Phase One has unveiled the next generation of its RAW file format processing software.

Capture One 4 is the successor to the company's entry-level Capture One LE package, and supports medium-format digital backs and a wide range of DSLR cameras.

The new features are headed up by a redesigned user interface, which is claimed to offer high fidelity colour and detail reproduction, plus "new timesaving workflow features".

This new user interface is said to offer maximum space for the images, but also has a darker background for easier image viewing and enhancements.

Users can view and work with up to 12 images simultaneously at full resolution, and Phase One says that multiple variants of a single RAW image can be made "with virtually no disk and performance overhead".

The package can also be used on more than one computer.

Additional features include the ability to recover details in highlights and shadows with high dynamic range control;
import and export images in DNG format; and new shortcut architecture "allowing faster image import, adjustment and processing".

The software targets the increasing number of photographers who have moved fully over to digital capture and use the RAW format for this.

In the statement detailing the release, Ed Lee, director at InfoTrends says: "Our recent survey of professional photographers shows that 89% of total images are now being captured digitally and over 50% of them in RAW format."

Capture One 4 allows users to work across application - processing their images with Capture One before post-processing in Adobe Photoshop.

The package is designed for Windows XP (SP2) and Vista and Mac OS X 10.4.11 and 10.5.

Existing Capture One customers can upgrade to Capture One 4 at no extra cost. New customers can buy the package for $129 or 99 Euros through Phase One’s e-Shop.

>> Link - Phase One
>> Via - DP Review