The company sharpens its focus on the consumer market with latest product developments

VICTORIA, British Columbia -- Well-known among professional photographers for creating some of the most comprehensive photo management software tools on the market, ACD Systems is now taking aim at the consumer market with a suite of offerings perfect for the hobbyist or novice photographer.

ACDSee is highlighting two software programs directed at the everyday photographer, including ACDSee 9 Photo Manager, the company's updated digital photo management system for enthusiasts. ACDSee 9 offers new, simplified resources for taking control of growing photo collections. The company also is introducing ACDSee Photo Editor, a new photo-editing tool that provides intuitive editing capabilities, as well as a wealth of options for creative photo expression and projects.

"We've taken some of the best features that we've created for the professional photographer and have made them more accessible for anyone who needs better solutions to manage, organize and enhance their photo collections," said James Latham, vice president of marketing for ACDSee Systems. "With the popularity of digital photography, people are really starting to discover the creative possibilities and want more features and functionality than ever, but not that long learning curve."

ACDSee Photo Editor has unique advantages for photographers of any skill level to not only correct and enhance, but also to get creative with their photos. Features include:

Advanced and unique editing capabilities: Simple step-by-step instructions for basic to more advanced photo editing projects. Repair blemishes, spots and scratches quickly and easily. One-click auto adjustments include color balance and levels, sharpen and contrast.

More editing tool options made much easier: Single image repair and refinement along with multi-image composition capabilities typically found in more technical photo editing software systems. Helpful on-screen instructions and creative hints walk the user through the tasks and projects that they want to accomplish.

Creative ease section: Includes tools for scrapbooking and collage creation, along with the ability to make personalized cards, frames, stationary and even customized wine labels. Photo layouts with multiple photos, text, lines, shapes and special effects are also possible. ACDSee Photo Editor is the only software system that offers a vignette feature -- perfect for creating portrait-style shots.

ACDSee 9 Photo Manager offers updated advantages for the hobbyist, including automatic categorization and quick search tools. Other unique features are:

Quick View: ACDSee 9 minimizes the time it takes to load and view photo collections. Even large photo files can be displayed instantaneously. This makes opening digital photo files faster and easier than ever.

ACDSee Showroom: Photo collections can now be showcased right on your desktop. Photos no longer have to stay buried away in the recesses of hard drives. This feature automatically plays a file of selected photo collections in a sleek slide show format.

Calendar Events: This option automatically organizes photos based on the dates they were taken.

Private Folders: Protects personal photos in a password-secured area so that only the user can view them.

Auto Categories: Takes the work out of photo organization by automatically storing photos by convenient categories including personal photo favorites (based on a one-to- five rating system), file properties, etc.

For ACDSee, the expansion from the professional to the mainstream photography market makes sense as the digital photography industry nears maturation. Research shows that nearly 80 percent of U.S. camera owners have gone digital, and more than 40 percent are now on their second or third digital camera. According to Latham, that means today's typical photographer has become much more savvy and needs greater capabilities when it comes to organizing, managing and editing personal photo collections.

"Consumers are more knowledgeable than ever before about digital photography, however, they still want tools that are easy to use and help save time while protecting their precious photo assets," said Latham. "That's why so much of what we've been able to innovate and offer to the professional photographer translates very well to what today's average photographer and hobbyist is looking for."

ACDSee 9 Photo Manager and Photo Editor are available as a bundled package for $79.99. For more information, visit www.acdsee.com.