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.

[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)
<div style="CLEAR: both"]</div>

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

[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.