Info on Photoshop

[Phil Cirrone]

Does any one have any knowledge about a photoshop type of program.
I had gotten a good camera and would like to start using some kind of photo program on my computer. Some one told me photoshop is good.

Lisa

 

[MICKEY88]

Does any one have any knowledge about a photoshop type of program.
I had gotten a good camera and would like to start using some kind of photo program on my computer. Some one told me photoshop is good.

Lisa

photo shop is the industry standard, however PAint SHop Pro X will do everything photoshop will do as far as photo editing, and there is a substantial difference in price.. photo shop $600

PAint Shop Pro X can be had from Amazon for $59 after rebates...

you can actually download the trial version of Paint SHop Pro for free, and try it for 30 days

 

[Cashcow]

Mickey

What do you think about Photoshop Elements 4.0? I don't know much about the Corel product, but it seems to have more features than Elements. Does Paintshop work with RAW images as well?

Thanks!

 

[MICKEY88]

Mickey

What do you think about Photoshop Elements 4.0? I don't know much about the Corel product, but it seems to have more features than Elements. Does Paintshop work with RAW images as well?

Thanks!

it depends on how much control you want over your work,,photoshop elements is a good program for a lot of people, as is PIcassa from google, which by the way is a free program.,

to the best of my knowledge the 2 best programs available are photoshop and paint shop pro X, I've read several reviews lately where they say the difference between the 2 is hundreds of dollars... paint shop pro x will do everything photo shop does with pictures, the difference other than price is photoshop is beter for those who need to do print layour for publication, and such..

I prefer as much control as possible, I do however occasionaly use picassa or photo explosion , for quick editing..

and yes, PAint SHop Pro X, does work with raw images..

edited to ad,,,,the makeover tools are incredible, you can whiten teeth with a click of the mouse, you can brush on a suntan, you can remove blemishes with one click..it's awesome..

great review on this site,,..PSP X REVIEW

 

[Cashcow]

Thanks Mickey,

Paint Shop Pro looks a little intimidating to me. I currently use the free Adobe product (Album???) for fixing red eye, etc. I think I might start with the 30 day free version of Elements and see if that's enough for me.

 

[Phil Cirrone]

Thanks Mickey,

You seem to have done your homework. I'm so glad that I asked because I was getting so confused as to witch one to buy.

Lisa

 

[MICKEY88]

Thanks Mickey,

You seem to have done your homework. I'm so glad that I asked because I was getting so confused as to witch one to buy.

Lisa

I did a lot of searching for reviews... I could have had either program at work but I chose Paint SHop Pro X, since I only need something for photo editing, why pay the extra for features I'd never use..

I had it on my pc one day and went home and downloaded the free trial, the purchased within a week.... I have not regreted my choice..

 

[safetymom]

Most of the pros use Photoshop. I never liked Paint Shop Pro. I found it easier to do in PS. Elements is also good if you don't need a lot of features.

Someone explained to me once that Elements was the laymans version of Photoshop. It all depends what you plan to do with it.

 

[MICKEY88]

Most of the pros use Photoshop. I never liked Paint Shop Pro. I found it easier to do in PS. Elements is also good if you don't need a lot of features.

Someone explained to me once that Elements was the laymans version of Photoshop. It all depends what you plan to do with it.

most people don't want to spend 600 for software, photo shop was far superior to early versions of PSP

every review I've read on Paint SHop Pro X has said that it will do everything photo shop will do as far as photo editing, the difference comes in the graphics/printing end....and it will do it easier, the learning curve is easier,

paint shop pro x is rated far superior to elements,

I won't debate that photo shop does more,than PSP X but the average photographer won't use, most of photoshop, which makes PSP X a much better investment for most photographers,

the software also includes photo album 6 which is great for organizing photos, it also includes pixmantec raw shooter essentials for people shooting in raw format, for the cost of elements you can get PSP X and have much more control of your photos,

with PSP many functions can be done simply or you can use advanced mode for more control, so it's easy for beginners, yet advanced enough for pro's

 

[MICKEY88]

Thanks Mickey,

Paint Shop Pro looks a little intimidating to me. I currently use the free Adobe product (Album???) for fixing red eye, etc. I think I might start with the 30 day free version of Elements and see if that's enough for me.

with PSP many functions can be done simply or you can use advanced mode for more control, so it's easy for beginners, yet advanced enough for pro's

try the trial version for 30 days you'll be surprised how easy it is, especially with the included tutorials

 

[Anewman]

I am also a Photoshop over PSP person.

If forced to choose between Elements and PSP I would take Elements. The same way one can argue that the average photographer does not need Photoshop, well the average photographer will not use all the functions of Elements either. But it is a way to get your feet wet with the photoshop process.

I actually started out with Photoshop LE, witch was the "elements" of that day. Back then I did not understand what the real Photoshop had that did not come with LE. Now I do.

And NO, IMO PSP is not as capable as Photoshop CS2 when it comes to photography. ACR alone is worth the price of admission to me.

 

[MICKEY88]

I am also a Photoshop over PSP person.

If forced to choose between Elements and PSP I would take Elements. The same way one can argue that the average photographer does not need Photoshop, well the average photographer will not use all the functions of Elements either. But it is a way to get your feet wet with the photoshop process.

I actually started out with Photoshop LE, witch was the "elements" of that day. Back then I did not understand what the real Photoshop had that did not come with LE. Now I do.

And NO, IMO PSP is not as capable as Photoshop CS2 when it comes to photography. ACR alone is worth the price of admission to me.

have you used PSP X

 

[Anewman]

have you used PSP X

No, Have you used Photoshop CS2?
Elements 4.0?

I have used older versions of PSP(including 9, which X is based on).

 

[MICKEY88]

No, Have you used Photoshop CS2?
Elements 4.0?

I have used older versions of PSP(including 9, which X is based on).

most of what I've posted here is based on many online reviews by photographers and computer magazines, every one I've found states that PSP X will do everything photoshop will do, the only difference being the price and the graphics end of photo shop, they al also agree that PSP X is easier to use, the review I linked to in an earlier post is quite representative of all the other reviews I've read.

I have not said that PSP is better than photoshop CS2,,,the reviews all list photo shop as 1st and PSPX as second, m sample of one review..

Despite what you may have heard, you really don't have to spend $560 on Photoshop CS2 to get a good image editor. While PhotoShop CS2 may be the Rolls-Royce of image editors, many of us would be quite happy with a less expensive, but still pretty good, BMW version!

Corel recently released a new version of Paint Shop Pro, Paint Shop Pro X, priced (after current rebates) at $66, Though it's very much based on Paint Shop Pro version 9 (which I've reviewed more extensively here), there are some changes in Paint Shop Pro X. The user interface has been revised, though it's still quite recognizable as Paint Shop Pro and, after a little practice, users of v9 should have no trouble navigating via the new menus.


Paint Shop Pro X still represents a real alternative to PhotoShop for most photographers, especially at the current price. While there's little debate that PhotoShop CS2 is the best professional image editor around, it's expensive, hard to learn and 90% of users will never use more than 25% of its capability. I've been using Paint Shop Pro 9 as one of my primary image editors for a while now and I've been impressed by it. There's very little that most photographers will need that it can't do.

While PhotoShop CS2 retails for over $550, Paint Shop Pro X retails for $96. Not only that, but there's currently a $30 a mail in rebate available, making the final price $66. But wait...not only that, Corel are giving away a free mini camera bag, mini tripod, battery charger and 4xAA rechargable batteries if you but Paint Shop Pro X! You also get a 2 hour video tutorial (from Lynda.Com) and a free copy of Photo Album 6 - Standard Edition. Corel really want you to buy Paint Shop Pro X! Adobe would like you to buy PhotoShop Elements 4 of course and it's currently selling for around $70 (after rebates). I haven't reviewed Elements 4 yet, but the general complaint about it is that it's slower than Paint Shop Pro and doesn't offer any more functionality, in fact it offers less.

If I was a Paint Shop Pro 9 user, I wouldn't necessarily rush out and buy Paint Shop Pro X. Not because it's not as good but because it really doesn't offer very much more for the experienced user, except perhaps the option of making image adjustments in 16-bit mode. If you do a lot of image "tweaking" though, it may be worth the upgrade. For someone looking for their first serious image editor Paint Shop Pro X at $66 (after rebate) seems like an excellent choice.



in the end it comes down to personal choice, some people swear by ford products, I stand by my Chrysler products,
I'd rather see someone spend 70 for their first program, and then if they really need more, move up, than to tell someone they have to spend hundreds more, to find they are in over their heads and could have saved a lot of money

 

[safetymom]

I have several versions of PSP and still find Photoshop easier to use. Also if I need help there are more people using Photoshop that can help me.

 

[MICKEY88]

I have several versions of PSP and still find Photoshop easier to use. Also if I need help there are more people using Photoshop that can help me.

PSP, includes excellent tutorials. and the 2 programs are close enough that if you find a tutorial for photoshop, it often can be followed with PSP..

I suppose it's like everything else in life, personal preference..I had photo shop 7 and psp9 on my pc at the same time, found psp much easier, ,

PSP X is supposed to be much easier for beginners than photoshop from all the reviews I read, I guess if you're used to using one, it would be easier to use the new version of that software,

I still think the best thing to do is try trial versions of both and decide what is best for each individual,

I just can't justify telling someone that photoshop is the only good photo editor, and that it's that or nothing, thats like telling someone if they can't afford Nikons best digital slr, they shouldn't get a camera..

 

[elizke]

I use PSP also. I had both PSP and PS Elements, but after a while never used Elements anymore and removed it. PSP is better organized and laid out, and has far more capability.

My favorite things about PSP are the history functions (you can selectively undo something you did 5 steps ago, you can so easily make a script of all the steps you took and use it to batch process, etc.), "clarify" (can perform miracles on some pics), and the built-in noise reducer. The NR is as good as any out there I think, and easy to use selectively.

PS CS is of course a great program, but it's for pros. The color management is more likely to confuse and ruin good pictures for print for those who don't know what they're doing. I think it's only necessary for those planning to work with printing companies. It's great, but the high price is just a waste for most.

It is easier to find tutorials on PS, but I can still follow most since I have the same tools, just laid out differently. And I might argue that they are more necessary for PS.

In the end, the best advice given was to download both Elements and PSP and see which you like best. But keep in mind you will at some point want more and PSP has the edge there.

E.

 

[Tuffcookie]

Mickey, I have just started looking into getting an editing program. Thanks for all your information!

TC

 

[glass slipper girl]

you can whiten teeth with a click of the mouse

I use PSPX too though I need to go back through the tutorials b/c I know I'm not using 1/10 of what I could. I just have to say from a recent experience where I had been fiddling with some setting and forgot to reset them from one where everything got a yellowy/green sort of hue that the toothbrush tool can also be used to whiten carpet that looked like it was really incredibly disgustingly dirty. LOL I took a photo of something sitting on one of my steps. It was a quick "do you have the matching pair to this" pic to send to my mother so the yellowy/green hue didn't matter for that object but I knew if I sent the pic w/o "fixing" the carpet around it she would accuse me of never letting the dog out and keeping a filthy home. A few clicks of the mouse and VIOLA! clean carpet again.

 

[PaulD]

Thanks Mickey,

Paint Shop Pro looks a little intimidating to me. I currently use the free Adobe product (Album???) for fixing red eye, etc. I think I might start with the 30 day free version of Elements and see if that's enough for me.

I think this is a good idea. You can also try the demo for PSPX and see which one you like more. I personally like Elements. I use version 3.0 and really like it. Frankly, every function that I would ever need is included and it even has a simple correction mode that works great and is easy (!) to use. I know how to use the more complicated functions (I use Photoshop 7.0 at work) but if there's an easy way that give me the results I want then why do it the hard way?

I think most people are really only interested in making simple corrections to color, exposure, red eye, cropping, etc. If you want to do complicated manipulations then maybe PSP is the right choice. Otherwise, just use the program you find easier.

By the way, Elements includes a nice RAW converter and Rawshooter Essentials (included with PSP) is a free download to anyone who wants it. I use both since each one does certain things better than the other. Why not have both instead of just one?

In the end, it's personal preference.