Few days ago the release of the new version of Darktable 5.0 was announced which introduces significant improvements in digital photo processing, the incorporation of optimized styles, a new theme, enhancements and more.
In Darktable 5.0 it is They have implemented optimized styles for over 500 camera models. These styles allow JPEG images to be reproduced more accurately from raw data, adjusting brightness, contrast and saturation, without affecting other parameters such as sharpness or noise reduction. Users have the option to apply these styles manually to already imported photos or automatically upon import, thanks to an integrated Lua script.
Another new feature of the new version is the Ability to display a splash screen indicating progress during scanning from files with metadata. In addition, the program now allows complex operations to be performed on groups of images, such as assigning ratings, tags or styles, without freezing the interface; instead, a progress indicator or a change in the cursor is displayed to signal that the operation is in progress.
Also Improved control of masks when editing contours, allowing for more precise adjustment using independent Bézier controllers for each point, and options have been included to rearrange the layout of panels in different modes, such as inverting the left and right panels in processing mode, or customizing the placement of modules via drag and drop in overview mode.
El overall program performance has improved notably with a new OpenCL-based color equalizer implementation, and background operations such as metadata updates now run more efficiently. File format support has been expanded to include JPEG 2000, HEIF, and AVC (H.264). In addition, PFM file loading has been optimized, and new default settings have been introduced, such as displaying tonal and color information in the form of a waveform histogram.
La The program interface has been redesigned to include a high contrast theme which features white text on a dark grey background, offering better visibility. Also added Detailed tooltips when hovering over module titles, and in overview mode guidance is provided for new users when the collection is empty. In case of working with corrupted, unsupported or non-existent images, specific placeholders are displayed along with a description of the problem when trying to edit them.
On the other hand, in Darktable 5.0 now allows you to preview the effect of applied styles during export, as well as select the auxiliary modules that are displayed in the panels according to the mode of operation. Also
As to camera support, numerous models have been added, including devices from brands such as Fujifilm, Nikon, Sony and Leica, as well as incorporating white balance and noise profiles for some specific models. Also Support for older cameras has been expanded, such as those from Creo/Leaf and Hasselblad.
If you want to learn more about this new version of Darktable and check out the full list of supported cameras, you can check out the official announcement via the following link
How to install Darktable on Ubuntu and derivatives?
As for installing Darktable on Ubuntu and its derivatives, currently precompiled binaries are not available in the official repositories, although this is expected to change in a few days. Once the new version is available, installation will be as simple as running the command:
sudo apt-get install darktable
For those who don't want to wait and want to experiment with this new version right away, it is possible to compile the program manually from the source code. To get started, you must first clone the official repository with the following commands:
git clone https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable.git cd darktable git submodule init git submodule update
You can then proceed with the compilation and installation using the provided script, specifying the installation path and build type:
./build.sh --prefix /opt/darktable --build-type Release
Another method to install Darktable is by downloading the AppImage file from the following link.
After that, give execution permissions:
sudo chmod +x Darktable-5.0.0-x86_64.AppImage
And run the file with a double click or from the terminal:
./Darktable-5.0.0-x86_64.AppImage