Retouch Pilot

Retouch Pilot is a no-frills image editing program that lets users to remove scratches, blemishes, and other imperfections from their images. Although this program should meet the needs of the casual user, more advanced users will definitely want something more powerful.

The program's interface is basic but intuitive, with most of its important functions organized in a tool palette along the side. The way the program uses available workspace is not always optimal, especially when working with vertical images, but this is not a major drawback. Upon opening the program, users can access a series of short tutorials that explain each of the program's functions. The built-in Help file, while occasionally inconsistent in its wording, is generally well-written. The program's features include basic retouching tools, including scratch removal, rubber stamp, and patch functions. We especially liked the way the program lets users view a preview of their edits in real time before committing to them. We found the program's color optimization tools to be lacking; although users can adjust brightness and contrast, tint and saturation adjustments are missing. Overall, the program is a good choice for light-weight image correction, but users may find themselves quickly outgrowing it as their photo manipulation needs increase.

Retouch Pilot is free to try, but users cannot save images in any format except the proprietary TPI format. The program installs and uninstalls without issues. We recommend this program to all users with basic photo editing needs.