Sagelight Image Editor is a professional 48-bit image editor. The software is made for photographers with SLR cameras and digital cameras that produce RAW photos and need futher photo retouching.
What is Sagelight Image Editor?
Sagelight Image Editor is a advanced photo manipulation program, a free alternative to Adobe Lightroom. It’s available for download at official website here for Windows PCs only (no Mac or Linux support as of 2021). It was designed to meet the requirements of new digital era making photo editing really fast and fun. The program was created more than 10 years ago by Rob Nelson who is the owner of 19th Parallel, LLC, developer of Sagebox Windows C++ GUI procedual tools and Sagelight Image Editor.
Here’s video review of Sagelight Image Editor:
New technologies take advantage of the power of modern speedy computers and stand the specific needs of digital cameras. The program combines powerfully simple one-click photo enhancement tools with cutting-edge advanced controls. It is a true gem for beginners, amateurs and even professionals. However, the interface of the 4th version is outdated.
If you look at the famous competitor of Sagelight Image Editor, Adobe Lightroom, you will find out that it’s more expensive, more complicated and less user friendly. You will have to study manuals carefully before starting photo manipulation process with Adobe Lightroom.
Sagelight Image Editor Version 4 is freeware. However, you’re welcome to send PayPal donation to Rob Nelson to support his Sagelight Image Editor IT project. You’ll get a full version with extensive help, video tutorials and technical support 100% free of charge. There are no feature limits or any other type of restrictions, no credit card required. In 2019 Rob Nelson wrote that he was developing version 5 and the pricing wasn’t clear yet for the 5th Sagelight Image Editor version.
Is Sagelight Image Editor Abandonware?
No, it’s not abandonware right now in 2022. There was a short period of time when Rob Nelson, the author of Sagelight Image Editor stopped support of the software due to personal and family issues. However, in 2019 he announced that he’s back and Sagelight Image Editor development returns as before. With the return of Sagelight Image Editor in 2019, Rob Nelson released the 4th version of Rob the picture editor as full-featured freeware:
Can Sagelight Image Editor Completely Replace Adobe Lightroom Noise Reduction?
Sagelight Image Editor works with bitmap image formats and raw photographs taken with professional digital cameras. It also supports JPEG and TIFF.
Sagelight functions are powerful and thought-out. The most impressive feature is a set of colour adjustment tools and noise reduction. Here’s what Sagelight user “j9ksf” says at one of photography forums: “I use Sagelight, as well as other editors, and I would say that the Noise Reduction element is quite superb and superior to what you get with other programs.” Another user named “benherrmann” adds to Sagelight Image Editor review: “Like many others, when I discovered Sagelight 3-4 years ago, I immediately became hooked on the quality of the RAW conversions – not to mention all of the features.”
Now is your turn to try! Experiment with shadows and highlights, play with saturation and hues, tweak brightness and tone contrast. Thus, you can easily turn a dull and lifeless picture into an exceptionally colorful image. Sagelight Image Editor provides helpful usage tips and has a detailed help section. For those who know a little more about photo editing principles there are such outstanding functions as the real-time histogram, Power Curves, Dodge, Burn and Clone Brushes, Dynamic Masks, etc.
Simple interface, high quality photo editing results, absence of steep learning curve make Sagelight Image Editor a serious challenge to expensive professional photo editing software monsters like Adobe Elements or Adobe Lightroom. Thus, a list of low-cost alternatives to Adobe Lightroom becomes larger. On the one hand, you can try Gimp, an open source free photo editor, and on the other, pick up Sagelight Image Editor.
Sagelight Image Editor Review Summary
Advantages:
- powerful image editing;
- lots of pro features for free;
- 100% free software (Sagelight Image Editor version 4)
Disadvantages:
- old, outdated interface;
- Windows only;
Blog’s Freebie of the day:
Only one thing missing: image browsing and management.
And for months now there seems to be no support by the developer!