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Phocus Beta for the Mac

David K

Workshop Member
Bob,
Thanks for posting this info. I've been waiting to see if the reality measures up to the hype on this software. I watched the linked video and the GPS link to Google Earth is very cool. As an aside I can't help but wonder about their choice of narrator's for the video. I've heard better narration on $300 real estate video tours :)
 

David K

Workshop Member
I haven't downloaded it... really no need except for curiosity, but I do recall reading that you must have Flexcolor on your computer for the program to be functional.
 

docmoore

Subscriber and Workshop Member
That appears to be correct as Phocus uses the Flexcolor ICC profiles at the present time. Mine loaded and runs fine but the import of files really shifts the exposure as it shifts the histogram to the far right...I am looking for a way to import without it messing with the file as most of my exposures are very close to where I want them for post processing.

Bob Moore
 

PeterA

Well-known member
I downloaded the latest Flexcolour and even restarted the mac - still doesnt work...hmmm..stumped
 

docmoore

Subscriber and Workshop Member
Peter,

Which Mac?

I am using Intel MacPro and am not sure if this might make a difference if another PPC Mac was used... however, I suspect not. Have you re-downloaded the Phocus? FTP occasionally fails or perhaps unzip went awry?

Keep us informed...I would value your input and thoughts on the program.

Thanks,

Bob Moore
 

PeterA

Well-known member
Hi Bob,
I am running dual core ( 2 x2.66Ghz) Intel Xenon with 4gb of ram - so i dont think it is my puter that is teh issue..I will downlaod fttp again and see what happens. I have been looking forward to this programme as teh acide test on wther to switch from Leaf to blad. Also - hopingthat DMR files canbe handled as well.

I'l post what happens when I get a chance..busy stacking 300 1 tonne bales of hay at the moment :)
 

PeterA

Well-known member
Hmmm tried re-downloaded the software..and it still wont load from my desktop ( it unzips just fine but wont start up ) ..so ..I shall await further developments..grrrr!
 

docmoore

Subscriber and Workshop Member
I again have worked with some files in the new Phocus beta. I emailed a response to Hasselblad as the standard import settings for the file kill my imbedded exposure values from the Hasselblad. It is almost as if they are trying to mimic the older 3F scanner setting which spread the histogram, slammed it to the right which made for a very large capture but a flat contrast file that needed a lot of work to correct with curves. As the majority of the files out of the camera are pretty much on the money with regards to exposure this makes no sense to me.

The viewer window does not match the view one gets in the thumbnail window with regards to contrast or exposure. The thumbnails seem much closer to the correct values...this occurs even after you have corrected a file and saved those corrections....the thumbnail looks better than the viewer window.

I can attest to the success of the moire filter as it seems to clean up files nicely. However, until something major changes with the above the program is pretty much unusable for me at the present time...oh, and since I installed it Flexcolor 4.8.4 unexpectedly shuts down when one goes to save files at output...

Any thoughts or observations would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Bob Moore
 

docmoore

Subscriber and Workshop Member
Hasselblad responded to my issue with the Viewer window.

I had migrated from the G5 PPC to Mac Pro and the Hasselblad profiles were not moved by the migration assistant...

Without the ICC profiles in spite of Flexcolor 4.8.4 working the Phocus Viewer window was way off...reinstall of the Flexcolor 4.8.4 solved the problem.

Bob Moore
 

docmoore

Subscriber and Workshop Member
Now that I have the program running pretty well I have had a chance to convert a few files and look at them. The workflow is much improved over the old Flexcolor and conversions to TIF are very good.

I have appended a few files that were run to TIF with Phocus then imported into Adobe Raw for minor correction in CS3...and they really needed very little work.

Inside Low Light Low Iso

View attachment 2222


Outside - Here color balance was a little off ... I needed to correct with Red and Blue curve. Need to see if this consistently happens when winter grasses predominate.

View attachment 2223


View attachment 2224

Outside test of Moire filter with very good results on the large metal building.


View attachment 2225


View attachment 2226

Overall the conversions are very close to the real thing. Import conversion and export to TIF from 3F was quick. The program seems very stable.

Bob Moore
 
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docmoore

Subscriber and Workshop Member
Hi, Peter.

Yes according to the readme file that unzips with the software the Mac needs to have 10.5.2 ( or 10.5.1? ) to run....Leopard.

I really like Leopard and it runs well with everything I have at the present time so if you can upgrade you should be able to get Phocus up and running.

Bob Moore
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Been using it now since it was mistakenly made prematurely available.

Very fast. FINALLY ...full rez previews instead of the crappy ones from Flex. Cool magnifier. Processes almost instantly on my machine. They DO recommend a healthy Graphics Card like the RadeonX1900 I'm running.

WAHOOOO!
 

PeterA

Well-known member
Ok I have ordered Leopard..DANG I HATE changing operating systems...
hey Marc - does it handle DMR files?
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Ok I have ordered Leopard..DANG I HATE changing operating systems...
hey Marc - does it handle DMR files?
No Peter, as far as I can tell it does not process DNGs. DNG is one of the file formats you can select for export just like with Flexcolor. And just like Flexcolor, any image adjustment made in Phocus does not migrate with DNGs.

When I tried selecting files already converted to DNG, Phocus crashed. This may be due to selecting images from a plug-in Hard Drive that has caused issues in the past. I'll drag a few shots to my desktop and see if Phocus still crashes.

I have not tried processing any DNGs from the Leica DMR. And I wonder if the DNGs from the first H2D/22 that shot DNGs will work? I also haven't tried Phocus yet when scanning with my Imacon 949. Haven't tried it tethered either.

My caveat is that I just started fooling around with it, and haven't had time to re-read the instructions after discovering what I don't know : -)
 

fotografz

Well-known member
I wonder if it will process the 3f files that Flexcolor creates when importing the DMR files?

Robert
I tried it with DMR files. It shows the thumbnails in a browser window, some of which were distorted ... and the approval indicator was yellow, not green. When I tried to import them, a sign popped up saying that the "Capture Failed".

If you have a DMR, DO NOT discard Flexcolor 4.8.4. It processes DMR files better than anything out there. The ISO 800 files are almost noise free, and the noise control sub-menu is amazing at controlling noise in he shadows.

I did shoot tethered with a H3D-II39 using Phocus, and it works great. Haven't tried Live View yet.
 
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