Capture One’s latest update significantly enhances its portrait editing capabilities, leaning heavily into AI-powered tools designed to simplify and speed-up the retouching process – and perhaps even cut the need to do final enhancements in Photoshop.
Among the standout additions are: Blemish Removal, Even Skin, Dark Circle Reduction, and Contouring – each aimed at refining facial features while preserving realism. These tools can be applied in real time during tethered shooting or afterward in post-production, giving photographers flexibility and speed.
Blemish Removal intelligently detects and corrects skin imperfections without requiring masks or manual retouching. It works to retain natural skin textures and distinguishing marks like scars or freckles, offering a more authentic result. Even Skin builds on this by smoothing out tonal inconsistencies across the face, using AI and frequency separation techniques to enhance skin appearance without flattening detail.
Dark Circle Reduction tackles under-eye shadows with a simple slider, designed to subtly brighten tired areas while maintaining a natural look. Similarly, Contouring uses automatic contrast adjustments to define facial structure, functioning like a smart, AI-assisted dodge-and-burn tool.
Beyond retouching, Capture One introduces a Session Builder aimed at streamlining workflows. Photographers can now generate folder structures automatically, store naming rules as Presets, and manage everything through an updated Library interface.
The updated workflow enhancements and portrait retouching tools are accessible now to users through an open beta release.
Or join beta testing for Capture one here.
The new logo
Accompanying the software improvements is a new brand identity. Capture One has dropped its iconic multicoloured “1” in favour of a sleek, minimalist logo: a monochrome “C” encircling a smaller “O.” This visual rebranding signals what the company describes as a fresh chapter—one focused on consolidating its reputation as an all-in-one professional photography solution.
Capture One is available to try for free, while Pro subscriptions is from US$45 a month – or US$28 a month as a single payment 'Annual subscription'.
You can see an in depth look at the new software with Capture One's online unveiling of the software here.