The new Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 9 is HERE!

[jasonX]

 

Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 9 : When your photos just need to be better!

 

Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 9 is the easy way to enhance photos. The program comes with its highly sophisticated image algorithm in addition to manual adjustments and numerous filter effects. Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 9 offers automated editing for single images or entire image folders at the click of a button. The program is easy to navigate and will only takes minute to understand it's intricates. It takes just a single click to have the program analyze each photo extensively and to detect and fix all issues, from poor lighting and underwhelming contrasts to color errors. The built-in split-view makes it easy to compare results against their originals and every action is instantly reversible. 

 

Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 9

 

Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 9 offers manual adjustment capabilities and comes with a broad range of common and creative tools too! The "Basics" category makes rotating, mirroring or cropping your photos as easy as can be along with optimization for text- and image-based watermarks or just plain text. The "Correction" category makes adjusting brightness, exposure, gamma and even perspective issues plus many other settings with straightforward ease. There is a "Face" category where red eyes, skin impurities or spots, that ruin so many portrait shots, are now gone in a matter of seconds. 


The "Effects" category offers multiple built-in artistic effects is where the user can let his creativity really shine. Here, Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 9 offers a function to "Image Age" photos, apply double exposure effects or turn them into elegant oil paintings, sketch or posterize images! The "Manipulate" category adds additional features such as cloning an area of the photo, adding motion blur / adaptive blurs, swirl as well as implode or explode photos. 


The user interface has been kept simple and straightforward to avoid lengthy learning curves and perform image editing with great results almost out of the box. Version 9 is fully Windows 11 compatible, features a new contrast-optimized interface, and offers significantly better stability and speed than its predecessors.

 

FEATURES AT A GLANCE:
 

• Brilliant perspective corrections for natural lines
  
• Significantly enhanced image auto-optimization
  
• Super-fast feature access through "Favorites"
  
• Manual color temperature adjustments
  
• Tonal curve adjustments
  
• Improved memory management for better stability and speed
  
• 64-bit optimized
  

 

Optimizing images
Upon program launch, the user is prompted to add a file / folder. This action can also be done via the "File Menu" or the buttons provided at the bottom of the preview pane. The split-view can be adjusted accordingly at the bottom right-corner of the preview pane. The split view will show the "Original" and the "Optimized" photo for ease of comparison. 

 

Photo optimization is offered via five (5) categories: (i) Basics, (ii) Correction, (iii) Face, (iv) Effects, and (v) Manipulate. An "Export" category is provided for user preference where and how to use his optimized image/photo. Kindly see the functions/features offered in each category below. 


 

Basics
 

• Rotate / Mirror
  
• Free Rotation
  
• Crop
  
• Resize
  
• Watermark
  
• Text
  

 



Correction
 

• Light Curves
  
• Color
  
• Straighten Horizon
  
• Perspective
  
• Sharpen
  
• Adaptive Sharpen
  

 

Face

• Remove Red Eyes
  
• Whiten Teeth
  
• Remove Spots
  

 

Effects
 

• Image Age
  
• Image Overlay
  
• Frame
  
• Emboss
  
• Shade
  
• Blue Shift
  
• Oilpaint
  
• Charcoal
  
• Sketch
  
• Posterize
  
• Solarize
  
• Threshold
  
• Adaptive Threshold
  

 

Manipulate
 

• Clone Area
  
• Blur
  
• Motion Blur
  
• Adaptive Blur
  
• Noise
  
• Median
  
• Spread
  
• Shear
  
• Wave
  
• Swirl
  
• Implode / Explode
  

Export
 

• Email
  
• Ashampoo Web Upload
  
• Wallpaper
  
• Print
  

 

Ashampoo Photo Optimizer v9.3.7 (2023/06/13)

 

 

PERTINENT LINKS

 

Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 9 Product Site

Download Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 9  HERE

Ashampoo Support

NOTES:

During the test of Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 9 I cannot help but notice a lack of right-click function. It's missing and very lessened. The user has to go through the menus almost always. While categories / functions are there just a short distance from the work area, the right-click function I missed very sorely. I think this is the only image editing app I tried that has very limited right-click function. 

Interface is user friendly but I also noticed that an "undo / redo button should be more visibly present in the preview pane. They are bunched together in the right-corner portion. The Auto optimize (orange button) takes much space there. The scroll bar at the bottom of the preview pane is so "thin" that it is a pain to use at all. Kindly see the image below where a "greyscale" is applied. You cannot almost see the scroll bar! A "hand tool" is the one that the preview pane needs!

 

It must be noted (and remembered) that Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 9 is not a full-pledge image editor. The name itself says, Photo Optimizer, so the lack of effects and functions are forgivable there. Afterall it is not Ashampoo Photo Commander. 

For simple photo optimization (not editing) Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 9 can suffice for any new users and even intermediate ones if he wants a fast way of optimizing -- making photos look good at the very least. 

The built-in sample images I call mere advertisements because they all look great! You need not optimize them at all (I guess except for "Image overlay" which is not good). This is the reason I used some images that are not that great so I can check the programs features. 

As mentioned, it can suffice, though optimization is not that great especially with the red-eye removal. It took me some time to get rid of just one red-eye and the  circular selection cannot be re-located that easily. You'd have to repeat it again and again. The new user will have to practice further. 

 

The "Effects" functions, (i) Image Age and  (ii) Frame, are good by the way. Render is very good! But the "Image overlay" is so... The given functions though (such as the "Image Age" and "Frame") DO NOT have any "name", a "title" or, a mere "number". NOTHING at all to identify the effect used!

In "Effects > Frame", even when the frame is "Christmas theme" no identifier "still". With the "Effects > Image Age",  you'll never know what is it that you have chosen (and user will get confused) especially when the images are of the same shade (Sepia). 

Imagine going to the wet market and seeing the spread of all kinds of fish and no label to tell/inform you what kind of fish you are pointing to or about to buy.

I think Ashampoo should revisit this because all effects seem to look the same when you scroll down. Any user should NOT be made to select just "how it looks" but also, what is it that he chooses. That is an additional burden to the eye, especially when effects are more than a few. "Ease-of-use" was forgotten here. A "mere number identifier" to an effect will solve this. 

Anyway, for a fast-fix photo optimization, Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 9 is great for new users and can suffice for intermediate ones. 

"Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 9 : When your photos just need to be better". I agree there. Just NEED to be better. Not great? They can be "better" than "better". Can be even great but needs more work to achieve it with Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 9.