pcdMagic for the Mac

pcdMagic converts Kodak Photo CD images into JPEG, TIFF, EXR or DNG files. All Photo CD resolutions are supported, with correct color handling.

There's also a version of pcdMagic for Windows.

No blown highlights

Most Photo CD conversion software blows highlights. pcdMagic just doesn't. See why this matters.

Converts any Photo CD file

pcdMagic handles all Photo CD files at maximum resolution, even 4096 × 6144 "64Base" Photo CD Pro files and the rare "Class three compression" files that other conversion program can't convert at full resolution.

Specific color profiles by film type and scanner model

Specific color profiles by film type and scanner model - e.g., Kodachome scanned by a Kodak 4000 series scanner versus color negative on a Kodak 2000 series scanner. See why this matters.

Image sharpening that's specific to Photo CD images

pcdMagic has image sharpening that's specifically tuned for Photo CD images. See why this matters

Integrates with other other applications such as Lightroom and Aperture

pcdMagic for the Mac will work together with other applications to deliver a smooth, easy workflow that gives you the benefits of pcdMagic for the Mac's demosaicing and color management within whatever application you're most familiar with. See here for more.

macOS Big Sur compatible with native Apple Silicon support for blazing fast performance

pcdMagic for the Mac is fully compatible with the latest versions of macOS, and the latest hardware from Apple.

Color Profiles

Converted using the generic Photo CD color profile (Original image courtesy of Ted Felix).

Image converted with pcdMagic's "pre 4000-series scanner" Kodachrome profile. See how much more realistic the color of the flowers and sky are, even the pot that the flowers are in. (Click to see full sized images)

pcdMagic features color profiles that are specific both to model of scanner used, and the original film type used. See the examples above for an example (all other settings at their defaults). pcdMagic can either use its own internal color profiles, or use the original Kodak color profiles as supplied along with Kodak's professional software. And pcdMagic automatically detects which profile to use based on the metadata embedded into the image when it was originally scanned, so you won't need to try to guess which to use.

No Blown Highlights

Most PCD conversion programs - blown highlights (“Blown John” image courtesy of Ted Felix).

pcdMagic - clean, correct conversions with full highlight detail preserved.

pcdMagic correctly translates Kodak’s Photo CD format into modern JPEG images without losing highlight information. The example above shows Ted Felix’s “Blown John” image as converted by pcdtojpeg versus a version that demonstrates the blown highlights problem typical of many other conversion programs.

PCD Specific Sharpening

Converted using conventional algorithms. (Original image courtesy of Ted Felix).

Converted using pcdMagic's sharpening algorithms (Original image courtesy of Ted Felix).

PCD images use chroma subsampling to minimize file size - what this means is that their are only half as many chroma (color) samples in any image as there are luma (monochrome) samples. This required that when the image was originally scanned, different levels of anti-aliasing had to be applied to the luma and chroma components of the image. As a result, sharpening for a PCD image must be done separately for luma and chroma, and to different degrees. Accordingly, pcdMagic provides PCD optimized sharpening controls. The images below show the differences - for example, look at the differences in detail in the fish net, or in the material on the chair. (Double click the images to see them full sized).

pcdMagic Adaptive Interpolation

Conventional bi-linear interpolation of a test image, shown at a scale of 4:1. The combination of conventional interpolation and the PCD image's chroma sub-sampling results in a bright purple ghost image.

The same image using pcdMagic's adaptive interpolation - no ghost image.

Conventional interpolation algorithms don't work very well with PCD images - artifacts can easily occur on the edges of objects in the image. pcdMagic has a adaptive algorithm, based on the AHD algorithm used by almost all modern raw developers to decode images from Bayer sensors, but modified to work with PCD images. A test image consisting of light purple squares shows the difference.

Note that adaptive interpolation is disabled in the trial version of pcdMagic.

Buy Now

You can purchase pcdMagic from the Apple App Store or by making a payment via Paypal. If you pay via PayPal, the code is emailed once payment processing is complete.

$79

  • No license code required
  • Automatic updates
  • NOTE - please delete the trial version before downloading the App Store version

$79

  • License code to upgrade the trial version emailed, typically within 1 working day for domestic US payments, three working days for foreign payments

Note: by clicking the "Buy Now" button, you are agreeing to the pcdMagic Software License agreement. The full text of this agreement is available on the support site. Before buying, please take the opportunity to download and evaluate the trial version of the pcdMagic software.

Important information on the buying process via PayPal

  1. Clicking one of the "Buy Now" buttons opens a new window at the PayPal e-commence site where your purchase will be processed.
  2. You don't need a PayPal account to make a purchase; most credit cards are accepted directly by either PayPal.
  3. Your purchase is subject to PayPal's terms and conditions, as detailed on their sites. This includes fraud checking processes - payments may be delayed until these are complete.
  4. For PayPal, once we receive confirmation from PayPal of your payment, we will e-mail you a license code. Please ensure that the e-mail address you provide as part of your order is correct. Note that this entire process, including PayPal's fraud checks and the time for your bank of credit card company to confirm payment, may take several days, although it is usually much faster. If you don't hear from us within three working days of your order, please contact us here.
  5. Once you receive your license code, you can enter it into your trial copy of pcdMagic. This converts the trial version of pcdMagic into the full version. You do this under the main menu (click pcdMagic on the left hand side of the pcdMagic screen). Please also keep a record of your license code in a safe place - we can't replace lost license codes.

Download the trial version

You can download a fully functional trial version from our support site

System Requirements

Photo CD conversion requires very substantial amounts of processing power and memory. While pcdMagic for the Mac will run on laptops, performance is optimized for desktop systems. We strongly recommend the following minimum system specifications:

  • macOS 10.14 (Mojave) or later
  • 4 GB memory minimum, 8GB recommended
  • 128 MB graphics memory minimum, 512 MB graphics memory recommended