB: www.lacie.com
FOR: Mac and Windows
RATING: 3.5

LAYERS VERDICT
HOT Excellent color balance, contrast, and neutral tones
NOT Expensive; calibration requires multiple attempts

Occasionally, I find a product that has a lot to offer the creative professional—in spite of some hurdles. In this case, it’s three products for Adobe Photoshop from DigArts Software.

Palm Paints: This collection presents stunningly realistic images and textures that might allow you to place a royal palm tree in Alaska or a date palm in Nova Scotia. The detail and realism can be stunning when applying slightly offset layers and alpha channel images for shadows/light source effects.

Jungle DVD: For heavier forests to incredible single trees, this two-disk set provides the ability to envision a rainforest or lay out a landscape, from the ground up. With a bit of practice, you can create vivid, realistic results, making use of PSD file types and brush selections to bring elements to your creation that can improve an otherwise lackluster photo or backdrop.

Grains & Grasses: Your dreams come true with enough wild grains to fool the guy on the oatmeal box and with so much realism, you can taste it. Place or replace a grassy knoll or even fields of gold. Combine this with the two previously named titles and you have the ability to bring nearly anything to life.

I found it more useful to store the DigArts products on an external drive and load the brushes, textures, and effects as needed (instead of taking up 6 GB on my internal hard drive). In just a few minutes, I created a reasonable test image from a blank canvas; however, it would be nice if the interface provided easier previews. With a bit of creative vision, you can create natural-looking landscapes and flowing forestry.— Daniel M. East

PRICE: Palm Paints $69.95; Jungle DVD $149.95; Grains & Grasses $69.95
FROM: DigArts Software
PHONE: 866-291-4412
WEB: www.gardenhose.com
FOR: Mac and Windows
RATING: 4

LAYERS VERDICT
HOT Good results; lots of options
NOT No installer; time consuming

Portable drives are getting smaller in this world of pocket-sized USB flash drives and microSD modules, but the performance isn’t always what you might wish for when you need access to larger image files or projects. If you get the performance, you may end up with a sore shoulder from lugging around an enormous drive in your gear bag. Enter the latest portable external drive from Other World Computing (OWC), the Mercury-On-The-Go Pro. It looks like most other drives, except for a full-length heat sink on the bottom of the Seagate Momentus 7200.2, and the connectivity options are there on the cabling (included) so that you can plug in via FireWire 800, FW 400, or USB 2.0 and have instant access to your files or to backup on the fly.

Where this little drive shows its uniqueness is in the combination of compact size and full-sized performance—something rivaled only by desktop drives costing quite a bit more. In fact, the OWC Mercury On-The-Go Pro has transfer speeds that matched my 400-GB high-speed desktop media server. OWC puts everything you need in the box including power adapter (but the drive runs just fine bus-powered), cables, and all of the software and other goodies that the company is known for. The drive is essentially silent and packs a 160-GB, 7200-rpm, 8-MB hard disk.

Yes, portable drives may essentially be just hard disks in a case, but OWC gives you everything you need to move large files anywhere, anytime. This is one big, fast drive in a little tiny package. For design teams or photographers, multimedia or whatever you need your drive to do, this is your baby.— Daniel M. East

PRICE: Approx. $259.99
FROM: Other World Computing
PHONE: 800-275-4576
WEB: www.macsales.com
FOR:
RATING: 5

LAYERS VERDICT
HOT Fast; quiet; connectivity options
NOT

Digital noise in some cases goes ignored, but it can take away from the real depth of an image. That clean, clear view you had when you saw your subject may seem diminished somehow. But there’s something you can do about it. The plug-in mavens at AKVIS offer Noise Buster 4 to clean up your shots and smooth out those dots.

Depending on your camera’s sensor type and pixel size, issues from exposure or image speed and even the time of day can affect your image. The miscellaneous color data may occur in properly exposed images or after several repair techniques available in Photoshop. Noise Buster, however, lives up to its claims—it works and, in addition to smoothing out those annoying gravel-like dots, you get an improved overall image. I tried a few tricks as well, using the Magic Wand tool to select specific areas for a new adjustment layer as well as pushing up some noise in a few spots for effect. But, as when using most corrective plug-ins, be judicious and avoid overuse.

The one item missing (that’s found in Photoshop CS3) is a toggle button to correct JPEG visual artifacts. I don’t believe that most people will miss this much once they see the results.

AKVIS’s now-familiar interface allows for smooth adjustments and a reasonably fast preview of your selected area. There’s also an Automatic Filtering button at the top of the controls that actually does a good job for most standard images; however, more pronounced image noise levels may require some additional tweaking. From portraits to landscapes and for a quick way to clean up your digital images, AKVIS presents a very fine product.—Daniel M. East

PRICE: $49
FROM: AKVIS LLC
PHONE: 206-309-0821
WEB: www.akvis.com
FOR: Mac and Windows
RATING: 5

LAYERS VERDICT
HOT Cleans up images well
NOT