2012

Transparency and quickness

Thu, 17 May 2012 09:30:00 -0500

There are lots of discussions over the image formats used for the web, namely what image format is most appropriate. The discussions refer to the file size and its influence on site performance and quickness of pages downloading – factors crucial for the website owner. There are several image formats most appropriate for the web, where PNG, GIF, and JPEG are most widely used. Depending on the purpose, all the 3 image formats are popular, and each has advantages and disadvantages. The main reason to convert JPEG to PNG is the ability of the latter one to support transparency. The PNG format transparency is variable and allows applying image effects on PNG images. The advantage of PNG over JPEG is that it supports lossless compression algorithm, so the quality of the file saved is not degraded. Although JPEG does what it can to retain the highest image quality possible alongside with a small file size, it cannot compete with PNG which is lossless by default. PNG images can be true color up to 64 –bit, grayscale and indexed color. Due to PNG ability to support progressive rendering, web pages load pretty fast. ImageConverter Plus provides comprehensive support of the PNG format. The choice of compression level ImageConverter Plus offers is from 0 up to 9 (the highest), but this option is more suitable for our advanced users. Compression level set by default is 5 which is perfectly acceptable for fulfilling most of the conversion tasks.

How to add a text watermark to your images

Wed, 16 May 2012 09:30:00 -0500

Adding a watermark is a useful way of protecting your images from unauthorized use as well as identifying them. As soon as the watermark is applied, it gets pretty difficult for the third parties to remove it. A watermark can look very different – it can be your name, your company logo, your company or your own website, etc. Watermark is not just a way of protecting your images. The way you place a watermark speaks for your work, your talent, and your creativity in general. It is your ID which will affect someone’s desire to contact you if your business is of interest. When you place the watermark do not occupy too much of your image – otherwise it will distract the viewer's attention from your work. ImageConverter Plus offers different effective ways of watermarking you images. The main advantage of ImageConverter Plus over other software programs is that we can process hundreds, or even thousands of images at once. Working with image folders is our priority. When you make a decision regarding what type of a watermark to apply, you can choose from any image you have saved on your computer, or add a text. ImageConverter Plus does not normally work with texts, so this option may be surprising for our users. Decide which font, text size (just like working in Word!) to use. Plus, you can experiment with the text position and transparency level. Text watermarking is available in the main menu of the program when you open it. Go to "more" and discover advanced options when processing graphic files. Unfortunately, we do not have a detailed instruction of the text watermarking on our website, but are going to add it soon.

Do not shy away from capturing in RAW format

Tue, 15 May 2012 09:30:00 -0500

The RAW format preserves more of the original information from the camera than the JPEG files. Many photographers shoot in RAW mode which outputs a file format that is proprietary to their camera models, that's why special universal RAW image processing software is required. ImageConverter Plus has worked with the major camera manufacturers to view, convert and edit RAW files. If high image quality is your priority, choose the RAW format of Samsung WB2000 RAW and maximize the potential of your images.

Just like a fulfillment manager

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 09:30:00 -0500

Time planning is a great benefit. Those who are capable of creating functional plans are able to fulfill more with less effort and with less amount of frustration. They plan things in advance, schedule "to do" things, phone calls, meetings, etc. There is even a special job called a "fulfillment manager". He makes sure customers receive their correct orders in good condition and on schedule. He directs his team in processing shipments and resolving customer complaints. The necessity to do things on time also refers to a specific computer program you run on a regular basis, especially if you do something for customers who care about their order done on time. Unfortunately, there is no way so far to schedule conversion tasks using traditional program interface, but it quite possible using command-line. No matter how many files you need to convert command-line of ImageConverter Plus can combine several tasks in one batch-file. This sequence of commands will be executed one after another. Scheduling things you do on a regular basis can be fulfilled using Windows Task Scheduler . This feature will open the task automatically and will do all the tedious jobs you hate doing yourself. You only need to specify the time preference and the periodicity. The batch-file of your choice should be inserted into the Windows Task Scheduler and will be run automatically every day, week, or month according to your preference.

Receive faxes safely

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:30:00 -0500

Facsimiles we receive are not necessarily printed out. Sometimes they are saved electronically in specific image formats, one of which is FXM. This file extension is associated with WinFax owned by Symantec Corporation. Although the program has not been updated for almost 10 years, it still exists in many computers running Windows XP. Since lots of users still find Windows XP to be a useful OS, the FXM image format is not so infrequent. The drawback of using it is that it's not easily interpreted, and in order to process the files received one needs the software able to recognize and convert FXM files into something more universally accepted. The most practical image conversion that can take in this respect is conversion to PDF. The PDF image format carefully embraces the original file contents and interprets it on any application one needs. Each and every piece of information from the FXM format will be reflected in PDF and protected from being altered by the third parties. This is really useful in case the information received is valuable, although it’s more practical not to send valuable information by fax and use other more reliable resources. The advantage of converting FXM to PDF is that PDF supports multipage layout. So, separate FXM pages can be combined into a single PDF brochure when necessary.

Usage error: “cannot open image file”

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 09:30:00 -0500

The number of image formats is really diverse and such are their interpretation methods. Same file format may have different file extensions; each image format may combine several traits of another format. What's more, even the OS can cause errors when one tries to open a file, and the phrase like "invalid format or file" causes a lot of frustration directed to both – the file itself and the computer in general. Why does that happen and what solutions exist in this respect? Sometimes the file is corrupted. This can be caused by application failures or system crashes. This can also happen due to viruses. Another reason is rare or outdated image formats you come across. You cannot open a certain file directly because the computer simply does not recognize it, and neither do some graphic applications. Whatever the reason, try to open a file with ImageConverter Plus. We really like solving difficult tasks and encourage you to enlarge our list of supported formats. Open the program and take a look at the arrow in the right top corner. If you click it you will find the problem files already in the list. We are going to perform an analysis and will respond to you shortly about each problem found. Just note that ImageConverter Plus is known to provide support for the largest number of existing image formats. Still, the world of graphics changes, and variations of this or that image files still come out, so we have to keep an eye on them.

Converting from little to big endian

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:30:00 -0500

TIFF image format is known as a high quality image provider, multipage layout supporter which is not picky about the software able to process it – it's compatible with most image editing tools. There is one thing though that makes this format more complicated – the byte order when it is created. While most image formats define some basic rules for their representation, TIFF is different. The byte order of the TIFF image can be either big endian or little endian. When the byte order starts with least significant bytes, it is called little edian; when it starts with most significant bytes, it is called big endian. The byte order does not matter much when you use the same computing system. Bu when the systems are different, there may appear significant problems, because the processors are designed to work either with one way (little endian) or the other (big endian). This is one of the reasons to convert little endian TIFF into a big endian one, or vice versa. ImageConverter Plus provides this possibility alongside with other TIFF format peculiarities and necessities. When performing conversion to TIFF from other image format you'd better find out first which byte order is supported by your computer and choose the corresponding type when opening ImageConverter Plus and getting ready for conversion.

Dealing with vector and raster images to plan a landscape design

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:30:00 -0500

There are all types of different jobs, but some of them allow spending time outdoors and making our life more beautiful. We are talking about landscape designers. It's all up to them – where to put trees, flowers, walkways and plan other important landscape details. Landscape designers need to spend time outdoors analyzing the nature around the place where they intend to fulfill their project. But before the project comes to reality it should be composed digitally to determine what it will look like. There are several types of software involved, but when choosing graphics software there is a necessity to work with vector and raster images. When designing the future landscape lines and curves created are usually saved in some vector image format which is not always good for images that contain a lot of pixels. So one needs the software able to process both types of images and convert one into another when necessary. To demonstrate the work done or the project planned online, it's advisable to create thumbnails of landscape design images suitable for the web so that the project captures attention.

Added support for SFW format

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 09:30:00 -0500

An SFW file is not something you come across often. This is one of the old image formats one can barely find software to process. This format is proprietary of Seattle FilmWorks – corporation that started in 1970s and developed film for motion picture and still photographs. This company is no longer in the market, and this makes processing its images more complicated. The company's practices often involved releasing media in forms that could only be developed or opened using its own products, that's why in most cases the user is frustrated looking through the disk collection and coming across some files with an "sfw" extension that cannot be opened. The policy of ImageConverter Plus is to provide support for the widest variety of image formats. Understanding that there are very few software applications able to open SFW format, we have just included it in our list. We also encourage our users to send us other formats they have troubles opening, and we will do our best to provide their support.

How to turn an ordinary facsimile into a high quality digital image

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 09:30:00 -0500

Although email messages are the main type of business correspondence, one can't go without a fax machine. Sometimes it's a necessity – graphics are easier to render via the fax rather than an email message, but sometimes it's just a preference. If it's a small office and one gets just a couple of facsimiles a day, then it's not a problem to process a fax. But some companies deal with hundreds of those and have to pick them up from several machines and save them digitally, add them to catalogues, or publish them on the web. But as you may suppose, facsimiles do not always look ideal – sometimes they are in rare image formats, and sometimes they contain unnecessary elements, like margins, that should better be removed. Another option to deal with facsimiles offered by ImageConverter Plus is transference of several separate pages into a single multipage file. If a faxed document refers to the same topic but contains several pages, for example, some chart or a technical description of some equipment, it's more logical not to keep them in different separate pages, but combine into a single document. Another advantage of using ImageConverter Plus is its ability to convert a facsimile from rare used formats (for example, FXM, FXR, FXS, FXD, DEF, G3, G4) into something more common and more universally recognized.

Support of RAW for Epson R-D1 camera

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 09:30:00 -0500

The advantage to working with RAW file format directly is that it stores only raw data. Working with RAW files is more like working with a traditional film negative that can be developed and enhanced. The beauty of RAW is that you always have the unprocessed file to work and experiment to your heart's desire. There are several advantages to performing any of the RAW conversion steps on a computer, as opposed to within a camera. What you get shooting in RAW is: flexible white balance, more dynamic range, enhanced sharpening, lossless compression. One problem with the RAW file format is that it is not very standardized. Each camera has its own proprietary RAW format, and there is a necessity to find a program able to read and convert formats of as many cameras as possible. ImageConverter Plus can perform batch processes for RAW files of lots of contemporary cameras like Epson R-D1. And our list of supported cameras is constantly updated.

Create a 3D perspective photo

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 09:30:00 -0500

Whatever 3D refers to – a movie, a game, a program – they become attention capturers. The new tendency in modern technology is to create things as close to reality as possible or even exceed it. Old movies are now converted into their 3d versions; more 3d games are developed, etc. If there is a choice between something trivial and 3d, the choice is usually in favor of the latter one. 3d effect evolves more emotions and impresses us with the graphics. Surprisingly, but photos can also be "renovated" in this respect and become 3d. This can be fulfilled via the emboss effect of ImageConverter Plus. Photos with emboss effect are not really common, but may add a regular photo an absolutely different perception. Emboss effect is designed to "raise" the main part of the image against its background. Thus, you will get beautiful landscapes of mountain reliefs, or cave drawings in their most realistic forms. An embossed photograph can serve as a sentimental gift for special occasions such as a wedding, an anniversary or a new birth. Embossing can bring a sense of elegance to a photograph and create a lovely conversation piece for your home.

Looking through images

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 09:30:00 -0500

In graphics color information is saved in three channels: red, green, and blue. There is one more channel that is invisible – called the "alpha channel". Alpha channel in graphics is a channel, or a mask – it specifies how the colors should be merged to achieve transparency. Transparency can be of different levels – a certain part of each pixel's information is reserved for transparency. One can apply different alpha channels to the same image isolating different portions making each image look slightly different. Transparent images are useful when you are not sure of the page background color on which your image will be displayed, or you intend to display your image in front of a complex background rather than a single background color. By adding the alpha channel to an image you control the transparency of the red, green and blue channels. Different parts of an image can have different levels of transparency depending on how much you want the background to show through. A few of the standard image formats (TIFF and PNG, for example) provide support for an embedded alpha channel which represents up to 256 levels of transparency. Images with an embedded alpha channel can be used on other applications while retaining transparency as long as the other application also supports alpha channels. But if that other application cannot accept all the image format specifications there comes a problem working with the alpha channel. ImageConverter Plus can allow viewing images with alpha channel and keeping it when converting images or ignoring it when necessary. Among other image formats supporting transparency are BMP, DDS, DICOM, EXR, PSP, PSD, JNG, TGA, etc. The main advantage of ImageConverter Plus is to support transparency according to each format's unique specifications.

"Softlifting" and its risks

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:30:00 -0500

The main purpose of the software activation for a user is assurance that the product is genuine and that all the features the product contains are available. Software developers take these measures to prevent software piracy. Piracy is characterized by sharing the software among users in a way that infringes on the license agreement between the developer and the end user. ImageConverter Plus provides several licensing options. We offer special licenses for our corporate customers and for private users. The owner of a home license cannot, for instance, install the software on server and cannot use the program on more than one computer. In case someone purchases the license that can be used for several computers in a company, but illegally shares it with a second person who loads it on his or her computer, this is considered illegal. Each licensing option of ImageConverter Plus implies that the software can be reinstalled and reactivated by the same user an unlimited number of times. Unfortunately, it happens that some users download the stolen version of our software which may lead to problems, inaccuracy and disappointment with the features that are not always available. Software pirates put consumers at risk of lacking much more than they could get if the software were legally purchased. So, we advise you to download ImageConverter Plus only from our website or through our authorized partners to make sure your version is valid.

Enter the world of RAW

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 09:30:00 -0500

If you are going to produce high quality prints, then RAW is the way to go. Shooting in RAW offers great amount of flexibility within image processing. With RAW you have every piece of information that your camera had available to you. RAW format offers such a wide range of control over the image – from exposure to color balance, contrast and saturation, that you can change it in the smallest degrees. If you have a RAW-enabled camera like Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS, consider this format. ImageConverter Plus provides everything you need for further processing your files produced by many digital cameras including Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS. ImageConverter Plus lets you edit, organize, and retouch your RAW images more effectively and efficiently than ever before.

Expressing your emotions

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 09:30:00 -0500

Why our feelings are important in interpersonal relations? Proper communication is the essence of relationships. People's feelings are the essence of communication. Openness of feelings and the communication level provide for effective communication. People tend to spend more time online nowadays. Instead of devoting more time for one-by-one meetings we prefer to stay in, turn on the computer and communicate via email or social networks. Thus, means of communication have changed from interpersonal for online ones. Emoticons can show not all but some of our feelings in a funny yet truly way. Smileys or emoticons are used on a variety of forums, social networks, emails. They make a difference. The post becomes more emotional, attracts attention and reflect your real feelings in a creative way. To create emoticons one needs to know how to work with the GIF image format. GIF's main advantage is its animation. This is the only image format able to make the figures run, dance, show anger and express many other different things. ImageConverter Plus provides support for GIF images allowing the users to resize them, split them into separate images, thus making them suitable for your own specific needs.

Add watermark to images via command-line

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 09:30:00 -0500

Watermarking is mostly used for copyright. It's a rare professional photographer who will agree to send his masterpieces to someone, or post photos online without adding his or her signature, or protecting authorship some other way. Add watermark to your images to declare your copyright on photos to the world. This will prevent theft of your photos online. You can even add watermarks to your art work and digital pictures that you share online. Watermarking will also help you advertise your company adding its name or website. Isn't it the cheapest way to promote your services? Watermarking can also describe emotions you share about a particular photograph. Instead of adding a text description to an image sometimes it makes sense to ins ert that description in to the image itself to ensure life-long memory of the event the description refers to. There are several ways of adding a watermark to images. Even using traditional ways of watermarking photographs you can process hundreds or thousands of photos at once. Command-line of ImageConverter Plus offers a less traditional way of adding a watermark to photos that our advanced users will appreciate. This includes several steps, but it's just a matter of learning the commands once.

Working with different files and folders

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 09:30:00 -0500

Photographic images are usually saved in different folders. The conversion tasks vary though – sometimes it makes sense to distribute the converted files among several folders, and sometimes vice versa – save them all in one after processing. Whatever your task is, ImageConverter Plus will help you develop the organizational skills and save the files exactly where they need to be located. Several image folders can be easily saved into one. Choose the folders you wish to process and right-click each of them. The Windows context menu will offer you some conversion profiles, but if you are not certain of the task, or the profile you need is not on the list, simply send the folders to the program interface. You will see all your files there on the list no matter how many folders they originate from. Now what matters is the conversion path. You can save the converted files anywhere you want – just browse the destination folder among the ones available. There is an option to create a new folder – and you can do this without leaving the software interface. If there is only one image folder and for some reason you do not want to create a new folder, then the converted files can substitute the original ones. In this case you will have to delete the source images (although this is not desirable if you are not certain of the conversion result). This option is available under the "file name" submenu. In case your task is a little different – like saving a certain portion of images in one folder, and the other in another one, this is not possible to be fulfilled in one single step. You will have to do some preliminary things first and then choose the destination folder for each portion of your converted files. When dealing with image folders there are more options offered – you can decide whether or not you want to convert the files from subfolders and whether or not you want to keep the subfolder structure. But these decisions are easier to make and will depend on your unique conversion project.

Benefit from the quality of Panasonic DMC-LX5 RAW files

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 09:30:00 -0500

Photo enthusiasts and pros like RAW files for their flexibility. They feel that this format preserves the subtle color and detail. Unlike JPEG, which is processed in the camera, a RAW file is processed on the computer, where the exposure and color can be adjusted after the image has been captured. But since each camera has its own format, and each new model introduces changes to RAW files, the software also needs to be updated to support these changes. It is always frustrating to have a new model, that's not supported by your favorite software. ImageConverter Plus will help solve this problem. It provides fast and easy access to the RAW image formats produced by many leading cameras like Panasonic DMC-LX5.

Faces and places of the past

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 09:30:00 -0500

Family history is something everyone starts to wonder about sooner or later. This is our heritage. We inherit not just appearance, but traits, habits, goals. Learning your family history can bring a lot of surprises and is really an exciting process. There are numerous websites offering genealogical research. There are also websites where one can post photos of ancestors kept from the past. It's pretty hard to do this – old photos are yellowish, not in the best shape, black-and-white, etc. You will make a wise decision if you decide to digitize them all. No matter what image format they are saved in they can be converted into the image format more appropriate for the Internet . In case you decide to scan old photos and would like to upload them on Facebook or other resources, it's pretty easy to resize them thus making them suitable for sharing online. Try to save as much information you have about your ancestors – even small things will matter for future generations. Each of us is an extension of our family history, and we are all connected. If you were in a position to change life the way we know it, and you had insight as to how things turned out before, in the past, you might base your decision similar to what happened to people you originate from. Sometimes it's really surprising to realize that unusual decisions you make, or preferences you take are not as unique as you thought of them – you great-grand father was known to be the person of non-standard thinking, and your ancestor from the 18th century loved adventure, etc. All we inherit matters. The more we think about the past the wiser decisions we make for future.

Create compressed and uncompressed TGA images

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 09:30:00 -0500

Targa image format is not among the most popular ones. This format was designed by Truevision Inc. in 1984. When the format was developed it was a success – it was capable of supporting bitmap images, indexed color images, RGB color, provided support of several compression methods, etc. The format was revised later in 1989, and new features were added. Still, the image format did not gain too much popularity. Some image viewers cannot display it properly, and in this case conversion from TGA to other image formats is necessary. TGA image format still has its range of application. This format is used by high-end paint programs and ray tracing packages. It can handle images with up to sixteen million unique colors. TGA files can contain monochrome images, color images with a palette, and 16-bit, 24-bit and 32-bit true color images. 16-bit images are usually the most commonly encountered. TGA files can be uncompressed, or compressed using a run-length compression scheme. ImageConverter Plus allows creating both compressed and uncompressed TGA images in singular and batch mode.

Counting your files automatically

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 09:30:00 -0500

ImageConverter Plus provides a set of macros for creating output file names. One can convert the files guided by the date and time of conversion, file type, file size, color depth, etc., but sometimes it's just easier to simply numerate the converted images. The first number though will be "zero" instead of 1 which may cause confusion. The resulting files will then look like: image.000.jpg or image 001.png etc. – each resulting file number will be increased by 1 when the file is processed.

Discover the ability of Leica V-Lux 1 to take amazing photos

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:30:00 -0500

Nowadays everyone is familiar with digital images. Professional photographers use their cameras’ RAW format, but now even some mid-range digital cameras offer a RAW format setting. Users are moving to RAW format to take creative control over their digital images. RAW files represent the pure, unaltered scene captured by the sensors of the camera. This file format is custom-created by each camera manufacturer and is different for each one. ImageConverter Plus supports the RAW formats from a huge number of contemporary cameras including Leica V-Lux 1. If you are the owner of Leica V-Lux 1 and do not want the camera to apply any in-camera processing to the captured RAW data preferring to do that yourself, you can do that with the help of ImageConverter Plus.

For the latest info on our changing world

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:30:00 -0500

It's a rare person who has zero interest in the local or world news. Daily newspapers, TV, internet – these are just a few sources one can draw the topics of interest from. General news, political news, business news, regional news, entertainment news, niche-oriented news (health, science, technology), crime reporting, and sensationalism – each person is interested in at least one of those. Practically every newspaper and TV channel has its internet version. Our world becomes more digital. Those who are not subscribed to daily newspapers prefer to read the news online, and there are many advantages of this: you can get access to several sources at the same time and compare different points of view on the same topic; you get to know the news earlier than if you go outside to purchase a paper version. What is critical for the news authors and newspaper editors? To have a quick reaction to the constant change of events. Editors and reporters have to work hard and be on time to post information online as quickly as possible; otherwise the newspaper will lose money for commercials, since the readers will prefer other more fast-paced resources. To have handy software able to resize photos from the spot of the action, to change their dpi making them suitable for printing is a must. These are the tasks ImageConverter Plus is really good at. Whether there are hot reports from the presidential election, or not so urgent stories about movie stars, high quality photos for both – paper versions and online newspaper versions are significant.

Saving a drawing

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 09:30:00 -0500

JPEG image format seems multi-functional. It's a default format in all the digital cameras and provides the compression method ideal for the vast majority of graphics. It works well for photographs, artwork, but not so well on letterings or black-and-white drawings, because the files come out really large. Another solution needs to be found for such images as well as computer generated or mathematical ones. The most suitable image format for these images is PNG. PNG compresses images extremely well when they have just a few colors, or large solid-color areas. PNG works best for any images that are not photo realistic ones. PNG palette is limited to a maximum of 256 colors, so full-color images consisting of thousands of colors cannot be stored as PNG without significant quality loss. PNG is a perfect format for intermediate editing stages. Any number of image editing steps can be performed on PNG. Since PNG compression is fully lossless and since it supports up to 48-bit true color or 16-bit grayscale--saving, restoring and re-saving an image will not degrade its quality, unlike standard JPEG.

Image borders will enhance your photos

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 09:30:00 -0500

Borders attract attention to photos they surround. Plain black border makes the photos look more official (special celebration, anniversary etc.). Such borders also help when the image is printed out later – if someone holds a photo by hands this protects the photo from getting spots from oily fingers. Command-line of ImageConverter Plus can help you add a light gray 10 pixels border around the image. If you have a lot of images of different image size they will also be resized to 300x300 pixels using bilinear method. In case you are looking for something more creative, another software – Photomix – can offer plenty of artistic ways of enhancing your images. There are hundreds exclusive scrapbooking techniques you can apply on your pictures, including ones specifically created for baby, birthday and wedding images.

Convert RAW files produced by Sony Alpha DSLR-A500

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 09:30:00 -0500

The idea of taking photos in RAW is pretty daunting to new camera owners. It's a new world, and it takes a different approach than you might be used to with the traditional JPEG. You have to remember though that with JPEG image compression is always applied to reduce the file size, even when the highest quality option is selected. When you shoot RAW, no image compression is applied, so you are retaining the highest image quality possible. RAW also has a higher color depth, and it gives you total control over the white balance. The biggest need for professionals shooting images in RAW is to find proper software able to process images produced by different camera manufacturers. We have invested into our software to ensure you get high quality and distortion free images produced by all the contemporary cameras including Sony Alpha DSLR-A500.

We will help you find love online. Then love will find the way…

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 09:30:00 -0500

Each person has his own love story. Decades or even several years ago Internet was not involved in dating opportunities. Those who were looking for love needed to spend (or sometimes waste) time going out and doing things to attract another person’s attention. Now life seems easier. You can date online sitting at a home computer. There are dating opportunities for every person on the planet – any age, any country, and any preference. There are no borders and no restrictions in this respect. All depends on you personally. What you need to take most seriously is your profile. Normally there are several parts of the profile you need to create – basic information about yourself and the person you expect to meet, photos showing how attractive you are, and description of what kind of person you are. Try to be yourself there – this should make it easier to find the right partner. Give yourself honest characteristics, don't try to impress everyone for no reason. We in our turn will help you upload your best photos to the internet resource of your choice so that as many potential partners as possible like you. When it comes to online dating, a photo is generally the thing that is going to get a viewer's attention. With so many potential candidates to look through, people need some sort of a starting point and many will begin with the way a person looks. First of all, your photos need to be the best - professional if possible. It's important to upload at least one portrait photo. In case you don't like the way you look there exist several tips for improving your appearance. Now comes the image size. You may find out that the photos you like most are bulky and resist being uploaded to the online resource. To shrink your photos use ImageConverter Plus. Our resize options vary – you can specify in percent or inches to what degree the photo should get smaller. Please note that the quality of your photo will not deteriorate. Our converter works the way that the quality of the resized image file stays as high as possible. This preparatory work is more tedious than chatting with someone you find, but it's not less important.

Tips for turning your heavy bulky files into something portable

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 09:30:00 -0500

The main advantage of the PDF image format is its portability. No matter what device you indent to use to view the files you may be quite certain that the image will look exactly the same. This is the main reason why PSD files are converted to PDF. PSD is the Photoshop format. It allows storing multiple image layers in a single image file and processing each layer individually after the file has been saved. The PSD file can hold all the different functions that you may end up using when correcting an image, such as very large working file size, 16 bit depth, extra wide color space, masking channels, etc. PSD files are pretty large though, and if you intend to use them in the Internet you will have to convert PSD to other image formats. You will have to do the same thing if you want to print a PSD file. ImageConverter Plus provides a large number of PSD conversion options. You should note though that as soon as you convert your PSD file to another image format you will no longer be able to edit the image layers. Still, ImageConverter Plus never deletes your original image files. No matter how many times you perform different conversion operations you can always get back to the source image. When you choose PDF as a resulting image file it will be a wise decision if you indent to use your PSD files in projects involving team work and collaboration. PDF ensures the file protection from being altered by the third parties. Printing PDF is much easier than PSD. This type of image conversion allows a range of additional options. You can choose the compression mode (LZW, flate, fax), color depth (from monochrome up to 24-bit true color) and decide whether or not to save your file as a single or a multipage one. The file becomes smaller and portable (can be emailed without any difficulty and opened by Acrobat without any additional steps required). If transparency causes concern it should be noted that the PDF transparency model coincides with the one of PSD.

Drag and drop your images

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 09:30:00 -0500

Being easy to use and time saving are the main principles of ImageConverter Plus. Our interface has been simplified as much as possible. When adding new images to our image converter there are several options: you can either add each image manually; or you can add an image folder, or can even drag and drop your images. The converter can analyze which image format a graphic file refers to. Our image converter will do it in seconds – you don't even need to know any file specifics. When you drag and drop you don't need to know which file can be processed, and which can't (video files, word documents, etc). Those files that cannot be converted will be rejected by the software right away. It's fun to experiment – drag and drop and many images as you wish, try to drag and drop something not graphical and you will see how intuitive the user interface is and how easy image processing can be.

Learn the advantages of Samsung NX100

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 09:30:00 -0500

Fancy digital cameras allow saving the RAW data instead of JPEG. If you are the owner of Samsung NX100, you have noticed that this digital camera has an option to shoot RAW. This format is not for everyone, and RAW file is not a picture until it is processed further. But if you edit your images on the computer, you have control over how the image is processed, instead of having the camera do it. You yourself can make decisions about the level of sharpening, and make any necessary adjustments to the white balance. Everyone's needs and preferences vary, and not everyone needs to use RAW format. But if you possess Samsung NX100, give it a try and see the difference it makes in what you can do with the files your camera produces. This camera if fully supported by ImageConverter Plus.

Lost and found

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 09:30:00 -0600

Appropriately naming and choosing a secure location for saved files and documents facilitates backup of your important files and makes retrieval of those files at a moment's notice. Command-line of ImageConverter Plus offers several options for naming resulting images. The first option refers to destination. It specifies the path to folder you want to store your converted image. Another option is a template. You specify the preferences for file parameters depending on the purpose of their further use. Take it seriously. It's important for finding your converted files. It may happen that you’ve done a lot – converted, resized your image, applied image effects. A month later you need that file and can't remember what you called it let alone where you filed it – it can be on your PC, laptop, or even USB. You never know... It's also important for helping others. A file name should be clear to everyone. If you are out of office and someone else needs a file he or she should be able to find it easily.

How to get rid of the jagged edges of transparent GIFs

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 09:30:00 -0600

GIF image format used to be really powerful, really handy comprising a number of useful features. But all of a sudden it was announced that the software programs using GIF need to purchase a special license. There was an immediate need for replacing GIF with another image format, and that’s how PNG was developed. When PNG format was designed it was meant to surpass GIF in some if not all of its features. PNG and GIF image formats both support lossless compression methods. Apart from animation PNG combined all the features of the GIF format. GIF is one of the formats used to display indexed-color graphics and images in HTML documents on the web. The maximum number of colors is can display is 256, that’s why GIF is not good for images with a wide range of colors. Simple graphics, logos, drawings are something it is good for. GIF supports transparency, but sometimes the edges of the resulting images are jagged. Unlike GIF, PNG can be 24-bit true color. Its support of transparency is better than the one of GIF and produces images without jagged edges. PNG format supports RGB, indexed color, grayscale, and bitmap images. An image in a lossless PNG file can be 5%-25% more compressed than a GIF file of the same image. The only feature of GIF that is not reflected in PNG is its support of animation. ImageConverter Plus can provide options for all types of conversion between GIF and PNG image formats. Please note that although PNG seems to be an improved version of GIF, some old versions of IE do not open PNG files, so you may need to keep your images in GIF format.

Make the focus or center of attention clear

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 09:30:00 -0600

Practically every image needs some type of correction. Whether it's not sharp enough, or too dark, or there are details that appeared in the photo accidentally and should be removed, all these things require us spending some time at the computer and improving the image quality. Cropping is one of the most common tasks for image correction. It's not just a technical operation – it helps the viewer concentrate on the most important part of the photo thus revealing each photo's essential meaning. Even if there are more than one images of the same thing they may carry a different purpose. One can concentrate on someone's face expression, another one on the same person's posture, the third one will carry out the general atmosphere showing the background. Cropping can also be different depending on the task. You've definitely come across some art books of famous artists where there may be several shots of the same picture focusing on a person's hands, face, etc and thus demonstrating what a master the artist is. This is one of the most vivid examples of the meaning of image cropping. Photographer is also an artist in some way. When you crop an image try to remove the elements that may distract the viewer's attention. The concept of cropping also includes the opportunity to improve the image composition. For instance, when there is a photo of a mountain chain it's better to remove some elements in the foreground so that the horizontal line looks longer. ImageConverter Plus can crop your images combining this operation with several other ones if necessary. When an image is cropped pixels are physically removed so the more pixels you capture, the more flexibility you have in cropping later. Capturing pictures at the maximum resolution provides the greatest amount of flexibility, as large portions of an image can be removed yet still provide sufficient resolution for printing.

Best can always be even better

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 09:30:00 -0600

RAW format presents the images of the highest quality and we take it for granted. Indeed, if each and every image touch is "hand-made", then the result is expected to be the best of all. RAW format means nothing for those users who simply like to take pictures and get the immediate result. RAW is for those photographers who care about every pixel of a photo and are ready to spend hours at the computer processing the “raw” image data. Shooting in the RAW format means that you capture the scene as if it were a digital negative. It is not an image file. It is lossless data received from the camera’s sensor and is high in its dynamic range. ImageConverter Plus can successfully process the raw data from practically all the contemporary cameras, and we keep adding new cameras to our list. But we have introduced another improvement in our raw-processing capabilities – now you yourself can control the quality of the output image files from the RAW format. This option is available in a configuration file – icp.ini (you will find it among all the other files of the ImageConverter Plus folder). If you want to improve the quality of the files converted from RAW, find the section [General] and add the line: rawinterp=1. In case you already have the same configuration (it will depend on your OS) that states rawinterp=0, simply change "0" for "1". This change will significantly improve the quality of your converted RAW images.

Impressive testing

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 09:30:00 -0600

Online testing seems quite popular. There are very different types of tests. Some are used for educational purposes, some seem to be like exams, some help reveal your personal traits, inclinations, knowledge aspects. Tests are popular for distance learning, self-studying, online courses etc. Online tests help to determine whether or not a child has some learning disabilities or other issues that would make your child eligible for special education programs. Driving test is something that requires a lot of practice, so high quality pictures for any test are a must. ImageConverter Plus can handle images of any size, any image format , any resolution, etc. Processing any and all types of images is our job. Handling rare or unusual images with ease is our preference. Even if it's your first time to try and optimize images for online tests, we promise that you will succeed. Images you intend to use for online testing may seem all different varying by size and image format. ImageConverter Plus can make them all identical in their qualities resizing them. A separate question that arises refers to image proportions. In case you want to disregard the original proportions of an image choose "no" at the setting called "keeping proportions" when you resize your picture. Thus, a newly created image will turn out square.

Rendering data stored in a MOD:CA/IOCA format

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 09:30:00 -0600

The MOD:CA file format (The Image Object Content Architecture format) originates from IBM. It’s a complex format that is used for all types of elements: text, graphics, images, vector graphics, etc. This format is most commonly used by government agencies, banking, finance and insurance companies to archive standard forms and other records. This file format provides lossless compression algorithm and supports multi-page files. IOCA is a MOD:CA format specification used for bitmapped images. The most common problem a user encounters is that when he or she tries to view a MO:DCA format document that contains overlays, the document is not displayed properly. ImageConverter Plus provides comprehensive support of the MOD:CA format and its specifications. Image files will be converted without modifying the image data when the original and the output files use the same compression format. Both MO:DCA and RAW IOCA files are supported by our software. Image compression methods we deal with include IBM MRR, group 3MH, group 3, group 4 and uncompressed. The default extension used by this format is ICA.

fCoder Group to participate in CeBIT - Hannover, Germany

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 09:30:00 -0600

Even those who are not real fans of digital world cannot stay away from novelties and cannot fail but pay attention to new trends, new developments and research. Whenever some breakthrough in data storage technology, in computing or in anything that may change the world of IT happens, it is widely announced on TV and other media. But an exhibition is definitely the best place to try new things and to see as many upcoming releases and digital technology improvements as possible. One of the most significant events in this field is the CeBIT exhibition annually held in Hannover, Germany. Regular visitors and professional participants have a chance to learn the latest digital trends and industry news and be inspired by innovations. This exhibition offers a good chance for IT developers to demonstrate their products, to cooperate with other businesses and to attract more customers. fCoder Group, Inc. is planning to participate in the CeBIT exhibition held in Hannover, Germany, from March 6 through March 10. We will concentrate on our two main products – ImageConverter Plus and Universal Document Converter . All the visitors to CeBIT are invited to come to our stand, express concerns or ideas and suggest software improvements. Although we are always happy to get your feedback by email, a chance to meet our customers personally is a much better experience.

Added support for RAW format of Canon EOS Rebel T1i

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 09:30:00 -0600

If you just bought a new camera like Canon EOS Rebel T1i you won't be able to process your RAW files without proper software. Each camera manufacturer that uses the RAW format does it in a slightly different way, and this can change even with different models from the same manufacturer. If you use RAW-conversion software like ImageConverter Plus, make sure it will work with your particular camera model. ImageConverter Plus is able to batch process and automate conversion steps for RAW files from lots of cameras including Canon EOS Rebel T1i. If you want to reproduce your images in quality publications or as quality color prints, then the RAW format is almost mandatory. This is the only way to go for a photographer concerned primarily with image quality.

The world as animals see it

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 09:30:00 -0600

For centuries, humans were in the dark about what and how other animals see. Recent scientific investigations have revealed some amazing facts about the vision of creatures. Lots of animals see the world exactly like we do – tridimensional, but the range of colors they see is limited. Most of the animals have a hard time distinguishing some colors. Hamsters, rats and raccoons that are active mostly during the night see the world as black-and white. Bulls and cows cannot see the red color. Hedgehogs see only yellow and brown colors. Dogs have a hard time distinguishing between red and green. What is it like to see the world with the eyes of the animals? This is interesting and fun to replace colors of digital images so that you child, for instance, can see the world with the eyes of a cat or a dog. ImageConverter Plus offers an interesting operation called "Replace Color". When applying this operation on digital images any colors can be changed for any other ones or for transparent. To see the world the way most animals see it apply negative effect on your digital images. Colors will be inverted looking like a photo negative, and this is likely to be the way cats and dogs see. Sepia effect reflects the world through the eyes of a hedgehog. The image will look brownish – close to what these animals are able to detect. Last but not least, grayscale effect. Have you ever imagined living in a world of black and white? It may seem dull, having lack of energy and emotion, but it exists for some creatures around us. Applying this effect demonstrating the way a hamster can see the world we will realize how lucky we are to see the bright colors that make the world so rich and beautiful.

Making each pixel independent

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:30:00 -0600

The most widely recognizable of all the existing image formats JPEG has a lot of advantages. Shooting in JPEG provides for relatively high quality images alongside with small size that makes them suitable for the web. No matter that JPEG files seem to be of high quality, this format practices lossy compression mode meaning that each time you save a file as JPEG there will be some information sacrificed. BMP seems to be completely different from JPEG. It's an old image format developed by Microsoft to store bitmap images and make them device independent. Being device independent in this respect means that the color specified by a bitmap does not depend on the way this color is interpreted by a certain device representing it. BMP never sacrifices any file information and is uncompressed. There may be different reasons for converting JPEG images to BMP, but the main reason is that BMP is more compatible with DOS. Situations when JPEG files are not easily recognizable or not liable to be edited on some specific software are extremely rare – it's not for nothing that JPEG is considered the most universally recognizable image format. Still, some very specific programs require BMP to be more appropriate for image processing. BMP images can be edited on a pixel by pixel basis – each pixel seems to be independent for any alteration, meaning that when one deals with logos, or small detailed images then BMP should be the preference. The file size of BMP is large, but BMP is not a bad choice for archival purposes because it preserves full image quality. Using ImageConverter Plus you can easily convert JPEG to BMP. Specify appropriate color depth from monochrome up to 24-bit true color. There are additional options for our advanced users enabling them to specify the row direction from bottom to top or vice versa. Please note that resolution of BMP images is fixed, so resizing them may cause distortion.

What is more important - outer appearance or inner essence?

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:30:00 -0600

There is always something important to scan – things for the exam, musical notes, rare materials and books – normally we have to use a scanner when we don't have a chance to use primary source of information. When getting ready for the exam it suddenly gets obvious that you should have been present at the lectures yourself, but thanks for your fellow students – they kindly lend you their notebooks so that you can scan them to get prepared. Scanning musical notes can save your money when you want to practice a well known music composition but can't afford purchasing the original notes. Scanning books makes sense when the book is rare but reveals some life secrets. It doesn't always matter what the scanned version looks like when the essence is the most important thing. What matters is what you get from the inside rather than the outer shell. Still, sometimes a bad copy received from the scan can prevent you from getting the essence. If the copy looks much worse than the original it's better to introduce some changes. Unusual background and font colors or screenshots of programs with unusual color settings really spoil the impression. ImageConverter Plus can help you by replacing colors of your scanned images. What is most important for correcting colors of a scanned image is to get the white background and a black text – this makes things easier to read and thus to get to the core.

Using Panasonic DMC-LX2 camera RAW

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 09:30:00 -0600

Digital cameras typically produce one or two types of files – JPEG and RAW. Most amateurs work with JPEGs, while most professionals prefer to work with RAW files. When you are dealing with a RAW file, you are working with a much higher quality original than you would if it were JPEG. You also have a greater control, which means more creativity when you make your adjustments, corrections, and manipulations. Special software is required to process RAW files from different camera manufacturers. Among the list of cameras supported by ImageConverter Plus you can find Panasonic DMC-LX2.

How to take someone else’s photos and claim them as your own

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 09:30:00 -0600

There are situations when you need photos on a specific topic, but don't seem to have proper ones or the ones of the high quality. What is the easiest thing one can think of? To take someone else’s photos and claim them as your own. This is definitely not a fair decision, but how else can you upload attractive photos to your website trying to promote your business? Or how can you add some great images to your collection? The first advice we can give you – ask for permission. If you use a copyrighted work without authorization, the owner may be entitled to bring an infringement action against you. There are circumstances under the fair use doctrine where a quote or a sample may be used without permission. However, in cases of doubt, authorized officials recommend that permission be obtained. Chances are that a photographer will be happy to help you even for free. Sometimes just adding a photographer's name on your website will help him in career advancement, so instead of infringing on copyright make friends with someone whose photos you like. If this is not an option, but you really need someone's photos, ImageConverter Plus can also help. When you take someone's photo there are metadata available – EXIF and IPTC. Professional photographers usually take extra steps for copyrighting their images adding their signature or logo on each photo, but an average photographer is less careful. ImageConverter Plus cannot remove any watermarks from images in case they exist, but the software can edit EXIF and IPTC data the way you wish. It doesn't matter what the original image contains – camera model, the date when the image was taken, information about the author, etc. Open ImageConverter Plus, add the image of interest and choose what you want to do with the metadata. You can edit a lot – change camera model, date – really anything that is possible to edit so that the image looks as if it were taken by you personally. Again, it is not nice to claim the authorship this way, but just in case you absolutely have to…

Mixed breed dogs can also be trained properly

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:30:00 -0600

Among a large variety of image formats TIFF is well known. What an average photographer can say about it is that it's large in size but produces images of a really high quality. TIFF is great for printing purposes, and print-outs fr om TIFF look practically the same as on the computer screen – no other format can beat that ability. Some digital cameras offer TIFF as an option when one takes a picture. These are advanced cameras, and a regular user should not get addicted to TIFF because again, the files are large, and except for special purposes there is no need to use them in regular photography. TIFF file is more complex than other image formats and is pretty unambiguous. It allows a flexible set of information fields or tags ranging from the most fundamental, like image dimensions, to more private like copyright information - so-called "private tags" or "custom tags". When a TIFF file is created it takes some features of the 2 image formats - RAW and JPEG offer. RAW and JPEG oppose each other in some of their characteristics, and when TIFF is created it’s capable of inheriting the best from each of them. When special software works on creating a TIFF file it definitely means that the TIFF will be software dependent. Different software may create and interpret TIFF differently. This happens due to different TIFF patterns wh ere a combination of various format specifications is present. So when some software program encounters TIFF it also recognizes JPEG traits and interprets such TIFF as "TIFF with embedded JPEG". Some users may think that this TIFF is not a pure TIFF, but not really. It's only a method of its interpretation, though definitely this may cause difficulties when you have to process such files because they may be interpreted differently with image processing software. Some software cannot distinguish a regular TIFF from “TIFF with embedded JPEG”, and the file is left unconverted. ImageConverter Plus is able to recognize TIFF and all of its specifications, including TIFF with embedded JPEG ignoring the outer shell and processing that part of the file that is of major importance. Like any other TIFF or JPEG formats TIFF with embedded JPEG can be converted into any other image file individually or in batch mode. So, no matter how you personally prefer to think of TIFF with embedded JPEG maybe considering it "imperfect", you can always rely on ImageConverter Plus to make it more universally recognizable.

Ready-made profiles are waiting on the website to be downloaded

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 09:30:00 -0600

ImageConverter Plus is known to be the software that makes complicated simple. Profiles combine a set of different commands into a single command no matter how complicated the intermediate tasks are. For example, one profile may consist of resize, image format change, application of an image effect, EXIF data editing, etc. It does not mean that you need to remember all of those constituents – this is what the software is for. What you do is give your profile a unique name, save it, and next time same task has to be repeated you simply click on the profile in the pop-up menu. Still confusing? For a novice it may be, that's why we invented something else. Talking about profiles and describing their usability is not as important as simply offering our users a real profile for downloading. When you search some specific operation on our website, for instance, how to organize an image collection, not only will you find a detailed article, but you will also find a profile ready to be downloaded and tested. When you right-click it, it will be saved according to your preferences, and when you want to see what it means simply click it next time from the chosen directory. But that's not all! You don't have to look for the same profile again on our website. Having tested it once it will appear among other ones in the software interface. Delete it if you don't like it or use it in case it's beneficial.

Added support for RAW format of Leica D-Lux 4

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:30:00 -0600

If you just bought a new camera like Leica D-Lux 4 you won't be able to process your RAW files without proper software. Each camera manufacturer that uses the RAW format does it in a slightly different way, and this can change even with different models from the same manufacturer. If you use RAW-conversion software like ImageConverter Plus, make sure it will work with your particular camera model. ImageConverter Plus is able to batch process and automate conversion steps for RAW files from lots of cameras including Leica D-Lux 4. If you want to reproduce your images in quality publications or as quality color prints, then the RAW format is almost mandatory. This is the only way to go for a photographer concerned primarily with image quality.

"Put a smile on your face. Make the world a better place"

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:30:00 -0600

Portrait photography requires special skills. Although this type of photography is probably more difficult to master than others, photographers like to experiment and learn by practicing as much as possible. Although taking bad quality photos is not desirable in any case, there is nothing worse than a bad portrait photo. Even if the image is not a portrait and is small enough where one can hardly find his or her face among others, the tendency is to be disappointed and to notice the slightest drawbacks in appearance. So things get much worse when the face is a center of attention. When taking portrait photos everything is important – lighting, camera position, background, and even the mood of the person whose portrait is made and the mood of the person who takes a photo! A portrait photo is intended to capture emotions and character. Photographers – both amateurs and professionals may make mistakes though, and due to incorrect camera settings the portrait photo can be spoiled. What to do if the photo is not perfect? Although ImageConverter Plus is not similar to Photoshop, we offer several means of correcting a bad portrait photo. If the photo contains wrinkles, freckles or shine on the face, those are easy to correct via the blur effect. If the portrait photo looks too trivial, add sepia effect that will add some special charm making the photo (but not the subject of your portrait!) look older than in reality. Sometimes though these little drawbacks on your face are advantages that help you look unique and really special, so why worry about those?

One more way to convert PSP and other files on Linux

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:30:00 -0600

The variety of operating systems is not that large. When choosing one of them – Mac, Windows, Linux, etc. the user is guided by such factors as vulnerability to viruses, ease of use, software availability and many other factors depending on the intention of usage. Some people strongly prefer Linux because it seems pretty stable and lasts long without being rebooted. It provides persistent high performance on workstations and on networks. It can handle unusually large numbers of users simultaneously, and can make old computers sufficiently responsive to be useful again. It is fast and free. When any software is developed it is usually platform specific. Cross-platform software is something that one comes across infrequently, though ImageConverter Plus can easily work on Linux. Our graphics engine is suitable for both platforms, so regular conversion jobs one can perform on Windows can be easily transferred to Linux as well. We keep getting positive feedback from our customers appreciating the possibility to convert PSP and other files on Linux. Image conversion on Linux can be performed on individual files and image batches in the same way as for Windows. But image conversion is not the only option we offer our Linux users. Linux is often preferred for programming for its high level of security and backup. The graphics engine developed by fCoder Group, Inc. can be used for your own programming ideas on any platform you choose – Windows and Linux.

Guidelines for better photographic composition

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:30:00 -0600

The purposes of framing pictures may vary. Framed pictures normally stand out. A good picture frame enhances the image itself. If we take a painting, then without a frame the painting will look incomplete. Sometimes a frame can even be advantageous to the image contents when the artist did not do a really good job…But apart fr om esthetical use there are situations when a frame has a practical meaning. Digital images may have a problem like being all of different sizes. When you have hundreds of images wh ere some seem larger than others they look like a hassle. Possible solution is to add a pixel frame to each image making them look identical. Unnecessary details will thus be removed, or the frame will make the image border more vivid. Command-line of ImageConverter Plus lets you add a light gray 10 pixel border to images . By doing this you make the images proportionally stretched or shrunk to 300x300 pixels using bilinear method. The image files will not be lost – original image file names will be preserved.

Using Sony DSLR-A450 camera RAW

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:30:00 -0600

Get multiple buyers interested in purchasing your car

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:30:00 -0600

No matter how much you like your car, the time will come when you need to change it for a newer one. There are several means to sell a car – sometimes you are lucky enough to find an interested friend or relative; sometimes trade-in system works better; but the most common way to sell a car is to try and find a potential buyer or several buyers on a specialized website. There are lots of websites and lots of cars for sale as well, so it won't happen immediately that yours will find a new owner. How to make your car look different from others? First of all, take several photos from different angles showing your car from the best part meanwhile hiding what needs to be hidden. Clean your car inside and out. Make sure your pictures are sharp and in focus. Take pictures when the car is well-lit and dry. Photograph important details and don't forget the interior. The photos you take are likely to be too large, and it will be problematic to upload them to the website. How come it takes a long time to open your photos, while it takes seconds for the one of your competitor's? It happens because your competitor was smart enough to resize the photos before uploading them. Resize is important because it makes the images less bulky thus letting the website visitor open several well-resized photos instead of wasting time opening a single huge one. ImageConverter Plus can help you optimize the photos of your car for any website. The pictures will get much smaller with a minimal quality loss, so not just one, but several potential buyers may be interested in making a purchase. And don't be surprised – a good presentation is one of the key factors of success in selling things.

Support of 12-bit JPEG

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:30:00 -0600

JPEG is the image format everyone is familiar with. It's a default format for the majority of cameras, so even those users who are not way too experienced in photography know what it is. JPEG has several compression modes, but it can vary in the amount of information stored as well. Baseline JPEG stores images with 8 bits per color sample, in other words 8 bits/pixel for grayscale, 32 bits/pixel for CMYK, etc. Standard JPEG is 8 bit, but there is the type of JPEG that is 12-bit, although this is not common. The higher the bit depth the more information is potentially contained. Many medical imaging and traffic systems create and process 12-bit JPEG images which are normally grayscale images. 12-bit JPEGs are used when there is a need of a higher accuracy. 12-bit JPEG is rare and some viewers cannot open this standard which causes inconveniences. Usually 12 bit grayscale JPEG is used to store medical images produced by X-ray or microscope devices. Sometimes it makes sense to convert 12-bit JPEG into TIFF or other formats for easier processing which can be done with ImageConverter Plus. ImageConverter Plus provides comprehensive support of 12-bit JPEG images.

Tips for improving your organizational skills

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:30:00 -0600

Perfect organizational skills are something that everyone should try to develop. This helps things to be done faster and gives a sense of clarity. Instead of doing something boring and wasting your time you can have more free time and do things you really enjoy. Being disorganized means that you do many different things that randomly pop up instead of concentrating on something important. Not every person is well organized though, and you can't blame yourself for that – you need to work on yourself a lot to develop this skill. Organizational skills refer not only to personal traits, but to some technical aspects as well. We can take image conversion as an example. There is nothing worse than losing converted files simply forgetting their output location. The situation gets even more complicated if there are hundreds or thousands images processed. Frustration is the most appropriate term applied, because it looks like you have to start converting the files and sorting them somehow all over again, but wait. You can anticipate this outcome and take precautions in advance. ImageConverter Plus can sort your images files by different parameters . When setting conversion parameters the software will help you specify the order of conversion. You can sort the files by their name, file type, some properties and file size. Sorting the files can be done in the ascending or descending order. We truly believe that such measures will help you avoid confusion and will let you locate the necessary file in a blink.

Added support for RAW format of Canon PowerShot G12

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:30:00 -0600

If you just bought a new camera like Canon PowerShot G12 you won't be able to process your RAW files without proper software. Each camera manufacturer that uses the RAW format does it in a slightly different way, and this can change even with different models from the same manufacturer. If you use RAW-conversion software like ImageConverter Plus, make sure it will work with your particular camera model. ImageConverter Plus is able to batch process and automate conversion steps for RAW files from lots of cameras including Canon PowerShot G12. If you want to reproduce your images in quality publications or as quality color prints, then the RAW format is almost mandatory. This is the only way to go for a photographer concerned primarily with image quality.

What’s on the menu?

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:30:00 -0600

Although ImageConverter Plus is more widely used for batch processing large number of images, sometimes there is a need to convert just a single image or process only one or two photos. Realizing that sometimes it’s much faster to process the photo "on the spot" we have updated the capabilities of the right-click menu. The right-click menu (or the context menu) has always been one of the strengths of ImageConverter Plus. Using the context menu can save you a lot of work. The commands you are most likely to need are on the menu that pops up right beside your pointer. There is no need to run the program each time you have to process a single image file. It is much faster to get what you need right-clicking the photo. The number of options offered by the Windows context menu in combination with ImageConverter Plus is being constantly expanded. While just recently the number of options was limited to a quick profile access, now you can change EXIF data, get direct access to FTP, Picasa and online albums. Meanwhile, the goal is the same – simple and effective access to the task you need to fulfill. No matter how complicated your conversion job is, create a profile, name it and choose it from the list of available ones when a single photo needs to be processed in accordance with its settings. Same refers to the email and FTP settings.

Prepare your images for printing on fabric

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:30:00 -0600

If you look around you will see that our life is full of different images. They are everywhere – paintings, drawings, logos, maps, wallpaper, etc. Even clothes contain images. Have you ever thought about the way images appear on fabric? We will tell you today about some specifics of this process. Printing pictures on fabric reflect your creativity. Pillows, bags, table cloths, t-shirts with portraits of your family members or scenic views – is there anything more creative? If you think this task is hard to fulfill you are mistaken. Definitely, a proper printer is of vital importance. Please check your printer for supporting fabric printing options before you encounter frustration. Both laser and ink jet printers can be used for printing on fabric. We are not printer professionals, but ImageConverter Plus can prepare your images to be suitable for printing on fabric. As with any other printing dpi is the first thing to think about. Again, sometimes it's worth considering your own printer options, but generally the dpi recommended varies from 150 till 300 dots per inch. ImageConverter Plus will give you more flexibility in customizing your photos. Your photos must be in digital format coming directly from a digital camera or scanned from a traditional photograph. The most common image formats used for further printing on fabric are JPEG, PNG or TIFF (8-bit, uncompressed). For line art, the best picture format is a GIF file. Convert your images and adjust them for further fabric printing choosing from numerous output image formats. You may encounter problems, for example, colors appear very bright, or absolute black, or saturated. If that is the case ImageConverter Plus offers color correction options. Choose the images that you intend to transfer to the cloth and apply the necessary adjustment settings so that the image looks as natural as possible on fabric.

New computer, old software

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:30:00 -0600

Christmas and New Year holidays are over. Lots of fun shared, lots of games played, happiness and joy as well and many gifts – these are the most common associations with the holiday time. We'll talk about gifts today. A brand new computer is a common thing to receive. But getting a new computer means not just excitement, but sometimes headache as well. Some programs installed have already been paid for, so changing hardware will mean paying twice for the same thing. But this is not necessary. What to do if you had ImageConverter Plus was installed and activated on a different computer, but you can't wait to use a new one? It is possible to use the same license you already paid for on a new computer. Changing hardware is not so infrequent, and we get requests from our users asking for assistance. There is no single solution we can offer. You should address our support service and explain why you need a new activation code. We are understanding of your specific needs.

Processing RAW photos made with Panasonic Lumix DMC-L10

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:30:00 -0600

Some digital cameras offer the option to save photos in RAW format instead of JPEG. Possessing Panasonic Lumix DMC-L10 you are probably aware of this format’s strengths. The most common reason to shoot RAW is to handle tricky lighting situations. Getting the color right in a digital image is hard, and the automatic white balance setting does not always work. But instead of worrying about setting the white balance, you can make your best guess, shoot in RAW mode, then change the white balance of images on the computer. ImageConverter Plus allows you to view, edit and convert RAW and other formats from Panasonic Lumix DMC-L10.

"Remembering the past gives power to the present"

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:30:00 -0600

Each family has something in its history to be shared with everyone or at least the following generations. Taking time to look through the family photo albums is a fun activity. This connects the present with the past. This helps to understand how you became who you are right now. This stimulates the younger generations' curiosity about their ancestors' accomplishments and personalities. It is also nice to recall the ancestors' habits and hobbies and compare them with the ones now existing among the family members. There are numerous websites devoted to genealogy trees, but even without those you can create your own family story. Modern technology makes it possible to scan the old family photos, digitize them and combine them into albums. If the photos were saved in some really outdated or rare image format ImageConverter Plus can help convert them into more universally recognized ones so that you can even share them on Facebook or any other online resources. Old photos may not look really perfect – they will at least need color correction. If that's the only thing where amendments need to be introduced ImageConverter Plus can make them look more modern, or vice versa, add some old glamour. If you intend to use your family photos on Facebook online resize them first so that the users could open their full-sized versions easier. Creating a digitized version of your family history album makes it possible to email them to all the relatives so that no one is lost and everyone remains in memories of all the family tree branches.

Add your own file to an existing PDF

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:30:00 -0600

PDF is the file format that is widely used for storing documents. Multiplatform access is one of its main advantages. No matter what device you use to view the image it will look exactly the same and cannot be amended. Saving information in PDF file makes it easy to transmit files between computers with different applications. It's important for many reasons, but it is of vital importance for storing legal documents intended for the court, or business charts, etc. When the information is transferred in between different applications there is no reason to worry about the information being altered by the third parties – PDF file is protected from any interference and will display the information stored in the file exactly as the author designed it. PDF is one of the image formats that have a lot of application methods – charts, language study books, diagrams, etc. Preserving the look and feel of the original source file becomes a priority you don't have to worry about. Another advantage of PDF is its ability to save both raster and vector images. ImageConverter Plus provides comprehensive support of the PDF image format. Realizing that a simple conversion to PDF is not a difficult task our image converter makes it possible to deal with multipage PDFs. If you would like to add a certain file (or a page) to the existing PDF file ImageConverter Plus offers this opportunity. When you launch ImageConveter Plus there will be several options offered: to safe the file as it is, to save the file into several separate pages, to save the file as a multipage file, or to add a certain file to an existing file.

Make the software be your mail carrier

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:30:00 -0600

Among numerous email service providers Gmail is one of the most popular ones. The hordes of features, massive capacity and ease of use – these are just a few features that attract the clients. There is no storage limit; there is no fee charged, there is a possibility to access it from anywhere – what else would one need? Understanding that Gmail may be our users' preference as well, developers of ImageConverter Plus simplified the program interface as much as possible. Simplicity of usage is one of the strengths we offer our customers. Alongside with advanced and professional features we make the program as simple as possible for the beginners. If you have to send your photos by email the most common procedure would be resizing images, saving them in a certain folder, choosing the recipients and then completing the task. But why not make the program be your virtual "postman"? When setting the output folder for your converted images one of the options is "save to email". You can introduce all the necessary settings once and just make use of them each time you have to perform the same operation. ImageConverter Plus will save your settings. Apart from direct Gmail access we also offer direct FTP upload and direct reach of Picasa web albums, but we will reveal you all the secrets of fast and easy file sharing options later in our articles.

Updating list of cameras compatible with ImageConverter Plus

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:30:00 -0600

Images created by cameras using RAW format contain the full spectrum of the data captured by the camera’s electronic sensor prior to all the processing operations. Choosing RAW format enables one to extract the best possible image one can get. Different camera manufacturers create different RAW file formats, and not all of them can be supported for conversion. View the updated list of cameras whose photos can be successfully converted with the help of ImageConverter Plus. Leica D-LUX 3 is now one of them.

How to look into the car with blacked-out windows

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:30:00 -0600

Changing color for transparent is especially useful if the subject needs to be clearly visible in the website background, or when several images need to be layered on top of each other, or when something needs to be removed or hidden in a picture. Making a certain color transparent means that the color will be the same as the background. ImageConverter Plus allows changing any image color for transparent. This can be achieved by regular means or via command-line. Transparency is not so easy to achieve though. If you want to change a certain color for transparent you should note that even one and the same color may contain several color variations, so blue is not necessarily universally blue – it may be lighter or darker in some areas. In case you would like to change color gradations for transparent, choose "tolerance" option. You should also note that not every image format supports transparency, so your choice will be limited to PNG, GIF, TGA, BMP, TIFF, MNG, and PSD images.

Detail oriented vs “big picture”

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 09:30:00 -0600

Both image formats – JPEG and GIF are widely used in the web. But although they have something in common there are several things that differ them fr om each other. First of all, the number of supported colors with GIF is much smaller than JPEG. GIF supports only 256 colors, wh ereas JPEG supports millions of those. This means that when converting image from JPEG to GIF the resulting colors may look different, unless the colors picked out are supported by GIF. ImageConverter Plus supports dithering – with this option the resulting colors will look most close to the original ones. JPEG was originally designed to support 24-bit photographic style images. This format keeps track of all the colors and their gradations and makes the photographic image be much smaller than GIF. But the number of colors which is significantly larger in JPEG is not always an advantage - it will not yield a smaller file when dealing with low color level and details like in computer generated graphics. JPEG is much better for images containing lots of colors and their gradations. In case your image contains solid colors or text, then GIF is the way to go – it's more detail oriented. Two other advantages of GIF are the ability to support transparency and animation.

How to convert a text into an image

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 09:30:00 -0600

Converting text into an image is not the most common conversion task. We can hardly think of situations when it's really necessary – sometimes it's useful when you want to put some important text on a website, but don't want someone else able to easily take it and put it on their own; or perhaps you want to list some email addresses but want to prevent their owners from being spammed (thus you prevent the addresses from being easily copied and pasted into someone else's resources). But situations like those described are infrequent, and although there are programs that can help the users fulfill the task, ImageConverter Plus does not support this option. Still, we offer an alternative for dealing with text and images. Saving a text as an image is more common when someone wants to have a "hard copy" of the text document. In this case the document is saved as a TIFF image file. This guarantees that the text won't be lost or damaged. If that's what you would like to do, use our affiliate program Universal Document Converter. There are numerous options for dealing with text files of different formats. You can convert Word files to TIFF, PDF, or JPEG depending on your priorities.

Added support for RAW images generated by Samsung NX10

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:30:00 -0600

Are you getting the most of your digital photos? If you are not using your camera's RAW format , you are missing a whole world of picture quality. Most professional photographers are enthusiastic about capturing RAW images, because all of the image data recorded by a camera's sensor is available. RAW files contain much more image data that can be used for color corrections or pulling detail out of highlights and shadow areas. Image details that would have been lost in shooting JPEG can easily be recorded with RAW. Handling RAW images ImageConverter Plus takes into account the unique characteristics of each supported camera’s native file format. Our newest graphics engine supports the RAW file format from the leading digital cameras, such as Samsung NX10.

Keepsake your children’s art work

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:30:00 -0600

Children love to create their own artwork with paint, crayons, pencils, glue and any other art supplies they find. Art projects are wonderful ways to encourage creativity and imagination. Self expression through art projects lets children learn about themselves by using colors and design to describe their thoughts and ideas. Very often, these masterpieces that your children create are brought home and proudly displayed. But what do you do when all of the artwork begins to take over your home? One advice is to take photos of your child’s artwork and keep these photos in a scrapbook or create special online albums. This way, even if the artwork is discarded for space purposes, you'll still have the memory. ImageConverter Plus can help you optimize these photos for the web so that relatives living in different parts of the country also feel proud of their grandchildren, nieces and nephews and show off their masterpieces to the neighbors. There are lots of resources where you can participate in art project contests, post examples of your child's art projects online inspiring other kids, or simply organize them to keep the memories. If there are distracting elements in the photo taken, ImageConverter Plus will help with making the background transparent so that nothing distracts the viewer’s attention, and you can even create beautiful photo frames for the photos so that they really look like works of art.

Processing images with layers

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 09:30:00 -0600

Layers are one of the most powerful tools in photo editing. They are images or effects overlaid on top of one another. An example of a layer is an image layer, a text layer, or a shape. Some image formats like PSD or PSP support layers, while others like JPEG, BMP, PNG, and GIF cannot preserve layer information - they are flat image formats. ImageConverter Plus allows conversion in between those formats. Processing images containing image layers our software will merge all the layered images into a single final image. All the changes introduced in each separate layer will be merged into a single photo reflecting each layer's changes.

Detecting software bugs and performance issues

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:30:00 -0600

One of the options at using ImageConverter Plus is creating log file in the target folder. It means that each time you perform an image conversion, or resize your images, a special text file will be added to the target folder. Log files contain ongoing activities of ImageConverter Plus. Every single step of the conversion process will be included there. Log files will also record data about minor problems which were recovered, and the data about the way the program is used. You might not need to see this information right away, but it’s useful to put it silently aside and to request it later. The log file is especially important when you request technical support from us. Our engineers can analyze it to learn more about your case.