User Guide

ACDSee 12 User Guide
To automatically correct an image's levels:
1. In Edit mode, in the Exposure/Lighting group, click Auto Levels.
2. Select one of the following options:
Auto Contrast and Color: Adjusts color differences, brightness, and balances RGB channels.
Auto Contrast: Adjusts the color differences and brightness only.
Auto Color: Balances the RGB channels in the image, without changing the brightness or contrast.
3. Use the Strength slider to fine tune the amount of exposure you want to apply.
4. Click Exposure Warning to make overexposed and underexposed pixels visible. Overexposed pixels turn red, under-
exposed pixels turn green.
5. Do one of the following:
Click Done to accept your changes and close the pane.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the pane.
Click Reset to clear your changes and reset to default settings. If you saved your changes, you cannot reset your settings.
Adjusting tone curves
In Edit, you can use the Curves tool to change the tonal range of an image. Select the RGB color channel to adjust the entire range of
the image, or select a specific color.
You can save your options as a preset for future use.
To adjust the brightness curves in an image:
1. In Edit mode, in the Exposure/Lighting group, click Tone Curves.
2. Set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Apply to apply your changes.
Click Done to apply your changes and close the Curves tool.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.
Click Reset to clear your changes and reset to default settings. If you saved your changes, you cannot reset your settings.
Curves options
Channel Specifies the color channels to adjust.
Show Histogram Toggles the histogram display on and off.
Histogram Displays a graphic of the color information levels in the image, based on the selected channel. Click
and drag the line to manipulate the curve. Each time you click the curve, a new node is added. You can
drag the nodes up and down the curve. To remove a node, drag the node up and out of the graph, or
down and out of the graph.
Exposure warning Highlights overexposed and underexposed areas of the image. Overexposed pixels turn red,
underexposed pixels turn green.
Adjusting lighting
You can use the Lighting tool to adjust areas in an image that are too dark or too light, without affecting other areas of the photo.
You can also simultaneously lighten dark areas that are too dark, and darken areas that are too bright. Examples would be a photo of
a person silhouetted against a bright background like the sea, or a window. In fact, most photos taken on a dull day, or with a flash,
can be improved in various ways with fine adjustments.
You can save your settings as a preset to use again.
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