The software that came with my k-x :"Digital Camera Utility 4". What is it?

adwb · 05-06-2010, 04:23 AM

Originally posted by audiobomber

The other great thing about Pentax software is that it shows you every setting on the camera, and highlights any changed parameters in the next shot. This is an invaluable feature for someone who's learning digital photography.

.

The Pentax image viewer is as far as I have found the only software that as you cycle through the images retains a magnification you have set. every other one I have tried [like picassa /all adobe versions,/rawtherapee ect.] if you select to view at 100% it reverts back at the next image. Thats a pain if you have several shots of the same subject and you are looking for the sharpest one.
Alistair

audiobomber · 05-06-2010, 04:49 AM

Originally posted by adwb

The Pentax image viewer is as far as I have found the only software that as you cycle through the images retains a magnification you have set. every other one I have tried [like picassa /all adobe versions,/rawtherapee ect.] if you select to view at 100% it reverts back at the next image. Thats a pain if you have several shots of the same subject and you are looking for the sharpest one.
Alistair

I agree, great feature. Also it stays zoomed in on the same area of the photos as you cycle through. So if you're looking at one corner at 100%, it keeps that corner in the screen. The other thing I love about it is that you can pop up two photos to compare. Not every browser allows this. And it displays your raw photos with the camera settings, allowing you to use the same controls as your camera (e.g. you shoot a portrait in Bright Image tone, and it lets you create a jpeg in Portrait tone). All of the camera settings are available and any one can be diretly manipulated. But the main thing is still the richness of the raw conversion. I sent a raw conversion of some lillies to a friend using Pentax Photo Browser, Picasa and PhotoShop CS3. He could see the difference right away. It's like I had a better lens on the camera.

My work flow has become very very quick. I convert in DCR4 and make minor any minor adjustments to the jpeg in Picasa. If Paint Shop Pro works out, it will replace Picasa, not the Pentax software.

Marc Sabatella · 05-06-2010, 06:19 PM

Originally posted by adwb

The Pentax image viewer is as far as I have found the only software that as you cycle through the images retains a magnification you have set.

FWIW, ACDSee can do this too (zoom lock; this can be can be turned on/off with a keystroke). It also has pan lock - allowing the 100% view image to start at the same position each time. Also has a "compare" function that shows several images at once on the scene and lets you zoom in and pan around all of them together.

SpecialK · 05-06-2010, 07:05 PM

I'm using v3.51, but I assume v4 has the same feature.

Under tools, you can "Save data list" of all your exif data. After I rename the files, I select all the PEFs, and save the list. I copy that into a master spreadsheet. That way I can compare exposure (or whatever) to the uncorrected PEF. If you make the list from the processed and corrected jpgs, the exposure and EC starts to become less meaningful.

hockmasm · 05-07-2010, 06:24 AM

has anyone else used this software on a MAC? It seemed to run very slow for me and I'm on a Intel Dual 2.16 iMac.

ACR runs fast...

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05-06-2010, 04:23 AM	#16
adwb Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bristol UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,636	Originally posted by audiobomber The other great thing about Pentax software is that it shows you every setting on the camera, and highlights any changed parameters in the next shot. This is an invaluable feature for someone who's learning digital photography. . The Pentax image viewer is as far as I have found the only software that as you cycle through the images retains a magnification you have set. every other one I have tried [like picassa /all adobe versions,/rawtherapee ect.] if you select to view at 100% it reverts back at the next image. Thats a pain if you have several shots of the same subject and you are looking for the sharpest one. Alistair

05-06-2010, 04:49 AM	#17
audiobomber Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sudbury, Ontario Photos: Albums Posts: 6,806	Originally posted by adwb The Pentax image viewer is as far as I have found the only software that as you cycle through the images retains a magnification you have set. every other one I have tried [like picassa /all adobe versions,/rawtherapee ect.] if you select to view at 100% it reverts back at the next image. Thats a pain if you have several shots of the same subject and you are looking for the sharpest one. Alistair I agree, great feature. Also it stays zoomed in on the same area of the photos as you cycle through. So if you're looking at one corner at 100%, it keeps that corner in the screen. The other thing I love about it is that you can pop up two photos to compare. Not every browser allows this. And it displays your raw photos with the camera settings, allowing you to use the same controls as your camera (e.g. you shoot a portrait in Bright Image tone, and it lets you create a jpeg in Portrait tone). All of the camera settings are available and any one can be diretly manipulated. But the main thing is still the richness of the raw conversion. I sent a raw conversion of some lillies to a friend using Pentax Photo Browser, Picasa and PhotoShop CS3. He could see the difference right away. It's like I had a better lens on the camera. My work flow has become very very quick. I convert in DCR4 and make minor any minor adjustments to the jpeg in Picasa. If Paint Shop Pro works out, it will replace Picasa, not the Pentax software.

05-06-2010, 06:19 PM	#18
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	Originally posted by adwb The Pentax image viewer is as far as I have found the only software that as you cycle through the images retains a magnification you have set. FWIW, ACDSee can do this too (zoom lock; this can be can be turned on/off with a keystroke). It also has pan lock - allowing the 100% view image to start at the same position each time. Also has a "compare" function that shows several images at once on the scene and lets you zoom in and pan around all of them together.

05-06-2010, 07:05 PM	#19
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,480	I'm using v3.51, but I assume v4 has the same feature. Under tools, you can "Save data list" of all your exif data. After I rename the files, I select all the PEFs, and save the list. I copy that into a master spreadsheet. That way I can compare exposure (or whatever) to the uncorrected PEF. If you make the list from the processed and corrected jpgs, the exposure and EC starts to become less meaningful.

05-07-2010, 06:24 AM	#20
hockmasm Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 353	has anyone else used this software on a MAC? It seemed to run very slow for me and I'm on a Intel Dual 2.16 iMac. ACR runs fast...