Rathores blog

                                            




Great software can be hard to come by. That is why there are a select few that stand out and become increasingly popular. What defines “great software”? Typically a photo editor program should be practical and useful, lightweight – even portable, feature-packed, and to top it all off, free. Fotografix is all of those and that is why it landed a spot in the Image Editors and Viewers category on  our Best Of Portable Apps page.
There are actually two versions currently available and I will cover both of them in this article.  Fotografix is currently only available for Windows, but Mac & Linux users don’t leave yet – if you like what you read, you’ll be able to use this program in the future.

Ease Of Use – Quickly Learn How To Use Fotografix

If Fotografix could be described in one word it would be simplicity. Everything from the website to the installation to the photo editor application itself reflects simplicity. The interface, particularly in version 2, might not seem very feature-packed at first, but you’ll soon discover that there’s a lot under the hood.

Portability – Take Fotografix With You

Fotografix is most definitely portable. The developer’s core principles encompass simple software. Here’s an except from the webpage:

I believe in simple, portable software that “just does the job”, as opposed to bloated software that many commercial applications have come to be. To this end, many of my applications are replicas of popular programs, only smaller, portable and free.

Version 1.5 downloads as a ZIP file and version 2 gives you the option to download as a standalone installer or in a ZIP file format.

Wide Range Of Languages For Fotografix Users Worldwide

Another very important attribute in a program is versatility in languages – Fotografix does that too and is currently available in 19 languages at the time this article was written. Keep in mind, however, that certain versions are limited to select languages and the preview of version 2 appears to only support English at this time.

Features & Interfaces Of Fotografix Versions 1.5 & 2

The majority of this section will be focused on version 1.5 since it is considered the most stable. Version 2 does have a few additional features, however, and those will also be mentioned.
Below is a comprehensive list of features via the Fotografix website:

• Enhance photos by correcting exposure and color.
• Improve composition by cropping and rotating photos.
• Use multiple layers for complex compositions.
  • Apply adjustments non-destructively using adjustment layers.
  • Add text using text layers that can be edited at any time.
• Create special effects using a variety of filters.
• Work with images in most popular file formats, including Photoshop (PSD) and GIMP (XCF).

So as you can see, Fotografix has a lot of versatility and isn’t the tiny program it appears to be at first glance.





Fotografix 2’s clean interface is a feature in itself – it’s even more simple than the first. It seems that photo editors are notorious for crowded “feature-packed” interfaces. Not that being feature-packed is a bad thing – it’s not – but organizing the features so they aren’t overwhelming is essential and that is what Fotografix 2 does.
It should be noted, and you’ve probably noticed, that Fotografix 1.5 doesn’t have a poor interface – it is actually quite well organized. It just appears slightly dated and is definitely in need of a facelift, which is what Fotografix 2 did very well.





The features of Fotografix 2 Preview include:

• An all-new graphics engine that allows for fast and fluid previews of image adjustments.
• Image histograms.
• Sidebar panels of adjustment dialog boxes.
  
  

                                                 

Upcoming features of Fotografix 2 include:

• All the features from Fotografix 1.5.
• Support for 16-bit images.
• Third-party filter and file format plugin support.
• Linux and Mac support via the Mono platform.

So, does Fotografix 2 Preview have all the features of version 1.5? No, not currently. But it does have a good start and depending on your need, you can base off what version would be best for your needs. And remember that more features will be added soon.

Download Fotografix

Earlier in the article it was mentioned that Fotografix, versions 1.5 and 2, are both available in ZIP format. Version 2 Preview is also available as a standalone installer.

Download Fotografix 1.5

Download Fotografix 2 Preview

Conclusion

Fotografix certainly isn’t the only photo editor available, as we’ve reviewed many, but with its vast versatility and simplistic approach it is doing quite well at holding it’s own and competing with the more well-known versions. Also, don’t forget to check out more of the best free and portable software.
Have you used Fotografix yet? If so, we’d love to hear your input on it. If not, do you think it could replace what the image editor you’re currently using right now?