Polarize

The new polarize features is actually pretty amazing. Unlike a typical neutral density effect, or gradient fill, this works like you’d expect a polarizing filter to work on your lens. You can vary the strength from just a touch to a what were you thinking level, but even here it only adjusts the areas you would expect to see changed with a polarizing filter.

New Presets

The new presets are refined and generate better results with the stock settings than the previous version. Macphun touts them as “Professional Presets”. And, given that they’ve been created by people like Trey Ratcliff, that’s a fair claim. I personally find that they are still a little over bearing, but they make an excellent starting point, especially for those new to HDR. And, you can easily make adjustments to suit your needs and save that as a custom preset.

Conclusion

Aurora HDR 2017 is a solid upgrade to one of the best HDR programs out there. The improved tone mapping alone would be worth the upgrade for many. Batch processing will be a welcome addition for those with the need to work with a large number of different images. Ideally, the files would be opened in Aurora HDR after the processing for further adjustments. Until then, I think it’s less useful than it could be. The polarizer works like you would expect it too on a lens, and can be a nice touch that would otherwise require more work with masking and brushing. This is a deep application with plenty of features to explore. It’s easier to use than most similar programs, and for me, it generates better results.

Ratings (out of 5)
Features	4.5
Ease-of-use	4
Value for money	4.5

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