LightZone is a digital darkroom and photo editor built around a non-destructive tool stack rather than a conventional layer-based workflow. Tools can be reordered, adjusted, disabled or removed without altering the original image.
The program processes images in a 16-bit linear colour space using ProPhoto RGB. Its editing model includes regions, styles and tools for tonal, colour and detail adjustments, while complete tool stacks can be copied between photographs or applied during batch processing.
RAW support has been modernised with LibRaw available for cameras not handled by LightZone’s older decoder. The project also continues to improve its rendering pipeline, camera support and Linux packaging.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Non-destructive tool stack with tools that can be reordered, disabled and readjusted later.
- Processes images in a 16-bit linear colour space using the wide-gamut ProPhoto RGB colour space.
- RAW processing with LibRaw support for cameras not handled by the legacy decoder.
- ZoneMapper provides zone-system based tonal control over different brightness ranges.
- Region-based editing limits individual tools to selected areas of an image.
- Editing tools include Relight, sharpening, Gaussian blur, colour balance, white balance, noise reduction, cloning and spot removal.
- Styles store combinations of tools and settings for reuse on other photographs.
- Batch processing can apply tool stacks and styles to groups of images.
- Lens correction supports distortion and transverse chromatic aberration correction using Lensfun.
- Browser includes star ratings and displays photographic metadata from RAW and other image files.
Website: github.com/ktgw0316/LightZone
Support:
Developer: Masahiro Kitagawa, Michael Schulze, Pavel Benak and contributors
License: BSD 3-Clause “New” or “Revised” License
LightZone is written in Java. Learn Java with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| RAW Processing Tools | |
|---|---|
| Darktable | Virtual lighttable and darkroom for photographers |
| digiKam | Professional photo management |
| RawTherapee | RAW image processing application |
| LightZone | Professional-level digital darkroom software |
| ART | Fork of RawTherapee |
| ansel | Fork of Darktable |
| RapidRAW | Non-destructive, and GPU-accelerated RAW image editor |
| Filmulator | RAW photo editing application with library management |
| RAWmakase | Develop RAW photographs non-destructively with Vulkan acceleration |
| vkdt | Workflow toolbox for raw stills and video |
| fotocx | Edit, retouch and enhance images while managing large photo collections |
| DNGLab | Camera RAW utility and DNG converter |
| GTKRawGallery | Workflow oriented photo retouching software |
| rawbit | Camera RAW image preprocessor and importer |
| FerrumPix | Organise photo libraries, develop RAW files and edit images with layers |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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