Fast Picture Viewer

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FastPictureViewer 1.0
Developed by Axel Rietschin Software Developments
Initial release 2008-01-15
Latest release 1.00 (Build: 025) / 2008-04-21
Written in C++ / WIC / DirectX / Win32
OS Vista / 2008 Server / 2003 Server / XP
Available in English
Genre Image viewer
License Proprietary
Website www.fastpictureviewer.com

FastPictureViewer is a commercial image viewer for Windows Vista and XP. Its aim is to facilitate quick review and rating of large quantities of digital images in the early steps of the digital workflow.

As of v1.0, a version is available cost-free for personal use, while requiring a registration for the professional version with additional features.

Contents

[edit] Features

FastPictureViewer is optimized for full-screen, borderless preview of digital images. It covers a limited number of scenarios, such as for example the initial pre-selection and rating of a relatively small number of images from a large set of potentially thousands. The program has no image editing or image enhancement features and does not create thumbnails, on the other hand it can browse deeply nested folder/subfolder trees quickly and in a simple manner; the user interface is kept to the strict minimum.

According to the publisher, the program features image pre-loading and caching and can make use of multi-core CPUs and DirectX hardware acceleration when available. New images can be added to the browsed folder(s) and the program will catch them on the fly, allowing continued browsing without the need to exit and reload the folder(s). The program also integrates with the Windows shell and provides a file-copy function that copies or moves the image currently displayed to a pre-set folder by pressing a hotkey. EXIF information (shutter speed, f-stop, ISO speed, exposure compensation, ...) can optionally be displayed in a floating window.

An entry-level version of the program is available free of charge for home, non-commercial use. This version expires every 90 days and users are required to install the latest version every three months in order to continue using the free version, which supports the JPEG and Microsoft HD Photo / JPEG-XR image formats and can write Adobe XMP metadata in external sidecar files (*.xmp) or embed it within JPEG (JFIF), HD Photo and TIFF containers. The program is extensible via COM-based plug-ins, whose specifications are available from the software publisher upon request.

In addition to the core functionality of the cost-free version, the commercial versions are said to have exclusive features, such as:

  • Support for web and Windows image formats such as PNG, GIF, BMP, and ICO.
  • Support for TIFF along with previewing of a number of RAW formats through WIC-enabled codecs from Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Olympus and Sony. The current list of supported RAW formats includes Canon CR2, Nikon NEF and Adobe DNG through separately available coder/decoders.

[edit] Versions

The first public version was released on January 15, 2008.

This Windows program is provided as ~1.3MB MSI digitally signed installation database (with uninstall). Windows XP SP2 users must download and install WIC from the Microsoft website in order to run the program on that platform. Windows versions prior to XP SP2 are not supported.

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