Photoshop Elements 6 Auto Red-Eye Reduction Headaches

[Jason Dunn]

When I installed Photoshop Elements 6 on my computer, one of the first things I did was point it at my Pictures folder so it could scan all my photos. I tend not to use the Organizer portion of the program because it's so slow, but I always give each new version a chance to prove me wrong. When I initiated the scan, I forgot to un-check a certain box that was selected by default:

http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/photoshop-elements6-auto-red-eye.GIF

Thanks right, Photoshop Elements offers to helpfully fix red-eye problems by default on every single image it finds when it's scanning. I didn't realize it was doing that until I checked on the scan, wondering why it was taking so long and gasped when I saw what it was doing. How well does the automated red-eye reduction work? Here's a typical example (before is on top, after is on the bottom):

http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/adobe-photoshop-elements-re.jpg

I managed to stop the process before it got too far into my photos - it only "fixed" (butchered) about 50 of my scanned album covers, and about a dozen personal photos. I take the integrity of my data very seriously and get ultra-ticked off when any application screws with my data without my permission. As Photoshop Elements 6 made these changes, FolderShare helpfully replicated the changes around my network to all my PCs.

I was pondering how to undo the damage caused, when I realized Photoshop Elements 6 did one thing right: it didn't change the original files, it saved a new edited copy. This allowed me to use the software to select all the recently changed files at once and delete them. So while I've recovered from this without losing any photos, Adobe should be more careful about which options it turns on by default...and I should be more careful before clicking "OK".

[randalllewis]

I didn't realize it was doing that until I checked on the scan, wondering why it was taking so long and gasped when I saw what it was doing.

Did you really "gasp"? :)

Seriously, my number one pet software peve is default settings. I don't mind the software recommending a setting, like Microsoft often does. But I don't want them helping me by pre-selecting a radio button on ticing a box for me, like Microsoft also often does. Though I have to say I've never before seen the result of a defalut setting quite like your example.

[Jason Dunn]

Did you really "gasp"? :)

I think it was a gasp comingled with a growl and a curse. :lol:

But I don't want them helping me by pre-selecting a radio button on ticing a box for me, like Microsoft also often does. Though I have to say I've never before seen the result of a defalut setting quite like your example.

Yeah, 99% of the time pre-selecting a radio button is fine, but in this case there were several options all part of the same window, which is a bad idea because I was only focused on getting the right folder selected. <grumble>

[jeffd]

red eye? looks like black eyes to me. haha. I dont think it hit anything ive done so far cause its all been nature work, but i'll have to go in and ca straight that option next time I open it.

[Dyvim]

Looks more like the "Add Tammy Faye-style mascara" option except it's set only to modify males. Bizarre.

edit: on 2nd look I see that it hit Drew as well on one eye, although with a lighter touch than Adam.