Here, you can configure the program’s settings precisely. For the first steps, please use the standard settings. These default settings can be restored with the arrow at the bottom left, so they won't be irretrievably lost.
a. Scaling: Upon uploading a bracketed series, images can be scaled anywhere from 25% to 400% using any one of the 6 available scaling processes. Tip: The further towards the bottom the procedure is found within the list, the better the quality and the longer the computation time.
b. Colour space conversion: Advanced users can choose a colour space here – for all other users, it is recommended not to make any adjustments to avoid incorrect colour rendering later. Neat projects 2 professional offers several new colour spaces (D65). The standard illuminant D65 is equivalent to a phase of natural daylight with a colour temperature of 6500° Kelvin.
c. White balance: Corrects colour casts that occur with photos taken, for instance, in a warmly lit room. To start, leave this setting unchanged.
d. With this regulator, it is possible to adjust the colour temperature when you’re already uploading. It is advised that you leave the setting on “default” and that you regulate the colour temperature later in post-processing.
e. Optimisations: The "Colour Normalisation"-option automatically removes colour spots present in RAW-image-files. This ensures that shadows within your image remain dark and lights stay bright. "Automatic Brilliance Optimisation"-function can be activated for RAW-file uploads in the RAW options section. Camera RAW formats often do not make use of all potential tone values. "Automatic RAW Luminosity Optimization" compensates for this by enhancing tonal values, resulting in the creation of a more comprehensive histogram for each RAW-image. If the checkbox next to "Automatic Rotation of Images" is filled, images are corrected according to the orientation present in their Exit data.
f. Noise suppression: These buttons allow you to select the precision of the noise removal, whereas the slider regulates the degree of sharpness for the edges. Here, dark images can undergo significant noise removal and have hot pixels (light spots caused by the camera’s sensor in dark situations) eliminated.
g. Exposure: Can be used to edit images within an exposure bracket which have been exposed incorrectly and/or appear out of focus. Recommended for use when working with darker exposure brackets is the "Shadow Optimisation"-function. This function can be applied to easily eliminate colour casts and to enhance lighter areas and details in bright exposure brackets further.
h. Alignment: Here, you can influence how the individual images of the series are congruently positioned on top of one another. The subtlest movement of an object, unintentional zooming, or rotating of the camera can be considered. In the majority of cases, the default settings lead to the preferred result. The automatic cropping function corrects empty areas at the edges of your images.
Check the option „Always Display this Window“ and the "Image Preparation"-window will automatically open upon starting the program.
