Genuine Fractals?

[dmr]

I keep seeing ads for this, and it looks like something that would be useful, but I've never known anybody who used it, and I don't recall seeing much discussion on the boards about it.

Does anybody use this?

If so, are you happy with it?

Any significant issues with it?

Thanks.

[jd callow]

I keep seeing ads for this, and it looks like something that would be useful, but I've never known anybody who used it, and I don't recall seeing much discussion on the boards about it.

Does anybody use this?

If so, are you happy with it?

Any significant issues with it?

Thanks.

I had a client that swore up and down that GF Pro was the only way to go. I got a copy and found it to be ok, but not better than resizing in steps. The issues are that it is a plug in that uses a proprietary file format and a rather cumbersome interface. The up side was it made smaller file sizes, was faster than size, selectively sharpen, size again, selectively sharpen again, repeat repeat, (which is how I make smaller files into larger ones) but not as good.

[MikeSeb]

I have used the last two versions of GF and really like it. I think it does a far better job than upsizing/-rezzing in Photoshop (at least thru CS2), and the newest version, version 5, has a much improved interface.

It has not used a proprietary file format at least since version 4, the first I owned, so that's no longer an issue. I'd agree with jd if that were still the case.

I don't ask the world of it--I rarely need to go past 100% upsizing/rezzing, and my eye can't tell the difference in the final print. It can probably go farther than that from a high-quality file.

Highly recommended. I have no relationship with the maker except as satisfied customer.

[jd callow]

Mike makes good points. I have/had an older version and my needs were often to make extreme enlargements.

[Baxter Bradford]

I bought it to be able to print someone else's space images large. Needing 300-450% I recall. Easy to use and results were good, but understandably not stunning.

More a get you out of jail card, than put you up in a 5 star hotel.

I've seen a review, think it was in Ag magazine; where they felt that using Pshop was just as good, not even bothering to do it in stages with CS2.