Before starting Alo’ Photo Scan 5.0, make sure to connect your camera to the PC via USB cable . Once Alo Photo Scan 5.0 is starts, the main window will be displayed:

On the upper portion of the window, there is the main menu and toolbar. The main menu is used for opening and saving files. Most of the buttons located here can even be activated by right clicking on the image that you are working on. In order to work with multiple images simultaneously, you can pass from one image to the other by clicking over the file name under the main menu. On the upper right there is the selection mask window. A mask is useful for linear image cutting, which keeps the real objects dimension (1:1). Masks can be freely coded in the proper table. Providing data such as description mask, width (mm) and mask height (mm) is permitted. On the upper left hand corner there is the toolbar with the selection instruments, the image modification, zoom, and the tools needed to write texts on images. On the lower left hand corner there is the quick equalizer. This is useful for previewing equalization filters on the images before applying the changes. Below there is the status bar. This shows some information, such as the progressive percentage of saving or the value of the colour scale of the image’s pixel. In the title bar of the window, there is some information about the open image, such as the kind of image (RGB, YCbCr, levels of gray, etc…).

An Innovation of Alo' Photo Scan 5.0 is the Quick Help, which is activated by clicking the button high on the left: . It will automatically open a window below on the right, containing the various operations that can be done in the software.

There are two ways to exit from Alo' Photo Scan 5.0 1. Click on the key “x” high on the right in the title bar of the program; 2. Click on the key in the upper left hand corner then on Exit .

Note: If the modified images are not saved, the program warns you before closing.

Using Acquiring Sources

Alo' Photo Scan 5.0 allows users to get images from various sources such as :

• Scanner and standard WIA devices
• Digital cameras
• Previously saved files

Scanner or Standard WIA devices

The Scanner menu allows you to select the scanner or the standard WIA devices (ex: Webcam) from which you can take the images. Select the Scan window if you want to use the scan window owing the scanner. Otherwise if you want to receive the image directly, do not select it. Clicking on the button 'Acquire' will start the scan.

Previously Saved Files

To open a previously saved image you have two options:

- Going to the menu above on the left and clicking on .

- Clicking on the button in the upper left corner then selecting the button Open.

New Image Creation

To create a new image, click on the button , then on.

In the box Name, introduce the name you will save the image with. From the box Preset, choose the predefined image dimension (“Clipboard” if you want an image from Windows^© notes). In the other boxes you can set the dimensions, the units of measurement, and the resolution in DPI (“Dot Per Inch”). This procedure is very useful for inserting an image in Windows^© notes.

Cameras

Selecting Cameras List allows you to see the list of the cameras supported. You can set some parameters of the connected camera such as stopping preview, seeing preview, locking/unlocking auto-focus, setting time, and the 1:1 calibration.

Pre-Operation

Make sure your equipments are set up properly.

• Connect the mini-USB cable to the camera and computer
• Check the camera setup:
  1. Set camera zoom to "AF" (Auto Focus);
  2. Set camera body mode to "M" (Manual) on the dial;
  3. Set Image quality to the first L icon
  4. Set Image review to OFF
  5. Set AF Mthod to FlexiZone Single (or with a suqare icon near)
  6. Disable camera auto power off
• Use AC adaptor instead of batteries

Pushing the button to see camera settings :

• Camera Mode: Manual, Programmed, TV, AV. For best results, use Manual
• Exposure time
• Aperture
• ISO: You have to choose according to the sensitivity of the CCD of your camera
• Exposure compensation
• Image size: from Little to Big. For best results, choose Big
• Image details: Normal, Fine, Super Fine; for best results, use Super Fine
• White balance: For best results set to Fluorescent
• Metering
• AF : Auto Focus

To start the camera push on Start Camera .

In the center of the window, the object the camera is pointing on will be visualized in real time. To acquire the image, push on.

Camera Parameters:

The three options (from top to bottom):

• Time Value (TV): This settting Indicates shutter, the length of time the digital sensor in the camera is exposed to light.
  If this value increases, the overall image will be brighter; on the contrary the overall image will be dimmer.
• Aperture Value (AV): Indicates the size of lens diaphagram opening; This is the amount of light that passes through the digital sensor.
  If it increases, the overall image will be dimmer and the sharp will focus at the image plane (less depth of field); on the contrary, the overall image will be brighter and the sharp will focus only at a certain focal length (more depth of field).
• ISO: The light sensitivity of camera. If the light sensitivity increases, it will result in more noise; if it decreases, it will result in less noise.

Some tips:

• Always try to make sure your ISO is set low in order to get the highest image quality, without adding noise to the image. Start your ISO setting at 100.
• For flat objects, try setting your AV lower (13 or even smaller).
• For more 3-dimensional objects, try setting your AV higher (18-22).
• After deciding between AV and ISO, TV comes last. At this point, you will see the overall brightness in the preview. Modifying TV will allow you to brighten or dim the image. Make sure your TV is set no larger than 1 / 60, or it may blur the image. If you find that the image is still too dim at this setting, then you can modify the AV or ISO. You can also adjust the zoom

Here are some brief regulations:

• Flat objects (smaller depth of field): TV = 1/80, AV = 11, ISO = 100
• 3D objects (greater depth of field): TV = 1/ 20, AV = 22, ISO = 100

The image can be modified in real time. Here is a list of the available functions:

Focus:

• Cross point : Indicates the centre.
  

  Placing products in the centre gives the image better focus and sharpness.

• Rectangle : Means the focus point.
  

  Click and drag to change the focus area.

• Click on Get Focus to focus the object in the preview
  

  The software will let you know if the object is focused or not.

Preview Functions:

• Auto White Background If active, this automatically makes the background white after the shot.
• Flip Horiz: Reflects the image horizontally in the preview
• Capture Camera Preview: Captures the preview as an image.
• AF Locked : If this is activated, it locks the auto-focus function of the camera. This permits the manual-focus and moving of the camera

Rotations:

This virtually rotates the preview by setting a value between 0° and 360° or doing directly 0°, 90°, 180°, or 270° pushing one of 4 buttons

Equalize:

Open the Equalization windows to modify the image as aoon as you shoot it

Recording a Video:

Pushing the button Codec allows you to set the video compression codec (DivX, Xvid, ffds, etc…) and the compression parameters. Pushing Record, starts recording. You can pause it by pushing Pause, make it start again by pushing Restart and stop it by pushing Stop. As soon as the video is recorded, the directory containing it will open (the name of the video will be the current date and time) and then the video will be sent to the multimedia reader to be reproduced.

Clicking on Focus Stacking button and selecting some parts of the jewel in the preview, the software is able to focus the multiple selected parts in the picture.

Clicking the drop down arrow in Focus Stacking displays two options:

• Clear Last : clears the last point added;
• Clear All : clears all the points added;

After selecting the points in the object, click on Get Picture button . This allows the camera to take a photo, while focusing at every selected point from the image preview:

The software combines each photo taken and shows the final image.

To select a predefined mask in the image, double click on the chosen one inside the lists (clicking on the column’s title, you can order the list alphabetically) :

The new mask will be visualized in the upper left corner and will be moved by keeping the mouse pushed while dragging the selection to the chosen point. To crop the selection, right click on the mouse and "crop selection" (or push Ctrl + R).

Note: The varied masks will not be saved on the catalogue module.

Pushing Lock you activate or deactivate the little yellow squares at the sides of the selection.

To deactivate the selection, push the right key of the mouse on the selection an click on Deselect .

Below the area in which you can change the dimensions you can also change the image resolution, in DPI, inside the selected area.

The selection masks can be modified, added, deleted, through the following toolbar :

- Sliding between the masks :

- Add/modify/delete the masks :

- Create/search bookmarks :

- Filter:

Among the available effects, Alo’ Photo Scan 5.0 gives users an option for getting their desired results efficiently. Below a operative sequence that is often very effective.

White balance: By selecting Home, Image, then pushing on White background The usual grey background is converted to an all white background.

The EQUALIZER allows you to improve the image further. After you have chosen and applied the mask, go to Menu, Home, and select Image. Push on Equalize

• Acting in the Histogram, you can equalize the dark and light tones:

  Moving the left cursor from 0-255, will allow the dark tone to be adjusted;

  Moving the cursor from 255-0 allows the light tone to be adjusted. Generally, it should be moved after the highest peak of the darker selection, in order to get the an absolutely white color, while removing background noise.

• Sharpening : This is used to sharpen to details of an object. This can be used for images with small metal makings or stone cuts. If the presence of metal is predominant it is recommended to choose Medium.
• Gamma Correction : This adjusts the midtones of the image, darkens in negative and lightens in postive.
• Contrast : In negative, it determines the "clearness".
• Color Shift : changes the metal color .
• Luminosity : changes the picture luminosity.
• Saturation (S) : This allows you to regulate the intensity of gray objects (silver, white gold, ecc..) To get a natural color, it is recommended that you use Blue (B) in positive. If the Flag is active, the window blocks the Blue bar. It also automatically sets the right value according to the one selected in Saturation.

To apply changes, push Apply. To come back to the original setting, select Reset, or Undo .

Once the image is acquired, it’s shown in a new window inside the main area, next to the mask selection and the toolbar.

The palette includes some tools for selecting portions of the image:

• Rectangular Selection : This allows you to select rectangular portions of the image. This can be done by left clicking and then right clicking to set the dimensions of the rectangle.
• Circular Selection : This selects circular or elliptical areas.
• Magic Wand : This allows you to select areas with similar colors. You can set a tolerance by changing its value. Just click on the image and the tool will select all similar pixels depending on the tolerance.
• Multi-point Polygonal Selection : This feature allows you to select a polygonal pattern. Just one-click in some points and the tool will select the area within them. To close the selection click twice on the last point of the polygon;
• Free Hand Selection : This allows you to select areas of every pattern. Just click and hold on the left button, then drag the area that you want to select;
• Zoom In and Out : This allows you to zoom in and out of the image. This is useful when selecting a particularly small region of the image. You can also use the zoom by selecting Home, then Views, and pushing on the icon. The image will be resized to fit the window. Pushing or enlarges and reduduces the photo by 10%. The zoom factor can be set manually, introducing it or selecting it in the drop-down text box and pushing Enter. Clicking the button , the software shows the image in its real pixel dimension (100%).
• Hand : Allows you to scroll the image;
• Text : This allows you to place text over image; (see part 7 - Text over the image)
• Color :

  

• Smudge :
  • Radius: brush size
  • Opacity: the brush stroke opacity, lighter or darker
  • Feather: brush stroke shade, more or less intense
  • Amount: color quantity
  For example: increasing the opacity value, the brush stroke will be more highlighted, otherwise, decreasing it, will be more darkling we suggest to use Dodge to uniform the metal and Burn for stones.

  

• Clone Stamp : to clone a part in the image or remove imperfections just click on the point to be duplicated and then click on the part to be covered.

  

When you select a part of an image, you can move it going ito the selected area and keepin pushed the mouse’s button.

You can also (or push Ctrl+C), (or push Ctrl+X) or select (or push “Del”) and go straight to the main menu to a new image.

To select the entire image, go to the menu, press image, and select.

To select the inverted area, go to the menu, image, then select.

To select the selected part, go to the menu Image | Crop Selection . If the selected area is not rectangular, the cutting is performed following the smallest rectangle enclosing the selected area.

To cut a selected area, while leaving the chosen background, click on Image and select New Layer .

The new layer can selected by the mouse and dragged to the desired position. The layer can also be resized dragging the little squares at the sides or at the corner of the selection. Once posicioned and resized, the layer can be inserted in the image by selecting image, then .

To deselect a previously selected area, go to Image, then Deselect .

Note 1: Most of the parts from the previous operations can be performed with a right click on any point of the image too.

Undoing the Executed Operation and Redoing with Undo and Redo

You can undo an operation done executed on an image pushing once or more Undo high on the left. Instead to redo your last operations, undone with Undo, push once or more on Redo .

If you are not satisfied with the results, click on the filters button to use a set of digital effects to apply in order to improve the image. On the left, the window will display the original image and on the right window will display the image with the filteration.

Clicking on allows you to remodify the image.

Selecting the Control Box Lock Preview allows you to view the previewed image on the right side of the screen. You will not have to select preview manually when you check Lock Preview.

	Contrast : Move the cursors to change contrast and brightness values.
	HSV : Move the cursors to change Hue(H), Saturation(S) and Brightness(V) values.
	HSL : Move the cursors to change Hue(H), Saturation(S) and Lightness(L) values. It is very useful with steel objects.
	RGB : Change values for the primary colours Red(R), Green(G) and Blue(B).
	User Filters : Changing the values in the matrix you can obtain various effects. You can use some of the presets in the list: Blur, Edges, Emboss, High Pass 1, High Pass, 2, High Pass 3, Low Pass and Low Pass 2. You can save or charge a particular filter value configuration through the buttons Save and Charge.
	Equalization : Changing the histogram cursors you can equalize light and dark tones.
	Bump Map : This applies a suffused light, of the selected colour, in the indicated position. It is used to simulate holes, protrusions and roughness.
	Lens : It applies a lens effect on the picture. You can change width, position and refraction factor.
	Wave : It applies a wave effect on the picture. This filter lets you change its amplitude, length and phase values.
	Morphing Filter : There are the following filters: Maximum, Minimum, Open e Close. It is possible to set the morphing window dimension.
	Rotation : It permits you to rotate the canvas image. (not only 90°).
	FFT : It allows you to apply a quick Fourier transformation to decompose an image in its sine and cosine. The elaborated image represents the image in the domain of the frequency (or of Fourier). Instead the input image is the equivalent one in the spatial. For more information go to the following address . In the box you can select a rectangular area, which can be deleted, with the key Delete. Pushing Restore you can come back to the original image. The FFT elaboration can be performed both on the grey levels and on the colored ones.
	Gamma Correction : It permits you to modify the colour gamma of the colours of the image, as previously seen.
	Sharpen : It is used to improve the image contours. Acting on the bar you can increase or reduce the effect and the dimension of the application window.
	Resize : It allows you to change the pixel size and / or scale percentage of the image
	Soft Shadow : It is allowing you to create shadows around the image, depending on the position chosen.
	Auto-Enhance : It improves the images.
	Crop : It crops the image, setting the measures for the four sides

Transparency

The transparency can be applied from the menu by selecting image, then Transparency.(See Figure):

With this function you can remove the background completely. You can set the colour, which has to become transparent (white is the default one). from the palette clicking on “…”, or from the drop-down menu. You can also set the colour tolerance (the default value is 15 %).

By clicking the trasparency is applied to the selected area (if you have not selected any area, the transparency is applied to the whole image)

To remove transparency, click on Undo in the quick access toolbar.

In the example below, the transparency is applied only in the selected part of the image :

BEFORE :	AFTER :

To keep the file transparent while you are saving to file, it’s necessary to use GIF, PNG or TGA extension to support it. Otherwise transparency will be replaced with background colour (white is the default one).

Blending

To set opacity go to Menu, Image, then select Blending and set the blending percentage :

To remove it, reset the percentage to 0 %.

With Alo’ Photo Scan 5.0 you can apply shadows to images. Go to the menu, image, then select shadow.(see figure):

Shadows are applied with the following settings:

• Radius: shadow depth (default 17).
• Horizontal: shadow horizontal orientation (default 5).
• Vertical: shadow vertical orientation (default 30).
• Color: shadow color.
• Intensity : shadow intensity.

To apply the shadow click Apply

Example:

BEFORE :	AFTER :

To put text over image, click in the toolbar. Then select the area where you want to insert the text. In the menu below, the following strip to modify text will be visualized :

You can set font, dimension, alignment an colour of the text.

You can also resize or move the text area by clicking on .

Pushing you can apply the modification, in the meantime pushing you can cancel the operation before applying the text over the image definitively.

To remove the text once applied click on Undo high on the left.

For changing the image Background Color of the image:

1. Select Magic Wand Button in the tools toolbar and click in any point within the white background


2. Right click and select Feather Selection


3. Choose the color from the tools toolbar and click OK button.


4. Push Delete on the keyboard or right click and press Delete .

Original Image:

Image with different background color:

Resizing:

Resizing an image means to save space on disk.

Go on Menu, Home, then Image and click on Image Resize .

Choose your desired percentage of the resized image by writing it or selecting it from the list. The software will show you the new dimensions an the occupied space. Instead of indicating one of the dimension, you will see the resizing percentage and the occupied space. Along with this, you can chose a different way of sampling or creating a completely new image, without modifying an existing one.

You can modify the canvas’ dimensions going to menu, Home, then selecting Images. Click on Canvas .

If you would like to add new canvas’ dimensions, select the unit of measurement, then click on the arrows to insert the image in a bigger or smaller canvas. You can also create a completely new canvas.

Rotation:

To rotate your image of 90° clockwise or counter clockwise, go to menu, Home, then select Image. click on: .

Reflection:

To apply a vertical or horizontal reflection on your image, go to menu, Home, then select Image and click on: .

Clicking on menu, home, the This is useful for looking at other functions.

Stars :

Rulers : (Inches or CM)

Reflection :

To add the reflection, click on Gadgets, then Add Reflection. The program automatically creates a reflection over the object, based on the space present in the background. Otherwise do a rectangular selection on more than half of the object and click Add reflection.

After applying the changes you may now do the following:

1. Save the whole image:

• Clicking on in the upper left hand corner.
• In the upper left hand corner, select and then click on Save (this way the image is saved with its original name)
• Clicking in the upper left hand corner and then click on Save As (this way the image can be saved with a name chosen by the user)

2. Save Your Image for the Web:

• Select in the upper left hand corner of the screen.;
• In the upper left hand corner, select . Click on Save for Web, so you can save the image with predefined dimensions for the web :

  

  The file is saved with the name used to save the dimensions of the image. You can select more formats through the control box: Through this control box, you can add/delete and modify the image. This way, you can save the images with the selected dimensions.

  If you select Stretch, the image will be resized. If you don’t select it, the image will be cut;

3. Save Image for the Catalogue:

• Select in the upper left hand corner.
• Click in the upper left and then select Save as New Model. You can save the image and introduce it in the catalogue (see part 1 - Models).
• If you select a part of the image, with every kind of selection, clicking on high on the left;

It is reccomended that you save the image in Jpeg (.jpg), even if other formats are supported. Jpeg allows you to keep a good quality image while reducing the dimension of the file on the disk. To optimize the file you can reduce the image even more .

• After saving the image, to close it, click in the upper left and then click on Close . To close it, is also posible to push x in the upper right hand corner of the screen.
• To reopen the last closed files click high on the left and then choose one of the last files of the right list.
• Once an image is saved, click high on the left to come back to the previously saved one and then click on Revert .
• Selecting , then Properties allows you to see the properties of the image: name, saving path, dimensions and resolution (in DPI: Dot Per Inch). The properties can also be visualized by going to Home, Image, then Properties

To print an image click on and then click on Printer :

• Printing Preview : You can see a preview of the image and modify it before printing.
• Immediate printing : You can send images directly to the predefined printer, without modifying them.
• Printer Setup : You can select the printer, the number of copies and other options before printing the image;

Right click the image you are working on, so you can go to the contextual menu. (See figure below) :

With this contextual menu you can perform various operations in a quicker manner:

• To save an image (to save the selection only, as a new file, for web)
• To perform operations: copy/cut, paste, cancel
• To select the whole image, to deselected an already selected area, to select the opposite of the selected area or to cut the selected area.
• To create or combine layers.
• To Print.
• To visualize the image properties.