Full Version: Imagaro Z

From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#1]
 28 Feb 2007
To: ALL

Three years ago I looked at the Imagaro Z software at the ARA show. I was skeptical. Two years ago I looked at it again. I was still skeptical and the price was too high. This year the price came down. I bought it. I have tried it.


I am no longer skeptical.

Of course as with anything one needs to start with a relatively "decent" graphic, but it works as advertised and the font recognition feature is worth it's weight in gold.

Product and tech support is great also. It is offered via Beam Your Screen and is pretty amazing....


All in all I would recommend Imagaro Z to anyone considering a vector conversion package.

EDITED: 28 Feb 2007 by C_BURKE

From: (Brian) (MOSTLY_HERE) [#2]
 1 Mar 2007
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#1] 1 Mar 2007

It's always the same thing. The salesman shows you the wonderful product that he has been using for years and makes it look like a child could do it. Then you try it and it fails. I spent some time at the booth that had the demo. He was using the same image he used last year. Then he grabbed another image that looked very poor. It took a bit more work, but the image looked great after he was finished. I too bought it. Now I need time to use it! :B

From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#3]
 1 Mar 2007
To: (Brian) (MOSTLY_HERE) [#2] 1 Mar 2007

quote:
He was using the same image he used last year. Then he grabbed another image that looked very poor. It took a bit more work, but the image looked great after he was finished. I too bought it. Now I need time to use it! :B


Yes, I noticed that. That is one of the things I was skeptical about. It would have made for a better demo if he had had a scanner there and let folks give him graphics. I might suggest that to Steve.


Anyway, I have had a chance to play with it and I am happy I got it. Still won't replace Pete Bertrand though.

From: (Brian) (MOSTLY_HERE) [#4]
 1 Mar 2007
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#3] 1 Mar 2007

Have you had a chance to work you own images in the program yet? Just want to know how well it will work in the "Real World". Ok your "world".

From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#5]
 1 Mar 2007
To: (Brian) (MOSTLY_HERE) [#4] 1 Mar 2007

quote:
Have you had a chance to work you own images in the program yet? Just want to know how well it will work in the "Real World". Ok your "world".


Yes I have. It works as advertised. The font eye feature is worth it's weight in gold. After I got the program, I was dissapointed, but that was due to my impatient learning curve. Once I got some tech support, it worked, and worked well on "MY" graphic.


Trust me, you don't want to spend much time in ChuckWorld.


Later

From: (Brian) (MOSTLY_HERE) [#6]
 1 Mar 2007
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#5] 1 Mar 2007

The bit I saw at the Beach Party told me that's it's a nice place to visit....... I think you know the rest. Great time there and can't wait until next year. B-)

From: logojohn [#7]
 1 Mar 2007
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#5] 1 Mar 2007

Does this vector creation software rely on a reasonably quality graphic or can it do magical things with really lousy art like a business card, faxed copy, low res color jpg and such faster than just recreating shapes with tools and fonts in coreldraw?

I am our in house art department. Seems there are 2 extremes with our customers, those with great eps line art(80%) and those with the dreaded copy of an award from 1976 or business card only(20%).

We still charge for logo reproduction (OMG you don't give that away? , N O !)

I am not the owner, so it isn't a minor purchase. I get paid for making the logos in addition to salary but if I read their site right it would be about a month of logo profits for me. But if it would save me 2 hours here and there I might be interested.

I bought the smart designs package several years ago thinking it would help but it is more template based designs and really isn't much help making logos. Now I am skeptical about spending that much for something that may not save much time.

I am looking forward to more updates as you get more comfortable with it. I see you can test a download without output options and I might do that if I ever get the back burner emptied.

From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#8]
 1 Mar 2007
To: logojohn [#7] 1 Mar 2007

John,
Here is Steve Boek's address steveATgraphicalsystemsusaDOTcom

Ask him if you can get the show special, which is the electronic version for $199.00. It might not be too late. It does an "ok" job on graphics downloaded from the internet....I have yet to scan a business card, but perhaps I will try that while I sit here engraving......and let you know

From: logojohn [#9]
 1 Mar 2007
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#8] 1 Mar 2007

Its looks more promising. I thought on their site it was $700 - $800.
For a couple hundred I would be more inclined to risk the $ from 5 logos, some good days I can do that many. :D

From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#10]
 2 Mar 2007
To: logojohn [#9] 2 Mar 2007

John,

I am playing around with the program a bit. Like all programs it takes a learning cuve, but this one is not too steep.

I am having mixed but promising results scanning in a business card. If you email me YOUR email address, I will send you the files when I am done.

I'll keep you posted.

From: PenMan [#11]
 2 Mar 2007
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#3] 2 Mar 2007

I bought the program last year and it works as advertised. Before I got it, I had a logo on a memory stick or CD that I had Steve? trace during the show so I could see how it really worked. He did it and I bought the program. I have used it some but since getting X3 I tend to use it more than Imagaro and X3 is easier to use. But, I bought the Imagaro program that did not have the font recognition. In hindsight, I wish I had bought the full program but it was in the $600 range last year.

From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#12]
 2 Mar 2007
To: PenMan [#11] 2 Mar 2007

quote:
I have used it some but since getting X3 I tend to use it more than Imagaro and X3 is easier to use. But, I bought the Imagaro program that did not have the font recognition. In hindsight, I wish I had bought the full program but it was in the $600 range last year.



Chris,
The font recognition is worth the $199.00 I paid for the program. Had I paid full price I think I would have been dissapointed, but I am still learning the program. I did one scan of a logo that I used both Imagaro and X3 with. I think Imagaro did the better job, and having the font id tool in Imagaro it does make text clean up much better.

I'll keep you posted as I continue to play.

From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#13]
 2 Mar 2007
To: PenMan [#11] 3 Mar 2007

Chris,

If you paid $600 and the price is now $199 including the font recognition feature, I wouldn't hesitate for a minute to request the font recognition upgrade for free. That just doesn't seem right to me.

From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#14]
 2 Mar 2007
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#13] 2 Mar 2007

Dave,
I don't know if it would make any difference or not, but the $199. was a show special for the downloadable version. But it never hurts to ask.

From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#15]
 2 Mar 2007
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#14] 2 Mar 2007

Since he's made a $400 advance payment, maybe he could get the downloadable version of the font recognition package. :D You are right, it won't hurt to ask.

From: PenMan [#16]
 3 Mar 2007
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#13] 3 Mar 2007

You misunderstood me. Last year there was not an option of a downloadable version. There was the full version with font recognition for about $600 and a "lite" version for $200. I bought the lite version and have used it for a year. What I said was in 20/20 hindsight, I should have bought the version with font recognition as I have needed that some this past year.

From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#17]
 3 Mar 2007
To: PenMan [#16] 3 Mar 2007

I did misunderstand that. Missed the "lite" version comment.

I have heard that the font recognition feature is the cat's meow.

From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#18]
 3 Mar 2007
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#17] 3 Mar 2007

quote:
I have heard that the font recognition feature is the cat's meow.



As well as the Bees Knees ;-)

From: logojohn [#19]
 3 Mar 2007
To: ALL

quote:
font recognition feature
Do they include all the fonts or just supply the font name for you to go find or use the fonts you have already to match.

I have to match fonts exactly often for logos and with several thousand fonts collected from various collections, coreldraw, etc. I have them sorted in folders by basic characteristics but sometimes still don't have it.

EDITED: 3 Mar 2007 by LOGOJOHN

From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#20]
 3 Mar 2007
To: logojohn [#19] 4 Mar 2007

quote:
Do they include all the fonts or just supply the font name for you to go find or use the fonts you have already to match.



John,
This version builds a database of ALL the fonts stored on your system and you can add fonts as you need to from disks of font collections "that you own".

Apparently the next iteration of Imagaro will have a font database built into. But I think being able to build your own is a better way to go.

Hope this helps.

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