mffox Loc: Avon, CT

Has anyone had experience - good or bad - with Paint Shop Pro? Or know of a resource where the product has been evaluated? Thanks.

mffox

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Been using it for years. My skills are limited....
There are other users here on the hog.
Pat

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

I have used Paint Shop Pro since the beginning back in the 90s with good results. However, I still use the old Jasc version and have not updated since Corel took Jasc over.

Here is a comment about that subject from another forum, which I agree with:

"I still use PSP 8 on a regular basis, although I have PSP X and have used X1 and X2 on a trial basis. I don't think that there have been any worthwhile improvements in the newer versions to justify the expense. I'm rather suspicious of the Corel business ethic, it seems they bring out new versions very regularly with little justification."

Mike

watchcow Loc: Moore, Oklahoma

I use PSP and have since the 90's. The interface is pretty clean, they update it often enough that the features stay relevant and fairly current, it is supposed to adopt Photoshop actions as well. I have PSP x3 on my laptop and x6 ultimate on my desktop. the panorama stitching and HDR features in the later versions are pretty handy. Just like photoshop, it has its quirks and is not a no-brainer or dummied-down version of photoshop. It was always designed to be an alternative to photoshop with an emphasis on photo editing and photographic art rather than blank canvas design. Many people i know keep an old version of photoshop for those once in a great while needs for features or some plugin that seriously refuses to work with PSP, but PSP and aftershot are less taxing on your computer and do about everything photoshop does for the photographer. fluency has a lot to do with it too. someone truly fluent in photoshop can move at the same speed you would with PSP, but they have earned that over years and years of practice and the adobe tradition of rearranging the menus on every other version slows them down a lot more. what i really like about PSP and new photographers is that i can spend about half an hour with them after they have spent about $70 on the software and they can crank out some pretty good images for their family or workplace. 30 minutes with photoshop would just about get them to a place where they could resize an image or crop it, but little else.

If you do decide photoshop is the more complete tool for your needs, i recommend adobe cloud. its really hard to argue with $10 a month to have unlimited access to the latest versions of lightroom and photoshop. only notable downside is that you need a fast internet connection to do the initial install or you will feel like a geologic age has passed just getting it downloaded.

DigitalDon Loc: Calgary, Alberta

I used to use Jasc Paintshop Pro. It had some fun features that I enjoyed. I lost the CD somewhere and no longer have it. About a year ago I bought the new version. It has a lot more features and some good, quick features. However, it also "took over" my catalogging somehow. Perhaps because I was also running Adobe CS5? Bottom line, I had to remove this program, it just wasn't worth the conflict.

Wahawk Loc: NE IA

Great program!! Go to the Corel.com site, they have a 30 day trial available. I think it is definitely worth it!! I can't justify the Adobe prices when PaintShop Pro will do all of the same things that the majority of users need, and it will take MOST if not all plugins available for PhotoShop.

Nikon_DonB Loc: Chicago

Sounds like an echo in here......
I've had Paintshop Pro for years. I have the x6 version and find it is a great photo editing program for the money. Unless you are going to do a lot of fancy effects the Pro version with suffice, rather than the Ultimate, which is more expensive. The choice is yours.
It will do just about everything Photoshop will at a fraction of the price. Plus it will run most of the plug-ins Photoshop will. The Topaz plug-ins will interest you down the road.
Give it a try. I believe you can download the full version for a 30 day trial. Good Luck.

revhen Loc: By the beautiful Hudson

Have used PSP for YEARS. Have yet to exhaust its possibilities. Would like to use the old plugins that allow different effects such as oil painting, watercolor, etc. Any thoughts?

BboH Loc: s of 2/21, Ellicott City, MD

Have had it since Jasz introduced it. Have upgraded every year and have found, except on rare occasion, the upgrades are worthwhile.

pecohen Loc: Central Maine

While I agree that it is much the same program as it was under Jasc, I've kept buying the new ones - generally when they go on sale. There is rarely much of a penalty for being a year out of date and just before a new version comes out the previous year's version's price is at rock-bottom.

A recent version came out with a selection brush which is a great tool when you need it. Also, I recently noticed that there is support for saving images in loss-less JPEG. I'm not sure when that JPEG support was added.

The user interface has evolved more than anything else since Corel took over the product. You may or may not prefer it over the much simpler Jasc approach.

viscountdriver Loc: East Kent UK

I have the latest and it is very,very good.Get the Ultimate and you will get the Perfectly Clear.This is a brilliant programme but it is making me lazy as it doe the work for you.Don't be put of by the Adobe nuts, this is just as good and much cheaper.

Armadillo Loc: Ventura, CA

mffox,

You have received many good comments on psp. I cannot add to those experienced users of any version of psp, except to say I have enjoyed the productivity of the psp products.

To emphasize the quality of this photographic processing application I include a sample created with the aid of Paint Shop Pro X-6.

Michael G

Romanceing the Moon

joe west Loc: Taylor, Michigan

im using x6 nice program....

mffox Loc: Avon, CT

Thanks so much. Very helpful. I think I'll give it a try.

mffox

mffox Loc: Avon, CT

Thank you.
mffox