photoshop elements or paint shop pro?
bphilly
Registered Users Posts: 63 Big grins
since i cant afford the real photoshop, im looking at either elements or paint shop pro. i was wondering what people think of each software and which one they prefer.
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Been a PSP user for 10 years. Haven't needed PS yet, although that day is approaching. 95% of what you can do with PS can be accomplished with Elements or PSP or the Gimp.
Elements does not include the Curves tool, a powerful editing tool. PSP falls a bit short in the retouching department, namely the healing brush, not included in Elements. The browser in PSP is non-usable, but the interface is far easier to navigate, and customizable. Red-eye removal and white balance correction is better in PSP, but the auto photo correction in Elements is faster and more accurate. PSP can accept (proprietary) scripts, a powerful addition. Both packages have some pros and cons, but share mostly the same features.
For detailed info on starting with PSP, look here. I'm sure there's plenty of resources for Elements as well, but I don't use it, so I haven't collected those. Someone is sure to stop in soon with more on that package.
Price is right on either; PSP has some known bugs, but what doesn't these days? Elements probably does also.
Either way, you can get started with some powerful tools with these.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky
Elements was ok, a bit limiting I thought. I feel that Picasa2 offers nearly as much capability, and it is free. Also the software that came with my Canon was not far off from Elements.
This may be blasphemy around here, but I thought Photoshop was a mess. It worked like it was a bunch of plug-ins tossed about, without much integration or clear purpose. Bridge being a good example, as well as the RAW function. They are basically separate tools, with some slight integration. However, once past this, the level of fine control is unparalled. But,the most important thing about Photoshop isn't what the tool does, rather it is what is around the tool: there are hundreds of tutorials, plugins, scripts, books, tips and tricks, etc, to do nearly anything in the tool. This is extremely valuable, and makes a huge difference in actually getting anything done and understanding what you are doing.
PaintshopPro X is a much better rounded tool. It has the ease of use and handholding of Elements, with nearly the power and control of Photoshop. Much of the tasks that Photoshop makes hard are really very easy in PSP: auto contrast and color, fixes, perspective, etc are very easy. About the only thing I found missing is "LAB" mode. While you get the same things as "LAB" in Photoshop, it is not assembled together as is "LAB". This is again only really important as there are lots of tutorials that make use of "LAB", esp. around here. If you download the 30 day trial of PSP X, you can buy it for $99.
No actual LAB in PSP. But try this:
(note - I have not tried this, but this is some wisdom from the PSP Corel run forum - paraphrased)
Duplicate the background layer. Set top layer to "color - legacy." Whatever they say to do to the LAB luminance layer, do to the bottom layer. Whatever the PS LAB tutorial says to do to the a/b channels, do to the top layer.
Also, in PSP, there is a section stupidly named Unused Tools. In it, you'll find all sorts of goodies, including Manual White Balance. Best WB tool ever devised (yet they hide it).
BTW, PSP for $69
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky
If you decide to choose Elements (which would be my recommendation) make sure to look into Richard Lynch's Hidden Power of Photoshop Elements book. The tools that accompany it on CD opens up very useful capabilities such as curves. At about $27 on Amazon, it's a great deal.
Another good tool I use a lot is Curvemeister. It's a plugin that's compatible with Elements and CS2 and is a sort of "curves on steroids." I almost always use it instead of the build-in curves on CS2. It will also allow you to tinker with LAB curves in spite of the fact that Elements doesn't offer LAB mode. The downside on this one is that it costs $80. A free demo is available.
Good luck,
Rick
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I have had both -- I put off getting photoshop for years -- finally bit the bullet and got CS2.
In a nut shell, both are excellent. Psp is pretty much a $100 version of photoshop. It's just as compliated to learn as well.
Elements is a more beginner accessable -- yet still powerful -- package with pretty much all you'd need for photo editing.
No clear choice -- both excellent. I probably used elements more than psp when I had both and did not have photoshop.
Psp is definately more feature rich and powerful.
Lee
I've bought more editing software than I care to admit over the years....
PSP 8
PSP 9
Elements 2.0
Elements 3.0 (with the 'hidden power' add-ins)
MS Picture It!
Capture One Rebel (?)
Capture One LE
BreezeBrowser Pro
I've tried-Raw Shooter, DPP, Bibble, PS CS, and probably some I've forgotten.
Why would I share all that?
Because, the one I keep coming back to is PSP! And even then, I'm sticking with PSP 9 for now.
I came to the realization that I've been chasing my tail trying a whole bunch of stuff rather than settling down with one and actually *learning* how to get the best from it. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of great upgrades and stuff, but if I don't grasp the basics what's the point?
PSP offers great features with an interface that I really like, and enough power to do almost anything *I* need to do.
Right now, my current lineup is pretty simple. I use BreezeBrowser Pro for it's photo browsing and catologing (sp?), Canon's DPP for my RAW conversions, and PSP 9.0 for editing.
BreezeBrowser allows me to quickly review and tag images, DPP gives me enough control to get RAW conversion results I really like, and PSP 9 gets them edited.
One advantage of Elements over PSP is that it gets you into the Photoshop 'way' of doing things, which may be important to you if you decide to go with PS CS in the future. Elements on it's own is still a fine editing package also.
Take care and good light,
Mongrel
Danny.
You rebel!
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky
I like PhotoImpact too, plus PhotoshopElements 3
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