Here’s What’s New in Capture One Pro 9

Phase One rolled out a major update to its Capture One Pro imaging program today.

Version 9 delivers several new editing tools plus a host of new asset management tools to help photographers keep track of their images using keywords.

For image editing, Phase One updated the contrast engine, changing the algorithm for color, saturation and contrast. A user can now make masks from a color edit and the color editor’s handles are easier to adjust and the tool is now scalable when undocked.

There’s a new brush pack as well that includes flow, airbrush, straight line brushing, and the ability to link brushes.

The curve tool palette has been updated with Luma curves that enable photographers to create contrast curves without impacting saturation. Curves can also be used locally.

If you’re shooting tethered, a new battery status indicator can be placed in the tool bar to alert you to the remaining battery life of your camera.

Other changes include:
* Export Enhanced Image Packets (EIP) for catalogs: In the Export originals panel, there is now an option to Export as EIP. Sessions users can also choose to Export originals. According to Phase One, this method creates a workflow in which the original RAW and adjustments are not packed – instead a copy is made, packed as EIP.

* DNG colors: According to Phase One, this new feature allows Capture One Pro to “treat and display supported camera files that have been converted to DNG (and include the RAW file in the DNG package), as if in their original format.”

The other significant upgrade comes in the form of new asset management tools. Keywords can be added and removed from images and as you add them, a keyword libraries document keeps a list of them that’s unique for the session or the catalog. Keywords are also sortable, so they can be reordered in the keywords tool for single image selections.

Capture One Pro 9 is available now for $299 for new customers. Users upgrading from v. 7 or 8 can upgrade for $99 (v. 8 users who purchased their program after October 30, 2015 can upgrade to v. 9 for free). It’s also available via a subscription for $15/month.

Starting with Capture One Pro 9, Phase One will allow three activations for each standard license of the title.