New Phocus wish list

[Keith Davies]

Hello all

Seems like the old 'Phocus Wish List' thread is gathering dust - so thought I'd start a new one.

I've just started using Phocus (with my new H4D-50) having switched from using Capture One Pro with my Leaf/H1 outfit. I also process a lot of files in Lightroom 4.

While I find Phocus fast and stable, and I'm extremely impressed with the quality of the files it produces, it's obviously a less mature programme than C1. So here's a few suggestions based on my experience over the past few weeks - and please bear in mind that I'm very new to the programme, so I might be asking for features that exist but I've yet to uncover!

It would be very welcome if Phocus could include:

• Virtual copies. For me the most glaring omission.
• Keystone correction.
• A better 'clarity' tool - with both positive and negative values
• A more flexible 'vignette' tool (see Lightroom 4).
• A better highlight recovery tool set (See LR4!)
• An easier/more intuitive way to copy and paste adjustments from one file to another
• A better colour correction tool that doesn't rely on tiny little sliders without a numerical reference.

I think that will do for now. A graduation tool, adjustment layers, local adjustments are other features of C1 that I miss in Phocus. But you can't have everything...

Cheers
Keith

[bdp]

I second all those things that Keith mentioned, plus customisable keyboard shortcuts (four keys for shadow warning, really!?) and a quick compare mode like LR's survey mode. Don't bother saying 'why don't you just use LR' because I've tried and it's terrible at producing pleasing colours, so I will never use it.

Ben

[mitchino]

I too have just started with Phocus, and wish there was a make 'web contact sheet' facility as in C1 Pro, it's brilliant.

[peter_97]

I agree with Keith´s list.
For me major improvements would be:

• Keystone correction
• Improvement when changing Versions: Saving and implementing personal adjustments like IPTC Core presets or predifined IPTC Keywords and sets
• working with masks

On the contrary, working with the straighten tool (drawing horizontal or vertical lines to become perpendicular or landscape) is one of the most effictive tools, as it also works in any magnification of the picture

Peter

[bdp]

I really wish that a future version of Phocus would provide all the tools (such as recovery, clarity etc) for Canon raw files for the occasions when I need to use my Canon. It would be great to keep/process all the files in one place, but currently I have to use C1 for my Canon files because I need recovery, clarity etc.

Ben

[Chris Gahran]

1. Histogram readout in ƒ-stops as it was in FlexColor.

2. ƒ-stop values displayed in the Color Picker Readout Tool. Everything from a copy job to mood lighting is easier to accomplish when you can see from the Color Info that you need to open up the shadows a third of a stop. Or add two tenths more light in the top left corner of a copy setup.

3. Ability to alter image names as you save them more like a Macintosh "Save As" dialog box. In Phocus 265 I find the entire Export and Job Info settings are inexplicable complexity.

[jerome_m]

May I suggest something that should be very useful and is probably very simple to implement? Make the color correction tool 3-ways (shadows, midtones, highlights) as in most cine color correction packages.

First, watch this video which explains how and why to use the kind of color correction tool we enjoy in focus (in short: to be able to reduce the colors to a subset of colors which work well together on the color wheel):
https://www.youtube.com/embed/UJdTSAiw60s

This video uses a tool designed for movies editing. Interestingly, this kind of tool is present in almost every video editor but absent from most photo editors, but Phocus. The color correction tool in Phocus is just the same, except that it is global and not split to shadows, midtones and highlights.

Expanding the existing tool to shadows, midtones and highlights should be trivial, since the global code is already written. Expanding the tool to shadows, midtones and highlights would give Phocus users access to all these looks which are popular in movies. A few reference looks could be published as presets.

Basically, the idea is to convince prospective customers that Phocus is capable of fancy color grading.

[jerome_m]

Another suggestion for taking Phocus out of the sleeper status it does not deserve: make it automatise focus stacking as I explained in this thread:

http://www.hasselbladdigitalforum.com/index.php/topic,4359.msg17342.html

There are plenty of H camera users doing product photography who face the same problem. Ideally, the camera should be pointed to the closest part and store the AF distance, then to the far part and store the second distance. Taking a series of shots between the two should be automatic and Phocus should be able to do that.

Actually, the camera should be able to do it alone... But implementing a new firmware is probably more complex than implementing the function in Phocus and product photographers shoot tethered anyway.

[bdp]

Yes I think it's time Phocus got an update with some features mentioned. Especially the basics like the better highlight tool and some creative vignetting. How about local adjustments and perspective correction?

It runs the risk of looking dated which could scare off potential new users. Most recent updates were just to add support for new camera models.

Nick, do you have any news or influence in this area?

Ben

[Chris Gahran]

Preview Mode with a visual warning such as a half inch red border around each Preview image displayed. Maybe a "gong" audio sound for emphasis.

Just finished 19 images of large products on location. Three shot bracket on each image equals fifty-seven 4-shot images. I do 1-shot images to work through the lighting because I can't shoot Previews.

I have a total of 330 images and since I sometimes shoot a 1-shot image to blend into an area of a 4-shot hero, sorting through all the images is a mess. It's a mess because the ability to make Preview images was deleted from Phocus.

I'd like to have Capture Type Preview restored. Possibly have Preview Mode only work only with Multi-Shot backs. Also, please include a visual warning and possibly a "gong" sound.

[NickT]

I'm late but I have always argued for a watermarked preview image. These days I'm not so sure as customers see an image they maybe want it. I just try to be diligent in deleting the uh polaroids before it all gets bashed up 3 times..

[Keith Davies]

Well, it's just over three years since I started this thread. During that time, not one single item on my original wish list has appeared in Phocus. It doesn't seem that any of the other suggestions on this thread have been implemented either.

I think that sums up the entire Hasselblad-owning experience for me. So time to sell up and move along. Shame, as the kit is nice. Everything else - software, service and support, product development, etc. - is hopeless. 

[NickT]

Hi Keith
I hear you.
Hasselblad has been quiet for some time.

The good news is that things are changing in a very positive way. Stay tuned.

[jerome_m]

Well, it's just over three years since I started this thread. During that time, not one single item on my original wish list has appeared in Phocus. It doesn't seem that any of the other suggestions on this thread have been implemented either.

Indeed they have not.

I think that sums up the entire Hasselblad-owning experience for me. So time to sell up and move along. Shame, as the kit is nice. Everything else - software, service and support, product development, etc. - is hopeless. 

There are a few things that may explain the lack of answer. First: this forum is not very active and may not correspond to a priority for Hasselblad. Second, Hasselblad was indeed on a strange course these last 3 years.

But, IMO, there is hope. There are real signs that, following the change in management, Hasselblad may be back on track. I think it is worth waiting till next Photokina and see what happens. It is only in a few months.

[Alex]

I think it is worth waiting till next Photokina and see what happens.

+1