Which program to use??

[andre_diler]

I'm fairly new to digital and I'm wondering what the recommended photo

manipulation program is right now that is affordable. I use GIMP 2 and would

like to know if there is a better one out there such as Photoshop.

Thanks

Andre

[Matt Laur]

Photoshop CS3 is vastly superior to the GIMP, but is also vastly more complex and can take a long time to master. The real question is, what sort of manipulation do you have in mind? If it's mostly just rotate, crop, curves, sharpen, etc... you might even try Picasa (free, just like GIMP). The real answer to your question will come when you are more specific about:

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What camera are you using, and how are you using it?

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What file formats are you producing out of the camera (RAW? JPG?)

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What are you doing with the images... simple 4x6 prints, web content, large prints?

<br><br>

What sort of computer hardware do you have to run the app on, with how much speed, RAM, and on which operating system?

<br><br>

What's your budget?

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... you can see how these issues would all have something to do with whether or not you can get some helpful advice.

[peter_daalder]

<a href="http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite/us/en/Product/1184951547051"> Paint Shop Pro </a> comes to mind.<br>You can download a trial version and if it is what you're looking for, buy it for $90. That's pretty affordable...

[kbev]

I used Paint shop pro on my PC for a few years. It is a really good program. I have a great book for using it... if you decide to go that route, let me know and I'l post the title (i don't have the book handy)

[jimstrutz]

I've used PaintShop Pro for years as well, and it is easier to use than Photoshop, but I think Photoshop Elements is a better budget program for most things. About the only thing PSP adds is curves (nice but not essential), but PSE has other features that are better implemented -- and it's less buggy.

 

Corel bought PSP a couple years ago, and ever since it has gotten fatter, but less useful and more buggy. They have not upgraded the few things that really needed it, like 16 bit processing and color management.

[kari v]

GIMP2 does everything PS Elements and Paint Shop Pro do, except that PSE and PSP have more "one click" tools and perhaps a bit more logical naming conventions and GUI. Then again there's GimpShop that makes GIMP resemble Photoshop.

 

What kind of edits you usually do? Full Photoshop is one of those "if you don't know why you need it then you don't need it" tools and if you're not a student it costs as much as a new camera body or a good lens (yeah, sure you can download it for free in few minutes but...)

For many people Photoshop CS3 is not vastly superior to GIMP / PSE / PSP.

[fanta]

A big advantage of PS CS and PS Elements is that there is a LOT of instructional material out there (mostly not really worth much, and some really outstanding). I believe Adobe allows to download a free evaluation, may be also to eventually upgrade from PS Elements to PS CS. In my view PS CS doesn't really qualify as affordable, so I would advise starting with PS CS or, a very cost effective in my opinion, Picture Window Pro.

[fanta]

I meant: I would adivise starting with PS *Elements* pr PWP...