Package Content
The product package contains the software Simply Good Pictures 5 incl. electronic help file and a license key. On request, Simply Good Pictures 5 is also available on CD and with printed instructions.
System requirements
The installation of Simply Good Pictures 5 requires a functioning Windows operating system. Concerning the hardware the rule of thumb is: the more powerful, the better. The minimum requirements are:
- Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows Vista 10 (each with 32- or 64-Bit)
- Net Framework 4.0
- Several GB of free space for downloaded and/or converted pictures
- During the activation of the program a connection to the internet is required!
Support
If unexpected problems occur while using Simply Good Pictures 5 please contact our Support. You can reach our Support Center directly here on our webseite. Important! To help you as effectively as possible we require the following information:
- The name of the program (Simply Good Pictures 5) and its version number.
- The designation of the used operating system and possibly installed service packs.
- A short error description and indication of frequency (sporadic or regular).
Installation
In this chapter you will find all the important information to help you with the first steps of Simply Good Pictures 5. To install Simply Good Pictures 5 proceed as following:
- Save all current data and close all open programs.
- If you bought Simply Good Pictures 5 on CD please insert the disc. The setup wizard will start automatically; if not so, please open your CD-ROM drive via ‚My computer’ on your desktop and execute the setup file per double click. (e.g. D:\Setup.exe)
- If you bought Simply Good Pictures 5 as a download, version please start the downloaded file with a double click. If you have not yet downloaded the file you can do this on our webseite now.
The setup assistant will guide you step by step through the installation. As usual the following rules apply:
- Next: The button ‘Next’ will open the next installation step.
- Back: The button ‘Back’ go back to the last installations step.
- Install: The button ‘Install’ will start the installation. Until this moment there will be no changes made at your system.
Program start
After a successful installation, you can start Simply Good Pictures 5 with one of the following methods.
- Via the start menu: Click on ‘Start –> Programs –> Simply Good Pictures 5’.
- Via the desktop: Double click on the Simply Good Pictures 5 symbol on your desktop (if you chose to create one during installation).
- Via the quick start bar: Click on the Simply Good Pictures 5 symbol in the quick start bar. (Note: Since Windows 7 the quick start bar is not available by default.)
Important: Prior to the first program start make sure your PC is connected to the Internet. This is required for the activation of Simply Good Pictures 5.
One of the best fully automatic image optimizations in the world!
With “Simply Good Pictures 5” you achieve results, which even professional photographers could only obtain with extensive knowledge and experience. Some of the most important program functions:
- Automatic object recognition: manipulates only those image parts, which help optimize the overall impression!
- Fully automatic re-adjustment of tonality!
- Fully automatic re-sharpening!
- Fully automatic contrast optimization!
- Touching-up of image through higher definition!
- Colour-intensive photos through re-sharpening of matt colours!
- Manipulation of colours to get more cheerful images!
- Fully automatic system for hue control and saturation!
- Fully automatic system for white balance.
- Fully automatic system for bright/dark correction.
- Elimination of fog and other weather influences.
- Elimination of undesired colour casts.
Supported image formats:
jxr, hdp, wdp, tif, tiff, gif, jpg, jpeg, png, bmp, ico, raw, orf, 3fr, raf, nrw, dng, arw, nef, x3f, srw, pef, rw2, mrw, mdc, mef, dcr, erf, crw, mos, cr2 and sr2
Program structure
This chapter introduces the main view, the menu bar and the settings view of “Simply Good Pictures 5” and describes their functions.
As can be seen from the image, the program consists of three main parts: the source image on the left, the preview on the right and the repair and optimization section at the bottom.
Original: Shows the source image which you want to be optimized.
Preview: You can see the changes, applied by the optimization, in realtime at the preview.
Optimization: Here you can change the grade of optimization.
Please note that you can scroll into the pictures using the slider between the two pictures or the mouse scroll wheel.
In the upper menu bar, you can find the following commands:
File > Open Photo…: Opens an image file to be loaded to the program.
File > Save as…: Stores the currently loaded file shown in preview under a different name.
File > Exit: Closes “Simply Good Pictures 5”
Edit > Picture information: Shows details of the currently marked file shown in preview, among them file name, used graphics format (e.g. JPG), resolution in pixels, file size and picture information (if available): date of shoot, date of change, used camera and localization of shoot (geo latitude and geo longitude). You also find the file path and the complete name of the image file here and you can start the Explorer in this directory.
Edit > Rotate left: Rotates the loaded photo in preview counterclockwise.
Edit > Rotate right: Rotates the loaded photo in preview clockwise.
Extras > Search for update…: Starts the update-assistant
Extras > Settings…: Calls the settings module
Help > View help: Opens this help file.
Help > About: Version information about “Simply Good Pictures 5”.
You can find the settings in “Extras” in the menu bar at the top of the program.
General:
Start software maximized: If enabled, “Simply Good Pictures 5” will start in full screen. (Default: Off)
Activate auto update: “Simply Good Pictures 5” will automatically search for updates on start up. (Default: On)
Language: Here you can choose the language in which “Simply Good Pictures 5” should be displayed.
Output:
Format: Choose the format for saving the optimized pictures. (Default: JPG)
Quality: If possible (depends on format setting) you can choose which quality the optimized pictures will have. Where 20% is lowest and 100% is highest. (Default: 90%)
Use Source Directory as Output Directory: If this option is checked, the optimized files will be saved to the same directory where the original file is located. If this option is unchecked, the last selected directory will be used. (Default: On)
Back: Closes the settings dialog. (All changes are automatically saved)
Reset: Resets the settings to their default values.
This is now a brief instruction which takes you step-by-step through the main functions of the program. After the program has started:
- You will see the main window after the program has started. We will need to load an image before we can start an optimization. To do so please click on “Open photo…”.
- Choosing a picture: In the newly opened dialog, navigate to the folder which contains the file you want to optimize. After choosing the file, simply click on ‘open’ to add it to the program. (If your picture is not displayed, maybe the picture format is not supported. For all supported picture formats please look at Features.)
- Optimizing picture: Simply select or unselect the boxes next to “Automatic Optimization” to use that function.
“Simply Good Pictures 5” is optimizing the picture fully automatically. If you unselect the “Automatic (optimization)” option, you can alter the “strength” of the optimization by scrolling on the associated bar. Furthermore you can select or unselect the “Auto-Color” option. If you select the “Auto-Color” option, “Simply Good Pictures 5” will optimize the colors of the picture automatically. If you unselect it, you can alter the “strength” of the color correction manually by scrolling on the associated bar.
Saving the optimized picture: After you have finished the optimization, you can save the image by clicking on “Save as…”. The newly opened dialog allows you to enter a name for the optimized picture. A click on “Save” saves the picture to the desired location. If you want to save the picture always at the same location as the original file, you can use the “Use Source Directory as Output Directory” option in the settings menu.
“Simply Good Pictures 5” offers you detailed information of your images. You can access them via “Picture information” which is located in the “Edit” section of the menu bar at the top of the program. Following information are displayed:
Name: The name of the currently opened picture.
Format: The picture format, e.g. “JPG”.
Resolution: The image resolution in pixels.
Size: The actual size in kilobytes.
Captured: The date of the image creation.
Changed: The date when the image was last changed.
Camera: The used camera.
Latitude: Capture position – Latitude
Longitude: Capture position – Longitude
Path: The path to the image file.
Glossary
- 4:3: TV-aspect ratio.
- 16:9: Wide screen-TV-aspect ratio
- Algorithm: Special instructions for a computer on how to solve a mathematical problem.
- Aspect ratio: The aspect ratio of an image is its width divided by its height, e.g. 1.33:1 for 4:3-images (common TV picture).
- Bitmap: Graphics on basis of bits
- BMP: File format for bitmaps (.bmp)
- Conversion: Change from one status to another, here from one image size to another.
- Data compression: Reduces files to save storage capacity. We distinguish between lossless (like ZIP) and lossy compression (like JPG format).
- Digital display: here: picture size in pixels
- Dimensions: here: width x height of a picture (in pixels or centimetres /millimetres)
- Enhancement algorithm: Filter used for enhancement of digital images; aims at preventing a deterioration of the image.
- Filter: Special methods for changing an image. These comprise e.g. noise filters but also enhancement algorithms.
- Image format: Special standard in which an image is stored, e.g. JPG (compression format) or BMP (uncompressed).
- Jaggies: Appearance of pixel edges when the enhancement is too high.
- JPG: File extension for a compressed picture format (.jpg)
- Pixel: Each picture on a display consists of single elements or pixels. Their number depends on the resolution, e.g. 76,800 pixels for a resolution of 320 x 240. There is no binding unit for the size of a pixel; depending on the display it may be smaller or larger, quadratic or rectangular. This is the reason why, for instance, a pocket PC with 640 x 480 pixels can handle a resolution twice as high as a PC with the same display size but only 320 x 240 pixels. The single pixels are only half the size and therefore much closer to one another.
- Resolution: Number of horizontal and vertical pixels of an image. During conversion the original resolution is converted to a new target resolution. All digital picture frames use a defined resolution which they can display best; other parameters need to be scaled – which is possible or not depending on the device. In any case this costs calculating time, battery consumption and picture quality.
- Splash screen: Opening screen of a software
- Update: Program update
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