another developing contender?

I bumped into an announcement about the Zoner Photo Studio X and its ability to save in the new and improved (and Apple-preferred!) HEIF image format. Jpeg has been around a while and updated often - but a new way of saving files with all the tech/AI improvements feels like a good idea. The software is available for trial, so why not?

So here's the most recent file processed to my preference in their editor. Odd though, the trial version did not open a 5-year-old raw format; this one is from the equally-drab jpeg that was captured with the raw that I used before.

This was definitely processed differently, with those uppermost leaves being more preserved. I still shifted the green channel up at the light end and also worked to preserve the bridge better. Their HDR effect was not quite as pleasant in the end so I left that turned off.

Let's see how it compares!

Top= PhotoStudio from jpeg  -  Bottom=original above, PD8 below

Definitely warmer and brighter this time. The PD8 image is definitely punchier with its HDR slider that works the way I prefer. Perhaps I should try PD8 again - and add a Polarr workover of this image as well!