The Compare tab in Matcher allow you to visually compare several matches at once. You can compare matches using the same Film and Paper families or you can load matches from other saved Matcher documents for comparison. Once matches are added to the Compare tab you can select which ones you wish to compare at once as well as remove any saved or loaded matches from the list. You may compare up to 15 matches at once. These matches are displayed in such a way to make visual comparison easier, they are all scaled to the same density range. It is however possible to add matches to the Compare tab that cannot be scaled in this way. These matches will be clipped.
Note: The Compare tab will only print or print preview if there are matches that have been added for comparison. In addition, when printing all matches on the Compare tab will always be printed.
In addition to comparing several matches at once, you can opt to show, or not show, the currently selected reference curve along with any comparison matches.
Matches added to the comparison tab are saved with the Matcher document. If any matches where loaded from external Matcher documents they are embedded in the current Matcher document and are thus not linked to the external file.
More information on how to interpret matches can be found in the Matcher overview.
While viewing a match on the paper tab you can add that match to the Compare tab via the "Save Current Match for Comparison" option on the Match menu. In addition, there is a toolbar button to make this command easier to access. Using the "Save Current Match for Comparison" feature allows you to compare several matches from within the same Film and Paper families. For instance, you can compare the same Film curve printed on both a grade 2 and grade 3 paper side-by-side to visually see how the resulting Print Zones will be affected. When using the dynamic nature of approximated film curves this becomes even more powerful as it allows you to simulate what would happen if you exposed the same subject luminance range and developed the film appropriately for the selected paper curve for each comparison.
In addition to comparing matches within the same document it is possible to compare matches within the current document to other saved Matcher documents. Using the "Load Match for Comparison..." option on the Match menu you will be prompted to select a saved Matcher document. If that saved Matcher document was saved with a Film and Paper curve selected then that saved Match will be added to the Compare tab. You may compare matches from as many files as you like, up until the overall limit of 15 concurrent matches has been reached.
Note: The "Load Match for Comparison..." option is only available if the Compare tab is active.