Digital Photographer's Software Guide - Bertemes - Net

RAM: 256MB
Supported file formats: As host
Price level: Approx. $90
Address: Farrar Focus LLP, 714 W 63rd St., Unit 202, Westmont, IL 60559, United States
www.farrarfocus.com/ffdd (see sitemap for latest link)
Kodak DIGITAL SHO
Vendor: Eastman Kodak Company
Purpose: Software to reveal lost detail in shadow areas of a digital image
Chapter 8 ■ Image Processors 89
Description
Kodak DIGITAL SHO (SHO stands for “Shadow and Highlight Optimization”) analyzes
an image and automatically brings out the detail in the shadows, without sacrificing
highlight detail. It is a specialist tool that could be useful to anyone who has a lot
of underexposed pictures to correct. You can treat multiple images by recording the procedure
as a Photoshop action.
There are two editions of Kodak DIGITAL SHO: the standard edition that handles
8-bit images and the pro edition for 8- or 16-bit images which also has additional
features. For example, the user can set the threshold between shadow and highlight, as
well as control the degree to which the shadows are lightened or the highlights darkened
independently of each other.
Comments
Kodak does not explain the acronyms SHO, ROC, or GEM very prominently (ROC
color restoration and GEM soft focus and image sharpening software being other products
in the same suite). This is a pity because they do at least identify what the software
actually does. One reviewer thought SHO did exactly the same as GEM, when in fact
it has a completely different function. Other reviewers found SHO more impressive
than ROC, recognizing that it delivers exactly what it promises—shadow and highlight
optimization. For more information on DIGITAL ROC, see Chapter 20, “Photo
Restoration.” For DIGITAL GEM, see Chapter 17, “Noise Reduction.”
Version: Kodak DIGITAL SHO 2.1 (2008)
Plugs into: Photoshop 5.0 and up; Elements 1.0 and up; Windows only—Paint Shop Pro 7 and up
OS: Windows 98 and up; Macintosh OS 8.6 and up
RAM: 256MB
Supported file formats: As host
Price level: Approx. $50, Pro edition $100
Address: Kodak’s Austin Development Center (KADC), Austin, TX, United States
www.asf.com