It might well be a bit vulgar to discuss it. Maybe a little rude. A little inadequate … like talking about the pictures on the opening night of an art show. Still, someone has to do it, right?
For most of the past decade, some if not the The most popular post-processing platforms for digital photography have been brought to you by Adobe. Whether it’s Lightroom (one of the many iterations), Photoshop, or Adobe Camera RAW, chances are that you or someone you know is using a version of the post-processing software made by the good people at Adobe .
Of course, technically this can only be seen from the opinion of this author, since current statistics from this area are becoming increasingly difficult to get.
That being said … there’s a noticeably large elephant in the room when it comes to photo editing platforms. Until recently, photographers other than Adobe did not have as many (relatively) options for processing their digital images.
times are changing
“But times are changing.Bob Dylan said that.
Indeed, times are changing as more and more non-adobe (making words is fun) applications become available for photographers who want to stretch their creative legs and branch out to other platforms to process their digital images. In fact, we’ve thoroughly gone over some of these other programs here on Contrastly.
Today I would like to introduce you to a new post-processing software. Zoner Photo Studio X..
Make sure you get Zoner’s Black Friday deal now before it goes away!
In truth, maybe I shouldn’t be calling Zoner. “New”Because the company has been around since 1993; That makes it technically a vibrant company fourteen years before Adobe Photoshop Lightroom version 1 was introduced in 2006.
Zoner Photo Studio X software seeks to combine the functionality and intuitive navigation of Lightroom Classic while delivering the advanced power of a layered ecosystem similar to Photoshop.
Put simply, Zoner strives to provide a literal “all in one”Digital photo editing solution.
There have been a few others who have tried this, and Zoner Photo Studio X (ZPS X) seems to be top of the list of those who have succeeded. ZPS X not only successfully provides basic post-processing adjustments for exposure, white balance and color correction, it also offers a number of other functions for local and global photo adjustments. This includes an incredible AI engine that allows you to get extremely clean results when retouching portraits and enhancing your photos.
Ok … maybe I liked the AI engine a little too much.
And did I mention an in-program? “CreateModule that essentially allows you to create prints, calendars, postcards, canvases and even photo books right in the software?
It is always better “see“As to”readThat’s why I tried to show you everything I can with this comprehensive video on Zoner Photo Studio X. You can also skip the video using the table of contents in the video description.
When you’re done, come back here for a more in-depth commentary on my experience with ZPS X over the past few weeks.
The good, the bad, and the not so terrible
In order to. Let’s talk about it. What does Zoner Photo Studio X bring to the table? First the good.
1. An incredible number of features.
ZPS X offers one enormously Toolbox with basic and advanced processing functions such as basic adjustments and color corrections. At the same time, you have the ability to edit layers and layer masks right in the program, which I think rivals, if not outperforms, those available in Photoshop. Not to mention this incredibly cool AI controlled liquefaction tool.
2. So familiar … just … not.
Let’s be honest; Chances are, you might consider Zoner as an alternative to other photo editing programs. Whether for the lower price (more on that in a moment) or maybe you want to try something new. The good news is that whatever post-processing program you used, just because the ecosystem in ZPS X is so similar to so many other popular applications, the learning curve is likely to be smaller.
3. Opacity controls for presets.
This was a huge plus that I wasn’t expecting when I started using Zoner. The ability to control the strength of your develop presets from within the program without the need for a third-party plugin is incredibly convenient.
The preset opacity slider is a feature I’ve wanted for any post-processing application.
Also, I just got word from the Zoner team that your subscription includes a free pack of presets every month.
4th In-app photo products.
Much like Adobe Lightroom, Zoner has an impressive inventory of highly customizable photo products that are available without leaving the program. Designing your photo books, calendars, postcards, and more is a breeze. Of course, there are plenty of ways to print your photos too.
Speaking of which, your annual subscription also includes 15 free 10 x 15 cm (4 x 6 inch) prints and 20 GB of Zoner Cloud image storage per year.
5. Import images from one of the four processing modules.
You don’t have to leave the Develop, Editor, or Create modules to bring additional images into Zoner.
6th Tabular ecosystem.
This is a handy way to work with multiple photos. Create a new tab and get to work.
7th The price.
An annual subscription to Zoner Photo Studio X is only $ 49 per year. Suppose you’re the type who doesn’t like engagement. You can also opt for a monthly plan for $ 4.99 per month. This means that ZPS X is more or less half as expensive as some other subscription-based photo processing programs …
Zoner is not without its quirks, however.
Fortunately, there were few issues during my time with the program, but here are a few examples of the minor issues I’ve had:
1. It’s a subscription service.
I know, I know … this is a big point of contention among photographers. You actually can’t “to buy“The software but you are”rent it, ”Which is the usual point of criticism. While Zoner works on a subscription-based platform, I don’t see this as a disadvantage.
You get free updates, free presets, free printouts, and free storage space. If you cancel your subscription, you won’t lose access to your pictures. Even so, I thought it worth mentioning this point should it be of major concern to you.
2. Cumbersome direct scan import.
I briefly mentioned this feature in the video, but allow myself to go into a little more detail here. Zoner allows you to import images from various sources, including directly from your scanner. This is great news for my film colleagues!
The dialog window for the direct scan import in ZPS X.
However, when scanning with my Epson V700, Zoner simply opened the Epson Scan utility instead of a proprietary scan utility. When I used it, the whole process was a bit delayed and the scan settings on the Zoner side a bit confusing.
3. Function overload.
Yes, as strange as it sounds, one of the ZPS X’s greatest strengths is also one of its weaknesses. At least it might be for some users. There are just so many tools included with Zoner that it can be a bit overwhelming if you don’t have at least some experience in post-processing digital photos. While Zoner generally handled the user interface quite well, there is still a lot to digest. Fortunately, if all you want to do is make basic adjustments to your images, you can simply choose not to stray from the Develop module and feel right at home.
Some final thoughts on Zoner Photo Studio X.
When the Zoner team reached out to me to check out the all-in-one image processor, they informed me that I would be pleasantly surprised with its features. Was I? Absolutely.
Zoner does everything I need from my image processor. As a Lightroom Classic user (I’ve written a whole book about it!) And Photoshop user, it was refreshing to have all of the tools I used frequently under one roof. I can make all of my basic changes in the develop module and then just click in the editor module for advanced retouching and layer-based adjustments.
But please … even after reading this and watching the video, please take advantage of Zoner’s free 30-day trial of Photo Studio X. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
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