Review – Snapheal CK

Software from Macphun to remove items and fix blemishes in pictures

Snapheal from Macphun is a standalone image editing tool (and plugin for other software) that helps remove items from images, as well as fix blemishes and other unwanted features.

The (Mac) software analyses image content to fill in missing areas of images, such as the example to the right, where I’ve selected an unwanted photographer for removal from a photo.

The software is part of Macphun’s Creative Kit selection but can also be purchased as a single standalone App.

We've reviews of many MacPhun/Skylum apps. See the Macphun or Skylum Category in the dropdown menu at the top of the right column.

Article Index

• Using Snapheal
• Conclusions
• Summary

Keith is looking at using the software as a plugin for Photoshop here (tested with CS6), but functionality is similar for the other ways of using Snapheal.

Macphun run frequent offers and combination deals, so it’s worth checking the Macphun web site to see what’s current.

You can get a free trial version of Snapheal

Snapheal CK – What do you get?

The software here is part of Macphun’s creative kit and installs as an application.

You just drop a file onto it to get started.

However, I’m using Photoshop for my editing and don’t really want to use yet another application for image editing.

Fortunately, Snapheal works as an image editing plugin with several other programs – you just tell it to install the plugins for the software you have.

Features list

This from Macphun

As you can see, there’s quite a lot packed into the software.

I’m just going to show a few examples of it removing items from images, and how you can fine tune the results.

Using Snapheal

The images I’m using are from my 50MP Canon 5Ds, so at pretty high resolution. It can take several seconds to work with files like this, especially at the highest precision settings.

I’d suggest working at the default settings for most initial work on an image.

I’ll start with an easy one – this view of Cromer pier at dusk on a grey cold North Norfolk summer’s evening (there is nothing but sea and then ice if you head to the North Pole from this point).

Looks fine but for that seagull.

I select the plugin from within Photoshop (CS6 in this instance)

A simple selection with the paint brush

A before and after view.

Now something a bit more tricky – a paper sticker (this is a 100% view)

Once again selected with the brush.

The ‘global’ setting – a very slight bump in the lines (yes I am this picky in my cloning work)

The ‘Local’ setting – note the break of line

The ‘Dynamic’ setting – absolutely perfect

The differences can be quite subtle at this scale.

The software can offer useful reminders and tool tips that it’s good to take notice of…

Whilst the software is processing your image it offers up interesting facts and info.

This is mildly amusing at first, but please can someone who’s first language is English go through and proof read them?

This is another photo taken at the same time.

A detailed view shows some unwanted people at the end of the pier.

A quick selection and they are gone.

Pick the wrong mode and it doesn’t look so clean (400% zoom)

As an aside, this really does show the sort of detail you can get from a 50MP camera – EF11-24mm lens at 11mm (hand held). As an architectural photographer I really do eagerly await the next jump to 120-150MP.

The dynamic mode worked better for this example.

A much more complex photo – The fishpond at Portmeirion in Wales. This is part of two stitched images with the TS-E17mm shift lens and is equivalent to about 70MP.

Whilst an interesting view (you need to see it much larger than this web image) it’s got just too many tourists in it for my liking…

Three quick adjustments get rid of the coloured thing in the left, the photographer in red and the family on the bank.

Not much but they declutter the photo a lot

The global fix worked best for this.

You can see how the repeated stonework fits nicely.

The photographer is ready to be expunged.

If only there was a button on my camera for this in real life…

I note a few residual errors, but the software includes a cloning tool for tidying up such things.

The grassy bank with people removed. With this one, the grass has been extended a bit far but once again this is a 100% crop.

Adjustment tools

There are a good range of adjustment tools in the software – great for standalone use if you’re editing a picture from a phone, but less relevant if I’m editing an image in Photoshop and have just called the plugin for it’s cleaning/removal functionality.

Retouching tools

The retouching tools are a very powerful function that is easy to overlook. The key feature is that they are masked, so you can apply them to just parts of the image.

Once again, I’d likely do this in Photoshop, but I was surprised just how useful they were in my testing.

Take this example at Portmeirion, where I’ve ‘painted in’ my adjustments (set with the sliders to the side) and made the mask area visible (red) – this allows me much finer control over where I’ve applied the adjustments, and, just as importantly lets me see if I’ve missed anything.

To see the effect of where I’ve applied the adjustment, move your mouse over the image below.

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