There’s a war raging on amidst creators of photographic plug ins. And with Adobe going the subscription way, that war has gained a new dimension. Suddenly it is not just a matter of creating apps or plug-ins for Adobe programs, it is a matter of creating alternatives to what has been the reference program for years: Photoshop. And to a certain extent, Lightroom.
That’s what onOne Software has done with their Perfect Photo Suite 8, a bold collection of programs, eight in total, that is presented as “The Photographer’s Choice for Photo Editing”. I’ve written about the subject before here at ProPhoto Coalition, (please read Perfect Photo Suite 8: Photoshop’s New Rival) but, I return to the theme because it is rather interesting, not just in terms of the market changes it reveals, but also for the technical aspects softwareoffers like OnOne Software’s offers to the photographers.
Since the presentation of the Perfect Photo Suite 8 that onOne Software has been offering multiple buying promotions, enticing photographers to try and buy their program. The latest offer aims to seduce owners of competing software. In fact, onOne Software announced that owners of Nik Software, Topaz Labs, and other digital photography plug-in software, can get onOne Software’s Perfect Photo Suite 8 Premium Edition for only $129.95!
This offer started with a short time frame, of a week or so, but the promotion has been extended, still with a limited time only, but without any mention of final date. The offer runs at the same time that Adobe has extended their promotion of the subscription for Photoshop and Lightroom. Again! It is not hard to understand that onOne Software keeps pushing their Perfect Photo Suite 8 as “The Photographer’s Choice for Photo Editing”.
More than a plug in
Can OnOne Software compete with other plugins available in the market? Well, they do think they’ve something different to offer, when they state that Perfect Photo Suite 8 “can be used as a plug-in to Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Photoshop Elements, Apple Aperture — but unlike other plug-ins, it can also be used by itself as a standalone application with layers, photo enhancement and editing capabilities, including spot healing, retouching, and content-aware fill.”
In fact, Perfect Photo Suite 8 Premium Edition includes eight integrated modules that give you more photo editing capabilities, versatility, power, and streamlined workflow than any other plug-in collection available… and all this through a unique interface, conceived to make a simple workflow.
With multiple photographers adding their name to the list of Perfect Photo Suite 8 users, maybe those interested in exploring alternatives should look at the software. “Perfect Photo Suite 8 is a true one-stop shop for photography post-processing. What onOne has given us with Suite 8 is a much more integrated application, that makes editing images simple, intuitive, and fun!” states professional photographer Jacob Lucas, while Doug Landreth, professional Fine Art photographer, says that “This package should be in every visual artist’s tool kit. It’s fantastic!”.
Even authors like Matt Kloskowski, whose name appears regularly associated with Adobe’s Lightroom, says, regarding Perfect Photo Suite 8, that “it takes the best parts out of every clarity, tonal contrast, and detail-like effects I’ve EVER used and combines them in one place. I’m now totally 100% addicted!”.
So, something is really happening these days, when it comes to the humble plug ins: they’re not just being an extension of the main editing programs, they’re offering, in some cases, better solutions to the same problems. And some, like Perfect Photo Suite 8, even offer an interface of their own, that may well be enough for the needs of most photographers. That’s, I believe, what onOne Software expects to happen.
Competing with Photoshop Lightroom
Looking back it is not hard to understand that things are changing, as well as our perception of processing software. When Lightroom was launched, years ago, it completely changed the way photographers edited their images. Now, Lightroom is not alone. Multiple programs have similar interfaces, and are offering tools that not only mimic Lightroom, in some cases extend and enhance what Adobe offers with their program.
Lightroom may be the “do all” software some choose, but for those not interested in the archiving options it presents, along with some other functions, alternatives like Perfect Photo Suite 8 may be a better option when it comes to editing images. I guess onOne Software is aware of this, and that is one of the reasons why they keep pushing their Suite. Give it a try, you’ll be surprised. There’s a demonstration version available for download. Check at http://www.ononesoftware.com/.