Reviewer’s Guide
Contents
1 | Introducing Corel PaintShop Pro X6............................... 1
2 | Customer profiles............................................................ 3
3 | What’s included?............................................................. 5
4 | Key features .................................................................... 7
Create your best images faster ...........................................................................7
The easiest way to extraordinary photos .......................................................... 11
A complete toolset for all skill levels................................................................. 14
Exceptional value with new Membership perks ................................................16
5 | Benchmarking PaintShop Pro X6 .................................. 17
Introducing Corel® PaintShop® Pro X6
Corel® PaintShop® Pro X6 is powerful, easy-to-use
image-editing software that helps anyone produce
stunning photos and creative designs. And with new
64-bit architecture, PaintShop Pro X6 is more
powerful and responsive than ever before.
You can now create your best images faster, thanks to
the performance gains enabled by 64-bit processing.
With PaintShop Pro X6, you’ll make more rapid
adjustments, process more effects, work with larger
files, and work with more photos simultaneously. The
64-bit version makes resource-intensive tasks, such as
working with images greater than 400 megapixels
smooth and reliable.
Developed in concert with our users, PaintShop Pro X6
offers polished and refined workspaces, new ultra quick
and easy selection tools, and all the creative design
tools and effects that have made PaintShop Pro a
favorite of so many for so long. Many of our users’
beloved features have benefited from the new 64-bit
code, offering better response times and more robust
effects processing.
PaintShop Pro X6 also provides a built-in script recorder
that lets you automate just about anything that you can
do with the application. Plus, an updated
Scripting Guide
is freely available to help school anyone
PaintShop Pro
interested in automation. It’s also easy to add IPTC
data, which helps photographers increase the
searchability of their images. In addition, the inclusion
of a 32-bit version ensures that you can work with
legacy third party plug-ins, and the 64-bit version offers
enhanced support for Adobe
®
Photoshop® plug-ins.
Editions of Corel® PaintShop® Pro X6
The following editions are available to meet the needs
of both professionals and value-minded customers.
Corel® PaintShop® Pro X6 Ultimate: The ultimate
photo editor combines the pro-quality tools of
PaintShop Pro X6 with powerful image correction
technology Perfectly Clear by Athentech Imaging,
portrait beautifying tools Reallusion
Standard, and a collection of creative extras.
Corel® Photo Video Suite X6: This all-in-one video
production and photo-editing suite combines the
creative power of PaintShop Pro X6 and VideoStudio
Pro X6 to make editing your photos and videos fast
and fun.
License Edition: For corporate and education
customers, the License Edition offers a highly
affordable photo-editing and design solution, ideal for
producing imagery for presentations, marketing
materials, documentation, and other projects. Fully
network deployable and available at compelling
volume license pricing, PaintShop Pro is a great choice
for commercial and educational organizations.
®
FaceFilter3
Reviewer’s Guide [ 1 ]
Customer profiles
Corel PaintShop Pro X6 is the photo editor of choice
for a diverse range of users, from photographers and
photo enthusiasts to designers, self marketers, and
creative consumers.
Photo enthusiasts
First and foremost, PaintShop Pro is designed from the
ground up for the photo enthusiast. Whether they’re
just starting out as hobbyists with their first DSLR, or
are already passionate, seasoned photographers,
photo enthusiasts want a photo editor that helps
them quickly and easily organize and manage their
photos.
After identifying promising images, they want easy-touse editing tools that help them refine those images
to their maximum potential. As enthusiasts develop
both their photographic eye and photo-editing skills,
they want access to additional tools, features, and
effects that can help them express their creativity —
with fast results and minimal effort.
Self marketers
These small business owners, independent or
professional marketers, and social media specialists
want a photo editor that fits their budget and lets
them quickly produce high-quality graphics in-house.
Creative consumers
Whether they’re scrapbookers or recreational graphics
producers, creative consumers produce content to
share with friends and family. They want a photo
editor that’s easy to use, stays out of their way, and
gives them access to a wide range of features and
effects.
Education
For students, teachers, and administrators or decisionmakers, PaintShop Pro offers an unbeatable value. It
gives educators all the tools they need to teach the
fundamentals of photography and graphic design at a
fantastic price.
Designers
Designers produce graphical content for many
disparate projects and want tools that help them
express their creativity. Whether they’re working
photographers, graphic design professionals, video
producers, or web professionals, they want a photo
editor that lets them work with vector and raster
layers, supports industry-standard file formats, and
gives them powerful creative options.
Reviewer’s Guide [ 3 ]
What’s included?
Application
•
Corel® PaintShop® Pro X6:
This powerful, easyto-use image-editing software helps anyone with
a passion for photography produce stunning
photos and creative designs. It offers a wealth of
features that help you organize, edit, and share
your photos and artistic creations with ease.
•
32- and 64-bit versions
: PaintShop Pro X6 is
available in 32- and 64-bit versions, and you can
install both. While the 64-bit version offers better
performance and memory management, the
32-bit version ensures compatibility with 32-bit
hardware and plug-ins.
Documentation
• Online Help, Learning Center palette
•PDF User Guide
• Discovery Center, with both video and text tutorials
• Getting Started windows provide an overview of
new tools and features, making it easy to get up
to speed quickly
• PDF Scripting Guide, available to download for all
free PaintShop Pro X6 Standard Memberships
Minimum system requirements
•Microsoft® Windows® 8, Windows® 7, Windows
Vista®, and Windows® XP with latest service pack
(32-bit or 64-bit editions)
•Intel
®
or AMD 1.5 GHz or faster processor with
SSE2 support (multi-core processor recommended)
• 1 GB free hard-disk space (2 GB recommended)
• 1024 × 768 resolution, 16-bit color display
(1366 × 768 resolution, 24-bit or higher color
display recommended)
• DirectX
®
9 or higher compatible audio card with
latest driver
• Windows-compatible CD- or DVD-ROM drive for
installation
• Internet connection required for online features
and tutorial videos
File format support
•
Input:
AI, BMP, CAL, CALS, CGM, CLP, CMX1, CT,
CUR, CUT, DCX, DIB, DRW*, EMF, EPS, GIF, HDP,
HGL*, HPG*, IFF, IMG, J2C, J2K, JIF, JP2, JPC, JPE,
JPEG, JPG, JPS, JPX, MAC, MPO, MRW, MSP, PBM,
PCD*, PCT, PCX, PDF, PGL*, PGM, PIC, PICT, PNG,
PNS, PPM, PS, PSD, PSP (PSP image files), RAS,
RAW, RIF, RLE, SCT, SVG, SVGZ, TGA, TIF, UFO,
WBM, WBMP, WDP, WEBP, WMF, WPG*
RAW file support from more than 300 camera
models including 3FR, ARW, CR2, CRW, DCR, DNG,
E R F, K2 5, K D C , M EF, MO S , N E F, NR W, OR F, P E F, R A F,
RW2, SR2, SRF, X3F
•
Brush:
PaintShop Pro Brush (.pspbrush), Adobe
Photoshop Brush (.abr), Jasc Brush (.jbr)
Output:
•
EPS, AI, PS, GIF, HDP, WDP, IFF, IMG, JP2, J2C, J2K,
JPC, JPX, JPG, JIF, JPE, JPEG, MAC, MSP, PBM, PCX,
PGM, PIC, PPM, PNG, PSD, PSP (PSP image files),
RAS, RAW, RIF, RIFF, RLE, SCT, CT, JPS, PNS, TGA, TIF,
TIFF, WBMP, WBM, WEBP, WMF
BMP, CAL, CALS, CLP, CUT, DCX, DIB, EMF,
• 2 GB of RAM (4 GB recommended)
1 CMX, DRW, HGL, HPG, PGL, and WPG formats supported only
with 32-bit installation
Reviewer’s Guide [ 5 ]
Key features
Corel® PaintShop® Pro X6 is powerful, easy-to-use
image-editing software that helps anyone produce
stunning photos and creative designs.
Create your best images faster
With new 64-bit power, PaintShop Pro X6 is better
and more powerful than ever before. You can now
load, edit, and output your photos much more quickly.
The increased stability and memory management
enabled by 64-bit architecture means that you can
make more rapid adjustments, process more effects,
and work with more photos simultaneously.
New!
PaintShop Pro X6 was built to be more efficient where it
64-bit PaintShop® Pro:
The 64-bit edition of
counts. The primary benefit offered by the 64-bit
edition is that it accesses RAM beyond 4 GB. This
equates to faster processing, especially for resourceintensive tasks, and greater stability when working with
large file sizes.
New!
Faster launch:
notice about the new 64-bit edition of PaintShop Pro X6
is how quickly it launches. Depending on your hardware
configuration, you can expect at least a 10% boost in
launch speed.
New!
64-bit object removal:
PaintShop Pro provides greater stability when using
the Object Remover to edit photos of large file sizes.
The first thing you’re bound to
The 64-bit edition of
You can now remove objects from images larger than 22 megapixels.
Reviewer’s Guide [ 7 ]
Give it a try
Using the Object Remover
1 In
PaintShop Pro X6 (64-bit)
the top of the application window.
2 Click
3 Click the
File
`
Open
, and browse for an image, or
drag an image into the workspace.
Object Remover
around the part of the image you want to remove.
, click the
tool and drag
Edit
tab at
New!
Support for 400+ megapixels:
The 64-bit
edition of PaintShop Pro X6 provides support for a
whopping 400+ megapixels. While megapixel count
is not the be-all and end-all for image quality, this
level of support lets you keep pace with the soaring
megapixel count offered by today’s DLSRs.
New!
Memory management:
With its new, 64-bit
architecture, PaintShop Pro X6 is able to address more
memory when working with large file sizes.
4 On the Tool Options palette, click the
button.
A rectangle is displayed in the image window.
5 Position the rectangle over the area that will
replace the section to be removed.
You can drag the rectangle’s handles to resize it,
and drag the rotation handle to rotate it.
6
On the Tool Options palette, click the
New!
64-bit Smart Carver:
With the 64-bit edition
Source mode
Apply
button.
of PaintShop Pro X6, the Smart Carver now supports
16-bit image editing. This greatly reduces the potential
for ‘banding’ or ‘image noise’ in your adjusted photos.
Give it a try
Removing an image area with the Smart Carver
1 In
PaintShop Pro X6 (64-bit)
the top of the application window.
2 Click
3 In the Camera RAW Lab, click
4 Click
5 In the
File
`
Open
and browse for a RAW image, or
drag a RAW image into the workspace.
Image
`
Smart Carver
The Smart Carver dialog box opens.
Object Removal
button, and then brush over the area that you
want to remove from the image.
, click the
Edit
.
.
area, click the
Edit
tab at
Remove
New!
Open more images at once:
With the
64-bit edition of PaintShop Pro X6, you can smoothly
open upwards of 50 photos. This is especially notable
for batch processing; for example, converting a batch
of 50 RAW images to PNG is now 57% faster than
PaintShop Pro X5.
Give it a try
Opening many images at once
1 In the Manage workspace of
(64-bit)
or more images.
2 Click the
This opens the selected images for editing.
For comparison, try the same procedure with the
32-bit edition.
New!
, hold down
Edit
Ctrl
tab.
Faster HDR processing:
edition of PaintShop Pro X6, you’ll enjoy a quickened
pace when working with the HDR tools. Exposure
Merge provides faster loading of photos, swifter and
more responsive tools for making adjustments, as well
as quicker HDR processing time.
Exposure Merge is a three-step process:
•
Merge – choose merge settings, apply custom
editing to photos
PaintShop Pro X6
and then click to select 30
With the 64-bit
You can use the
increase the size of the brush.
6 In the
7 When you are satisfied with the result, click
[ 8 ] Reviewer’s Guide
Smart Carving
horizontally
Brush Size
area, click the
button.
slider to decrease or
Auto-contract
OK
• HDR Adjustments – make adjustments to
merged HDR image
•
Fine-Tune – refine the HDR image, reduce noise,
sharpen, etc.
.
You choose merge settings, make custom edits,
and preview the merged alignment during the
first step of Exposure Merge.
Give it a try
Step 1: Merging multiple HDR exposures
1
In the
Manage
select the thumbnails of the photos you want to merge.
2 Click
3 In the Step 1: Merge window, choose a profile from
File
Camera response curve profile
the
If you are unsure, select
4 In the
Alignment
from the
To crop edges that don’t overlap, enable the
crop
check box.
5 Click
Align
To see the result, enable the
check box near the bottom of the panel.
6 If necessary, you can keep or remove specific areas
from individual photos by using the controls in the
Custom editing
workspace, press
`
HDR
`
area, choose an alignment type
Method
drop-list.
.
area.
Ctrl
Exposure Merge
Auto Select
Preview Alignment
and then click to
.
drop-list.
.
Auto
You can manually adjust the resultant HDR image or apply
a preset during the second step of Exposure Merge.
Give it a try
Step 2: Adjusting the HDR image
1
In the Step 2: HDR Adjustments window, perform any
of the following actions to achieve the look you want:
• in the
•
•
• drag the
• drag the
•
To focus on black-and-white processing, click the
B&W
To re-enable color processing, click the
Presets
enable the
Dropper
area, click a preset thumbnail
White Balance
check box, click the
tool, and then click the image to set the
white point
drag the
image, and drag the
Shadows
Temperat ure
Contrast, Highlights, Midtones
slider to warm or cool the
Tint
slider to fine-tune the color
slider to adjust the tone and contrast
Vibrancy
slider to saturate or
desaturate the colors
choose
the
Detail
Creative detail
drop-list, and then drag the respective
or
Natural detail
sliders to adjust the amount of local detail
tab.
Color
, and
from
tab.
7 Click
Process
.
Reviewer’s Guide [ 9 ]
Give it a try
Give it a try
2 To save your HDR image for further editing, click
Create HDR file
Save
.
3 Click
Process
, type a file name, and then click
.
The settings are applied to the 16-bit image file in
preparation for final output.
Step 3: Fine-tuning the HDR image
1 In the Step 3: Fine-Tune window, apply any of the
following tools or adjustment options:
• Smart Photo Fix
• White Balance
• Brightness/Contrast
• Fill Light/Clarity
• Local Tone Mapping
• High Pass Sharpen
• Digital Noise Removal
2 When you are satisfied, click
3 In the
Save As
then click
dialog box, type a file name, and
Save
.
Save and close
.
You can apply photo fixes, color and contrast
corrections, remove noise, and more during
the final step of Exposure Merge.
[ 10 ] Reviewer’s Guide
The easiest way to extraordinary photos
Before developing PaintShop Pro X6, we consulted
our users to learn what they wanted from the next
edition of their favorite photo editor. Among the top
requests were a 64-bit version and UI refinement.
After years of building an exceptional feature set, it
was time to hone the fit and finish of PaintShop Pro.
The fine-tuned workspaces present less clutter, and
two new selection tools will help you isolate an image
area quicker than ever. And of course, you’ll still find
the same easy-to-use creative design tools and effects
that help you dramatically transform your photos with
minimal time and effort.
Enhanced!
Workspaces: With PaintShop Pro X6,
you’ll find dedicated Manage, Adjust, and Edit
workspaces that present tools and options for each
intended task. The refined workspaces reduce clutter
and duplication, which makes PaintShop Pro more
welcoming and easier than ever to use.
The refined PaintShop Pro X6 (top) provides dedicated, clutter-free workspaces that let you focus on the task at hand.
Reviewer’s Guide [ 11 ]
Give it a try
Give it a try
Taking a workspace tour
1 In the
2
3 At the top of the workspace, click the
New!
Manage
Mode
button.
This switches the workspace from Thumbnail Mode
to Preview Mode. To switch back, click the
Thumbnail Mode
The Manage workspace has four main components:
•
Navigation palette
organizing your photos
•
Preview area
thumbnails of all images in the active folder
•
Info palette
IPTC data
•
Organizer palette
At the top of the workspace, click the
The Adjust workspace has four main components:
•
Adjust palette
adjusting photos
•
Preview area
the Organizer palette
•
Instant Effects palette
•
Organizer palette
The Edit workspace has five main components:
•
Tools toolbar
cropping, typing text, and performing other
image editing tasks
•
Tool Options palette
for the active tool
•
Layers palette
image layers
•
Materials palette
painting, drawing, filling, and retouching
•
Image window
Open an image as single layer:
workspace, click the
button.
– for finding and
– for viewing a single image or
– for viewing and entering EXIF or
– for selecting photos
– tools and controls for
– displays the photo selected in
– preset effects
– for selecting photos
– tools for painting, drawing,
– settings and controls
– view, organize, and adjust
– colors and materials for
– displays open files
Preview
Adjust
Edit
tab.
tab.
For speed
and convenience, you can now drag an image to the
Layers palette, and it will be instantly added to the
currently opened image as a single layer.
Opening an image as single layer
1 Open an image in the
2 From the
to the
A new Raster layer is added.
You can also drag an image from Windows
Explorer.
Organizer
Layers
palette.
Edit
workspace.
palette, drag a different image
Import custom workspace: Many PaintShop Pro
customers are veteran users who have built their own
toolbars and workspace customizations for specific
tasks. To save you time and effort, PaintShop Pro X6
makes it easy to import a custom workspace so you can
instantly access your favorite personal workspaces.
Give it a try
Importing a workspace
1 In the
2 In the Load Workspace dialog box, choose one of
3 Select the workspace file you want to import, and
New!
photo segmentation engine that lets you select
objects based on brushstokes. Photo segmentation
collects pixels into regions that correspond to separate
surfaces, objects, or natural edges of an object. This
means that you can simply paint over an object to
select it, and you can build or reduce the selection
with additional brushstrokes. It’s a fast, easy, and
accurate way to isolate part of an image.
Edit
workspace, choose
Load
.
the following:
•
Yes
– saves the current workspace
•
No
– does not save the current workspace
If you have custom toolbars or other workspace
augmentations, you may want to save the current
workspace before loading another one.
Load
then click
.
Smart Selection Brush:
File
`
Workspace
This new brush uses a
`
[ 12 ] Reviewer’s Guide
You simply drag the new Smart Selection Brush over an
image area to create and refine a selection.
Give it a try
Using the Smart Selection Brush
1 In the
2 On the
3 On the Tool Options palette, adjust the
4 Drag the brush across the image area that you
Edit
workspace, open a photo that contains
an object or person that you want to isolate.
Tools
toolbar, click the
Brush
.
You can also adjust any of the following settings:
•
Mode
– specifies whether to replace, add, or
remove an existing selection
•
Feather
specifying a fade width
•
Anti-alias
selection by using transparency
want to select, and release to review the selection.
You don’t need to be precise; the selection expands
automatically to toward edges.
You can press
selection, or press
selection.
– softens the edges of a selection by
– smoothens the edges of a
Shift
and drag to add to the
Ctrl
and drag to remove the
Smart Selection
Size
setting.
The new Auto Selection tool automatically detects and
snaps to the edges of an object area that you select.
Give it a try
Using the Auto Selection tool
1 In the
2 On the
3 Drag across the image to enclose the area that you
Edit
workspace, open a photo that contains
an object or person that you want to select.
Tool s
toolbar, click the
tool.
want to select, and release to view the autoselection.
Auto Selection
New!
Auto Selection tool:
This new tool lets you
enclose an image area in a bounding rectangle that
automatically detects and snaps to edge. It’s quick and
simple, and does most of the work for you, which lets
you focus on being creative.
To redo the selection, press
reselect an area.
New!
Video tutorials:
Ctrl
+ D and then
PaintShop Pro X6 provides
instant access to a plethora of proficiency building
video tutorials. You simply click
Tutori als
.
Help ` Video
Reviewer’s Guide [ 13 ]
A complete toolset for all skill levels
Give it a try
PaintShop Pro X6 provides professional-quality tools
and guidance to help you take your photo editing to
the next level. PaintShop Pro X6 offers a built-in script
recorder that lets you automate practically any action
that the application performs. In addition, we’ve
updated the
PaintShop Pro Scripting Guide
to help
you get up to speed quickly.
Enhanced!
Script update: In combination with
batch editing and custom presets, scripting can help
you accelerate common or repetitive tasks. PaintShop
Pro X6 provides an updated script framework to help
you take advantage the application’s automation
capabilities. You can record a series of commands as a
script that you can playback at any time. This can save
you significant time with tedious tasks, which is
especially useful if you apply the same effect(s) to
many photos.
Scripting to automate a Dragan effect
1 In the
2 Click
3
4 In the
5 Click the
Edit
workspace, open an image.
File
`
Script
`
Start Recording
On the Layers palette, click the
and choose
the
the
and then click
Adjustment Layer
New Adjustment Layer
Levels
area of the Levels dialog box, drag
black diamond
gray diamond
New Layer
slider to approximately
OK
.
`
slider to approximately 15 and
button and choose
Hue/Saturation/Lightness
.
New Layer
`
Levels
New
In the Hue/Saturation/Lightness dialog box, drag
the
Saturation
OK
click
6 Click the
Adjustment Layer
slider to approximately
.
New Layer
button and choose
`
Curves
-30
New
.
In the Curves dialog box, add three points along
the
Histogram
values, and then click
•
Output
•
Output
•
Output
with the following approximate
OK
:
= 24,
Input
=
52
=
109, Input
=
221, Input
=
=
129
193
button
.
170
, and
,
.
You can use scripting to automate applying a Dragan effect
to a photo or series of photos.
7 On the Layers palette, right-click the original image
Effects
Duplicate
`
and choose
Click
the High Pass dialog box, enter a
approximately
18
Right-click the duplicate layer, choose
File
OK
`
Script
Overlay
.
then choose
and click
8 Right-click in the Layers palette and choose
`
Merge All (Flatten)
9 Click
.
Edge Effects
.
from the
.
`
Save Recording
`
High Pass
Radius
Blend mode
, and then
, and in
setting of
Properties
list box
Merge
,
type a name for your script in the Save As dialog
box.
[ 14 ] Reviewer’s Guide
Enhanced!
PaintShop Pro Scripting Guide
Scripting Guide: The updated
offers a helping hand
for anyone interested in scripting. PaintShop Pro X6
scripts are written in the Python programming
language, and this guide can help users who are
intimated by code.
You can use the powerful PaintShop Pro scripting engine to create custom toolbars. For example,
you can build your own toolbar for applying an image effect, such as the Dragan effect.
Give it a try
Creating a custom toolbar
1 In the
2 In the Customize dialog box, click the
3 In the Toolbar Name dialog box, type a name for
4
5 In the
6 In the
Edit
workspace, open an image, and then
click
View
`
Customize
and then click
New
the toolbar, and then click
.
Toolbars
.
OK
.
A small, empty toolbar appears.
In the Customize dialog box, click the
Categories
Commands
area, choose
area, scroll through the list and
Commands
Layers
drag the following icons to the toolbar:
•
Levels
tab,
tab.
.
Give it a try
•
Hue/Saturation/Lightness
•
Curves
•
Duplicate
7 In the
drag the
8 In the
Commands
Commands
High Pass
area, choose
icon to the toolbar.
area, choose
the following icons to the toolbar:
•
Properties
•
Merge All (Flatten)
9 Click
Close
.
You can double-click the toolbar to dock it, or leave
it floating in the workspace.
Effects
and then
Layers
and drag
Reviewer’s Guide [ 15 ]
Enhanced!
IPTC data for RAW files: With
PaintShop Pro X6, you can add IPTC data to your RAW
files by using the Info palette in the Manage
workspace. IPTC data is used by photographers and
agencies to save keywords, comments, and copyright
information, which makes their images searchable.
When you output a RAW file in JPEG or TIFF formats,
PaintShop Pro X6 will embed any IPTC data so that it
stays with your files.
You can use the Info palette to easily add IPTC data to your images.
Enhanced!
plug-ins:
Support for Adobe® Photoshop®
PaintShop Pro X6 provides support for
Adobe Photoshop plug-ins to ensure that you can
seamlessly work with your favorite 64-bit extensions
and creative effects. In addition, you can also use the
32-bit edition of PaintShop Pro to run any older plugins that aren’t supported by 64-bit architecture.
Enhanced!
64-bit plug-in interface: With the
new 64-bit edition of PaintShop Pro, the plug-in
interface has been updated to ensure that you can use
3rd-party plug-ins with ease.
Exceptional value with new Membership perks
The all-new PaintShop® Pro Membership program
makes this all-in-one solution the most affordable
photo-editing and design package on the market.
Membership is free and by signing up you’ll receive
important product service packs, exclusive PaintShop
Pro X6 content, as well as access to webinars and
special offers.
Members will be notified when the latest content and
service packs are available for download, ensuring
you’re always getting the most out of PaintShop Pro X6.
[ 16 ] Reviewer’s Guide
Benchmarking PaintShop® Pro X6 (64-bit)
To make PaintShop Pro X6 the most powerful version
ever, we completely rebuilt its architecture to migrate
from 32 to 64 bit.
Why 64 bit? And why now?
For application developers, the chief advantage offered
by 64-bit architecture is the ability to access RAM
beyond 4 GB. Migrating a 32-bit application to 64-bit
architecture, however, is a large undertaking that
requires significant development time.
The code has to be rebuilt from the ground up, starting
with the foundation of 64-bit support libraries, and
optimizing algorithms to take advantage of the 64-bit
OS kernel, which improves many aspects of application
performance. And it’s not simply about speed —
decisions have to be made about how best to utilize
the additional processing power.
For customers, the appeal of a 64-bit application is
that it promises to take advantage of newer hardware
configurations. While 64-bit processors and operating
systems have been available for years, software has
been slow to make the switch due to the considerable
effort involved.
Prior to developing PaintShop Pro X6, we surveyed
our users and the number one request was for a
64-bit version. And so, we focused our development
on bringing 64-bit power to PaintShop Pro and
boosting the performance, speed, and stability of our
users favorite features.
The result is a faster, smoother, and more responsive
image-editing experience. Launched side-by-side with
the previous version, PaintShop Pro X6 will start 10%
faster. The HDR tools are quicker than ever. The Smart
Carver now performs 16-bit image editing, reducing
‘noise’ and improving the quality of your adjusted
image. Plus, you can work with more images at once,
and with larger images (greater than 400 megapixels).
Benchmark use cases
The following use cases describe common tasks that
our users perform regularly, illustrating the performance
gains enabled by 64-bit architecture. All benchmark
tests were performed on the following system:
•
CPU: Intel
(4CPUs), ~ 2.5GHz
• OS: Windows® 7 Enterprise SP1- 64bit
•
RAM: 4 GB
Cataloging JPEGs: When you point PaintShop Pro
to a folder or external drive, the application catalogs,
or indexes, all images at the specified destination.
Whether you are cataloging a few new images direct
from your camera, or connecting to a hard drive to
access thousands of images, the process can consume
both time and application resources.
This is one of several key areas where the 64-bit
version of PaintShop Pro X6 performs better and faster
than ever. For example, RAW files — notoriously
cumbersome for image editors — now load 9% faster
than the 32-bit PaintShop Pro X5. And JPEGs, which
®
Core™ i5-2520M CPU @ 2.50GHz
Reviewer’s Guide [ 17 ]
are the most popular format of our users, can now be
cataloged a dramatic 78% quicker.
The new 64-bit PaintShop Pro X6 catalogs JPEGs a
whopping 78% faster than the previous version.
Opening a JPEG in the Edit workspace: Here’s
an area where a small boost can make a big
difference to the feel of an application. Once you’ve
chosen an image to edit and your creative juices start
flowing, the last thing you want is a delay. You’re
already thinking about how best to improve your
image, and your image editor should respond fluidly.
Every editing task starts with opening the image, and
PaintShop Pro X6 now does this significantly faster.
hobbyist user, automating the resizing of a batch of
photos can save significant time and tedium.
With PaintShop Pro X6 (64-bit), you can now convert
a batch of RAW files to PNG 57% quicker, and JPEG to
PNG 70% faster. Plus, batch resizing clocks in 16%
more swiftly.
The new 64-bit PaintShop Pro X6 is 57% faster at
converting batches of RAW files to PNG.
Applying the Skin Smoothing effect:
Retouching, or portrait editing, has long been one of
most popular image-editing tasks. Due to the frequent
adjusting and re-adjusting steps inherent in the
process, retouching also tends to hog system resources
and stall the performance of an image editor.
This is another area where the migration to 64-bit
architecture resulted in an effect performing more
rapidly.
When you choose a JPEG for editing, PaintShop Pro X6
will open the image in the Edit workspace
18% quicker than PaintShop Pro X5.
Converting a batch of RAW files to PNG: Batch
processing lets users automate routine image-editing
tasks and is especially useful when working with
multiple photos. For example, a web designer may
need to convert several RAW files to PNG. For a typical
[ 18 ] Reviewer’s Guide
With PaintShop Pro X6, you can now apply
the Skin Smoothing instant effect up to 28% faster
than the previous version.
Applying a One Step Photo Fix: Sometimes you
just want to quickly improve the look of a photo and
move on. One Step Photo Fix remains a crowd-pleaser
with PaintShop Pro users because it’s so easy and it
works so well.
This sophisticated effect analyzes your image and
smartly applies as many fixes as necessary to instantly
enhance an image.
The new 64-bit PaintShop Pro X6 now applies One Step
Photo Fix 18% quicker than the previous version.
Merging a batch of RAW files or JPEGs to HDR:
The HDR tools in PaintShop Pro offer a great entry
point for anyone interested in producing high dynamic
range images, balancing ease of use with powerful
creative options. You can even create HDR images
from a single RAW exposure.
With PaintShop Pro X6 (64-bit), the HDR tools remain
easy to use while gaining speed and strength. You
can work with more images and larger file sizes,
which is especially useful if you frequently apply this
effect to RAW files.
With the new 64-bit PaintShop Pro X6, a batch HDR merge
of RAW files is 15% quicker than the previous version (top),
and a batch HDR merge of JPEGs is 20% faster (bottom).
Reviewer’s Guide [ 19 ]
About Corel
Corel is one of the world’s top software companies providing some of the industry’s best-known graphics,
productivity and digital media products. Boasting the most comprehensive portfolio of innovative software,
we’ve built a reputation for delivering solutions that are easy to learn and use, helping people achieve new
levels of creativity and productivity. The industry has responded with hundreds of awards for innovation,
design, and value.
Used by millions of people around the world, our product lines include CorelDRAW
®
Graphics Suite,
Corel DESIGNER®, CorelCAD™, Corel® Painter®, Corel® PaintShop® Pro, Corel® VideoStudio®, and
Corel® WordPerfect® Office. For more information on Corel, please visit www.corel.com.
Copyright © 2013 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved.
®
Corel
PaintShop® Pro X6 Reviewer’s Guide
Protected by U.S. Patents 5652880; 5347620; 5767860; 6195100; 6385336; 6552725; 6657739; 6731309; 6825859; 6633305; Patents
Pending.
Product specifications, pricing, packaging, technical support and information (“specifications”) refer to the retail English version only.
The specifications for all other versions (including other language versions) may vary.
INFORMATION IS PROVIDED BY COREL ON AN “AS IS” BASIS, WITHOUT ANY OTHER WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABLE QUALITY, SATISFACTORY QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR THOSE ARISING BY LAW, STATUTE, USAGE OF TRADE, COURSE OF DEALING OR OTHERWISE. THE
ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE RESULTS OF THE INFORMATION PROVIDED OR ITS USE IS ASSUMED BY YOU. COREL SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY TO
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Media Contact North America
Sara Chesiuk
Public Relations Manager
Corel Corporation
613-728-0826 ext. 1259
sara.chesiuk@corel.com
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