RAW photo editing software Capture One has a set of new tools designed to prevent photographers from having to launch a separate application to finish and edit. The update brings new cloning and healing tools, commonly used to remove blemishes or errant strands of hair. A new discounted version of the app is also available for Nikon photographers, similar to existing options for Fujifilm and Sony.
In a likely dig at competitor Adobe, the developer says that the new clone and heal tools are designed to “reduce the need for external retouching applications.” The clone and heal tools are now two separate brushes that automatically create a layer when used. The previous limit of “heal zones,” which in earlier versions would only allow the heal tool to be applied once per layer, has been removed.
The company says the update makes Capture One 20 the most flexible healing workflow among RAW photography software. Capture One, which is developed by medium-format camera company Phase One, is an Adobe Lightroom competitor that also incorporates Photoshop-like layers into the RAW editing workflow. While Lightroom also has similar tools, Capture One’s layer support is not found in most other RAW editors, something for which even Lightroom users would have to open Photoshop.
The editor also aims to entice users over from Lightroom with an improved tool for importing existing Lightroom catalogs. Image files located on an external hard drive that is not plugged into the computer can still be added to Capture One and will automatically finish importing once the drive is reconnected. Basic adjustments and catalog structure are also imported from Lightroom.
The update also adds a new before-and-after tool, with a new keyboard shortcut to activate it.
Capture One for Nikon is a new branded option compatible with only Nikon cameras. It is available for a subscription price of $10 per month, or $99 per year, making it less than half the price of the full software. The Nikon version also carries over to Capture One Express, a feature-limited free version of the software that also exists in Fujifilm and Sony iterations.
The update is free to existing Capture One 20 users, while new users can subscribe for $20 per month or buy a perpetual license for $299.
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