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Serif Launches PhotoPlus X2 Studio Pack
New version offers automatic image fixing, photo album sharing and more

Serif (Europe) Ltd, the UK’s leading independent desktop publishing, design and graphics software developer, is delighted to announce the release of PhotoPlus X2 Studio Pack.
PhotoPlus X2 Studio Pack (List Price £59.99; upgrade prices available*) is the new Microsoft Windows Vista™certified version of Serif’s award winning digital imaging powerhouse. This release brings even greater breadth to the photo fixing, image editing and creative power of PhotoPlus X2 while making the task of improving photos even easier thanks to impressive new automated helpers. Managing and sharing burgeoning image collections takes a step forward, too, with AlbumPlus SE Pro’s improved organising and search capabilities, attractive new printed projects, superb slideshows for sharing with friends and family, plus the option to purchase photo prints and gifts.
Top new PhotoPlus X2 Studio Pack features include:

• Automated Makeover Studio – Let PhotoPlus X2 help remove imperfections from portraits
• New Image Fixing Power – Improve photos with enhanced QuickFix Studio and new tools
• New Artistic Effects – Image effects such as Comic Book, Textures, and Vignette
• Slideshows and Photo Discs – Share photos and artwork with friends, family, and colleagues
• Photo Prints and Gifts – Order photo prints, canvases, or personalised photo gifts

Automated Makeover Tools and On-Screen Help
PhotoPlus X2 not only offers an amazing collection of image fixing tools, it also automates common image editing tasks with the new Makeover Studio. Let PhotoPlus save time by automatically carrying out popular editing tasks! Nestling on-screen along with with instructional guidance, the powerful Makeover Studio helps fix red-eye, remove blemishes, enhance a tan, whiten teeth and brighten eyes, remove dark circles and smooth skin – with no surgery or chemicals required.
The How To tab, optionally displayed in the main PhotoPlus X2 interface, ensures that help is quickly on hand. The How To guides have been enhanced to include automated editing steps as found in the Makeover Studio and are further updated to include useful new PhotoPlus X2 enhancements, covering key concepts, basic tools, portrait makeovers, image fixing, and many creative options.

Improved QuickFix Studio with New Blemish Removal Tools
One-stop image correction is also available with PhotoPlus’s QuickFix Studio, improved for this version with new fixing tools and usability features. The QuickFix Studio enables users to apply cumulative image alterations, such as lighting and colour adjustments, sharpening, cropping, straightening, and compensating for camera lens faults – all from within one convenient window. New Blemish and Patch tools, available in the main application as well as the QuickFix Studio, make short work of removing skin imperfections for professional results.

Vista™ Certification and Revamped Interfaces
PhotoPlus X2 Studio Pack is fully Microsoft® Windows Vista™certified. In addition to working well with Vista, PhotoPlus X2 and AlbumPlus SE Pro have both been revamped to offer improved productivity with a new user interface, including supporting Vista styles and effects. Vista also offers scalable thumbnail previews of PhotoPlus files, helping users find their creations quicker than ever. Of course PhotoPlus X2 Studio Pack continues to work perfectly with Windows 2000 and XP, too.

Powerful New Filter Layers for Editable Effects
Filter Layers take PhotoPlus to a new level of editing power – they are a non-destructive way to apply the image effects available in the Filter Gallery, with the original image available when the effects are turned off. The numerous effects include halftone, lighting effects, distortion, sharpening, plus new Comic Book, Vignette, and Texture effects. Comic Book flattens colour and enhances edges for a drawn-and-painted look, Vignette adds an oval soft edge to images and the Texture effect gives images the appearance of having a surface texture, such as paper or stone. And to top it all, like PhotoPlus’s Layer Effects, Adjustment Layers, Masks, and Paths, the new Filter Layers remain editable at all times – unprecedented in a sub-£500 photo editing product.

Flexible Outlines
New Outlines offer an easy and attractive way to create lines around any text, layer, shape, or selection. Outlines can enjoy adjustable width and opacity, colour graduations, blend modes, and line position options.

PhotoPlus Offers Even More
PhotoPlus X2 has yet more to offer... in addition to its great legacy of powerful-yet-friendly image editing and creative features, PhotoPlus X2 now also offers.... lossless JPEG (and JPEG 2000) files for perfect quality JPEG images; split-view previews of images and speed enhancements in the QuickFix Studio, Instant Artist, and Filter Gallery; improved batch processing featuring batch resizing options; improved RAW file support for direct compatibility with even more modern digital cameras; preset canvas sizes for new digital images to suit popular print formats; a Tools Presets tab so users can store all their favourite tool settings for time saving edits and creativity; and an impressive Black and White Film effect offering fine control over greyscaling of different hues and tones in an image, with an optional colour wash tint applied to the result.

AlbumPlus SE Pro Included in the Studio Pack
Included alongside PhotoPlus X2 in the Studio Pack is AlbumPlus SE Pro, Serif’s Vista™certified digital image organiser and sharing program, enabling users to easily sort their image collections, retrieve files quickly, and share photos in engaging ways. Powerful keyword and calendar-based search facilities make it a breeze to find images quickly, and with a selection of stylish print templates, the ability to burn Photo Discs and create compelling slideshows, AlbumPlus SE Pro makes it both easy and fun to share photos. Slideshows can employ transitions, background music, can contain movie files, and can be exported as WMV for sharing with friends, family, and colleagues. AlbumPlus SE Pro also offers direct upload links to a professional online print store for creative photo gift ideas and an easy way to achieve photo prints in a variety of sizes.
PhotoPlus X2 Studio Pack simply offers a fast and effective solution for anyone wishing to get the most out of their digital image collection.

For more details please visit Serif ¦ Desktop Publishing, Graphic & Web Design, Digital Video & Photo Editing