Advanced JPEG Compressor (2009) r.2

True to its name, this utility takes photo compression very seriously. On the plus side, Advanced JPEG Compressor supports a wide range of image formats and packs a number of features for fine-tuning compression, even when working with large batches of shots. The downside to this extensive level of control is a crowded, chaotic interface that may scare off newcomers. The program lets you set compression ratio and levels, and offers handy sliders for equalizing the detail quality. Folks who really want to get detailed will appreciate the abilities to tweak sharpness, luma equalization, smoothness, brightness, and color balance. In addition to the rotation feature, you'll find a tool that lets you add a watermark, with the ability to adjust its font, placement, and opacity. In our tests, this program quickly shrunk our images without a noticeable loss in quality, even when we took a closer look with the powerful zoom tool. However, since the demo version won't let you save compressed shots, some users may not find it as handy as similar, less-restrictive programs. Still, seasoned shutterbugs who need to save space without sacrificing quality likely will get a lot out of Advanced JPEG Compressor.