Pixelitor
Filter
The filters are the heart of Pixelitor: The current 4.2 version offers 110 filters. Pixelitor actively distinguishes between filters and tools: Although only one tool is active at any given time, you can call filters at any time from the Filter menu, which includes 10 groups of filters (Figure 6).
According to the project, the developers invested a good deal of time in building filters, and this is also quite noticeable: Many filters offer quite interesting results and a good preview (Figure 7).
Batch
In one application area, Pixelitor's capabilities even go beyond those of Gimp: Whereas Gimp requires you to set up a plugin (either BIMP or DBP) to process many images in batch mode with the same functions, Pixelitor provides functions to accomplish the same thing under File | Automate as Batch Resize to resize or Batch Filter to apply filters. First configure the filters (Figure 8), specifying a source folder and a destination folder, and then start the function.
Conclusions
Pixelitor left me with a mixed impression. In terms of practical suitability and performance, the program clearly lags behind Gimp. You can only customize it to a very limited extent (e.g., there is no way to configure the key bindings). Numerous modal dialogs interrupt the workflow: You cannot create new layers as long as a (filter) dialog is open. The settings in a dialog are always lost as soon as you close it.
On the other hand, Pixelitor is a platform-independent program – which is certainly interesting for many users. The program supports selections and has at least moderately useful support for levels. The filters are a highlight, offering a good preview, although not all of them work as expected. If you are an experienced user looking for a tool that reduces feature bloat and streamlines the photo editing process, Pixelitor might be an option worth considering.
Infos
- Pixelitor: http://pixelitor.sourceforge.net
- Picture exchange format: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCX
- JAR file: https://sourceforge.net/projects/pixelitor/files/latest/download
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