User's Manual

Photomatix Essentials 4.0 User Manual

• Lighting Eects Mode checkbox: Lighting Eects Mode lets you switch

between two modes for the Lighting Adjustments setting, where each mode

produces slightly dierent results. Checking the box tends to produce results

with a type of ‘Magic Light’ eect. Note that ner control is not possible in

this mode.

2.2.4 Contrast Optimizer Settings

The following settings belong to the Contrast Optimizer method, which is

used by these Presets: Balanced, Vibrant, Enhanced 2, Soft, Monochrome 3.

• Strength: Aects the amount of enhancement given to contrast and detail in the image. A value of 100 gives

the greatest enhancement. Moving the slider to the left gives a more natural eect. The default value is 50.

• Tone Compression: Alters the dynamic range of the tone mapped image. Moving

the slider to the right decreases the dynamic range, brightening the shadows and

darkening the highlights. Moving to the left has the opposite eect, giving a more

‘natural’ look to the image.

• Lighting Eect: Controls the prominence of the shadows, aecting the overall

look of the image. Moving the slider to the right brightens the shadows, giving

a more ‘vibrant’ or surreal look. A value of zero disables the eect, leaving the

shadows unaected. The default value is 20.

• Midtone: Adjusts the brightness of the midtones, which also has an impact on

the overall contrast. Moving the slider to the right brightens the midtones and

decreases contrast. Moving to the left darkens the midtones and increases contrast.

• Color Saturation: Adjusts the color saturation of the image. The greater

the saturation, the more intense the color. Setting the slider to its lowest

value (-10) produces a grayscale image.

2.2.5 Tone Compressor Settings

The following settings belong to the Tone Compressor method, which is used

by these Presets: Photographic, Deep, B&W Photographic.

• Brightness: Adjusts the overall brightness of the tone mapped image.

The default value is 0.

• Compression: Controls the compression of the tonal range. Moving the

slider to the right has the eect of shifting both shadows and highlights

toward the midtones.

• Contrast Adaptation: Adjusts the contrast in relation to the average

brightness. Moving the slider to the right tends to decrease contrast and give

more ‘pronounced’ colors. Moving to the left tends to increase contrast and

give a more ‘natural’ look.

• Color Saturation: Adjusts the color saturation of the image. The greater the

saturation, the more intense the color. Setting the slider to its lowest value

(-10) produces a grayscale image.

• Color Temperature: Adjusts the color temperature of the tone mapped image relative to the temperature of the

HDR source image. Move the slider to the right for a warmer, more yellow-orange colored look. Move it to the left for

a colder, more bluish look. A value of 0 (default) preserves the original color temperature of the HDR source image.

Details Enhancer –

Lighting Adjustment Settings

Contrast Optimizer settings

Tone Compressor settings