Photomatix Light v1.0, now available for download on the company's website, is offered for both the Windows and Mac OS platforms. As compared to Photomatix Pro, the Light version offers support for fewer variants of both operating platforms, with compatibility limited to Windows XP, Vista or 7, and Mac OS X 10.5 or 10.6. Like its more feature-rich sibling, Photomatix Light can merge bracketed photos into a 32-bit high dynamic range image, but it cannot save the result at the full 32-bit depth, nor can the program open 32-bit files. The number of source files is also limited to five bracketed images, where Photomatix Pro can combine an unlimited number of source images (within the limits of the computer hardware and operating system, obviously).

Photomatix Light also retains the Pro version's ability to adjust tone mapping, and its details enhancer function, but drops the advanced controls over the latter, and lacks the tone compresser function. Like Photomatix Pro, the Light variant can automatically align photos - but it doesn't allow selection of the alignment method. It also provides an Exposure Fusion function, but allows only the Adjust method, with other methods available only in Photomatix Pro. Other features dropped for the Light version include batch processing, as well as the ability to reduce ghosting artifacts, noise and chromatic aberration.

Where Photomatix Pro costs US$99 for a license, Photomatix Light is offered at a much more affordable US$39 - a significant saving for customers that don't need the more extensive capabilities of the existing version. Photomatix Pro users can also use the Light version at no cost, should they prefer the simplicity of the new variant. As with Photomatix Pro, a trial version is available with no expiration, but applies a watermark before saving images.

More details can be found on the HRDsoft website.