ImageTrends: new versions of three apps

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ImageTrends: new versions of three apps
By Mike Tomkins
(Monday, August 6, 2007 - 06:00 EDT)

Regular readers of the Imaging Resource news page may remember several programs from Austin TX-based Image Trends Inc. which we've covered in the past, all receiving new versions today.

Image Trends' standalone SensorKleen application was first unveiled at the Spring 2007 Photo Marketing Association tradeshow back in early March. The program makes light work of retouching digital SLR images to correct for dust and debris on the imager. When announcing the original version, which requires manual selection of the areas to be corrected in each image, the company promised a pro version would be available later this year with the ability to correct images automatically.

Now officially revealed, SensorKleen Pro makes the correction job even easier - simply select a batch of twenty images or more and the program analyses images and metadata, automatically identifying and correcting the problem areas. There's literally no intervention involved - the only thing for the user to do is select the source images, and maybe grab a cup of coffee while they're processed. (It is possible to correct images in batches of less than twenty, but the program does caution that further manual intervention may be required to fully correct the images if you choose a smaller batch size.) For troublesome images, the original manual version of SensorKleen remains available to launch from SensorKleen Pro, though...

We tried SensorKleen Pro with a batch of some 57 sample images (provided by Image Trends) shot in widely varying conditions of a variety of typical subjects. Automatic detection seemed impressively accurate at finding the locations of dust in the images, shot with Nikon's D80 digital SLR and 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. The resulting processed images were a significant improvement on the originals. In some cases we did notice though that the corrected area was a little brighter than the surrounding area, or that a small amount of image detail in the area of the dust specks was "cleaned" away as well. Still, given how much easier the process is than manually correcting every image by hand, there's no question that SensorKleen Pro will prove a useful tool for digital SLR owners (and that for most images, results will be wholly satisfactory). To demonstrate what you can expect, we've uploaded a zip file (14.9MB) containing before and after versions of two typical images from the 57 image batch mentioned previously, which you can download here.

When Image Trends first announced SensorKleen, the company promised to credit the price of the original version to anybody who purchased the Pro version when it became available. Going one step better than its word, it has instead decided to make SensorKleen Pro available as a no-charge upgrade for existing SensorKleen users. Given that there's a $50 difference in price between the two programs, this is a great reward to the loyal early adopters of SensorKleen!

Alongside the launch of SensorKleen Pro, Image Trends has also announced availability of Mac OS X versions of its ShineOff and PearlyWhites plugins, until-now available only to Windows users. Announced back in June on that platform, PearlyWhites identifies white areas surrounded by flesh tones (such as a subject's teeth, or the white of their eyes), and then whitens and brightens these areas. ShineOff, meanwhile, finds and corrects for unwanted shine on your subject's face (as would be found with direct flash photography), and corrects for this without removing luster from lips, teeth and eyes.

Image Trends SensorKleen Pro will cost $99.95, and initially be available for the Windows platform only (with a Mac OS X version possibly to follow if sufficient demand is found). The Mac OS X versions of ShineOff and PearlyWhites will each cost $49.95. Trial versions of all of the above can be found on Image Trends' website.

Original Source Press Release:

Image Trends, Inc. ™ (ITI) Announces SensorKleen Pro™, Plus the Availability of the ShineOff™ and PearlyWhites™ Plug-In's for Mac

Image Trends automates the removal of dirt and dust from DSLR camera images with SensorKleen Pro

Austin, Texas (August 6, 2007) – Image Trends, the provider of innovative digital imaging tools, today announces SensorKleen Pro, a software application that allows the user to automatically erase the dust and debris in a set of Digital SLR (DSLR) camera images. The SensorKleen SmartBrush™ product (included with SensorKleen Pro) allows you to correct defects on individual images.

Initially, SensorKleen Pro, a stand alone application, will be available for Windows based machines. Similar to the other Image Trends products, the Mac versions will follow as market demand dictates. The new SensorKleen Pro application will be priced at US$99.95. SensorKleen Pro replaces SensorKleen with SmartBrush, and owners of the SmartBrush version will be contacted and provided with a no charge upgrade; a $50 customer loyalty benefit. The Mac versions of the ShineOff and PearlyWhites Plug-In’s are priced at US$49.95. All ITI products are available now for a free “try before you buy” download at www.ImageTrendsInc.com.

“The SensorKleen Pro utilizes a patent pending technology that will automatically ‘Kleen’ the whole photo shoot when dust is discovered the morning after,” said Dan Sullivan, president and CEO of Image Trends, Inc. “Regardless of how careful the photographer is in changing lenses, there is a high probability of dirt or dust entering the camera, even worse are pollen and mold spores which are not addressed by the current in-camera solutions. SensorKleen Pro should be a must have, productivity application in the photographers digital tool box.” Dan furthermore says that, “We are extremely encouraged with the market reaction to our PearlyWhites and ShineOff cosmetic Plug-Ins and are pleased that we were able to come to market quickly with the Mac versions to meet that demand.”

SensorKleen Pro
SensorKleen Pro is two products in one: SensorKleen Pro provides the automatic correction of a high number of images while SmartBrush corrects one image at a time. SensorKleen Pro will automatically identify and correct dust and debris in the image. The patent pending SensorKleen technology uses the camera and lens metadata to identify shadow defects caused by dust or debris on the sensor cover, removes the defects, and then reveals the underlying image.

Operationally, the user will select a minimum of 20 images, designate where to place the corrected images then select ‘Process Images’. SensorKleen Pro will analyze, detect, and correct all the images in a batch process without any interaction on the part of the photographer. This batch application is a simple select and go process.

SensorKleen Pro supports the majority of DSLR cameras in the marketplace today. For a complete list of supported cameras and more technical information visit our Web site www.ImageTrendsInc.com.

PearlyWhites: The Digital Teeth Whitener and ShineOff: The Digital Face Powder Plug-Ins
Both are now available for the Mac OSX platforms. As with the previously announced PC versions of the cosmetic plug-ins, they whiten teeth and remove unwanted shine from the face and can be run in batch mode using actions.

Image Trends has a try before you buy policy, individuals are encouraged to download a free trial version (it watermarks the image – do not save) from the Web site www.ImageTrendsInc.com

About Image Trends, Inc.
Image Trends, Inc. is a select team of talented product innovators, dedicated to the continued invention and development of creative tools and products that enrich our lives through The Science of Imaging. ITI licenses its branded technologies through Original Equipment Manufactures (OEMs) that provide products for the professional and consumer imaging markets. Additionally, ITI directly distributes Adobe® Photoshop® Plug-in compatible filters and stand alone image correction and enhancement applications. More information can be found on the Image Trends Web site at www.ImageTrendsInc.com.

All trade names, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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