Iridient Digital has released Raw Developer 1.6, a major update to its Raw image conversion software for Mac OS X.

The update brings numerous performance improvements throughout the application including much faster initial file loading and support for image preview caching. Three new noise reduction filters have been added for better handling of images shot at higher ISO settings or from cameras with high levels of noise. Custom camera default settings can now be stored on a per ISO basis so completely customized adjustments can easily be setup to handle images shot at different ISO settings automatically.

Raw Developer 1.6 is a free update for all currently registered users, new licenses are $99.95 U.S. Raw Developer requires Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later, PowerPC G4, G5 or Intel processors are supported.

The update can be downloaded from http://www.iridientdigital.com/products/rawdeveloper_download.html.

New Features

Raw Developer 1.6 includes the following new features:

• New early stage noise reduction filter for performing advanced noise removal as early as possible in the image rendering process

• New ChromaLogic noise reduction filter for effective reduction of color noise while preserving excellent image detail

• New pattern noise filter for elimination of pattern noise which can occur with some camera sensors

• New "soft look" option for a smoother image rendering

• 100 percent zoom toggle button now available for toolbar in image preview window for easily switching between 100 percent preview scale and the last viewed scale

• New status bar area in image preview window which moves progress indicator off of preview image and provides basic camera information display

• New thumbnail indicator icon for image files with previously saved image settings

• Detailed camera lens model information for images from many SLR type cameras from Canon, Nikon, Sony/Minolta, Pentax and Olympus

• Support added for Leica M8, D-LUX3, Digilux 3 and V-LUX1

• Support added for Panasonic DMC-LX2, DMC-FZ50 and DMC-L1

• Support added for Fuji S6000fd/S6500fd and S9100/S9600

• Support added for Kodak P712

Improvements

• Numerous performance improvements to image loading and processing operations

• Updated default camera settings for many models

• Settings window ICC profile popup menus are now automatically updated when profiles are added or removed from system ColorSync folders

• White balance dropper and thumbnail drawer no longer act upon first mouse down events when application is not currently active

• Warning dialog now displayed when option is selected to send image files directly to batch processing window

• Default white balance presets (Daylight, Tungsten, etc) are now provided or loaded from manufacturer proprietary metadata when using DNG format files for most all camera models

• Default white balance preset values now added for Leica DMR and Nikon D1 models

Bug Fixes

• Canon Pro 1 model is now properly supported again

• Nikon D1 as-shot camera white balance is now correctly loaded

• Issues with certain sized crop settings and export of 16 bits/channel TIFF and PSD format files are fixed

• Fixes issue with very small crop sizes (less than 1/2 width or height) and 8 bits/channel TIFF export

Raw Developer 1.6 System Requirements

• Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later

• PowerPC G4 or G5 or Intel processor

• QuickTime 6.4 or later

About Raw Developer

Raw Developer is an advanced digital camera Raw image processing and conversion application which offers outstanding image quality. Raw Developer is designed and optimized specifically for Mac OS X and provides the ability to view, non-destructively edit and convert Raw image file formats from over 100 digital camera models.

Raw Developer offers numerous processing adjustments, many of which are unavailable in any other Raw image converters, including:

• Very high quality Raw demosaicing algorithm for incredible image detail

• Flexible white balance controls including white balance dropper tool, up to 8 custom presets, full 3 channel RGB color balance controls and Kelvin correlated color temperature adjustment

• Fast, flexible batch processing

• Fully multi-threaded and AltiVec/SSE optimized to take maximum advantage of the latest multi processor and multi core PowerPC and Intel based systems

• 32 bit/channel floating point CIELab based advanced sharpening methods including: unsharp mask, hybrid sharpen, difference of gaussian and Richardson-Lucy deconvolution

• Advanced CIE LAB based noise reduction

• Curves, curves and more curves. 12 total custom tone curves available, including individual color channels, CIE LAB and CIE Chroma(ab), all simultaneously!

• Very high quality Lanczos5 based image resizing

• Image rotation and straighten tools

• Completely customizable color managed processing pipeline

• Unlimited undo/redo support

• Multiple advanced monochrome ("black&white") conversion options including custom duotones and full channel mixer support