Plug-In Of The Day: DxO Film Pack

100 in 100/IV

To kick off our next round of 100 in 100, we're going to spend this week shining a spotlight on five Photoshop plug-ins. These that can make your life easier and give you more creative options as you edit your images with Photoshop or Photoshop-compatible image-editing software.

What it does: DxO Film Pack is a Photoshop Plug-In that emulates the colors and grain characteristics of over 20 film types, such as Kodachrome, Kodak Tri-X, Fuji Velvia and Ilford XP2, for example. It also offers the look of sepia, gold, ferric sulfate and selenium-toned black-and-white prints. Unlike film, DxO Film Pack lets you combine the looks of two or more films. So, if you want Ilford HP5's grain but Kodachrome color, you can get this unique look.

Who it's for: Traditionalists who like the look of film but the convenience of digital, and want that film look in their prints.

What else you need to use it: While DxO Film Pack can be used as a stand-alone application, it also functions as a Photoshop plug-in. It is compatible with CS2, CS3, and Elements 4 and 5.

Cost: $69.

Samples (Photos by Mason Resnick):

Unaltered digital original shot, taken with a Canon G10.



Converted to Kodachrome 64.



Converted to Kodak Tri-X 400.

© 2009 Adorama Camera, Inc.