WANTED: advice/opinion on photo editing software.

[jkpadgett]

I hear a lot of good things about Photoshop - just wanted to get some other advice on editing software.


I use "free" software and was looking in to Photoshop. I have found a few sites that offer PS CS5 for $239.00 (is this for real)?


http://www.cs5software.com/


Thanks in advance!!!


JKP

[Carlos Lindado]

Hello, Photoshop is top notch software, obviously, but it doesn't come cheap (look at adobe site, it's about $700, so I think the sites that offer it for $239 could be just a scam). I think it's the only professional program for editing images (I used to use GIMP, but it's not as powerful as Photoshop)

[TucsonTRD]

I just started using Elements 8. It isn't nearly as powerful as cs5, but it's far more powerful than I am currently capable of. That is quite a leap from free software to cs5. You should look into elements 8 or lightroom unless you are a professional with PP experience.

[peety3]

Photoshop is extraordinarily powerful. If you need it, you need, and it will cost a pretty penny. You may find Photoshop Elements to be sufficient, at least in the interim.


I'd also suggest looking at Adobe Photoshop Lightroom or Apple Aperture, each in the $275-300 range. I use Lightroom and absolutely love it. It does my DNG conversions, my Color Checker profiling, my ranking/sorting, and excellent levels manipulation, along with cropping, dodging/burning, etc. I use Photoshop Elements on rare occasions to do panorama merges and HDRs, but otherwise I live in Lightroom.

[zacotton]

As others have said, Adobe Lightroom is a phenomenal program. 98% of the time it's what I use for editing purposes. Rarely do I find myself using Photoshop other than for minor touches that Lightroom isn't capable of.





If you were interested in Photoshop, I would say go for Elements 8 first rather than theimmediatejump into CS5. Elements will have more to offer than free software, and as you progress with that you can move into CS5. That's how I see it, anyway.


Zach

[clemmb]

I use PS Elements-5 in my business. It is rare that I run into an edit that I can not handle and find myself wanting CS5. Then I look at the price and remember why I am still using PSE-5.


Mark

[thekingb]

I use Apple Aperture for 99% of my editing. Photoshop can do almost anything, but it has a very steep learning curve. I'm pretty savvy when it comes to learning software, and PS is one of the few programs that I simply couldn't begin to teach myself and still haven't invested much time in. I would definitely start out with something "lighter" -- whether it's PS Elements, Lightroom or Aperture.

[Dave Johnston]

It is great software. Incidently, if you are a student... and this is just a wild guess as I don't know much about you, students can get a considerable discount on this software. Just an FYI. It is worth it I think.


Dave.

[Jon Ruyle]

Maybe it isn't still true, but I got an old version of elements way back when and it didn't even allow me to adjust tone curves, so I threw it in the garbage. Maybe newer versions are better. (Or maybe I was just too stupid to figure out how to make elements work?)


I use gimp now, even though it has the awesomely sucky limitation that it only handles 8 bit files. (I do initial processing in DPP)


I don't like to pay for software. (I used to be a software engineer. So maybe it's kind of like how people who used to work at McDonalds don't like to eat there)

[btaylor]

JKP,


that price might be for a student edition. In which case you'll have to email off a copy of a valid student ID card/ proof of enrolment and register it under that name.


Over here in Australia CS4 was going for $1400 when I bought it, lucky my girlfriend was still a student and we were able to register it under her name.


It's an amazing program - there really are no limits to what you can do with it. However it does take a lot of learning. I'm still figuring it out.


Cheers, Ben.

[bob williams]

I own both PS and LR3, but my post processing time is almost exclusively spentin Lightroom 3. In addition to fairly powerful editing functions in LR, the output functions are powerful and very easy to learn and use. The only disapointments i have had with LR was its noise reduction in previous verisons. But, in LR 3, the noise reduction is very clean. Since buying Lighroom it is very rare that I even open Photoshop. I should have asked the same question you are asking when I started taking an interest in digital photography.





Bob

[jkpadgett]

Thank you all...for the helpful advice. I am a bit of a novice to photography and editing...so this is helpful. I purchased a Canon 50D last year and have been learning about my camera too!

[Jon Ruyle]

I own both PS and LR3


Bob- are you comparing LR3 to creative suite or to elements?

[barba]

The $239 price is likely the education version. Be prepared to prove your credentials as either a student or employee of a college or university through a mildly confusing process. All you will be able to do is use it as a trial straight out of the box.


I use CS4 and recently LR3. I rarely open photoshop these days unless I need to do something with layers. LR3 is only $90 through the education program if you qualify.

[jkpadgett]

So, if I understand this correctly...you do NOT need a version of Photoshop CS3, etc - in order to get Lightroom or Elements. In addition, I have seen the results of Onone Plug-ins and really like that software as well, but I think a version of Photoshop is required?





Thanks again!

[btaylor]

Pretty much. There are plugins available for lightroom but the majority require photoshop. Lightroom is an independent program and does not require photoshop to run.


I've also used lightroom extensively and you can make a lot of adjustments with it. I do like to work with layers though which is whyI predominantly use photoshop.

[bob williams]

I own both PS and LR3


Bob- are you comparing LR3 to creative suite or to elements?



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I am comparing to creative suite---I don't own and have never used PS Elements

[Sebzl]

Hello, Photoshop is top notch software, obviously, but it doesn't come cheap (look at adobe site, it's about $700, so I think the sites that offer it for $239 could be just a scam). I think it's the only professional program for editing images (I used to use GIMP, but it's not as powerful as Photoshop)
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Fishy site for sure.I checked under shipping &amp; returns and found this statement:


Return Policy
Our Guarantee!
We are dedicated to providing our customers with top quality home fitness products and nutritional supplements.





LOL

[btaylor]

Haha I suppose you could eat the box it comes in. Not many calories there!

[jkpadgett]

OMG - I just noticed that! That pretty much says it all - SCAM!!!!! (I kindly sent them a message) :)





Thx,


JKP

[Richard Lane]

Hi JKP,


I don't know if you're a Windows user or a Mac user. I use Aperture from Apple to edit my Photos. It is great for importing, organizing, editing, and for publishing photos to the web or to e-mail. It also keeps track of the photo metadata from the Camera and Lens, handles Video files, (although I haven't really used this feature yet) and allows for easy printing and slide shows. It can also convert RAW or JPEG to TIFF, PNG or PSD format. It also uses keywords, and faces (face recognition detection) and places (GPS info). Aperture, like Lightroom, provides non-destrucive editing, so that you may revert back to the original photo.


I have used the 30 day trial versions of Lightroom 2, Lightroom 3 beta, and Lightroom 3. Lightroom 3 now offers Video support. Both Lightroom and Aperture do a fine job for organizing and editing photos. I feel that Lightroom is a bit more powerful then Aperture, however I find that Aperture is more intuitive and user friendly.


I view Photoshop CS5 or Photoshop Elements as an adjunct to either Lightroom or Aperture. I would suggest that you try the free 30 day trials of all the programs first. For reconstruction, deconstruction or manipulation of the photo, then Adobe Photoshop or Elements is a must. However, for Importing, Organizing and Editing, then Aperture or Lightroom is a necessity. If you do require Photoshop, then I would suggest Photoshop Elements 8 for $80 first, as CS5 is very complicated to start off with.


This may be more then you asked for, but hopefully it well help others as well.


<span style="font-size: 11.6667px;"]Rich

[scalesusa]

Photoshop is really heavy duty software intended for imaging professionals who use it every day. Photoshop Lightroom is aimed directly at photography professionals and enthhusiasts and is still heavy duty serious photography software.


To get the best benefit from either, you should be capturing images in RAW and then adjusting them with the software.


With your 50d, you got a CD with Canon's DPP image editing software. This is free, and is also heavy duty image editing software, its not a lite throwaway piece of software at all. The biggest disadvantage is that there is limited documentation as to how to use it, but the results are top drawer.


If you take images using jpeg, it might be a waste of money to pay for all the high technology RAW editing features, somethinng simpler like ACDSEE is easy to use, low cost, and very user friendly.