nik Sharpener Pro 2.0 Software

nik multimedia, Inc. has announced nik Sharpener Pro 2.0, the upgrade to the popular nik Sharpener Pro software. nik Sharpener Pro 2.0 is said to provide the easiest way for photographers and digital artists to optimally sharpen their digital images and achieve the best possible detail in their final prints. As a plug-in to Adobe Photoshop and other image editing applications, nik Sharpener Pro 2.0 new features include 16-bit compatibility for sharpening 16-bit images, a larger preview area to allow users to see how the sharpening alters their images, and new tools offering more control of where sharpening is applied to the image.

nik Sharpener Pro 2.0 applies optimal sharpening to an image based on image resolution, viewing distance, paper type, and printer resolution rather than the traditional radius, amount, and threshold values used by other sharpening software. Many digital photographers, said the company, do not know how to correctly select the optimal radius, amount, and threshold for sharpening their digital images and frequently over- or under-sharpen them. nik Sharpener Pro 2.0 removes the guesswork and provides controls that photographers understand. The software then does the work of calculating and applying the optimal sharpening for an image.

For photographers and digital artists who want to apply different amounts of sharpening to selected areas of the image, there are two sets of tools that allow users to apply selective sharpening: the sliders in the Advanced controls menu and the Selective tool.

The Advanced controls menu in nik Sharpener Pro 2.0 provides five slider controls that can be associated with different colors in a digital image. Users can pick the color for a slider with an eyedropper tool or a traditional color-picker menu. Once the colors are selected, each slider allows users to increase or decrease the sharpening applied to areas of the image that have that color. For maximum control, each of the five sliders can be adjusted independently. This is the perfect tool for reducing the amount of sharpening on the face of the bride in a wedding photo or the sky in an outdoor photo. The simplicity and power of this tool is a true innovation in sharpening technology.

Another powerful new feature of nik Sharpener Pro 2.0 is the Selective tool. This new tool allows users to apply sharpening to any part of an image with selective brush strokes. The sharpening can be selectively brushed into the image, or the sharpening can be applied to the whole image and selectively brushed out. This tool takes advantage of the layer technology in Adobe Photoshop and automatically creates the adjustment layer with a single mouse click.

nik Sharpener Pro 2.0 also features a new RAW Presharpening filter. The RAW Presharpening filter is designed to enhance the detail in digital images that are converted from a RAW file format. The RAW Presharpening filter is controlled with a simple slider and a preview area. Although most digital cameras offer some presharpening, the nik Sharpener Pro 2.0 RAW Presharpening filter enables users to see and control the amount of presharpening in real time.

nik Sharpener Pro 2.0 is offered in two editions: nik Sharpener Pro 2.0 Inkjet Edition for $169.95 and nik Sharpener Pro 2.0 Complete Edition for $329.95. Registered owners of nik Sharpener Pro 1.0 qualify for special upgrade pricing. For more information about the two editions and upgrade pricing, visit the company's Web site at: www.nikmultimedia.com.

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