Hi

 

I am trying to reach a descion on which editing software to buy.  I have had verying suggestions but I really wnat to keep the price to under £100, which exludes Lightroom, CS3.  I seem to be left with choise of PS Elements, Silkypix, & Bibble and there is probably more I have not yet heard of.  Can anyonye make suggestions as to which of the above is a better option.  I have a Pentax K200D and willbe wanting to editing both JPEGS and Raw files.  Also can anyonye tell me what Tiff files have to offer?

 

Regards

 

Johna

Hi

I use photshop elements 5, I know they have recently brought out 6. It is powerful,and has manay nice features, but I have not tried to use RAW editing function as I use the Canon software. I dont know anything about the other software you mention, so I can not compare those.

One thing to consider if you go with elements there are tons of free CDs usually in dcmag And many magazines have sections on how to use photoshop.

HTH

---

www.milkfrog.com

I don't, but many people on these forums use GIMP - a free open source photo editing software which can apparently do the majority of things that the Photoshop CS's can do. Perhaps before paying for something, it may be worth a download?

Also are you aware of the student discount Adobe gives - you don't need to be a student - use a sibling's, child's et al full time education status (no matter if at high school, college or uni - they don't even need to be doing anything photography related). I just mention this as its a good money saving. There are a few threads on this subject already so have a read if interested.

---

My web Site

Can gimp edit rawfiles?  Also, is it very user friendly?

 

Cheers

RAW - no idea, I'm sure someone who uses the software will let you know - user friendly, so they tell me (I use a mixture of Aperture (I use a mac) and CS2).

Have a look at www.gimp.org There is a features page and tutorials. I also know that there is plenty of widely available plug-in's. As its free, if you have the space have a play and see how you find it - what is friendly to one may not be to another. If you don't like it, nothing lost, just uninstall it.

---

My web Site

Don't know about the pentax, but GIMP can read the raw files from my D70s.

---

My DCM Gallery
and
Flickr

I'd recommend Elements if you can get only one.

I tend to use it in conjunction with Serif Photoplus X2, which does some CS3 like things in 8bit that Elements can't. I think it cost me $60 or thereabouts. Photoplus has imho a brilliant mono converter; some of the rest of it can be a bit clunky; it does masks, filter layers, loads more adjustment layers than Elements. Text handling is in another league. Most Photoshop 8bit plugins will work in Photoplus, but it can be twitchy about them.

I have both progs running now when editing - using copy and paste between them to do bits in each of them as necessary, but they have strengths and weaknesses - sad isn't it?

I have used Gimp, and it is definitely very powerful - and as it is free you have absolutely nothing to lose, but a lifetime of being in hock to Adobe, if you find it is the one for you. Gimp has its own set of plugins, Photoshop ones will not work.

You might also want to look at PaintShop Pro X2 from Corel. I'm not a user, but it has a loyal following. I didn't go for it because at the time it did not support my Fuji RAFs.

Elements also has Adobe's rather good camera raw built in.

Whatever you chose, have fun learning.

---

BPITW 5 times
Tringle WP Gallery
Hinfrance on flickr

Don't buy any, just d/l Picasa2 it's free and it's good.

---

Be nice to each other


My DCM Gallery