Unlike photographers who shoot catalog product shots or portraits in the controlled environment of a studio, professional photographers who specialize in photojournalism, fashion or event photography are often eager to take as many shots as quickly as possible with the hopes of capturing just the right moment or facial expression. The problem with capturing a lot of shots digitally is that it can take hours to review, analyze, and print them.
To make it faster and easier for users of digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras to create print-ready images, Phase One is adapting the Capture One workflow software it developed for professionals using high-end camera backs for use with the new generation of professional digital SLRs. The first product to be released is Capture One DSLR software package for users of PCs and Canon DSLR cameras, including Canon's EOS 1D/1Ds models.
According to Phase One's Henrik Hakonsson, the software supplied with most DSLRs requires photographers to make image adjustments in a rather complex way. Phase One's Capture One software converts the RAW files created by various camera models into forms that make it possible to create print-ready files in a few simple steps. The goal is to make the workflow less complicated so photographers can spend more time being creative.
Phase One plans to release a package for Nikon's DSLR cameras by March 2003, as well as versions that work on Mac OS X. At Photokina 2002, Phase One announced plans to develop software for users of Fuji and Kodak DSLRs as well. (Phase One: www.phaseone.com)