ACDSee 14.3

ACDSee is a photo management application that helps you view, archive, organize and print your pictures. The program can actually support all picture formats, including RAW files from different camera models.
The application has an attractive tabbed interface that allows you to quickly switch modes: Manage, View, Edit and Online. In the Manage mode, you can browse your system folders using different views: Filter, Group, Sort, View and Select. It has four main areas. First, there is a file list showing thumbnails of your photos. Second, there are the Folders, Calendar and Favorite panes, which can be used as filters. Third, the Preview Pane shows a larger version of any thumbnail you click on. Finally, the Properties, Organize and Search panes allow you to enter metadata, assign categories or rate your pictures. Some of these categories, such as people and places, are quite useful, and you can even create your own categories. An important aspect is that all these data are stored in the program’s database without altering the images. It is important to note that ACDSee creates this database as you open image folders, but if you want this process to be faster, you can ask the program to catalog all your files beforehand. The View mode, as its name suggests, lets you view your images in different ways, including full size and magnified views. In the Edit mode, you get access to basic editing tools, such as red-eye removal, batch resizing, color correction and cropping. Finally, the Online mode lets you upload photos using your ACDSee account for sharing. It is as easy as dropping the photos to your online space.
In general, ACDSee is an excellent tool that can help you save your time and efforts in the long run. It features practically everything you need for your daily work with photos. It is characterized by its fast image displaying, even when you use its magnification power. It also provides lots of different ways to organize your pictures for quick and effective search results. The editing features are fine for this type of software, but do not expect them to include very sophisticated ones. Due to so many functions available, this program’s usability can be rated as average. It is definitely not as easy to use as Windows preview or Microsoft Office Picture Manager, yet the extra features are worth effort and money.