Which product for now?

[joefoto]

HELP!

Should I upgrade to PS Elements V5, or go for Lighroom, or add Lightzone, or just forget about it all and try to figure out GIMP2.2? I'm using ACDSee version 9, which is OK for a file manager, but the editor function is substantially limited compared to Elements v3 (where I am now). I have yet to install the included software from my Nikon D50 purchase, so maybe the for fee versions of the Nikon stuff would be the way to go.

So what personal experience and/or bias would lead you to recommend a course for me? I know I don't want to invest in the full PS CS3 -- too many $.

Any and all help, even of the negative variety, would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Joe

[Stephen]

Re: Which product for now?

HELP!

Should I upgrade to PS Elements V5, or go for Lighroom, or add Lightzone, or just forget about it all and try to figure out GIMP2.2? I'm using ACDSee version 9, which is OK for a file manager, but the editor function is substantially limited compared to Elements v3 (where I am now). I have yet to install the included software from my Nikon D50 purchase, so maybe the for fee versions of the Nikon stuff would be the way to go.

So what personal experience and/or bias would lead you to recommend a course for me? I know I don't want to invest in the full PS CS3 -- too many $.

Any and all help, even of the negative variety, would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Joe

Joe, I suspect you will get differeing opinions on this one, so here's mine. Go for Elements 5.

Lightroom is more expensive, so far as I have seen. It seems to do a lot but it isn't really an image manipulation program, concentrating mainly of the processing of Raw files and incorporating a file management system, printing function and web creation function.

Elements has Adobe Camera Raw built in but is also a photo manipulation prog. You can print from it using printer profiles etc to get correct colours in your prints. It will create web galleries for you and has lots of other manual and auto whistlesand bells. Elements 5 can be purchaced frommthe likes of Costco or Amazon at a good price

I don't know Lightzone at all so can't comment.

The free Nikon software is pretty basic in my experience and to get anything decent you have to buy the Nikon Capture NX software (iirc thats the name)

But don't take my opinion as gospel, check them out on their websites, look at the best prices, look for test reports. Do some leg work, no pain, no gain

[DTD]

Re: Which product for now?

If you're used to Elements and like it, I'd upgrade to v5.
Personally I use Aperture and PhotoShop.

[rogleale]

Re: Which product for now?

Hi Joe,
Over the last few years I have tried most image processing progs and at the moment I am on Photoshop CS2 and CS3 Beta. Since it was available I have been running the Lightroom betas, and in my opinion it is the best thing around for a digital photographer who doesn't want to go Photoshop.
Sorry Stephen, but you are wrong about Lightroom. It is first of all an image processing programme which can handle raws, tiffs, and jpegs, all without altering the original image because the adjustments are kept in a separate file. It can access all photo files on your current file system, no need to change that, it also has a very effective printing module which can handle all the profiles you can throw at it. Many pros are very enthusiastic about LR, I shall certainly be using it and using Photoshop less often, and at $199 I think that many amateurs will be changing to it because it has a very intuitive GUI, and many other built-in functions like web presentations, PDF making etc.
If I were you I'd download a trial and try it out.

[Stephen]

Re: Which product for now?

Hi Joe,

Sorry Stephen, but you are wrong about Lightroom. It is first of all an image processing programme which can handle raws, tiffs, and jpegs, all without altering the original image because the adjustments are kept in a separate file. It can access all photo files on your current file system, no need to change that, it also has a very effective printing module which can handle all the profiles you can throw at it. Many pros are very enthusiastic about LR, I shall certainly be using it and using Photoshop less often, and at $199 I think that many amateurs will be changing to it because it has a very intuitive GUI, and many other built-in functions like web presentations, PDF making etc.
If I were you I'd download a trial and try it out.

I'm happy to bow to your superior knowledge of Lightroom Roger. However I did say PSE5 was an image manipulation program as appose to processing, and of course it has many of the main functions used by amateurs that are in CS2. It is a different concept to Lightroom and is not an asset managemnent/file management prog, however it can certainly access all the files on your PC. and do more than simple processing.

As Joe already has PSE2 the upgrade route may be less problematical and less of a learning curve, so I would still be inclined to go that route

[Ian]

Re: Which product for now?

I feel Photoshop and LightRoom are complimentary. Lightroom is a fast way of viewing, organising and adjusting your photos. You can then use Photoshop for more powerful and intricate corrections and effects on images you will likely have already adjusted in LightRoom.

Whether LightRoom does everything that iView does, I'm not yet sure. iView started off primarily as an image management tool. Microsoft's acquisition of iView probably means that it will be turned into a Light Room competitor eventually.

Photoshop Elements 5 is an excellent program and very affordable. Its main issue is that its RAW conversion facilities are not particularly comprehensive. Maybe I'd stick with iView (which is immensely powerful as a digital asset management solution), buy PSE5 and see how that combination works. If you then feel constrained, then think about the more expensive options.

Ian

[Ian]

Re: Which product for now?

I'm happy to bow to your superior knowledge of Lightroom Roger. However I did say PSE5 was an image manipulation program as appose to processing, and of course it has many of the main functions used by amateurs that are in CS2. It is a different concept to Lightroom and is not an asset managemnent/file management prog, however it can certainly access all the files on your PC. and do more than simple processing.

As Joe already has PSE2 the upgrade route may be less problematical and less of a learning curve, so I would still be inclined to go that route

PSE2 is nothing like PSE5 really - it's like comparing Photoshop 7 with CS3. PSE5 (and since PSE3) incorporates Photoshop Album, which is quite a powerful image management solution, though tailored for consumers rather than professionals.

Ian

[Stephen]

Re: Which product for now?

PSE2 is nothing like PSE5 really - it's like comparing Photoshop 7 with CS3. PSE5 (and since PSE3) incorporates Photoshop Album, which is quite a powerful image management solution, though tailored for consumers rather than professionals.

Ian

Indeed, it is a much more comprehensive program, but it does use many of the regular Photoshop protocols, which from a learning curve pov can be useful.

[Tinka]

Re: Which product for now?

Hi all,
An interesting discussion,
I use PS7 and PSP8 both of which were a gift from a friend upgrading, and have also just started to use Adobe lightroom Beta, My own opinion is,
If I was stumped for cash I would go the Elements route, as it is a proven capable inexpensive prog, a lot of the free progs which I have tried are less intuative although quite capable progs.
The only gripe I have with most if not all the progs to date is that none or very few cater for Fuji raw files, for what reason I do not know, which is a pain to say the least, as it means converting the files etc:

[Stephen]

Re: Which product for now?

Hi all,
An interesting discussion,
I use PS7 and PSP8 both of which were a gift from a friend upgrading, and have also just started to use Adobe lightroom Beta, My own opinion is,
If I was stumped for cash I would go the Elements route, as it is a proven capable inexpensive prog, a lot of the free progs which I have tried are less intuative although quite capable progs.
The only gripe I have with most if not all the progs to date is that none or very few cater for Fuji raw files, for what reason I do not know, which is a pain to say the least, as it means converting the files etc:

It seems even the Nikon D40 is not catered for by Adobe yet

[DTD]

Re: Which product for now?

Don't get me started on unsupported cameras!
There are some very popular dSLRs Apple haven't supported with Aperture.
I know of a couple of people who have gone the Capture 1 route because of it.

[joefoto]

Re: Which product for now?

Thanks to you all (or y'all if yuh speak Okie). This is just the kind of info I am seeking. Does anyone else besides me use the ACDSee products?

[Ian]

Re: Which product for now?

I have ACDSee Pro 8.1 installed and it's the default viewer on this PC. I like its viewing and exif display and file renaming capabilities. I don't use it for image processing or editing, though.

Ian

[rogleale]

Re: Which product for now?

Hi Ian,

I think that you are right saying that LR and PS are complementary, but I am also sure that lots of photographers will be using PS much less often if they try LR. With all the additions in V1.0, clone/healing tools, the new HSL adjusters etc., there will just be much less need to use PS.
I was impressed by the zonal colour correction tool in Nikon NX, but the new HSL adjustment method in LR is fantastic - just click on the colour you wish to change and drag, with instant reaction. No sliders necessary!
There are some good video tuts becoming available now, one very good one is Sean McCormack's blog HERE and Scott Kelby has some useful ones if you can stand his sense of humour!
I'm beginning to sound like an Adobe salesman!!

Roger

[joefoto]

Re: Which product for now?

I have ACDSee Pro 8.1 installed and it's the default viewer on this PC. I like its viewing and exif display and file renaming capabilities. I don't use it for image processing or editing, though.

Ian

So what do you recommend for editting, Ian?