Cherryfield.net
Digital Photography Resources
Photo Editors
- First choice, mid-Level: Photoshop Elements 2 is for more advanced graphics editing. There are a lot of good graphic editors, but for a reasonably priced editor this is one of the best. Replaced by Elements 3, but still consider Elements 2, see updates below.
- First choice, Professional: Adobe Photoshop -- this is the editor used by all professionals, it's expensive and learning to use it takes more commitment than most software. However, if you learn to use Elements first, you won't find it difficult.
- Paint Shop -- probably the most bang for your buck. Paint Shop Pro is in the same class as the other to editors listed here and the package includes an Album program that is like, but not as nice as, ACDSee or ThumbsPlus. I bought a then current previous version at Sam's Club for about $60 after rebate. The current version is Paint Shop Pro 9.
- Picture Publisher - another editor in the Photoshop class. If you can get an older version cheap it's well worth the price. Amazon.com was selling version 10 for $36, but seems to have run out. Overstock.com had version 8 for under $10, but they also seem to have sold out.
- Corel -- another powerful package which has kept up with Photoshop, it's big advantage is that it includes their illustrating program Corel Draw in the package while Adobe charges you another small fortune for Adobe Illustrator.
- Updates: Elements 2 has been replaced by Elements 3, but I still like Elements 2 which you can now buy on the interent for $30 or less ... Elements 3 is $90-100.) I haven't used Elements 3, but understnd it has a built-in graphics organizer that drives some people crazy and may be hard to turn off. Although you can download many of these programs from the internet, check for good deals on boxed versions which include printed manuals. Use internet shopping tools like: CNet.com, Froogle.com, PriceGrabber.com, etc.
Back to Index
635
