Software Reference - PHOTOWORKSHOP.COM · 2012. 2. 4. · The information in this manual is furnished for informational use only, is subject to change without notice, and should not

Software Reference

FlexColor 3.0 for FlexFrame 3020

by imacon

© 2001 Imacon A/S. All rights reserved.

Software Reference - FlexColor 3.0 for FlexFrame 3020, Part No XXXXXXXXXX revision 1.0.

The information in this manual is furnished for informational use only, is subject to changewithout notice, and should not be construed as a commitment by Imacon A/S.Imacon A/S assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies that mayappear in this manual.

Imacon A/S assumes no responsibility or liability for loss or damage incurred during or as aresult of using Imacon software or products.

Imacon, FlexColor, and FlexFrame are trademarks of Imacon A/S. Adobe and AdobePhotoshop are trademarks of Adobe Systems, Inc. Macintosh, Mac OS, ColorSync, andFireWire are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.

Printed in Denmark.

Software Reference - FlexColor 3.0 for FlexFrame 3020

2

Table of Contents


Table of Contents3

Introduction 7What's in this Manual 7

Software compatibility 7

FlexColor under Mac OS and Windows 7

System Requirements 8

Memory Configuration 9

FlexColor Menus 11The File Menu 11

The Edit Menu 13

The Maintenance Menu 13

The Windows Menu 14

The Main FlexColor Window 15Introduction 15

Capture and Save Tools 15

Color and Exposure Analysis Tools 17

Corrections Controls 18

Size Controls 18

Zoom Controls 20

Other Controls 20

The Preview 21

The Setup Window 23Introduction 23

The FlexColor Setup Philosophy 24

Managing Setups 24

Advanced Setup Management 25

The General Tab 26

The Contrast Tab 29

The USM (Unsharp Masking) Tab 29

continues...


Table of Contents4

...continued

The CC (Color Correction) Tab 31

The Auto Tab 33

The Dot Tab 34

ColorSync or ICM Tab 35

The Preferences Window 39Introduction 39

Model 39

Shutter Delay 40

Flash Delay 40

Opening Saved Images 41

Auto after New Crop 41

FlexColor ICC Profiles 43Generic ICC Output Profiles 43

Editing ColorSync Color Profiles 44

The Gradations Window 49Introduction 49

Using the Sliders 50

Using the Gradations Color Picker 51

Using the Curve 51

Setting the Threshold for Lineart Captures 53

The Histogram Window 55Introduction 55

The Histogram Display 56

The Histogram Color Pickers 58

Neutralizing Colors 60

Selective Color Correction 61Introduction 61

Opening the Color Correction Window 61

Using the Color Correction Window 61


Table of Contents5

Unsharp Masking 63Introduction 63

Using the Unsharp Mask Window 63

The Magnifier Window 65Introduction 65

Opening the Magnifier Window 65

The Exposure Window 67Introduction 67

Opening the Exposure Window 67

Judging the Exposure 67

Setting the Exposure 68

Black Calibration 69

The Thumbnails Window 71Introduction 71

Opening the Thumbnails Window 71

Files and Formats 72

Saving Crop and Imaging Settings 72

Using the Thumbnails Window 72

Processing Workflow 77

Printing the Thumbnails 77

The Color Info Window 79Introduction 79

Reading Values in the Color Info Window 79

Setting Fixed Sample Points 80

The Live Video Window 81Introduction 81

Live Video Window Tools 82


Table of Contents6

Introduction

What's in this Manual

This manual provides a menu-by-menu, screen-by-screen listing ofcontrols and settings available with FlexColor. Topics include:

• Summaries of all menu commands

• Descriptions of all controls and settings in the main FlexColorwindow

• Information about rotating and mirroring images

• Full details of all tab sheets in the Setup window

• Full details of the Preferences window

• Instructions for editing ColorSyncTM profiles

• Brightness and contrast control with the Gradations window

• Advanced highlight and shadow settings with the Histogramwindow, including color neutralization and control

• Advanced color control with the Color Correction window

• Sharpening images with the Unsharp Masking window

• Batch capturing to create individual image files from each of severalcrop and settings combinations

Software compatibility

The FlexColor 3.0 software works with the entire range of FlexFrame3020 digital camera backs.

FlexColor under Mac OS and Windows

The CD that came with your digital camera system includes versions ofFlexColor for both Macintosh and Windows-based systems.The interface is nearly identical on both platforms, with mostlysuperficial differences to conform with the interface guidelines of the twosystems.


Introduction7

What's in this Manual

Nearly all of the screen captures in this manual were taken from Mac OS.Windows users will notice the following differences:

• In the Setup window, the color management tab is called ICM insteadof ColorSyncTM.

• The menus are located at the top of the main FlexColor windowinstead of at the top of the screen.

• The Windows version uses standard Windows frames, with standardmaximize, minimize, and close buttons.

System Requirements

IBM PC-Compatibles

• Minimum 233 MHz processor.

• Windows 95/98, NT4, 2000 and ME.

• Windows 98, 2000 or ME is required for saving as CMYK and colormanagement (ICC profile) support.

• Minimum 256 MB system RAM.

• Screen resolution of 800 x 600 pixels with true colors (24 bits).

• Mouse or other pointing device.

• FireWire interfaceorSCSI Interface (with Adaptec EZ-SCSI version 4 or later).

• Minimum available hard disk space of 10 GB

Macintosh

• Minimum Power PC processor.

• Mac OS 9.0 or higher (FireWire 2.2 or higher is required in order to usethe SCSI-to-FireWire converter).

• Minimum 256 MB system RAM; 512 MB or more recommended.(Virtual memory can be used on systems with less than 256 MB ofphysical RAM, but performance will be slower.)

• Screen resolution of 800 x 600 pixels with true colors (24 bits).

• FireWire interfaceorSCSI interface.

• Minimum available hard disk space of 10 GB.


Introduction8

System Requirements

Memory Configuration

The required memory allocated to the program will vary depending on,whether you are working with a scanner or a camera. When launchingFlexColor for the first time a Memory configuration window will popup giving you a choice of 3 memory configurations:

Small (=50 MB) Only scanners are supported.

Medium (=100 MB) Only scanners - but with improved rotation speed.This setting is also recommended when scanninghigh resolution scans on a slow host computer.

Large (=192 MB) Supports both scanners and cameras.

The configuration will not be effective before quitting and relaunchingthe application. If you need to change the configuration you can accessthe dialog by pressing the Memory Usage button in the Preferenceswindow.

The memory configuration affects the settings that are accessible via theFinder Get Info window, and you are free to fine tune the settings thereif you need to.


Introduction9

Memory configuration


Introduction10

FlexColor Menus

FlexColor commands are available via a standard menu bar. Each ofthem is described briefly below. Note that most menu entries also list akeyboard shortcut to the right of the entry. Try to remember and usethese shortcuts to speed your work.

The File Menu

The File menu includes entries that initiate image captures and makesettings for FlexColor.

• Capture: Takes a shot using your current settings. A preview of theimage will be displayed in main FlexColor window right away,though rendering of the image will continue in the background forseveral seconds afterwards. You will not be able to view the image infull resolution until the rendering is finished, though you can makeother types of settings. A progress bar is shown at the bottom of themain FlexColor window to track the render. All setting are previewedusing the full 16-bit color depth to display results.

• Save: Saves the image currently shown in the FlexColor window as astandard TIFF file. All current crop, mode, color and image-enhancement settings will be applied to the saved image.

• Close: Closes the Thumbnails window when it is open and in front.This entry is not available for other windows.

• Setup: Opens the Setup window, in which most of the basic settingsfor an image capture can be made, saved and loaded. See "The SetupWindow" on page 23 for more information.


FlexColor Menus11

The File Menu

• Preferences: Opens the Preferences window, which enables you toselect an application for viewing final images, choose your cameramodel, set the flash and shutter delay and control how the crop toolworks. See "The Preferences Window" on page 39 for moreinformation.

• Devices: Opens the Devices window.

The window allows you to select which camera or scanner device youwant to work with, as it lists all connected devices - click on the oneyou prefer and click the Select button. If you have only a singlescanner or camera connected this device is automatically chosen.

The figure just to the right of the scanner or camera icon in the list (ex.0-6) refers to the Bus no. (0) and the SCSI address (6).

NOTE! It is required that the camera controller is online when startingFlexColor.

• Page Setup.../Print... : Enables you to print the contents of theThumbnails window. Make sure you have selected the view byclicking on a shot in the window, then select Print.

• Quit: Quits FlexColor.


FlexColor Menus12

The File Menu

The Edit Menu

The Edit menu contains entries that enable you to undo multiple actionsthat you have made while making settings in FlexColor. It also enablesyou to cut, copy and paste text in various windows.

• Undo: Reverses your most-recent actions - for example, a crop areamodification or a change in the Setup window. You are able to stepback through a long series of actions.

• Redo: Reapplies the last action that you cancelled using the Undocommand.

• Cut: If you have selected some text in a text field, then this commandremoves the text and saves it on a system-wide virtual clipboard.

• Copy: Saves the selected text on the clipboard without removing it.

• Paste: Places a copy of the text on the clipboard at the insertion point.

• Clear: Removes all text from the clipboard.

• Select All: Selects all of the text contained in the field in which theinsertion point is standing. In the Thumbnails window, this selects allof the icons in the window (see "The Thumbnails Window" on page71).

• Show Clipboard: displays the current contents of the clipboard.

The Maintenance Menu

The Maintenance menu is not active when you use FlexColor with aFlexFrame digital camera.


FlexColor Menus13

The Edit Menu

The Windows Menu

The Windows menu opens and closes each of the image settings windowavailable with FlexColor. Each window that is currently open shows acheck mark to the left of its name. For more information about each ofthese windows, see the appropriate section later in this manual:

Gradations window - see page 49.Histogram window - see page 55.Color Correction window - see page 61.Unsharp Mask window - see page 63.Magnifier window - see page 65.Exposure window - see page 67.Thumbnails window - see page 71.Color Info window - see page 79.Live Video window - see page 81.

NOTE! The Batch Scan entry is not active when you use FlexColor witha FlexFrame digital camera.


FlexColor Menus14

The Windows Menu

The Main FlexColor Window

Introduction

The main FlexColor window displays your preview images andprovides access to most of the image capturing and editing functionsavailable with FlexColor.

Capture and Save Tools

Capture Click this button to take a shot using your current settings. Apreview of the image will be displayed in main FlexColorwindow right away, though rendering of the image willcontinue in the background for several seconds afterwards.You will not be able to zoom into the image until therendering is finished, though you can make other types ofsettings.


The Main FlexColor Window15

Introduction

A progress bar is shown in the Thumbnails window to trackthe render. All setting are previewed using the full 16-bitcolor depth to display results. Note that you can also use akeyboard shortcut (F9 or cmd-N) to capture the image.

Save Saves the image currently shown in the FlexColor windowas a standard TIFF file. All current crop, mode, color andimage-enhancement settings will be applied to the savedimage

Thumbnails Button: Click this button to open theThumbnails window, which displays thumbnail images ofall of the shots you have taken in this session and saved in asingle folder. See "The Thumbnails Window" on page 71 formore information.

Setup Use this pop-up menu to choose between any of thecurrently available setups. A small + will appear to the rightof the menu to indicate when you have made customchanges that affect the setup but have not been saved.

Type Use this pop-up menu to choose the type of capture youwant to make (preview, single-shot, multi-shot ormicro-step). This setting mirrors the Type setting on theGeneral tab of the Setup window. See "The General Tab" onpage 26 for more information.

Mode Use this pop-up menu to set the capture mode (RGB, RGB16 bit, Grayscale, Grayscale 16 bit, Lineart, or CMYK). Thissetting mirrors the Mode setting on the General tab of theSetup window. See "The General Tab" on page 26 for moreinformation.



Capture and Save Tools

Color and Exposure Analysis Tools

Use the exposure-level indicator to get a rough idea of how bright yourpicture is. Ideally, it should be near the top of the green area, but withoutentering into the red area, which indicates an overexposure. Theindicator turns yellow to indicate a probably bad exposure and turnswhite to indicate a good exposure. Only the part of the image that isinside of your crop area is measured by this tool, which means that themeasurement will change when you modify the crop area.

The various pixel value displays give you the f-stop and/or color valuesfor the pixel currently under the mouse pointer in the preview. Use thistool to evaluate the exposure in particular areas of the shot. When youare shooting in RGB mode, then you can read values for each of the threecolors and the f-stop brightness, as shown above. However, if you areshooting to CMYK, then CMYK pixel values are shown, and no f-stopvalue appears. Use the Color Info window to read CMYK and f-stopvalues simultaneously (see below).

Next to the information displays are two buttons, which will openwindows that give you even more information and control. These are:

Exposure Button: Click this button to open the Exposurewindow, which enables you to assess your exposure, setcamera aperture, exposure time and ISO sensitivity, andmake a black calibration. See "The Exposure Window" onpage 67 for more information.

Color Info Button: Click this button to read pixel valuesfrom several points in the preview image. See "The ColorInfo Window" on page 79 for more information.



Color and Exposure Analysis Tools

Exposure Button Exposure-level indicator

Red, green and blue pixel values

f-stop pixel value

Color info button

Corrections Controls

Auto Click this button to apply automatic settings for highlightand shadow points based on the histogram of your image.

Reset Click on this button to return all correction windows(Gradations, Histogram, Color Correction, and UnsharpMask) to their neutral settings.

Gradation Button: Opens/closes the Gradations window.See "The Gradations Window" on page 49 for moreinformation.

Histogram Button: Opens/closes the Histogram window.See "The Histogram Window" on page 55 for moreinformation.

Color Correction Button: Opens/closes the ColorCorrection window. See "Selective Color Correction" onpage 61 for more information.

Unsharp Mask Button: Opens/closes the Unsharp Maskwindow. See "Unsharp Masking" on page 63 for moreinformation.

Size Controls

Width The measured width of the output image. The units used areset on the General tab of the Setup window. See "TheGeneral Tab" on page 26 for more information.

Height The measured height of the output image. The units used areset on the General tab of the Setup window. See "TheGeneral Tab" on page 26 for more information.

Zoom The level of magnification applied when the image is saved.The Width and Height settings will update to reflect thesetting you make here. Note that if you choose a settingother than 100%, then FlexColor will interpolate the image tofit the size you specify.

DPI The output resolution of the final image. The Width andHeight settings will update to reflect the setting you makehere.



Corrections Controls

Size The file size of the final image file. This is affected by theWidth, Height, and Zoom settings.

Lock Button: The lock button enables you to lock the outputwidth and height settings. When the lock is closed, then theoutput width and height will not change when you modifythe crop area by dragging one of its corners, and theproportion of height to width will be maintained. Click onthe lock to toggle its setting.

Crop Button: Usually this button is gray, which indicatesthat the crop tool is active. When the crop tool is active, youare able to click and drag on the preview image to create andmanipulate the crop area. However, some tools, such as thecolor pickers, change the cursor so that it selects colorsinstead of defining a crop area. When one of these tools isactive, the crop button is white. To return to the crop tool,click on the crop button.

Note the following points about working with the crop and size tools:

• When you work with the digital camera, you will typically know thetarget output dimensions and resolution. If so, first enter thedimensions in the Height and Width fields and choose the outputresolution from the DPI pop-up menu. Then click on the lock icon sothat it is closed (this will lock your height and width settings).You are now able to click and drag the crop area to define thecomposition of your image - the Zoom value automatically tracks yourchanges without changing the height, width, or DPI of your outputimage.

• To set the crop area, place the mouse cursor over the preview image.Click and hold over one corner of the area you wish to capture anddrag the cursor away to outline the area. Release the mouse button toselect the area.

• To move the crop area, place the mouse cursor inside the outline, thenclick and drag the area. Release the button to drop the area again.

• To resize the crop area, place the mouse cursor over one of the sides orcorners. The cursor will change into a double sided arrow. Click anddrag the side or corner to stretch or shrink the area.



Size Controls

Zoom Controls

Zoom Out: Click this button to make the preview imagesmaller.

Zoom In: Click this button to make the preview imagelarger.

Normal Zoom: Click this button to resize the preview to fitthe window.

Magnifier: Click this button to open the Magnifier window.This window shows a strongly magnified view of the pre-view image that tracks the motion of your cursor. See "TheMagnifier Window" on page 65 for more information.

Keyboard shortcuts for zooming

• To fit the entire preview image in the window, type cmd-0.

• To zoom to 100%, type alt-cmd-0.

Other Controls

Rotate Buttons: If you choose to shoot with the camera backin portrait mode, then your subjects will be rotated so thatthey appears sideways in relation to the FlexColor previewwindow. If this annoys you, the use the rotate buttons torotate the image in 90° steps in either direction. Both thepreview and the final image will be rotated.

Mirror Button: Mirrors the preview and final image.

Orientation Icon: Shows the current rotation/mirroring inrelation to the captured image.



Zoom Controls

Softproof Mark the check box to activate the Softproof feature. Thisfeature combines the ICC color profile of your monitor withthe profiles of your camera back and output device toprovide a simulation of the output colors on your screen.Enable this only when you are sure about the specific outputdevice you are using. If you are making a general-purposeRGB capture, then keep this box unchecked. Click on the boxto toggle the check.

Grab tool: Holding down space activates the grab toolallowing you to drag the contents of the preview windowaround.

Grid button: Makes a grid over the preview. The grid can beuseful for aligning objects in your setup.Holding down the option key while clicking the Grid buttonopens the Grid options window:

Define the number and color of the lines in the grid.The number of lines is per the smallest image dimension(width or height).

The Preview

FlexColor has been designed with the philosophy that when creatingdigital images, it is best to judge image quality with your eyes, not basedon point measurements and color lookup tables. This is why we havedrawn so much attention to the screen calibration procedure in thetutorial, and why we have integrated ICC color profiles to maintain thecolor accuracy you see on your screen all the way to print.

To make it easy for you to see and use the preview, FlexColor provides alarge 16-bit image with a zoom function and magnifier window. Becauseyour monitor can only show 8-bit colors, FlexColor calculates a new 8-bitimage from the 16-bit information each time you apply a highlight,shadow, gradation, or color setting. This creates a very accurate previewimage.



The Preview

The Setup Window

Introduction

The Setup window shows many settings that affect the image and theway in which the other tools in the FlexColor application work. All ofthe settings displayed in the window can be saved and loaded from yourhard disk.

To open the Setup window, select Setup from the File menu.

Many of the settings, such as sharpness, gradation, and color correction,are available individually through tool buttons in the main FlexColorwindow. All settings you make using the individual tools are alsoapplied to the Setup window, and vice versa.

The Setup window is divided into several tab sheets to help you find thesetting you want to make.


The Setup Window23

Introduction

The FlexColor Setup Philosophy

In the traditional prepress environment, where photographs are shot tofilm and then scanned, the professional scanner operator requiresextensive education and experience to make all of the settings requiredto obtain good results. The operator examines each original and,applying his or her experience, enters a "best guess" of what all thesettings should be for that particular type of original. Then the operatorchecks the preview and makes fine tuning adjustments. However, whenshooting directly to digital, the photographer needs to be able to makethese same decisions.

FlexColor simplifies this process by enabling you to save a library ofsetups that you use most frequently. Nearly all FlexColor settings,including all settings in the Setup, Gradations, Histogram, and UnsharpMask windows, are saved in each setup file.

Each time you take a shot, select the closest setup from the Setup menu,define the crop, click on the Auto button, and you are 98 to 100% of theway to a perfect image capture.

FlexColor is delivered with several generic setups to get you startedquickly. Use the Setup pop-up menu to choose a setup that isappropriate for your original. The name of each setup indicates itsintended use.

Start by using the generic setups. If you want to develop your own setuplibrary, begin with the closest of the available generic setups, modify it,and save it with a new name.

Managing Setups

To create a new setup, click on the New button. A window will appear inwhich you can name the new setup. All of the settings currently appliedin the Setup, Gradations, Histogram, and Unsharp Mask windows willbe saved in the new file.


The Setup Window24

The FlexColor Setup Philosophy

To rename the currently loaded setup, click on the Rename button. Awindow will appear in which you can rename the setup.

After you have made changes to the current setup, save them by clickingon the Save button in the Setup window.

To delete the current setup, thereby removing it from the Setup pop-upmenus, click on Delete.

NOTE! The generic setups that ship with FlexColor are locked so thatyou can not accidentally modify, rename or delete them. If you want tomodify a generic setup, then select the setup from the Setup pop-upmenu, make modifications, then click on New to save your new setupwith a new name.

Advanced Setup Management

The Setup pop-up menu in the main FlexColor window is organizedinto sections. User-defined setups appear at the bottom of the list. All ofthe setups are saved as individual files in a folder called Settings, whichis in the same folder as the FlexColor application. Each section shown inthe Setup pop-up menu corresponds to a folder inside the Settingsfolder. If you would like to customize the organization of the menu, thenyou can add new folders and/or move setup files as required.


The Setup Window25

Advanced Setup Management

The General Tab

The General tab of the Setup window affects the general behavior of theinterface and identifies the setup file currently loaded.

Mode

Provides a pop-up menu for choosing the color space used when yousave a shot as a TIFF file. The following options are available:

• RGB: stores final images as standard 8-bit RGB TIFF files.

• RGB 16-bit: stores final images as 16-bit TIFF files. This preserves thefull color resolution captured by the camera back, but creates largerfiles that many applications cannot read. Tonal range and gradationsettings will have no effect if you use this mode.

• Grayscale: creates grayscale images, such as black and whitephotographs. Grayscale files are smaller than color files, so use thismode if your originals or final publications are in black and white. Toobtain a grayscale result, FlexColor combines information from allthree RGB color channels. ICC profiles have no effect when youcapture images using this mode.

• Grayscale 16-bit: stores final images as 16-bit grayscale TIFF files. Thispreserves the full tonal range captured by the camera back, but createsfiles that many applications cannot read. Tonal range, gradation andICC profile settings will have no effect if you use this mode. To obtaina grayscale result, FlexColor combines information from all three RGBcolor channels.


The Setup Window26

The General Tab

• Lineart: creates 1-bit images in which each pixel is either 100% blackor 100% white. These files are even smaller than grayscale images. Usethis mode if your originals are, for example, pen and ink drawings. Toadjust the threshold at which the input will jump to either black orwhite, use the Gradations window. See "Setting the Threshold forLineart Captures" on page 53 for more information. ICC profiles haveno effect when you use this mode.

• CMYK: creates print-ready color images. You must set up an ICCprofile to create CMYK images directly from FlexColor. See"ColorSync or ICM Tab" on page 35 for more information about ICCprofiles.

Type

Use this pop-up menu to choose which type of capture to take. You havethe following options:

• Preview: takes a single shot and applies minimal processing. This typeof capture appears most quickly on your screen. Use it to check yourexposure and composition and to make initial neutralization settings.Preview shots are not saved (each new preview is always named"*Preview" and overwrites the last one on your hard disk) and are notgood enough for production because they are not fully rendered.

• Single Shot: takes a single shot and applies full processing. If you areshooting people, animals, flowing water, or other moving objects, or ifyou are shooting from a hand-held camera, then you must usesingle-shot mode. Single shot images are fully rendered and processedso they take slightly longer than previews, but the results are ofproduction quality.

• Multi Shot: takes four shots (one for each color, but with green shottwice for extra sharpness) and then combines them into a single,high-resolution image. If you are shooting unmoving objects, such asroom interiors, studio sets or product shots, then you can usemulti-shot mode. Images taken in multi-shot mode will be sharper andcontain more detail than single-shot images. Multi-shot images willalso stand up to greater enlargement later in production.

• Micro Step: extends the multi-shot functionality by taking a total of 16exposures. This creates a 4000 x 6000 pixel image and digital files of upto 144 MB. Micro-step images will stand up to even greaterenlargement than multi-shot images.

Resolution DPI

Defines the resolution of the output image. Set this value according tothe requirements for your printed output. Most high-quality color work


The Setup Window27

The General Tab

uses 300 dpi. Newspapers typically use less (150 to 200 dpi). On-screendisplay, such as for the web, requires only 72 dpi. See "Size Controls" onpage 18 for more information about DPI and image sizing.

Optimize Black & White

This setting provides the best reproduction of black and white details,but reduces the accuracy of details in other colors. Mark this check box ifyou are shooting images where the best possible black and whiteresolution is important (such as when archiving text or bar codes).Disable this option for most general color work, as it can interfere withother color details of the image.

Mirror

If your original is a mirror image, or if you want to create a mirroredimage from the original, then place a check in this box. To keep theimage as captured, make sure this box is not checked.

Units

This set of radio buttons enables you to select the units used to displayHeight and Width values in the main FlexColor window.

ISO

Enables you to select between sensitivities of ISO 50 or 100.This setting will also be reflected in the Exposure Window (see page 67).

Preview crop area only

When this box is checked, then your settings for tonal range andgradation will only be shown inside your selected crop area on thepreview image - the rest of the image will appear just as it was captured.When this box is not checked, then your settings will be showneverywhere in the preview image.

Enhanced shadow detail

Activates an algorithm that delivers more details in the shadow areas.This function is active by default and should only be deselected forimages with a very narrow dynamic range or for images with anunusually high amount of color information in dark areas.


The Setup Window28

The General Tab

The Contrast Tab

The settings on the Contrast tab sheet are exactly the same as in theGradations window (available from the Windows menu). Changes madehere in the Setup window will also change the settings in that window,and vice versa. See "The Gradations Window" on page 49 for moreinformation about these settings.

The USM (Unsharp Masking) Tab

The settings in the USM tab reflect those made in the Unsharp Maskwindow (available from the Windows menu).

For more information about unsharp masking, see "Unsharp Masking"on page 63.


The Setup Window29

The Contrast Tab

Amount

Controls the strength of the sharpening effect. The higher the value, thestronger the sharp lines will become. Depending on your image, a valuebetween 80 and 200 is recommended.

Dark limit

Sets the brightness level below which the filter has no effect. This willkeep the filter from enhancing noise or unwanted textures in the darkareas of your image. The higher this number, the less extensive thesharpening effect will appear. Depending on your image, a settingbetween 0 and 20 is recommended.

Grain limit

Prevents the filter from sharpening low-contrast features in the image,such as noise, or textures. It works by comparing brightness of each pixelto the brightnesses of its surrounding pixels. If brightnesses differ by lessthan the Grain limit, then no sharpening is applied to the target pixel. Ifyour image looks grainy after sharpening, try to increase the Grain limitsetting.

Radius

Sets the radius in which the unsharp masking algorithm looks for sharpedges. The larger the radius, the more extensive the sharpening effectwill be. The setting you choose will depend on the contents on yourimage.

Color %

These three fields (Red, Green, and Blue) control the amount ofsharpening effect applied in each color channel. Normally, you shouldleave them set to 100 each, which applies sharpening equally to allchannels. In some cases, you may be able to reduce the effect of noise byapplying less sharpening to one channel (typically the blue channel). Youcan also use these settings to create special effects.

Apply

Mark this check box to apply the unsharp mask filter to all images.Remove the check to disable the filter.


The Setup Window30

The USM (Unsharp Masking) Tab

The CC (Color Correction) Tab

The CC tab contains a color correction chart, which enables you to alterthe way input colors are mapped onto the output colors. It can be used toremove or add color cast, or to create stronger colors in your images.

The matrix contains the same settings as the Color Correction window(available from the Windows menu), and displays all of the settings youhave made using that window. In many cases, it will be easier for you tomake adjustments using the Color Correction window instead. See"Selective Color Correction" on page 61 for more information. However,the matrix shown here gives a better overview of all of the colorcorrection settings for the current setup.

To activate the color correction, mark the Apply check box. To disablethe color correction settings, remove the mark from this box. Click onthe box to toggle the mark.

To modify the amount of any one color component in the image, click onthe button next to the target color along the top of the matrix. Then usethe up and down buttons for each component color along the left side ofthe matrix to add or remove that component from the target color.Alternatively, you can click on any of the fields in the matrix and edit thevalue with your keyboard.

To modify the saturation in the entire image, use the Saturation up anddown buttons or input field.


The Setup Window31


To reduce the amount of magenta:

R G B C M YR 0 0 0 0 0 0 Neutral redG 4 4 4 4 4 4 More green in all colorsB 0 0 0 0 0 0 Neutral BlueC 0 0 0 0 0 0 Neutral CyanM -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 Less Magenta in all colorsY 0 0 0 0 0 0 Neutral yellow

A full explanation on all of the applications of this tool would becomplex and beyond the scope of this manual. If you would like to knowmore about color mapping, please speak with your printer or consult theelectronic prepress section of your local library or book store.


The Setup Window32


The Auto Tab

The Auto tab sheet has percentage settings for both Shadow andHighlight. When you use the Auto button, the FlexColor applicationcomputes what it thinks the highlight and/or shadow values should bebased on the histogram of your image. It then modifies the values by thepercentages that you set here to find the final setting. The percentage isapplied to the difference between the highlight and shadow settings.

For example, if the Auto % for Highlight is set to 2 and you use the autofunction on an image in which the highlight might normally be 200, thenFlexColor will assign a highlight value of 196 (provided the shadowvalue was zero). If you find that you frequently need to adjust thehighlight or shadow values to be tighter than the auto function normallychooses, then use a positive setting here. Positive settings will result in arelative increase in the contrast.

You are able to set negative values for the Auto % settings. This willmake the automatic controls use less extreme settings for highlight andshadow than normal. For example, if the Auto % for Highlight were setto -2, and you use the auto function on an image in which the highlightmight normally be 200, then FlexColor will assign a highlight value of204 (provided the shadow value were zero). This setting will enable youto preserve more details at the extremes of the tonal range than youotherwise would if the highlight point were set lower.

For more information about working with highlight and shadow points,see "The Histogram Window" on page 55.


The Setup Window33

The Auto Tab

The Dot Tab

These settings affect the output of the image brightnesses. Normally, theoutput will be a maximum (255) at the brightest (highlight) point andminimum (0) at the darkest (shadow) point for each color. However, thiscan sometimes cause trouble for the printing presses, especially when toomuch ink is applied for the paper to dry quickly enough.

Printers often request that images be prepared to lie within certain lim-its. The settings on this tab sheet limit output at the extremes at eachcolor. Speak to your printer for advice about how to set these values.

The values in the three (RGB) columns control the maximum (forhighlight) or minimum (for shadow). For RGB color, 8-bit values (0 to255) are shown for each color.

The Endpoints pop-up menu determines how the values for the colorcolumns will be assigned when the input values exceed the definedlimits. They work as follows:


The Setup Window34

The Dot Tab

Cut-off: All values beyond the limit will remain at the limit.Round-off: All values beyond the limit will be spread out evenly

between the limit and the maximum (0 or 255).Force max:All values beyond the limit will be forced to the

maximum (0 or 255).

ColorSync or ICM Tab

ICC color profiles define the color response of each device in yoursystem. FlexColor uses these profiles to make calibrated, accurate, andhigh-quality color separations from your images.

Under Mac OS, ICC profiles are controlled by Apples ColorSynctechnology and the setup tab for selecting ICC profiles in FlexColor iscalled ColorSyncTM.

Under Windows 98 and 2000, ICC technology is referred to as "ICM"(which stands for "Image Color Management") and the tab for selectingICC profiles in FlexColor is called ICM.

FlexFrame digital camera backs and most monitors and output devicesinclude ICC profiles, which will help make sure the colors in youroriginal are maintained and that colors you see on your screen will beaccurately reproduced on paper.


The Setup Window35


For more information about using ICC profiles, see the online help foryour operating system.

For information about Apples ColorSyncTM technology, check Apple'sweb site at:http://www.colorsync.apple.com and/or http://www.apple.com.


The Setup Window36


Input

This pop-up menu shows a list of input ICC profiles installed on yoursystem. Select the FlexFrame 3020 default input profile from the list.

RGB

This pop-up menu lists all of the RGB profiles currently installed on yoursystem. Choose a profile that represents the color space in which youwork on-screen. (If you are using Adobe Photoshop, you can save thespace used by Photoshop as an ICC profile. To do this, start Photoshopand choose File -> Color Settings -> RGB Setup. The RGB Setupwindow appears (see the Getting Started... manual for more informationabout using this window).

Click on the Save button and save your selected RGB working space asan ICC profile. Give the profile a new name and save it in the ICC profilefolder used by your operating system. For most recent versions of theMac OS, use the ColorSync Profiles folder inside the System Folder.For Windows 98, use C:\WIN98\SYSTEM\COLOR\. The RGB dropdown list in the RGB Setup window now shows the name of the file thatyou just saved.)

CMYK

This pop-up menu lists all of the output profiles currently installed onyour system. Choose the profile specific for your output device, or selectthe closest of the generic profiles supplied with FlexColor. See "GenericICC Output Profiles" on page 43 for more information about the genericprofiles.

Convert

If this checkbox is marked data will be converted according to thecurrent settings of input and output profile. Otherwise the output fileswill contain data without any ICC corrections applied.


The Setup Window37


Softproof

Mark this checkbox to see an on-screen representation of the colorsexpected from your output device. It combines the output profile withthe monitor profile selected for your system to create a simulation of theoutput colors. See the Getting Started... manual for instructions on how toset up a monitor profile for you system and for advice about using theSoftproof feature.

Embed Profile

Mark this checkbox to embed a profile with your saved image. Theembedded profile will always match the content of the file. If conversionis active the embedded profile will be the output profile correspondingto the current capture mode setting - either the RGB or the CMYKprofile. If the convert checkbox is not checked the embedded profile willbe the current input profile.

Edit

The Edit button appears only if you are using the Mac OS version ofFlexColor. Click on this button to edit the output profile. Use this featureonly if you are an advanced user, or on the advice of your printer. Formore information about editing ColorSync profiles, see "EditingColorSync Color Profiles" on page 44.


The Setup Window38


The Preferences Window

Introduction

The Preferences window contains several miscellaneous settings thatcontrol the general functions of the camera back and the software. ThePreferences window settings are universal for the FlexColor applicationthey are not saved with the other settings in the setup files. To open thewindow, select Preferences from the File menu.

Model

FlexColor must know which kind of camera body you are using so that itcan control the camera correctly. Choose your camera body from theModel pop-up menu before you start taking pictures for the first timeand each time you change the type of camera body that you are usingwith the camera back.If you are using an unlisted camera body, then chose Generic. In thiscase, you may need to experiment a bit with the Shutter delay and Flashdelay and settings to optimize your results (see below).


The Preferences Window39

Introduction

Shutter Delay

When you click on the Capture button in FlexColor, a short amount oftime elapses between the moment you issue the expose command andthe moment the flash is fired. The camera body needs to allow some timefor its internal mechanics to, for example, move the mirror and open theshutter. FlexColor must know this time so that it can correctlysynchronize the shutter, flash and CCD exposure.

The shutter delay time is different for each camera back model. Thedelay is set automatically when you choose a camera body from theModel pop-up menu. However, you must set this manually when youchoose the Generic setting.

NOTE! Even when working with a specific camera body, you are able toadjust the shutter delay time manually if necessary. The value isresettable by clicking the Default button.

Under normal circumstances you simply choose the preferred camerafrom the drop down menu. You could however experience that yourcamera does not perform correctly using the default shutter dealy,causing colors to slide or other unwanted effects. This is due to a timingerror in the camera different from the factory setting.To correct this you are enabled to alter the default shutter delay settings.If you experience problems start by increasing the delay quite a bit, forexample 100 ms. Then decrease the shutter delay in small steps untilyour image looks right. This way you will find the correctsynchronazation for your selected camera.

Flash Delay

When you use one of the multi-exposure modes, FlexColor will instructthe camera back to take the exposures as quickly as possible, allowingtime for the image data to download after each shot. If your flash systemrequired extra time beyond this to be ready to flash again, then enter therequired minimum charge time (in seconds) in the Flash delay field.



Shutter Delay

Opening Saved Images

After saving an image as a TIFF file, FlexColor is able to launch theapplication of your choice and open the saved image in that application.If you would like to use this feature, then place a check in the Open incheckbox. Then click on the Select button. A standard file finder windowappears. Use it to locate and select the application you would like to usefor viewing your saved images.

Auto after New Crop

FlexColor includes an auto tonal range function, which analyzes thecropped image and sets highlight and shadow values accordingly. Youcan use it at any time by clicking on the Auto button in the mainFlexColor window.

The Auto after new crop checkbox provides an optional shortcut forusing the auto function. When this checkbox is marked, each time youmake a new crop, FlexColor will immediately analyze the imagecontained in the crop area and set highlight and shadow values, just as ifyou had clicked on the Auto button.

You can also control this function by holding down the option key asyou define a new crop:

• If the Auto after new crop checkbox is enabled, then hold down theoption key to make a new crop without invoking the auto function.

• If the Auto after new crop checkbox is disabled, then hold down theoption key to apply the auto function to your new crop.

NOTE! This function will not update the highlight and shadow settingswhen you move or resize an existing crop area; it only responds whenyou create a new crop area. If you would like to use the auto functionagain after moving or resizing a crop area, click on the Auto button inthe main FlexColor window.For more information about tonal range and the Auto function, see "TheHistogram Window" on page 55 and "The Auto Tab" on page 33. Formore information about cropping, see "The Main FlexColor Window" onpage 15.



Opening Saved Images

FlexColor ICC Profiles

Generic ICC Output Profiles

FlexColor includes six generic ICC output profiles for generating varioustypes of color separations. The name of each profile provides adescription of the results it creates. See Table 1 for details.

GCR stands for gray color replacement. It is a scheme for adding black todark colors, thereby reducing the total amount of ink applied. A highpercentage of GCR results in more black ink in the image (and,consequently, less ink of other colors).

The skeleton black scheme does not add nearly as much black -especially in the colors, thus resulting in brighter colors, but alsorequiring higher quality paper. These profiles also specify the minimumink percentage in each channel that a color must have before any black isadded at all.

If you are not sure which profile to use, ask your printer if there is a limiton the maximum ink percentage and be sure to choose a profile thatlimits the percentage appropriately. In the majority of cases, the Imacon330% Skel. K. 75/30% profile will provide the best results.


FlexColor ICC Profiles43

Generic ICC Output Profiles

ProfileMax

Ink

Black

Generation

Max

Black

Black

StartsUse

Imacon 250%

GCR 40% K.90%

250% GCR 40% 90% n/a Newspapers,low ink

Imacon 280%

GCR 30% K.90%

280% GCR 30% 90% n/a Newspapers,standard

Imacon 330%

GCR 20% K.95%

330% GCR 20% 95% n/a Glossy paper(magazines)

Imacon 330%

Skel. K. 75/30%

330% SkeletonBlack

75% 30% General use,glossy paper

Imacon 350%

GCR 20% K.95%

350% GCR 20% 95% n/a High-end, highink

Imacon 350%

Skel. K. 91/30%

350% SkeletonBlack

91% 30% Extreme high-end (e.g. art repro)

Table 1: Generic ICC output profiles included with FlexColor.

In some cases, a ICC profile for your (or your service bureaus) specificoutput device may be available. If so, then use it instead.

If your results are not satisfactory, then speak with your printer foradvice about how you should modify the profile. See "Editing ColorSyncColor Profiles" on page 44 for instructions.

Editing ColorSync Color Profiles

NOTE! The profile editor is only available with the Mac OS version ofFlexColor.

FlexColor includes both a ColorSync input profile designed for theFlexFrame camera back and a set of generic output profiles, each ofwhich is designed to create good results under a different set ofconditions.

These generic profiles will deliver adequate to excellent results. If, aftertesting an output profile and speaking with your service bureau, youfind that you would like to fine tune an output profile, then follow theprocedure below.

The settings available for editing the output profiles are both highlydetailed and very powerful. In general, they are intended for users whoare very experienced in making color separations. Most likely, youshould speak with your service bureau about how to make these settings.




1. Run the FlexColor application.

2. Choose Setup from the File menu. Then click on the ColorSyncTM

tab.

3. Use the CMYK pop-up menu to select the profile you would like toedit. Note that the profile you select must be as close as possible tothe profile you want to make - you are not able to create acompletely different profile using the editor. The menu lists all of theprofiles currently installed in the ColorSyncTM Profiles folder in thePreferences folder of your System Folder.

4. Click on the Edit button. The Output Profile window appears.

5. We recommend that you save your edited profile using a new name,so click on the Save as button.




The Create New Profile window appears. Type a name for youredited profile and click on the Create button.

6. Return to the Output Profile window. It shows the output valuesapplied in the final separated file for each color at each of fourbrightness (neutral-gray) levels (0%, 5%, 50%, and 100%). Byadjusting these levels, you are able to control how colors will appearin your output. For example, if your prints look too yellow in thehighlights, then you could turn down the Y value for 0% and/or 5%values. In many cases, this is all the level of detail you will need.

7. The Dot Gain Compensation setting compensates for the defaultdot-gain setting of the existing profile. The setting is relative, andcan be positive or negative. Generally, this value varies from printerto printer. Finding the correct setting will require some trial anderror.




8. If you need to make even more detailed adjustments, then click onthe triangle next to the Advanced heading.

9. The Advanced section includes value settings for even more graylevels. These settings include the same four levels that you were ableto adjust using the standard part of the Output Profile window.

10. When you are done making settings in the window, click on theSave button to apply the settings to your new profile.




The Gradations Window

Introduction

The functions described in this section will not always be needed duringnormal operation. They enable you to make fine adjustments to youroutput images that will affect brightness and contrast and willcompensate for printing conditions. As with the advanced highlight andshadow controls, take care when using the Gradations settings. Takesome time to experiment with its settings. Look at the preview to seehow the curve will effect images. Save some images after using thesettings and inspect them closely. Take notes on the kind of settings youuse and make a comparative proof print.

To open the Gradations window, click on the Gradationbutton in the Correction area of the main FlexColor window,or select Gradations from the Windows menu.

The Gradations window includes sliders for Contrast, Brightness,Gamma and Shadow depth. It also includes a gradation curve, which isa plot of input brightness (on the horizontal-axis) versus outputbrightness (on the vertical-axis). You can hide or show the curve byclicking on the small triangle beneath the Shadow depth slider.


The Gradations Window49

Introduction

All of the settings you make using the curves and sliders in theGradations window are saved with the current setup. The contrast,brightness, gamma and shadow depth settings can also be adjustedusing the Contrast tab of the Setup window.

Using the Sliders

The sliders provide a quick and easy way to adjust the contrast,brightness, gamma, and/or shadow depth of your images. Theseadjustments affect the image, but are not reflected on the gradationgraph that appears at the bottom of the window if you click on thetriangle.

The sliders behave as follows:

• Contrast: This control affects the contrast in the image. Positive valuesincrease contrast in the overall image by compressing the contrast inthe highlight and shadow areas. Negative values reduce contrast inthe midtones, but improve visibility at the extremes of the tonal range.This control is easy to use, but is less precise than using the curve.

• Brightness: This control affects the brightness of all points in theimage. Positive values brighten the image, negative values darken it.This control is easy to use, but is less precise than using the curve.

• Gamma: The gamma setting applies a predefined gradation curve.However, unlike the standard gradation curve, the gamma setting isstrictly controlled, so it enables you to use a color managementprogram that is calibrated to the camera back at a given gammasetting. The default is 2.0. If you raise the gamma setting, then theimage will become lighter and more details will be visible in the darkareas. The opposite occurs if you decrease the setting.

• Shadow depth: This setting controls a complex algorithm that affectsthe level of detail visible in the shadow areas of your image. Thehigher you move this slider, the more detail you will be able to see inthe shadows. However, this will also reduce contrasts in the rest of theimage. A setting of zero effectively disables this feature.

To neutralize all settings in all color channels of the gradation curve andsliders, click on the Reset button. None of your other FlexColor settingswill be affected.

NOTE! The sliders affect all colors equally. They are not affected by thesetting in the color channel pop-up menu located above the gradationcurve.



Using the Sliders

Using the Gradations Color Picker

The Gradations Color Picker in the lower left corner of theGradations window enables you to place a gravity point onthe curve at the brightness of a point that you select in thepreview. Click on the eyedropper icon to activate thegradations color picker, then click on a point in the previewto place the gravity point. See the next section for moreinformation about using the curve.

Using the Curve

The gradation curve is a plot of input brightness (on the horizontal-axis)versus output brightness (on the vertical-axis). It provides extremelydetailed control over brightness and contrast in your final image, andeven provides individual control over each color channel. You can hideor show the curve by clicking on the small triangle beneath the Shadowdepth slider.

To adjust the curve, click and drag on the graph. Each time you click on anew point, you will create a gravity point, which will pull the curvetoward itself. This system makes sure that the curve is always smooth.The preview image will update to reflect your changes.

Here are some guidelines to help you make adjustments to the gradationcurve:

• To add a gravity point to the curve, click anywhere on the graph oruse the Gradations Color Picker, as described in the previous section.

• To remove a gravity point from the curve, click on the point and thenpress the backspace button on your keyboard.



Using the Gradations Color Picker

More overall brightness More overall contrast More shadow details

• A neutral (default) gradation curve is a straight, diagonal line from thelower left to the upper right of the graph.

• To add brightness to the image (without affecting the highlight value),drag the curve up above neutral. To darken an image, drag it belowneutral.

• To reduce the contrast in the shadow, midtone, or highlight make thecurve more flat on the bottom-left, center, or top-right areasrespectively.

• To increase the contrast in the shadow, midtone, or highlight make thecurve more steep on the bottom-left, center, or top-right areasrespectively.

• To adjust the gradation in a single color channel, use the pop-up menulocated above the gradation curve. Options are: RGB, Red, Green,Blue, Cyan, Magenta, or Yellow. This gives you a very powerfulmethod of adjusting color in your images.

• To adjust the gradation without changing the color balance, set thepop-up menu above the gradation curve to RGB.

• All of the settings made to the gradation curve are saved with thesetup, just as all of the settings shown in the Setup window. See"Managing Setups" on page 24 for instructions about how to select,load and save setups.

• To neutralize all settings in all color channels of the gradation curveand sliders, click on the Reset button. None of your other FlexColorsettings will be affected.

Keyboard Shortcuts

While working with the gravity points on the gradation curve you havethe following possibilities:

• Pressing ctrl-tab to step between gravity points (when more than onepoint is defined)

• To move a gravity point, either drag it with your mouse or activate itand then use the arrow buttons on your keyboard. Hold down the ctrlkey to move the point in larger increments.

• While dragging a gravity point using the mouse, hold down the shiftkey to restrict its movement to the horizontal direction.



Using the Curve

Setting the Threshold for Lineart Captures

When you are saving in Lineart mode, FlexColor applies a threshold tocreate an image in which every pixel is either completely black orcompletely white. In this case, the gradation curve is simply a verticalline. You can move this line left or right to adjust the input level at whichthe threshold is applied.

Click and drag on the line to adjust the threshold level to the right(which cause more pixels to go to black) or the left (which will causemore pixels to go to white).



Setting the Threshold for Lineart Captures

Morepixelsgo towhite

Morepixelsgo toblack

The Histogram Window

Introduction

The easiest way to set the highlight and shadow points is to use the Autotonal range button in the main FlexColor window. However, in somecases, the auto function will not provide the desired results. The colorpickers and sliders in the Histogram window provide the tools you needto fine tune your highlight and shadow points.

• The Highlight Point is the brightness above which all input pixels willbe output at white (usually 255, unless you have set values in the Dottab sheet of the Setup window - see "The Dot Tab" on page 34 fordetails).

• The Shadow Point is the brightness below which all input pixels willbe output at black (usually 0, unless you have set values in the Dot tabsheet of the Setup window - see "The Dot Tab" on page 34 for details).

You must take care when using these settings, as they can have apowerful effect on your images. Take some time to experiment withthem. Look at the preview to see how these settings will effect the image.Save some images after using these controls and inspect them closely.Take notes on the kind of settings you use and make a comparative proofprint.

If you do not have any experience with digital images, then you shouldspeak with an experienced professional, such as a scanner operator ordigital photographer, about how these controls will affect your images.Ask him or her what to look for when you are evaluating your proofprints. You should also read some books about digital photography,digital imaging, scanning, and color reproduction.


The Histogram Window55

Introduction

The Histogram Display

To open the Histogram window, click on the Histogrambutton in the Correction area of the main FlexColor window,or select Histogram from the Windows menu.

The Histogram window contains a graph that indicates the tonal rangeof your image. The graph displays the number of pixels (on the verticalaxis) of each brightness (on the horizontal axis). Pixels with a value of 0(black) are shown on the left; pixels with a value of 255 (white) areshown on the right.

Color Pickers

These enable you to click on pixels in your image to set highlight,shadow and neutral points. See "The Histogram Color Pickers" on page58 for more information about using them.




Shadow color picker

Neutralize color picker

Highlight color picker

Maximum output valueand slider

Minimum output valueand slider

Shadow value

Shadow slider

Hide/show color channels

Highlight slider

Highlight value

Sliders

Click and drag the sliders to set the highlight and shadow points and toset the minimum- and maximum output values. The min. and max.output values reflect the settings on the Dot tab of the Setup window.See "The Dot Tab" on page 34 for details about these settings.

NOTE! You can also use the arrow keys on the keyboard to move aslider once it has been selected. Hold down the ctrl key to move in largerincrements. Use ctrl-tab to step between sliders.

Auto Button

Click on this button to have FlexColor assign highlight and shadowvalues based on the histogram of your image. If the current setup isconfigured to remove color cast, the image will also be automaticallyneutralized.

Reset Button

Click on this button to remove all highlight, neutralize, color cast andshadow settings.

Show Final Values checkbox

Mark this checkbox to display the histogram as it appears after thehighlight and shadow values are applied. Remove the check to workwhile viewing the histogram of the image before these settings areapplied.




Hide/Show Color Channels

Click on this triangle to display separate histograms for each colorchannel. You are able to adjust highlight and shadow values separatelyfor each.

The Histogram Color Pickers

The histogram color pickers enable you to point at any pixel in yourpreview image and assign the highlight, neutralize, or shadow pointbased on the value of that pixel.

Both the highlight and shadow color pickers will affect the brightnessand contrast in your image by choosing the tonal range.




To use the color pickers:

1. Click on the appropriate eyedropper button for the type of tonalrange setting you would like to make. Your mouse pointer turns intothe selected eyedropper.

2. Move the mouse pointer over the preview image; note pixel valuereadings that appear in the Color area of the main FlexColorwindow. Note that the numbers displayed in the Color area are thecurrent values (after histogram or gradation settings).

3. The Magnifier window, which shows a magnified view of thepreview image under the color picker, can help you see individualpixels. To open the Magnifier window, select Magnifier from theWindows menu (or click on the Magnifier button in the Zoom areaof the main FlexColor window). Note that the selected pixel is out-lined at the center of the window.

4. Place the tip of the eyedropper over an appropriate pixel in thepreview image.• When selecting a highlight point, select an object in the image that

you would like to have print white. Check the pixel values atseveral potential white points to help you pick the best one(usually the brightest one that is not already at the maximum of255 in any of the colors). All pixels brighter than the one youselected will burn out.

• When selecting a shadow point, select an object in the image thatyou would like to have print black. Check the pixel values atseveral potential black points to help you pick the best one(usually the darkest one that is not already at the minimum of 0 inany of the colors). All pixels darker than the one you selected willbe black.




• When selecting a neutralize point, select an object in the imagethat should be a neutral (gray) color. This will not affect the imagebrightness, only the color cast. For best results, select a point closeto the middle of the exposure range, for example with RGB pixelvalues around 150.

5. Click on the target point. The highlight, shadow or gray value willbe reassigned to the values shown for that pixel in the info area.Your screen will be instantly updated.

6. Inspect the preview using the Magnifier window and Color area.Look for areas that are burned-out (showing values of 255) and alsocheck the shadow areas to be sure you have not hidden any detailsin these areas. You can undo your settings by selecting Edit -> Undoor pressing command-z on your keyboard.

Neutralizing Colors

Working with digital photography is somewhat different from usingconventional film.To obtain a neutral colorbalance in your image you will have to performa neutralization of the image.To achieve the correct neutralization it is advised to use a MachbethColor Checker Chart. Use the neutralization picker (center) and click onone of the grey patches of the chart. Alternatively you can use an area inthe image which you are certain has a natural grey balance but youmight experience colors shifting doing so.Whenever you change the setup, lightning or other physical aspectswhich could influence your image it is advised to perform a newneutralization.Once your image is neutralized it will stay that way until you eitherchange the setup or perform another neutralization.

You can undo a neutralization setting by selecting Edit -> Undo orpressing command-z on your keyboard.



Neutralizing Colors

Selective Color Correction

Introduction

Sometimes you need more control over the image colors than simplyremoving a color cast. FlexColor features a powerful selective colorcorrection feature, which enables you to adjust the appearance of specificcolors throughout your image.

Opening the Color Correction Window

To open the Color Correction window, click on the ColorCorrection button in the Correction area of the mainFlexColor window, or select Color Correction from theWindows menu.

Using the Color Correction Window

To use the Selective Color Correction:

1. Open the Color Correction window by selecting Color Correctionfrom the Windows menu, or clicking on the Color Correction buttonin the main FlexColor window.

2. Click on the upper square area to the right in the Color Correctionwindow to activate the color correction color picker.

3. Click on the color in the preview image that you would like tochange. The color will immediately appear in the top (before) color


Selective Color Correction61

Introduction

Color before color correction. Click hereto activate the color correction picker.

Color after color correction.

box. Offsets to its pixel values are listed in the R, G, B, C, M, and Yfields (by default, these values are all set to zero).

4. The pop-up menu near the top of the window displays the nearestprimary color to the one you picked in the preview. Adjusting thiscolor will have the most dramatic effect on the color you chose.However, if you wish to edit a different primary color, then select adifferent color from the pop-up menu.

5. Add or subtract any of the other colors using the arrow buttons andnumerical entry fields provided for each color channel. Positivevalues will add the respective color, negative values will remove it.All pixels containing the color selected in pop-up menu will beadjusted proportionately.

6. If you would like to change the saturation throughout the image,then use the Saturation slider. The hues will remain the same, but allof the colors will become either more or less strong, depending onwhether you choose a positive or negative setting, respectively.

7. The lower square updates to show the effects your changes will haveon the color you selected in the preview. Continue to adjust thesettings until you are satisfied with the color shown in this box.

Note also the Apply checkbox. When this box is checked, the colorcorrection will be applied to your preview and saved image. Remove thecheck to disable color correction without erasing your settings. Click onthe box to toggle the check.

The Reset button returns all color correction setting to neutral. It doesnot affect any of your other FlexColor settings.

You can also view and edit settings made in the Color Correctionwindow by looking at the CC tab in the Setup window. The colorcorrection settings are saved and loaded together with all of the othersettings in the Setup window, so you can keep a library of your favoritesettings by saving a new Setup file for each one. See "Managing Setups"on page 26 for more information.

NOTE! If you are using the Gradations window to lighten the image,then you may notice that the saturation decreases. To compensate, youmay then increase the saturation in the Color Correction window, whichwill make the image look a bit darker again. Avoid entering a cycle inwhich you repeat each of these settings until both windows are set toextremes. Extreme settings will typically degrade your image.


Selective Color Correction62

Using the Color Correction Window

Unsharp Masking

Introduction

The unsharp mask filter applies an algorithm that increases contrastalong sharply defined edges.

Unsharp masking has the potential to both improve and degrade yourimage - it makes the features more sharp, but can also bring out noise orgraininess. Most typically, noise will appear first in the dark areas of theimage. This is why FlexColor enables you to take final-resolutionpreviews of the sharpness effect at two different parts of your image.Use one preview to see if there is enough sharpness to bring out theimportant features in the bright or midtone areas. Use the other previewto check if the setting will bring out too much noise in the dark areas.

Using the Unsharp Mask Window

To open the Unsharp Mask window, click on the Sharpnessbutton in the Correction area of the main FlexColor window,or select Unsharp Mask from the Windows menu.

To change the filter's settings, click in the appropriate field and edit thevalue with your keyboard or use the up and down arrow buttons. Thecontrols have the following effects:

• Amount: Controls the strength of the sharpening effect. The higher thevalue, the stronger the sharp lines will become.

• Dark limit: Sets the brightness level below which the filter has noeffect. This will keep the filter from enhancing noise or unwantedtextures in your image. The higher this number, the less extensive thesharpening effect will appear.


Unsharp Masking63

Introduction

• Grain limit: Prevents the filter from sharpening low-contrast featuresin the image, such as film grain, noise, or textures. It works bycomparing brightness of each pixel to the brightnesses of itssurrounding pixels. If brightnesses differ by less than the Grain limit,then no sharpening is applied to the target pixel. If your image looksgrainy after sharpening, try to increase the Grain limit setting.

• Radius: Sets the radius in which the unsharp masking algorithm looksfor sharp edges. The larger the radius, the more extensive thesharpening effect will be. The setting you choose will depend on thecontents on your image and the resolution you are using. Generally,use a large radius with high-resolution images. Use a smaller radiusfor lower resolutions images.

To preview your settings, click on one of the square areas on the rightside of the Unsharp Mask window, then click on a target area in thepreview image of the main FlexColor window. A preview of thesharpening effect at 100% (1:1) magnification will be shown in theUnsharp Mask window. Both previews behave in exactly the same way.There are two of them so that you can compare the sharpening effect intwo different areas of your image. Use one to check for enoughsharpness in the bright or midtone areas. Use the other to check for noiseresulting from too much sharpness in the shadow areas.

The Apply checkbox turns the unsharp masking filter on or off. Whenthe box is checked, the filter will be applied to your final image and tothe preview image. To disable the filter, remove the check. Click on thebox to toggle the check.

The Reset button returns the filter to its default settings (Amount=100,Dark limit=10, Grain limit=0, and Radius=1). None of your otherFlexColor setting will be affected.

It is also possible to apply different amounts of sharpening to each colorchannel. This is controlled on the USM tab of the Setup window. See"The USM (Unsharp Masking) Tab" on page 43 for instructions.


Unsharp Masking64

Using the Unsharp Mask Window

The Magnifier Window

Introduction

The Magnifier window shows a magnified view of the preview image.The image shown is of the area surrounding the mouse pointer. Thiswindow enables you to see and select individual pixels from the pre-view. The pixel directly under the cursor is outlined at the center of thewindow.

This window is especially useful when you want to read color values fora specific pixel in your image.

Opening the Magnifier Window

To open the Magnifier window, click on the Magnifierbutton in the Zoom area of the main FlexColor window orselect Magnifier from the Windows menu.


The Magnifier Window65

Introduction


The Magnifier Window66

The Exposure Window

Introduction

The Exposure window enables you to quickly assess your exposure andto make shutter time, aperture, and ISO settings for camera bodies thatallow these to be set remotely.

Even for camera bodies that do not allow the shutter time to be setremotely, you must select a shutter time setting that matches (or isslightly longer than) that of your camera body to ensure that the CCDdoes not begin to transmit its readings before the shutter closes.

Opening the Exposure Window

To open the Exposure window, click on the Exposure buttonin the main FlexColor window or select Exposure from theWindows menu.

Judging the Exposure

The Exposure window provides two tools for judging the exposure ofthe current shot.

The Meter in the center of the window indicates the overall brightness ofthe shot. Ideally, it should be near the top of the green area, but withoutentering into the red area, which indicates an overexposure. Theindicator turns yellow to indicate a probably bad exposure and turnswhite to indicate a good exposure. Only the part of the image that is


The Exposure Window67

Introduction

inside of your crop area is measured by this tool, which means that themeasurement will change when you modify the crop area.

Place a mark in the Mark overexposed in preview check box to see anindication of the overexposed areas in the preview. These areas will behighlighted in bright pink so that you can decide if they are important toyour subject. Clear this check box to remove the highlighting from thepreview.

Setting the Exposure

Some camera bodies allow the aperture and shutter speed to be set byremote control, though most require you to set the exposure using thestandard controls on the camera body.

The camera body that you select in the Preferences window affects theavailability and functionality of the Shutter time and Aperture settingshere in the Exposure window. You must identify your camera body inorder for the Exposure window to work correctly. See "The PreferencesWindow" on page 39 for details about how to set your camera body typein FlexColor.

Shutter Time

The Shutter time setting controls how long the CCD will be exposedbefore the image data starts to be downloaded to your computer. Youmust adjust the CCD exposure time used by your camera back to be surethat it is not shorter than your shutter speed.

If you are working with a camera body that allows the shutter speed tobe set remotely, then the Shutter time setting will also control yourshutter speed.

A good strategy for working with the Shutter time setting with mostcamera bodies is to keep it set to 1/15 sec. Then be sure that you do notset your camera body to use an exposure time that is longer than this. Ifyou do need a longer exposure time, then remember to change thesetting in FlexColor to match the setting on your camera.

Note, however, that if you are working with a camera body that allowsyou to set the shutter speed from FlexColor, then you can just set theexposure time for each shot by using the Shutter time setting.



Setting the Exposure

Aperture

Some camera bodies allow you to adjust the aperture from yourcomputer. If you are using one of these bodies, then the Aperture settingcontrols your camera body. For other camera bodies, this setting will beinactive (grey).

ISO

The ISO pop-up enables you to select between sensitivities of ISO 50 or100.This setting will also be reflected on the General tab in the Setupwindow (see "The General Tab" on page 26).

Black Calibration

Black calibration is needed to define how each pixel in your camera backsees `black'. It makes sure that each pixel reacts identically. This will helpeliminate noise (graininess) in your images.

The black calibration changes over time and with variations intemperature and other conditions, so it may need to be taken often. Ifyour images look noisy or grainy, especially in the dark areas, then youprobably need to make a new black calibration.

Usually, black calibration will be done automatically. A message willappear on your computer screen while it is done. The process will onlytake a few seconds. The shutter will not open during calibration, so youare free to adjust your set, move your lights, or do whatever you likewhile it is taking place.

Automatic Black Calibration

FlexColor automatically carries out a black calibration at the followingtimes:

• The first time you turn on the camera.

• Each time you change the Shutter time setting in the Exposurewindow.

• Whenever the temperature inside the camera back changessignificantly. (The camera back contains a thermometer for thispurpose.)



Black Calibration

Manual Black Calibration

If your shots are showing signs of noise or graininess in the dark areas,then try to make a new black calibration to see if this helps. To do so,click on the Black Calibration button in the Exposure window.



Black Calibration

The Thumbnails Window

Introduction

The Thumbnails window works like a light table, showing you a smallpreview image of each of the shots you have taken and stored in a singlefolder. Click the Folder button to select the folder you want to use foryour thumbnails. The name of the folder (ex. My Pictures) appears in thetitle bar of the Thumbnails window. Use the Thumbnails window toreview your work, load images into the main FlexColor window and tosave images as standard TIFF files.

Opening the Thumbnails Window

To open the Thumbnails window, click on the Thumbnailsbutton in the main FlexColor window or select Thumbnailsfrom the Windows menu.


The Thumbnails Window71

Introduction

Files and Formats

When you take a shot, it is saved in the currently selected folder anddisplayed in the preview area of the main FlexColor window. All shotsare saved in a proprietary format called a SHOT file. The SHOT filecontains the raw 16-bit image, neutralization setting, gradation settingsand other information used by FlexColor.

The Thumbnails window shows all of the SHOT files saved in thecurrently selected folder and allows you to load any of them in thepreview area of the main FlexColor window.

SHOT files can only be read and processed by FlexColor. To use yourshots in other image-editing and DTP applications, you must processthem to apply the various settings and save them as TIFF files. TIFF is astandard format that is supported by the vast majority of imaging andDTP programs.

Saving Crop and Imaging Settings

When you take a new shot, all of the crop, mode, color andimage-enhancement settings currently in effect will be saved with theSHOT file in the current folder. If you make new settings with thevarious tools of FlexColor while a shot is loaded into the main FlexColorwindow, your new settings will not be saved unless you click on Save inthe main FlexColor window. When you do this, FlexColor will create aTIFF file of the current image in which all of your latest crop, mode, colorand image-enhancement settings are applied. In addition, your newsettings will be saved in the SHOT file and previewed in the icon shownin the Thumbnails window.

When you load a file from the Thumbnails window into the mainFlexColor

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Software Reference - PHOTOWORKSHOP.COM · 2012. 2. 4. · The information in this manual is furnished for informational use only, is subject to change without notice, and should not