Histogram in Elements 2023

[popcorn]

Hi
I have jumped from PE 2018 to PE 2023.

In 2018 the histogram was "solid" and very easy to read. 
The Histogram in Raw 14.4 in PE 2023 is "Translucent" and I find I have to peer at it closely to follow my editing.
Is there anyway to change the "view" so that it is more like PE 2018.

Are there any advantages to this new format?

  

[popcorn]

Just to add to my problems.
When I crop in Raw 14.4 the image outside the crop is very dim.
Is there any way to change the opacity?

[popcorn]

Hi again,

This gets worse & worse!!
If I crop the image and want to reposition the crop frame in the image, I click inside the crop frame and the move icon appears but the frame won't move.
It just judders back & forth.
I am unable to move the frame to put the focal point where I want it.

Help!!!

[pontiac1940]

Dec 9, 2022 16:36:41 GMT popcorn said:

Is there anyway to change the "view" so that it is more like PE 2018.

I do not know. I am doubting it. Just for the record, I adjust exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, whites and blacks by sight only and pay no attention to the histos. (Horrors! ) I do rely on the clipping of blacks and whites that show up as red (white whites) or deep blue (black blacks). 

Dec 9, 2022 16:57:21 GMT popcorn said:

When I crop in Raw 14.4 the image outside the crop is very dim.
Is there any way to change the opacity?

I do not know. I am doubting it. Perhaps someone will know. Historically, we've not been able to alter the interfaces in PSE.

I crop almost every photo I post anywhere and always do it inside PSE vs ACR. Always have. Based on my quick test below, it is more fluid in PSE and the crop window itself can be moved in PSE vs ACR. In PSE, you actually drag the crop window vs the image...see comment below. (The area outside of the crop window is equally a dark gray in PSE.) 

Dec 9, 2022 17:08:49 GMT popcorn said:

I am unable to move the frame to put the focal point where I want it.

Well, maybe I can help with this one. I played with the cropping tool in ACR...even though I never use it.  

Well, I see what you mean the crop borders do not move. But if you left click (I have to be careful here as I am a left mouser) and hold down, you can drag the actual image vs moving the box. (The image moves behind the crop window while the crop window remains in the same place.) So you can move the image itself to fit in the crop box you have created. Now, if I was using the ACR crop tool, I would just resize the box using the four corners and/or the top, bottom, left and right bars. (Green dots)  


So here I have clicked the cursor and held it down while I dragged the porcupine back and forth. The crop window does no move, but the actual image moves. 





Hope that helps. Perhaps someone else can weigh in. 

Clive

[Sepiana]

Dec 9, 2022 16:36:41 GMT popcorn said:

The Histogram in Raw 14.4 in PE 2023 is "Translucent" and I find I have to peer at it closely to follow my editing.
Is there anyway to change the "view" so that it is more like PE 2018.

Popcorn,

It took me a while to get to your inquiry on the Histogram because I was doing some research on it.  I can't find any way to do what you want.

Dec 9, 2022 17:08:49 GMT popcorn said:

If I crop the image and want to reposition the crop frame in the image, I click inside the crop frame and the move icon appears but the frame won't move.
It just judders back & forth.
I am unable to move the frame to put the focal point where I want it.

I have PSE 2023 installed on two computers. The trick is not to only click but also to hold down the cursor.

However, keep in mind that, in recent ACR versions, the Crop tool has some problems -- it's very slow, awkward to use. Personally, I prefer the Crop tool in the Editor.

You may want to check this video about using the Crop tool in ACR. It is for PSE 2022 but it also applies to PSE 2023. Hope it helps!

Learn About Crop & Rotate Tools in Camera Raw in Adobe Photoshop Elements 2022: A Training Tutorial

[pontiac1940]

Dec 9, 2022 17:08:49 GMT popcorn said:

If I crop the image

I stand to be corrected here...see my porcupine image at the bottom of this page... here. Note that it is a perfect square. (It is not centered like the example below.) 

There is an awkward way to create a square crop in ACR. With the ACR crop tool selected, you can select <Preset> <Custom> and enter similar L by W dimensions. See bottom image. Seems awkward when it is easier in PSE. 

In PSE is is easy to crop in a square by holding down the shift key while cropping. It stays square while being expanded. And when done you can also move it around by holding down the left key and dragging the crop square around.
There is one cool variation with the square crop. Say I wanted the bridge of the nose dead center in the square image. I put the crop tool crosshairs (+) exactly where I want the center of the square crop to be. In this example, on the bridge of the nose...red dot. (You can also do this with the elliptical marquee tool to make a perfectly centered circle crop.) Before I pull the curser (say) to the lower right I also hold down the <alt><shift> keys and the crop tool makes a perfect square, dead center in the nose bridge.
 

[fotofrank]

Two item came to my mind.

1. if you right click on the image you can change the crop mask opacity- more of your cropped pard of the image will show thru - It works this way on a Mac.

2. Have you unlocked the crop?

[Sepiana]

Dec 10, 2022 5:55:40 GMT fotofrank said:

1. if you right click on the image you can change the crop mask opacity- more of your cropped pard of the image will show thru - It works this way on a Mac.

Frank, it works the same way on Windows. You just taught me something new. Living and learning!

[pontiac1940]

Thanks Frank. 
I'll check your tips tomorrow. Look promising.
I am quite happy cropping in PSE. I use both the crop tool and rectangular marquee tool...more often, the latter.

Clive

[popcorn]

Once again, thank you all.
I will give it a try later this morning and report back.
If there is any way to make it go wrong, be assured, I will find it!!

[popcorn]

Thanks everyone,

The opacity control works a treat!!

Moving the image instead of the crop selection is very clumsy.
Give me the old system. But it does work!

Now,can some-one help me make the histogram less translucent?
Trying to establish where the white and black points are, is a problem for me in the new format.

[pontiac1940]

Dec 10, 2022 5:55:40 GMT fotofrank said:

1. if you right click on the image you can change the crop mask opacity- more of your cropped pard of the image will show thru

That works well. 

[Sepiana]

Dec 10, 2022 11:48:51 GMT popcorn said:

Now,can some-one help me make the histogram less translucent?
Trying to establish where the white and black points are, is a problem for me in the new format.

Popcorn,

I paid a visit to Adobe Support Community - Camera Raw. A similar question was posted there. It doesn't look like this is possible.

Lines or area in image levels: hard to see and use

[pontiac1940]

Dec 10, 2022 11:48:51 GMT popcorn said:

Moving the image instead of the crop selection is very clumsy.

Yes, it is clumsy! 
As previously noted, I mainly use the rectangular marquee tool to "custom crop" each photo. After making the selection with the "arching ants" then go to <Image> on the top menu bar and then <Crop> from the Image drop down menu. It can be redone as many time as you wish before you actually perform the crop. AND ... see second image  
 




You can redraw the marquee selection as many times as you wish OR you can transform the initial selection made with the marque tool and alter the crop selection any way you wish. See image. (I never knew this until a few months ago when Sepiana posted this.)

IMHO using the crop tool in PSE or the marquee selection tool is far more friendly and easier than the ACR crop tool. 

[Sepiana]

Dec 10, 2022 11:48:51 GMT popcorn said:

Moving the image instead of the crop selection is very clumsy.
But it does work!

Popcorn,

Yes, it is clumsy but it works. The trick is to learn when to drag the image and when to drag the crop area. According to Adobe, . . .

Drag in the preview image to draw the crop area box.

To move, scale, or rotate the crop area, drag the crop area or its handles.

Source: Rotate, crop, and adjust images in Adobe Camera Raw (Scroll down to Crop images.)