Pages: [1] 2   Go Down

Author Topic: Finding The Imaging Factory Convert to Black and White Pro  (Read 14025 times)

stevenglover

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7

I shifted to Mac a year ago, driven by vista, and can not find the Imaging Factory Convert to Black and white Pro 3.0 Mac edition.  I saved my PC version.  Can it be installed and useable or is there a source for Mac 3.0?  My favorite program and don't wish to go back to Windows to get to use it.  Help!  I know there was a review several years ago on LL of the program, why I originally purchased it, so I am hoping others are familiar.
Logged

Mike Arst

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 148
Finding The Imaging Factory Convert to Black and White Pro
« Reply #1 on: May 24, 2010, 12:55:47 am »

Quote from: stevenglover
I shifted to Mac a year ago, driven by vista, and can not find the Imaging Factory Convert to Black and white Pro 3.0 Mac edition.  I saved my PC version.  Can it be installed and useable or is there a source for Mac 3.0?  My favorite program and don't wish to go back to Windows to get to use it.  Help!  I know there was a review several years ago on LL of the program, why I originally purchased it, so I am hoping others are familiar.
That program broke my heart! I loved the demo but spaced out registering it (the Windows version). For some reason that web site is still up and running -- or was a couple of months ago, at least -- but the author had long since stopped supporting the program. Go figure: you could download a demo version from the site but couldn't register it. I wrote to the author; I was willing to register the program and fully accept that it would no longer be supported. But he didn't reply.

So there it sits on my hard drive, expired. I can't use it and have yet to find a plug-in for B&W conversion as effective as, and with as clean a UI as, that one. I've tried a number of plug-ins -- from small-ish ones that didn't work very well to large-ish ones that are bloated and slow and have near-unreadable user interfaces. When will I learn that lesson about not putting things off...
Logged

Mark D Segal

  • Contributor
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 12512
    • http://www.markdsegal.com
Finding The Imaging Factory Convert to Black and White Pro
« Reply #2 on: May 24, 2010, 07:49:15 am »

I too liked Convert to B&W but apparently its time is past. Nik SilverEfex Pro is the way to go these days. Not as inexpensive, but very versatile and feature-rich.
Logged
Mark D Segal (formerly MarkDS)
Author: "Scanning Workflows with SilverFast 8....."

Mike Arst

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 148
Finding The Imaging Factory Convert to Black and White Pro
« Reply #3 on: May 24, 2010, 10:24:02 pm »

Quote from: Mark D Segal
I too liked Convert to B&W but apparently its time is past. Nik SilverEfex Pro is the way to go these days. Not as inexpensive, but very versatile and feature-rich.
That one is unbearably sluggish on my current machine (which is, no question about it, older and slower than the modern stuff). But what concerns me about that app is the TINY size of some of the UI features -- can't recall exactly which ones at the moment. The resolution on the monitor I'm now using is not all that high. When I switch to a higher resolution, much larger LCD (which will accompany the next machine update), UI elements in any apps that are small on the aging CRT are going to be even smaller yet on the LCD. The smallest SilverEfex UI elements will become possibly near-invisible. Some of that program's text labels were so hard to read against the black background that I couldn't even make out what they said. Those guys must not have consulted a graphic designer, or if they did it was someone who didn't have a lot of experience. In print you NEVER produce thin white reverse type against a black background, because it's going to fill in with some print runs, making the type all but unreadable. There's of course no "ink" on the screen, but the same problem with readability exists with reverse type, which should at least be boldface. Not in that program, it isn't (last I looked, anyway).

So, after reading about the "improved UI" in their advertising blurbs, I was somewhat less than agreeable to the idea that it had been improved. I'll give the demo another look on the new machine. I'll try to be fair about it, but unless the app in question is simply peerless I won't pay that kind of price for an ill-designed UI. Just because someone can do a less-than-expert imitation of the Lightroom UI, doesn't mean they should...
Logged

Mark D Segal

  • Contributor
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 12512
    • http://www.markdsegal.com
Finding The Imaging Factory Convert to Black and White Pro
« Reply #4 on: May 25, 2010, 09:08:36 am »

I'm using SilverEfex Pro on a calibrated and profiled LaCie 321 LCD (now 6 year-old technology) having a resolution of about 90 PPI and I've had no problem whatsoever seeing the details on the interface. You can be sure they tested their interface for usability before issuing a product to the market segment and price point they've aimed at, but they probably drew the line somewhere in respect of the legacy equipment to which they would pay attention. Once you up-grade your computer and display you should definitely give it another trial. You'll probably be much happier with it.
Logged
Mark D Segal (formerly MarkDS)
Author: "Scanning Workflows with SilverFast 8....."

Mark D Segal

  • Contributor
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 12512
    • http://www.markdsegal.com
Finding The Imaging Factory Convert to Black and White Pro
« Reply #5 on: May 25, 2010, 09:10:45 am »

Oh - I should add, I've also not experienced sluggish performance with it, even though for some other stuff I consider my computer is getting long in the tooth - this is WINXP-32 with a pair of Xeon-5160 processors and 4 GB RAM.
Logged
Mark D Segal (formerly MarkDS)
Author: "Scanning Workflows with SilverFast 8....."

Mike Arst

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 148
Finding The Imaging Factory Convert to Black and White Pro
« Reply #6 on: May 25, 2010, 02:07:41 pm »

Quote from: Mark D Segal
Oh - I should add, I've also not experienced sluggish performance with it, even though for some other stuff I consider my computer is getting long in the tooth - this is WINXP-32 with a pair of Xeon-5160 processors and 4 GB RAM.
I'm sure the performance issue is partly hardware-related and partly due to the use of managed code. All Nik applications run very sluggishly on this machine. Capture NX is all but unusable. Just the standard 'upgrade hardware or die of old age, waiting for stuff to happen' situation. I'll see how the smaller UI elements appear on the new monitor (when I said 'resolution' I should have said 'pixel dimensions'; everything 'looks smaller' on that newer LCD.).
Logged

JimAscher

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 404
    • Jim Ascher Photos
Finding The Imaging Factory Convert to Black and White Pro
« Reply #7 on: May 27, 2010, 10:41:38 am »

Quote from: Mike Arst
That program broke my heart! I loved the demo but spaced out registering it (the Windows version). For some reason that web site is still up and running -- or was a couple of months ago, at least -- but the author had long since stopped supporting the program. Go figure: you could download a demo version from the site but couldn't register it. I wrote to the author; I was willing to register the program and fully accept that it would no longer be supported. But he didn't reply.

So there it sits on my hard drive, expired. I can't use it and have yet to find a plug-in for B&W conversion as effective as, and with as clean a UI as, that one. I've tried a number of plug-ins -- from small-ish ones that didn't work very well to large-ish ones that are bloated and slow and have near-unreadable user interfaces. When will I learn that lesson about not putting things off...

Mike:  I had not heard of this plug-in before I read this recent thread.  I actually use Silver Efex Pro, with which I am quite pleased.  But I thought I'd experiment a bit with this Imaging Factory plug-in, so I downloaded the trial version, and I must say it proved quite fun and responsive.  I then went into their web site and found that a free registration key is given, which I inserted and which works fine.  No more 30-day trial version screen appears.  Here's the site:

http://www.theimagingfactory.com/theimagingfactory/keys.html
« Last Edit: May 27, 2010, 10:43:19 am by JimAscher »
Logged
Jim Ascher

See my SmugMug site:
http://jimascherphotos.smugmug.com/

Mark D Segal

  • Contributor
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 12512
    • http://www.markdsegal.com
Finding The Imaging Factory Convert to Black and White Pro
« Reply #8 on: May 27, 2010, 01:10:12 pm »

I should have also mentioned that these days excellent B&W conversions, including split-toning capability, are very achievable using the B&W conversion controls in Camera Raw/Lightroom; if you don't use it there, the B&W Adjustment Layer in Photoshop works very similarly and is also fine.
Logged
Mark D Segal (formerly MarkDS)
Author: "Scanning Workflows with SilverFast 8....."

Mike Arst

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 148
Finding The Imaging Factory Convert to Black and White Pro
« Reply #9 on: May 27, 2010, 01:11:46 pm »

Quote from: JimAscher
Mike:  I had not heard of this plug-in before I read this recent thread.  I actually use Silver Efex Pro, with which I am quite pleased.  But I thought I'd experiment a bit with this Imaging Factory plug-in, so I downloaded the trial version, and I must say it proved quite fun and responsive.  I then went into their web site and found that a free registration key is given, which I inserted and which works fine.  No more 30-day trial version screen appears.  Here's the site:

http://www.theimagingfactory.com/theimagingfactory/keys.html
Jim -- somehow I managed to miss that part of the site when I'd been there before. That's a great development (as it were). Thanks!
Logged

stevenglover

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7
Finding The Imaging Factory Convert to Black and White Pro
« Reply #10 on: June 03, 2010, 12:09:37 am »

Quote from: JimAscher
Mike:  I had not heard of this plug-in before I read this recent thread.  I actually use Silver Efex Pro, with which I am quite pleased.  But I thought I'd experiment a bit with this Imaging Factory plug-in, so I downloaded the trial version, and I must say it proved quite fun and responsive.  I then went into their web site and found that a free registration key is given, which I inserted and which works fine.  No more 30-day trial version screen appears.  Here's the site:

http://www.theimagingfactory.com/theimagingfactory/keys.html
Jim, I found the site to download the program and it ended up on my desk top but I am not able to get it installed in the filters folder of CS4.  Thank you for turning me on to the keys site.  Do you have procedure for getting it positioned to use in the filters folder?  Steve Glover
Logged

JimAscher

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 404
    • Jim Ascher Photos
Finding The Imaging Factory Convert to Black and White Pro
« Reply #11 on: June 03, 2010, 12:40:51 am »

Quote from: stevenglover
Jim, I found the site to download the program and it ended up on my desk top but I am not able to get it installed in the filters folder of CS4.  Thank you for turning me on to the keys site.  Do you have procedure for getting it positioned to use in the filters folder?  Steve Glover

Steve:  Let me tell you what I recall doing, that I believe is what actually worked.  (I will explain my bit of confusion later.)  I have Photoshop Elements, which I trust is not too different in this essential from CS4.  I pasted the application into the Adobe Photoshop Plug-in directory, and it then manifests itself and works under Filters.  If you try this and it DOESN'T work, then query me again.  This is because I actually also installed the application elsewhere in my PSE directory to be on the safe side, but I think it's the Plug-in directory that did the trick.  But stupidly I don't for the moment remember which other location I copied it to, but I can retrace my steps if necessary.  Good luck.  (By the way, doesn't the software download site tell you what to do with it?  I don't recall.  I am a bit dense this evening.)  Jim
Logged
Jim Ascher

See my SmugMug site:
http://jimascherphotos.smugmug.com/

JimAscher

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 404
    • Jim Ascher Photos
Finding The Imaging Factory Convert to Black and White Pro
« Reply #12 on: June 03, 2010, 12:55:38 am »


STEVE:  I JUST DISCOVERED THAT THE MANUAL THAT COMES WITH THE DOWNLOAD HAS THE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS, WHICH DIFFER FROM WHAT I TOLD YOU EARLIER.  AND THAT'S THE OTHER METHOD I OBVIOUSLY PURSUED.  SORRY.
Logged
Jim Ascher

See my SmugMug site:
http://jimascherphotos.smugmug.com/

John R Smith

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1357
  • Still crazy, after all these years
Finding The Imaging Factory Convert to Black and White Pro
« Reply #13 on: June 03, 2010, 04:57:39 am »

To get back to CBW Pro -

I really liked the app, it was very intuitive and configurable. There is a caveat, however, in that the film profiles provided are very exagerated versions of the real thing. FP4 on steroids, if you like. The spectral response of B/W film is, in actuality, much more subtle than that.

The tools available in Lightroom will do just as good a job, but you do have to configure your own presets of course.

John
Logged
Hasselblad 500 C/M, SWC and CFV-39 DB
an

stevenglover

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7
Finding The Imaging Factory Convert to Black and White Pro
« Reply #14 on: June 13, 2010, 02:16:02 am »

Quote from: JimAscher
STEVE:  I JUST DISCOVERED THAT THE MANUAL THAT COMES WITH THE DOWNLOAD HAS THE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS, WHICH DIFFER FROM WHAT I TOLD YOU EARLIER.  AND THAT'S THE OTHER METHOD I OBVIOUSLY PURSUED.  SORRY.
Jim, with the "manual comes with"info I am not sure I have the proper download site. What site did you go to?  Could you please supply that info.  Secondly, my computer skills are at best a thread ( I was raised on a slide rule) so how do I paste the download to the filters directory.  I don't know how to find the filters directory.  I assume I "copy" the download, find the filters directory and "paste" it there. Steve
Logged

JimAscher

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 404
    • Jim Ascher Photos
Finding The Imaging Factory Convert to Black and White Pro
« Reply #15 on: June 13, 2010, 10:44:28 am »

Quote from: stevenglover
Jim, with the "manual comes with"info I am not sure I have the proper download site. What site did you go to?  Could you please supply that info.  Secondly, my computer skills are at best a thread ( I was raised on a slide rule) so how do I paste the download to the filters directory.  I don't know how to find the filters directory.  I assume I "copy" the download, find the filters directory and "paste" it there. Steve

Steve:  The Download site is here (as you have perhaps already found):

http://www.theimagingfactory.com/download/

I suggest you download from here for your particular PC then install (if you haven't already).  This should give you the application to be pasted into Photoshop and a pdf manual with instructions for doing so.  (The registration keys are contained in the site I referenced earlier in this thread, but you won't need those at first.)  Try all this, then don't hesitate to query me further if you're still experiencing problems.  Regards, Jim
Logged
Jim Ascher

See my SmugMug site:
http://jimascherphotos.smugmug.com/

JimAscher

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 404
    • Jim Ascher Photos
Finding The Imaging Factory Convert to Black and White Pro
« Reply #16 on: June 13, 2010, 12:21:39 pm »

Quote from: JimAscher
Steve:  The Download site is here (as you have perhaps already found):

http://www.theimagingfactory.com/download/

I suggest you download from here for your particular PC then install (if you haven't already).  This should give you the application to be pasted into Photoshop and a pdf manual with instructions for doing so.  (The registration keys are contained in the site I referenced earlier in this thread, but you won't need those at first.)  Try all this, then don't hesitate to query me further if you're still experiencing problems.  Regards, Jim


Steve:  To clarify a bit further, you download the application then UNZIP it (rather than "install").  You may already have an un-zipping tool available on your PC, but I've downloaded the free one, 7Zip, and I use that to EXTRACT the two files I've mentioned -- the application itself to be pasted and the pdf manual.  I suggest you copy the application file and paste it in TWO places -- the Filter folder, which is a sub-folder under the Plug-in folder, and the parent Plug-In folder itself, ignoring then going to the Filter sub-folder.  You'll probably want to do the above in reverse order -- Plug-in folder first, then Filter folder. This duplication covers your bets.  I hope I've been sufficiently clear -- and helpful.
Logged
Jim Ascher

See my SmugMug site:
http://jimascherphotos.smugmug.com/

stevenglover

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7
Finding The Imaging Factory Convert to Black and White Pro
« Reply #17 on: July 02, 2010, 01:16:19 am »

Quote from: JimAscher
Steve:  To clarify a bit further, you download the application then UNZIP it (rather than "install").  You may already have an un-zipping tool available on your PC, but I've downloaded the free one, 7Zip, and I use that to EXTRACT the two files I've mentioned -- the application itself to be pasted and the pdf manual.  I suggest you copy the application file and paste it in TWO places -- the Filter folder, which is a sub-folder under the Plug-in folder, and the parent Plug-In folder itself, ignoring then going to the Filter sub-folder.  You'll probably want to do the above in reverse order -- Plug-in folder first, then Filter folder. This duplication covers your bets.  I hope I've been sufficiently clear -- and helpful.

Jim, does it matter that I have a MAC platform?  I know some names might be different but the process about the same?  Sorry it has taken me a while to respond, I was getting ready for an art fair that sucked up alot of time.  Perhaps I need to call Apple help or Adobe help for guidance in finding the downloaded application and how to find the plug in or filters folders to place it in.  When I download from your seggested site I get an icon on the desktop that I can't open nor does it show a manual or give directions on how to install in filters folder.
Logged

stephenmarsh

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 18
Finding The Imaging Factory Convert to Black and White Pro
« Reply #18 on: July 02, 2010, 02:39:57 am »

Quote from: stevenglover
When I download from your seggested site I get an icon on the desktop that I can't open nor does it show a manual or give directions on how to install in filters folder.


You should end up with a file on your desktop or downloads folder similar to: CBWP3.pkg.zip

Unzip the .zip wrapper and you will be left with a .pkg or Mac OS Installer "Package", which should automate finding the appropriate Photoshop Plug-Ins folder etc.



Regards,

Stephen Marsh

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~binaryfx/
http://prepression.blogspot.com/
Logged

JimAscher

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 404
    • Jim Ascher Photos
Finding The Imaging Factory Convert to Black and White Pro
« Reply #19 on: July 02, 2010, 09:54:26 am »

Quote from: stevenglover
Jim, does it matter that I have a MAC platform?  I know some names might be different but the process about the same?  Sorry it has taken me a while to respond, I was getting ready for an art fair that sucked up alot of time.  Perhaps I need to call Apple help or Adobe help for guidance in finding the downloaded application and how to find the plug in or filters folders to place it in.  When I download from your seggested site I get an icon on the desktop that I can't open nor does it show a manual or give directions on how to install in filters folder.

I regret I know noting about what is required for a MAC installation, so can't help you any further.  But I see you are now getting some help from Stephen who fortunately does seem to know about MAC. Good luck, again.
« Last Edit: July 02, 2010, 09:55:11 am by JimAscher »
Logged
Jim Ascher

See my SmugMug site:
http://jimascherphotos.smugmug.com/
Pages: [1] 2   Go Up