Phase One buys Expression Media - updated

[peterkrogh]

This probably won't be a huge surprise for a lot of people. Over the last year, many people have asked me about the future of Expression Media. Unfortunately, all that I could say was to wait.  As of today, the first part of that waiting is over - Microsoft has sold Expression Media to Phase One, the Danish company that makes Phase One cameras and Capture One software.

I'm glad to see that the product will be moving to a company that is intensely focused on the photographer. Unlike Microsoft, Phase One only makes tools for photography. I hope this means that the software development will accelerate, and that it will move in new directions that are essential for the visual creator.

Phase One has some offers for existing Capture One and Expression Media customers :

Capture One owners can get a free copy of Expression Media.

Expression Media owners can get a free copy of Capture One.

iView owners can get a free copy of Expression Media 2 as well.

Here's the upgrade page.
http://www.phaseone.com/en/Software/Expression-Media-2/Special-offer.aspx

Peter

[Louie Sherwin]

Well how about that. It makes one wonder exactly what MS wanted with iView in the first place. I agree that this is good news for the photographers especially those of who purchased iView way back when..

You scooped dpreview.com! You must be well connected ;-)

-louie

[BoglePhoto]

Peter,

You made my day. I think the EM2 forum was one of the most entertaining places when MS let everyone vent on how good a product it was, and how MS abandoned it. Well it is worth the wait, as I did not want to move from EM2 if I had to.

Bill Bogle, Jr.

[Jay101]

Fantastic news.  Ends the nightmare of an abandoned product by an owner who did not care.  Made my day to read this.  Hopefully the last I will ever have to deal with MS.  Well done P1 - I thank you!

[DonShreve]

Made my day, too. Finally some good news.

[Doug]

Good news!

[BobSmith]

I'm glad to see that it's still alive and no longer under Microsoft control, but given my experiences with Capture One Pro development I remain more than a little guarded about it's viable future.  I really hope that a merging of the bests of Capture One and EM occurs but I confess I'm not optimistic.

Bob Smith

[Robert Q Groom]

In terms of John Beardsworth's "serial monogamy" analogy...

I can stay married to the same DAM software I know and love, but her parents have remarried to more appealing partners. 

Robert Groom

[Butch_M]

Hopefully the last I will ever have to deal with MS.  Well done P1 - I thank you!

+1,000

Thanks for the wonderful news Peter ... the future looks much better than it did yesterday .... 

[BoglePhoto]

And Phase One has a new offer of EM2 for $49.00 until June 4, 2010. Got to get a license for my daughter. She starts work today as an intern at Life.com for the summer and the Eddie Adams Workshop doing, what else, archiving, keywording, and other DAM tasks.

Bill Bogle, Jr.

[peterkrogh]

Bill,
She's on the Black Team for Eddie Adams?
That's a fabulous experience.
Peter

[JoeThePhotographer]

And Phase One has a new offer of EM2 for $49.00 until June 4, 2010. Got to get a license for my daughter. She starts work today as an intern at Life.com for the summer and the Eddie Adams Workshop doing, what else, archiving, keywording, and other DAM tasks.

Bill Bogle, Jr.

Bill,

Where did you see the offer for EM2 for $49?

I was also wondering if there was a way to evaluate EM2 before buying.  Is it useful for someone (me) who does not do keywords?

Joe

[BoglePhoto]

I got an e-mail about it today from Phase One. I think you need to subscribe to their newletter.

Not sure of the protocol as to posting the code. Peter, can you advise if that can/should be done?

I think it is fabulous for catalog sets, date information and other information even if you don't use keywords as a big part. Peter has done several videos on how it can help locate images just by date and type.

Bill Bogle, Jr.

[mantra]

i hope they will change the gui of expression media 2 because it's super ugly

iview still rocks

i hope they will develop it quilcky

[johnbeardy]

Well I didn't see that one coming! But it makes sense, given previous links between the companies / products. As with Microsoft's period of ownership, only time will tell. It's already pretty late in the day, so Phase One are going to have to put in some serious effort.

John