Product Description

Fluid Mask 3 is the professional's masking tool of choice. It works as both a standalone application and a plug-in to Adobe's Photoshop or Elements. Fluid Mask 3 is ideal for photographers, image editors, graphic designers and all those who take digital image editing seriously. In a streamlined interface and workflow, Fluid Mask 3 instantly shows key edges in the image and provides comprehensive easy-to-use tools that work with difficult-to-see edges and tricky areas like hair. The quality of mask edges is unsurpassed, preserving delicate edge character even on fine wispy hair. Fluid Mask 3 automatically breaks an image down into key lines. Fluid Mask 3 preserves the morphology of difficult edges, such as out-of-focus areas, skin and rough clothing, for the most credible masks - no more phony pixel-based feathered edges. Mask hair beautifully with shadows and highlights, using a hierarchy of revolutionary dedicated algorithms - leaving a mask without halos or jarred edges. Fluid Mask 3 is designed with streamlined workflow and intuitive tools making it easy and quick to use. It also has rollover-activated in-application help facilities for quick reference and browser-based help for more in-depth assistance.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2769 in Software
• Brand: Vertus Tech
• Model: FMA30001ENBXRTBOUS
• Platforms: Windows Vista, Windows XP, Mac OS X
• Format: CD-ROM
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

Features

• Immediately shows all edge lines for quick masking
• Uses algorithms similar to human eye-brain visual processing
• Preserves Edge Character for Super-Realistic Mask Edges
• Amazing Automatic Hair Masking
• System Requirements - Either Adobe PhotoShop CS2/CS3 and Elements for Windows or as a standalone application, 512MB RAM, 64MB of Video RAM, 250MB free space, 1024x768 monitor resolution with 16-bit video card or more, CD-ROM drive, Internet connection or email for product activation, Mac OS X 10.3.8 or 10.4.9, PowerPC G4, G5 or Intel-based Macintosh processor, Windows XP with Service Pack, Vista, Intel Pentium 4, Intel Centrino, Intel Xeon or Dual-Core Intel Xenon or equivalent processor

Customer Reviews

Great Extraction - Lousy Edge Detection
Once you've got the mask defined properly, the extraction produces excellent results. Not sure why it has such a hard time identifying edges though. If I had it to do over again, I'd look more closely at Mask Pro by onOneSoftware before buying.

Software difficulties to consider
Fluid Mask is going into the trash can. The software does what it says it will do - finds edges and helps you isolate a mask. There are tutorials that are somewhat useful. I was never able to isolate hair and most mask had some left-over problems. Note: if you reload a copy of your hard drive using Norton Ghost (A really great program) or a back up copy from a hard drive storage device Fluid Mask will lock out your registration. The registration process is overkill and a mess from the begining and the re-registration of software you bought and own requires e-mails, wait time and even more frustration. Look at OnOne software.

Disappointing Masking Software
After a week's trial of this program, why didn't I buy it?
Let's see:
* Because it didn't live up to its hype.
* Over 3/4 of the time it couldn't adequately extract the subject from its background.
* Photoshop masking and extracting tools are about as good and no extra cost.
* Help and tutorials too brief.

That's about it I guess.

Removing the background from a photo is often very time consuming. Several plug-ins have come along over the years claiming to make the task easier and faster. This one is no exception.
With a plain, uncluttered, high contrast background the job is fairly easy and can be done with tools in many photo editing programs at no additional cost. However with typical real world pics with normal backgrounds, the job of extracting the subject, especially with hair, becomes wildly more difficult.
This program is often described as having a steep learning curve. Perhaps to deflect criticism when it fails to produce satisfactory results. How much of a learning curve can there be when the entire Help section and all the online tutorials can be read and viewed in less than 2 hours? To me a steep learning curve is a 100 page DSLR camera manual or Photoshop itself. Not this.

Sorry Vertus, this one doesn't cut it. Save your money.