Capture One Pro 8 - New update makes it a serious contender

[Inseewincesee]

I came across a thread in the forum section, at the Digital Photography Review site regarding using different RAW colour calibration software, used as a plug-in with Lightroom. .

Anyway, somebody posted that although software like this is useful, a bigger difference [improvement] can be got by simply choosing a different RAW processing program, they then linked to this comparison between Lightroom 5, DXO Optics 9 and Capture One Pro 7 .
http://www.lifeafterphotoshop.com/dxo-v ... -pro-best/

I knew of Capture One previously, but I always thought it almost proprietary software for medium format cameras, [less cameras supported than LR / PS with Adobe Camera Raw /DNG format etc], and it didn't have very good file management, so never investigated it as a option.

But after viewing some comparison images, not just at the link above, there seemed to be a compelling reason to now consider it.

I then decided to visit the Capture One site to see about trial periods etc [they have a 60 day free trial period], and saw that the software has had a major upgrade released just a few days ago.
A run down of what's new here.
https://fstoppers.com/post-production/c ... ance-37485

While at the site, I read that Capture One Pro 8 is slated for new features / updates every 3 months.
And the short article linked above states at the end 'One particularly interesting addition is that of Application Scripting which will allow for the development of more third-party components and automation tools'
So possibly a future where Zerene Stacker could be allowed to be used with Capture One Pro 8 new Live View tethered capture feature, which would eliminate the current need of a 3 party program like 'Control My Nikon/ Canon'.

Have a look at this short video of Capture Ones's focus mask feature, which I think could be put to good use in focus stacking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypX8j8TtGjw

It seems to me that Capture One Pro 8 is aiming at bridging the gap between PS and Lightroom, as it has already got some features of PS that Lightroom users would love, but Adobe unlikely to give them, preferring to rent out two separate programs.

With a 4 updates a year planned, I don't think it's that far fetched to consider this software now a serious threat to Adobe.

With a 60 day free trial I think it should be tried out, especially those using automated stacking with a stackshot via PC.
http://www.phaseone.com/Downloads.aspx