Digikam/Tutorials

Digikam Tutorials

Note

Dmitri Popov and Mohamed Malik write blogs about using Digikam, and have given us permission to reproduce them. Please remember that the images used are still copyright. This list is likely to be extended regularly.

Basic Features

• Creating Calendars Using digiKam- make a personalised calendar
• Remove Red Eyes From Your Pictures Using digiKam helps you get rid of that demonic look!
• How to export and import pictures to Picasa web using digiKam
• How to download Facebook albums by using digiKam
• How to find duplicate images on digiKam!
• Adding Borders To Your Photos
• Configure the Main Toolbar in digiKam
• Import Photos in digiKam

• Process Photos with digiKam’s Batch Queue Manager and a Bash Script
• Disable Certain File Types in digiKam
• Tag your Photos (with focus on efficiency)

Improving Photos

• Convert Photos to Black and White with digiKam shows you the tools for quick results.
• Add a dramatic effect by a simple toning technique.
• Adding Textures To Your Images Using digiKam Some images look a little flat and benefit from the addition of a texture.
• Generating aspect ratio crops in digiKam for use with particular monitor size or shape.
• Applying Image Effects Using digiKam - make your images look like paintings!
• Straighten Your Pictures Using digiKam brings those horizons back into line.
• Add a Vintage Effect in digiKam
• Simulate a Faded Effect in digiKam
• Use Adobe Photoshop Curve Presets with digiKam

Advanced Image Editing

• Exposure Blending deals with those difficult, high contrast photographs.
• Lens Distortion helps you correct those inevitable distortions.
• The Local Contrast Tool deals with photographs where specific areas are under- or over-exposed.
• The Levels Adjustment Tool adjusts brightness and contrast.
• Re-compress Images Using digiKam discusses the level of compression used in .jpg images.
• Reducing Noise Using digiKam
• Work with Photo Metadata in digiKam tells you how to view and edit the metadata stored with your images.
• How to create panoramas in digiKam 2.1 - stitch your photos together to make a great panorama.

New features in 2.0

• New Features in digiKam 2: Color Labels and Picks
• Versioning in digiKam 2 - save modified versions of an image while keeping the original untouched.
• Face Recognition in digiKam 2
• Using XMP Sidecar support in digiKam 2 beta 3 - Write metadata into a linked file
• Geotagging in digiKam 2.0 - the new interface, with Reverse Geotagging.
• Geotag Photos with your Android Camera and digiKam
• Tethered Shooting with digiKam

Searching and Sorting

• Batch Renaming of Photos suggests ways to automate naming your photos that improve cataloging them.
• Face Detection In digiKam
• Performing Fuzzy Searches In digiKam - lost a picture because you can't remember its name or where you filed it? You need a fuzzy search.
• Using the Advanced Search Tool In digiKam
• digiKam Housekeeping with the Maintenance Tool

Advanced Features

• Watermark Photos tells how to use batch processing to add watermarks to your images.
• Install digiKam on Windows explaining the use of the Windows installer and providing a link to a tutorial for those who prefer to compile the latest version.
• Sieve through Photos with digiKam’s Light Table Tool is perfect for comparing a series of photographs to find the best one for your purpose.
• Geotag Photos with Open GPS Tracker and digiKam tells how to get GPS data into your images' metadata.
• Batch Process Photos in digiKam improves your Batch Processing skills, including using the Batch Queue Manager.
• Manage Photos from Multiple digiKam Installations - if you have photos on more than one computer, this is for you.
• Using digiKam with MySQL - how to migrate your data to MySQL so that you can use a server for your photos.
• Assign Keyboard Shortcuts to Tags in digiKam
• Optimise digiKam’s Performance..and increase productivity
• How to enable fast thumbnail loading in digiKam
• Check and Optimize digiKam’s Databases helps you improve performance.
• Soft Proofing in digiKam
• Export Photos to Wikimedia Commons with digiKam

Working with cameras and RAW files

• Process Raw Files in digiKam
• Convert RAW Files to DNG with DNGConverter will be of interest to users of high-end cameras.
• Batch Convert Your RAW Files Using digiKam…. shows how to convert RAW files to other formats, using the wizard.
• Writing Meta Data To Raw Files In digiKam
• Lens Corrections Using digiKam - No lens is perfect.

Supporting Software

Tip

This section is about other software that handles complimentary features, such as monitor and printer management

• Introducing colorimeter and color profiling software

A collection of PDF's of Mohamed Malik's Digikam tutorials is available from this site.

Dmitri Popov's eBook "digiKam Tricks" is available from his web site