Free Linux Beta Version of Award Winning LightZone Software Now Available

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Dec. 18 -- Light Crafts, today announced immediate availability of a Linux version of its award-winning LightZone photo-editing software. With this open beta release, Linux users now have all the powerful LightZone tools for editing, enhancing and improving digital photos that Windows and Mac users have including the innovative ZoneMapper and Re-Light tools. LightZone is the first and only application of its kind spanning all 3 major platforms. The 3.3B beta version of LightZone for Linux is free and available for download at http://www.lightcrafts.com/linux.

Every photo can be improved using LightZone regardless of camera type -- from cell phone cameras, to point-and-click digicams to dSLRs. It's quick to learn, fast to apply and can eliminate certain repeatable tasks like red eye and back lighting. LightZone also retains the original image as well so the user is free to create as many photo variations as needed without taking up significant storage space.

Digital Editing Using the Zone System

Linux users will now enjoy access to LightZone's ZoneMapper and Zone Tools, which enable digital photographers to easily apply the powerful Zone SystemTM, developed by Ansel Adams in 1941, to produce photos with exceptional exposure and tonal ranges. While in the past, the Zone System may have required considerable effort and skill working directly with film negatives, LightZone's new digital photography Zone tools effortlessly achieve the same results with no special skills. These new tools include the Zone Mapper Tool, which helps users find similar exposure areas within a photo and the Zone Tool, which adjusts these tonal groups to desired levels.

High Dynamic Range Images

Linux users will especially enjoy access to the new LightZone Relight Tool which recaptures the High Dynamic Range images they visualized when originally taking the photograph. Normally, limitations of digital camera sensors, display monitors and printers prevent capturing, rendering, displaying or printing such wide dynamic ranges. Other HDR technologies require multiple exposures or special purpose camera settings. Not so with LightZone.

LightZone Re-Light Tool Creates HDR Images

In contrast, with just a click, the LightZone Relight Tool reveals hidden HDR detail in both the highlights and the shadows, using just a single exposure. For instance, you'll see both saturated colors of a sunset and bright detail in the face of a back lit subject that was formerly lost. Achieving such stunning results from a single exposure without LightZone would require multiple flashes, reflectors and shades at the time the photograph -- if it could be possible at all.

Light Crafts' Commitment to Linux, Mac and Windows

"The Linux release is our latest initiative to make LightZone available to as many users on as many operating systems as possible. Light Crafts serves a diverse Linux community consisting of many creative individuals who want the same high quality, robustness and powerful commercial photo-editing tools that are available for Windows and Mac users," said Fabio Riccardi, CEO, Light Crafts. "With LightZone for Linux, we can provide even more photographers with easy-to-use and innovative software.

The new Linux version has been internally tested on such popular distributions as Ubuntu, Red Hat and Debian, with others planned.

Free Beta Version Available Immediately

The beta version of LightZone Linux is available for free download at http://www.lightcrafts.com/linux.