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Feb 7, 2019

Workspace, the new Olympus Image Editor

Last Update:- 18th August 2021

The current WorkSpace Version is V1.5


What is the minimum you expect from the image editing software supplied with your camera? In this article, we will take a quick look at WorkSpace, the new editing software from Olympus. 

Content:-

  1. Introduction
  2. A short summary of the improvements in WorkSpace
  3. New editing space layout options
  4. WorkSpace and Wi-Fi connectivity
  5. Video editing with WorkSpace
  6. Image editing with WorkSpace
  7. Conclusion

What is the minimum functionality one would expect:-


 - Fast image viewer with good image comparison and selection/grading capabilities
 - A raw converter with the ability to render the Olympus look and lens corrections
 - Focus on image corrections/editing functions including batch processing capabilities
 - Creative editing like layers, basic selections, color, filters, and text functions

Also, see my other WorkSpace articles:-


- Tips and tricks working with WorkSpace - link
- Creative editing with WorkSpace Part 5 - link
- Your personalized image style with WorkSpace in "Live View" - link
- Olympus Pen F color and monochrome profiles with WorkSpace - link
- Guide to Olympus creative color techniques - link
- How to create and edit a video with your EM5 II and WorkSpace - link


Updated WorkSpace editing space view - Version 14.1


1. Introduction


Typically, manufacturers will not offer everything in the above wish list. For example, I have not seen layers with any other manufacturer software. Photoshop Elements is one of a few budget editors with both basic and creative features. Photoscape X is another affordable editor that offers both image editing and creative features with layers. Luminar is a great option with both layers and creative features.

The main advantage of adding WorkSpace to your workflow is it uses the same image-processing engine as Olympus cameras. We have seen that it's possible to create color profiles in WorkSpace, transfer the settings to the camera and have the same image look as on the PC. WorkSpace makes it possible to see what the color profile really looks like, before using it with the camera.


Previous Olympus Viewer 3

Image editing software is a personal thing and something each photographer should investigate for themselves. For example, image viewing and organizing needs will be different from photographer to photographer. For example, some photographers think Lightroom is slow while others prefer working with Lightroom. Some prefer extensive cataloging options while others prefer more control over their image collections.

I have a personal dislike when raw converters have extensive database functions. It slows down the software and it's a mess to work with. I have my own cataloging system that works well for me. This is one of the reasons I always preferred Adobe Bridge. I think Olympus did right the right thing, Workspace has one of the most unintrusive viewers, it's easy to mark and select images or to create collections. It's quick to find images and fun to work with.


New Olympus Workspace

2. Short summary of the improvements in WorkSpace:-


- A new fully customizable and fast User Interface - this is truly a great improvement
- A fast and new-look image viewer, it's flexible with customizable layouts
- The new image viewer offers great organizing features and image sorting tools
- Workspace has a completely reworked image editor plus its now user-configurable
- Workspace now offer a basic video editor that can cut and merge clips into basic projects
- Workspace is good for viewing videos, selecting/cutting, and organizing video projects
- Workspace is fast and it works extremely well (it now supports PC graphic cards)
- A PDF User Guide is available for each version, and accessible via the help menu
- Olympus Capture is now compatible with Workspace
- Workspace automatically recognize the camera and will enable or disable functions
- Keyboard shortcuts are now available and it helps to improve your working speed
- In general, the image zoom function is much quicker when in detail zoom views
- One can now import images via the Wi-Fi connection on the camera
- One can add images to collections - or the same image in different collections
- A new clone stamp tool to repair/remove small imperfections - not as good as PS
- The Color Wheel is upgraded with Hue, Saturation, and Luminance adjustments

2.1 What Viewer 3 functions have been excluded from Workspace:-


- Social media options were removed and the MyOlympus community
- Older color functions are now all consolidated in Workspace
- The Basic Text editor has not been added to WorkSpace
- The separate Viewer 3 editor with Gamma function
- The "Optical" Auto Tone Correction Tool
- False Color Suppression
- Sharing of color profiles have a new format in WorkSpace?



Olympus EM1 II with Lumix 7-14mm, ISO200, f8, 1/250, FL9mm (RAW edited in PS)

Workspace consolidated the various editing menus/areas from Viewer 3 into one new editing space. This simplifies the editing process. When working with RAW files, each Olympus camera will activate a different function unique to that camera. For example, the Pen-F will activate the new Color Profile function while the older EP-5 raw file has no access to the Color Profile. The good news is, all jpeg files work with the new Color Profile function.

2.2 New or improved editing functions in WorkSpace:-

- Clarify and Dehaze sliders are NEW
- The NEW Adjust Color Menu now have Saturation, Luminance, and Hue adjustments
- The previous Color Creator and Monochrome Profile now in the Picture Modes menu
- NEW noise removal options plus dark frame option added
- NEW Clone stamp tool - very basic but with practice objects can be removed
- You can now connect your EM1,2 to your PC and use its CPU to edit raw files


Olympus Workspace different editing views

3. New editing space layout options.


See the above image. The screen layout on the left is perfect for my iMac. When used with my smaller 15" laptop it is not practical. Photographers can now change the screen layout with the click of a button. The screen layout on the right demonstrates this flexibility. It is now possible to quickly scroll through 5 different screen layouts and select one. The screen layout on the right works well on smaller laptops. It is also possible to use two monitors. This new work area flexibility is really great.

The new image viewer and the zoom function are now much faster. Image detail in the image viewer is better than with Adobe Bridge CC. It is nearly more practical to now use Workspace as your main image Viewer/Organizer. It is also possible to assign an external image and separate video editor to WorkSpace. That means you can launch Photoshop or Final Cut Pro from Workspace.

4. Workspace and Wi-Fi connectivity.


I tested the Wi-Fi function on my iMac and my laptop. The first step is to set up a connection between the camera and the PC. Activate Wi-Fi on your camera and then add the camera Wi-Fi network to your PC networks. When the connection is made the camera SD card will appear in Workspace and one can then simply select an image and Workspace will import it from the camera.

What I did notice is the Wi-Fi connection with Capture did not work with my EM1 II. Today this option seems exclusive to the EM1X and the EM1 III.

Also interesting is the integration between Olympus Capture and Workspace. One would expect Capture to be a part of Workspace. Workspace and Capture will only "integrate" when they both open at the same time. When Workspace "discover" Capture, then use the folders window to open the Capture tab.


Workspace Video Editor

5. Video Editing with WorkSpace


Workspace offers basic video editing. It's important to connect the camera to the PC when opening video files for the first time. Thereafter all video files linked to that camera can be opened without the camera connected to the PC. Also, see this article of a film project I tested with the EM5 II.

See the basic Video Editor in the above image. One can cut videos and save them in project folders. The clips will then be linked to the timeline in the window on the right. A basic transition fading option is available between clips. One can also select any "image" frame and export that as a jpeg file. No color, or toning, or white balance adjustments are available in video mode.

Viewing video files in Workspace works well, it's fast, detailed, and sharp. It's quick to go through video files in the viewer, cut the clips, and save them into a project folder.


6. Image Editing with Workspace



One of the unique aspects about Olympus is they always focussed on the Photographer and not the camera or the image editor. The camera does have fully automated exposure modes but also has a complete palette with different options the photographer can use as needed.

WorkSpace automated functions:-
  • White Balance
  • Focus Stacking
  • Time-Lapse function in WorkSpace 
  • Live composite in WorkSpace
  • Gradation function
  • Creating Multiple Composite
  • Batch processing of raw files
  • iEnhance function
  • Panorama building function

Something unique about WorkSpace is how it selects the working color profile. Photoshop will use a global color space taken from the settings or preferences configuration. WorkSpace will use the color profile included with each image. You, therefore, select the color profile in the camera and not a global WorkSpace setting. That said, it is possible to change the color profile for each image in the editing panel. Printing from WorkSpace is something different. Check the manual because in some cases WorkSpace will select the computer color space.

Why mention this? I personally do not calibrate my PC display. I always used the Adobe RGB1998 color space on all the different devices I use. I assume using the same color profile on all my digital devices means the color between these devices is synchronized.

Short description of the color features in WorkSpace


I am currently updating this part of the article...


A quick example, editing a raw file in WorkSpace

I edited the image below in WorkSpace and then did a before and after. I copied my WorkSpace screen and placed it below. I hope this will help those who are new to WorkSpace.




Below are all the adjustments I did to the above image. Those settings not included below have not been adjusted in WorkSpace. I focussed on the colors in the image and only adjusted those. My aim was to create a more colorful image, increase the contrast, highlight the reflections in the water, and add a little warmth.




What I did with the 3 RGB adjustments, is to adjust opposite colors. If you look at the color wheel you will see the opposite of blue is yellow. When you reduce the blue channel the image will show more yellow. This only applies to the 3 RGB colors in the "Tone Curve" adjustments.


7. Conclusion


Olympus did many updates and improvements on WorkSpace. OM Digital took over from Olympus in 2020 and did one more update. The current version of WorkSpace is a day and night improvement over the first version launched in January 2019.

It's fast, responsive and Olympus did several improvements. Its color features were worked on and are now a pleasure to work with. Color profiles and how to work with them have also improved. The link to the community and sharing of color profiles is not yet up to date.

It is not difficult to recommend WorkSpace to other Olympus photographers. In fact, Olympus photographers can only benefit from adding WorkSpace to their workflow.

As with anything new, practice makes perfect. Photographers need to practice or edit at least one image every day for a few months. Try and experiment with the different functions and color tools. From my own experience WorkSpace is more powerful each day I work with it.

It is possible to consistently get amazing results with WorkSpace...


7.1 A few improvements I like to see in future updates:-


- Social media, Mobile Phones, and Wi-Fi integration - all need to improve
- Please open all Olympus cameras to have access to color functions in RAW
- Color profiles sharing, upload/download to cameras like the Pen-F - improve, please
- Mobile phone App - Sync with Workspace - color profiles sharing will be great
- The PDF User Manual is a great idea - pls add more info, especially for new functions
- Full Layers, gradient filtering plus Tex functions....this will make a huge difference
- The ability to show the AF & tracking point on the image (assist selecting images)
- Will be great to see more powerful but basic video editing - ad a proper timeline pls!



Images edited in Workspace



Olympus Pen F with 17mm f1.8 lens - ISO200, f5.6, 1/1250 (Raw edited in WorkSpace, worked w color)


Olympus EM1 II with 75-300mm f5.6-6.3 - ISO1600, f7.1, 1/2500 (Raw edited in WorkSpace, ART filter part of edit)


Olympus EM1 w 12-40mm f2.8 lens - ISO200, f4.5, 1/250 (Jpeg edit in WorkSpace)



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