Which software do you use for your photo-editing?

[r0g3r]

Hey guys,

I'm looking to get some software that handles RAW images from dslr, and one i can use to edit the pictures.

I've been looking around the net and there are few options I found:

-Adobe photoshop elements
-Adobe lightroom
-Paintshop pro

Have you tried any of these? Which would you recommend?

I really don't want to spend too much money so the cheaper the better.. lol

Thanks for your help

[Mitsu3000gt]

Do you shoot Nikon? If yes, Nikon Capture NX2 + Photoshop CS6, Elements, or Lightroom

If no, just use Elements, Lightroom or CS6. Those work out the best for most people and are by far the most popular.

Since Google bought Nik, you can get easily one of the best plug in suites for $149 (used to be $500). I highly recommend this:

https://www.google.com/nikcollection/

If you are a student, teacher, or know someone who is, you can get CS6 for really cheap.

Adobe recently started up the monthly fee garbage though, so I am not sure if that education deal is still valid.

[r0g3r]

Yes I use Nikon.

The plug-in suites you mentioned, are they plugins for the NIkon Capture Nx2 software?


EDIT: Nvm, just read the requiremetns lol


I'm no longer a student otherwise i would get the Lightroom student deal. Problem is Adobe does their checking upon activation so it's really annoying otherwise i would try to by pass it by getting someone else to buy it for me.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by r0g3r
Yes I use Nikon.

The plug-in suites you mentioned, are they plugins for the NIkon Capture Nx2 software?

Unfortunately NX2 no longer supports the Nik plug ins, I think that ended when Google bought Nik. The Nik plugins work in Lightroom or CS6.

NX2 isn't the speediest program, but offers the best RAW conversion for Nikon files. Nikon doesn't share their algorithms with Adobe, I wish they did. Use Capture NX2 for RAW conversion and basic correction (exposure, WB, etc.) and then export to Photoshop. The plug ins run way faster in Photoshop, so you'll want to be using them there anyway. The nice thing about NX is that it applies you in-camera JPEG settings to the RAW which cuts down on processing time quite a bit. It also means there is never any need to shoot RAW+JPEG, you can leave it on RAW, and do a super simple batch SAVE-AS in NX2 if you just want all JPEGs.

You only need to know a student/teacher to get the discount. You just need their info upon activation and the software key they email you. After that, you don't have to ever do anything else.

[The_Penguin]

Lightroom!

I used to use ThumbsPlus for management and Photoshop for editing.
Then ThumbsPlus turned to shit, so I switched to ACDsee.

Then I discovered Lightroom. Does management, and 99% of what I need for editing even better than Photoshop if I need to apply the same edit to a group of photos..
I only use Photoshop when I need to do complex editing with layers etc. which is rarely.

[seer_claw]

Lightroom with some small adjustments in PS if required.

[seer_claw]

Originally posted by r0g3r
Yes I use Nikon.

The plug-in suites you mentioned, are they plugins for the NIkon Capture Nx2 software?


EDIT: Nvm, just read the requiremetns lol


I'm no longer a student otherwise i would get the Lightroom student deal. Problem is Adobe does their checking upon activation so it's really annoying otherwise i would try to by pass it by getting someone else to buy it for me.

I've got a copy of Lightroom 5 if you are interested.

[r0g3r]

Sure I'm interested.. How much?

[Zorac]

ive been happy with acdsee pro. it usually goes on sale for pretty heavy discounts, and they are due for a new version so you can get it for pretty cheap. what i really liked about it is that you don't have to import or maintain a database just to work with your images like lightroom.

[blitz]

Lightroom.

It organizes as the same time, it's cheap and it's the industry standard that all plug ins work off of.