Capture One updates retouching, color, and collaboration

Versions 16.9 and 4.2 introduce automatic stray hair removal, skin retouching tools, and advanced color correction. Multi-User Sessions are out of beta, and support for new cameras has been added.

Capture One updates retouching and color tools

Capture One has released version 16.9 for desktop and version 4.2 for mobile devices. The update adds new portrait retouching and color correction features, expands camera support, and takes Multi-User Sessions out of beta.

Retouching stray hairs and skin

The Stray Hair Removal tool automates the removal of individual stray hairs, saving retouchers from having to work on every strand manually. The software does not remove hair indiscriminately: you can use a slider to adjust the level of processing and a protective brush to mark areas that should be left untouched.

Thijs Karger Philipsen, a senior staff software engineer at Capture One, said portrait and corporate headshot photographers had long been asking for this feature to be built directly into Capture One, so they would not have to switch to another program for the task. He said developing the tool proved to be an interesting technical challenge.

During development, the team first trained the model on mannequins and wigs. Once the results were reliable enough, they began training it on real hair and photos of people.

The tool was initially scheduled for release in the spring, but the team decided at the last minute to delay its launch. The feature was refined over the summer, while professional portrait and corporate headshot photographers tested it in alpha. Philipsen notes that this is the first version of the tool: the wigs are still on his desk as the team waits for feedback from users who are just starting to work with it.

The update also adds separate Skin Tone Retouching and Body Skin Retouching tools for retouching the skin tone of the face and the skin on the body.

More control over color

The Advanced Color Editor now includes a Target picker, and its color wheel has been redesigned. You can now replace a selected color with another in just a few steps. According to product manager Daniele Brazzolotto, the team has redesigned one of the program’s most powerful tools, intended for photographers who work carefully with color.

The new feature can also come in handy right on set. A digital tech can show the photographer, art director, or client how a prop, piece of clothing, or product would look in a different shade while the shoot is still underway. This makes it possible to make creative decisions on the spot rather than putting them off until post-processing.

You can now enter specific RGB and HSL values to match a color sample precisely. Another control, Uniform, helps adjust how evenly color is distributed across a surface.

Multi-User Sessions and camera support

Multi-User Sessions for the desktop version of Capture One are out of beta. Session participants can now export images and turn on Follow mode, which lets them keep up with the latest shot in the session. A dedicated image sync status indicator has also been added.

The desktop and mobile versions of Capture One now support viewing files from the Nikon Z5 IIC and OM System PEN.

Capture One CEO Rafael Orta summed up the company’s approach: “We’re moving toward a future where the photographer, not the algorithm, remains the creator. Our tools step into the background, allowing the photographer to lead the process.”

Capture One 16.9 for desktop and Capture One 4.2 for mobile devices are now available to existing users. New customers can try the software free for seven days. Capture One subscriptions start at $18 per month when billed annually. Images accompanying the update were provided by Capture One.