Optics also comes with some great additional masking tools including easy masks that can separate the background and foreground. You can also drag around the points in a custom mask after creating it. You can even create a custom mask path to mask around a more precise area. Each of these masks is adjustable on the image itself, so drag the visual elements of the mask to change it.
The layer will have a mask preview, and you’ll see the image in the viewer. For example, adding a gradient will turn the layer’s effect into a gradient. These include gradients, among other effects. On the bright side, this makes it easier to create a fully custom preset in order to apply it to any image. You just need to get used to doing it a little differently. However, considering the fact that you can save your own preset combinations of filters, Optics can have a pass here. Considering that Optics works as a Photoshop plugin, it’s a little bit unintuitive at first that you can’t open up an editable project like a Photoshop file. You can save the setup, then load it up later when you bring an image into Optics, then you can adjust the parameters to fit your new image. When you save a setup, you save the various filter layers and their settings, but not necessarily the project itself. There is one way you can re-edit images, and that is by saving Setups. The image and all of its filters will be merged down into one Photoshop layer, and re-opening Optics does not bring back the previous workspace. The biggest apparent downside to editing in Optics for Photoshop is that when you say you’re done, it means you’re done. When you’re done with your image, you click on the Done button, represented by a gear symbol. Being able to work with multiple layers is a massive upside, and is a reminder that you are indeed working in Photoshop. You can adjust the blending mode, using standard Photoshop blend modes, and you can adjust the opacity. Once you add a new layer, you can just select a look for that layer. On the left side of the interface, you’ll see a layer panel, and it works very intuitively. Working with Layersīoris FX Optics also supports layers. It’s newcomer-friendly by directly showing what each setting changes, while also having a wide enough choice of options that professionals can adjust their images to their exact needs. What could be easier than a slider? It’s great that there’s no need to type in numbers on various parameters and wonder what they’re doing. The available settings will depend on the chosen effect, and they’re incredibly easy to use. You can adjust color amounts, diffusion settings, gels, grain, and more. These controls let you adjust and fine-tune the effect. Clicking on the Parameters button brings up an extensive controls list. The truly powerful thing about Optics is the ability to edit the Parameters.
Just click on any of the presets to see it applied to your image.īut that’s not the end of the story. For example, if you click on the Film Lab category, and click on Looks, you’ll see a huge list of preset filters. Some of the effects are actually groups of effects. You’ll see the nine categories of filter as tabs on the bottom of the screen, and then you’ll see a thumbnail preview of the effects. Applying a single filter is no more complex than putting an Instagram filter on an image.