photeach Loc: beautiful Kansas

Did you learn a lot from the replies? I didn't. That my beef about the Photoshop vs Photoshop Elements debate: no one can provide a list of 10 features that they regularly use in Photoshop CS6 that aren't available in Photoshop Elements. They just tell you to explore the features for yourself or trail off on the 8-bit vs 16-bit argument.
Well I have both Photoshop CS6 and Photoshop Elements 12, and the Elements version is so much friendlier and better organized. Also, a lot of us are using some marvelous plug-ins that provide us the features and convenience we want for our photos. Photoshop and Photoshop Elements are just the platforms. But, as with many debates on this form, people have shelled out money for something and then feel compelled to defend what they have bought, be it software or cameras. I actually bought the PhotoShop Elements 12 to add to my work-provided CS6 because I loved the way the pasteboard was organized, so I am just like everyone else.

Algernon Loc: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

While I probably should have been more clear in how I posed my original post, I have to confess that I was a little surprised at the lack of clarity regarding my primary question: what functionality does PS have that PSE doesn't.


Interesting decision and assessment. For me, neither PS nor PSE will be my primary editing software. I will continue to use LR.

dannac Loc: 60 miles SW of New Orleans

Bob Yankle gave the majority of differences.

If you expected someone to list each detail for you, that would have to be a very long list, and take lots of time.
It would probably take the deveolper's to give you that.

Download the trial and find out for yourself if you are not satisfied with the answers given.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I borrowed this from Adobe's Photoshop Elements forum in the FAQ section: http://forums.adobe.com/message/4568487#4568487

"What is Photoshop CS/CC (PSCS/PSCC)?

Photoshop is a professional tool used throughout many industries as the standard for digital image manipulation and painting. It has very rich, and often complex, tools and options. As such, it comes with a professional price tag.

What is Photoshop Elements (PSE)?

Photosohp Elements is a consumer product. It's made for users who don't need as many features and complex options. It has a simpler design, guided workflows, and an organizer to help you manage your files.

What are the some of the specific differences? Here is a list of some of the major differences between Photoshop Elements and Photoshop:

Adobe Camera Raw differences between Photoshop and Photoshop Elements

Photoshop Elements comes with a database driven Digital Asset Management application called Elements Organizer. Photoshop comes with Bridge, a file navigation system that operates much like Windows Explorer or Macintosh Finder. While there are several functions that both Organizer and Bridge use, they are fundamentally different applications and serve different purposes.

Photoshop Elements does not support the following color modes: Duotone, CMYK, Lab, Multichannel

There is very little 16-bit support in Photoshop Elements. You cannot create or convert an image to 16-bit, only open images that are already 16-bit. While working with a 16-bit image you cannot work with layers. The following tools do not work: Magic Wand, Selection Brush, the family of Type tools, Recompose, Cookie Cutter, Straighten, the brush based tools (Paint Brush, Eraser, Dodge, Blur, etc), or the shape based tools (Rectangle, Ellipse, Custom Shape, etc). Many filters do not work, mainly those featured in the Filter Gallery.

Photoshop Elements does not fully support Smart Objects. While you can open files that already have Smart Object layers, you cannot create Smart Objects nor open the files embedded as Smart Objects.

Photoshop Elements does not have a Channels panel. Nor does it have the Channel Mixer Adjustment/Enhancement.

Photoshop Elements cannot merge multiple/bracketed photo exposures into an HDR image. There is no support for 32-bit images. However, Photoshop Elements does offer Photomerge Exposure as a similar function.

Photoshop Elements does not use the same range of Content-Aware functions. While the Spot Healing Brush includes the Content-Aware option in both applications, Photoshop Elements does not have Conent-Aware as an option in the Edit > Fill Layer command (known simply as Edit > Fill in Photoshop). However, Photoshop Elements does use a Content-Aware Fill option when creating a Photomerge Panorama, this is not an option in Photoshop. Photoshop CS6 introduced the Content-Aware Extend and Move tools, which are not available in Photoshop Elements.

Photoshop Elements has fewer vector based tools. The Pen family of tools are not available. The Shape tools do create a vector shape layer, but the vector points cannot be edited individually. There is no Paths panel.

The licence from a boxed purchase of Photoshop Elements is multi-platform (as of version 9). This means you can install on either Windows or Macintosh or both without having to purchase a separate version. This was not true with Photoshop. However, with Creative Cloud we no longer sell boxed products and all licenses are multi-platform.

Photoshop Elements does not have the Subtract or Divide blending modes that were introduced in Photoshop CS5.

Photoshop and Photoshop Elements can both Transform selected pixels in the following ways: Scale, Rotate, Skew, Distort, and Perspective. Photoshop Elements does not have the Warp Transform option.

The Photoshop Elements Color Picker does not include the following options available in Photoshop's Color Picker: the Not a web-safe color alert icon, the Add to Swatches and Color Libraries buttons, and the Lab and CMYK models.

Photoshop Extended CS6 has the following panels that Photoshop Elements 11 does not: 3D*, Brush, Brush Presets, Channels, Character, Character Styles, Clone Source, Color, Layer Comps, Measurement Log*, Notes, Paragraph, Paragraph Styles, Paths, Properties, Styles, Timeline, and Tool Presets.

Photoshop Elements does not support Extensions such as Mini Bridge and Kuler."

TheDman Loc: USA

8-bit vs 16-bit isn't even an argument; it's a complete deal breaker. Can't do without the 16 bit. Aside from that though (and I've never used Elements so I don't know the answer to most of these), can Elements create luminosity masks, group layers and mask those groups? Can I record actions and assign those to function keys? Create smart objects? Support all color modes (LAB, CMYK, etc)? View and edit channels?

Algernon Loc: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Excellent response. Well done. That is helpful.

I kept the items from your post that I might be interested in. Though without playing around I'm not exactly sure what all these features really do (e.g. Smart Objects, Content Aware, etc.).

The other stuff (I perceive) is geared towards the professional photographer and probably not applicable to me.

Algernon Loc: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Ummm. Slightly off-topic-really-dumb-question: RAW is 16 bit, right? But exporting to JPG is 8 bit?

I'll probably be embarrassed by the obviousness of the answer, but hey, it's Monday.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Thank you and you are welcome. But, it was only a cut and paste from an Adobe sponsored forum.

ediesaul

I use Elements 12. One big difference between this version of Elements and previous versions is the elimination of stitching photos to tell a story. I'm sure that the full version of Photoshop includes this function.

Algernon Loc: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

:: smile ::
True. But in your searching, you accomplished what eluded me.

don26812 Loc: South Bay of Los Angeles, CA

A quick addition to what has been said above, are you using the Library module of Lightroom to manage your photo collection or the Organizer in PSE?

If you are using the Organizer, I would convert its Catalog to Lightroom, and the use the Photoshop CC and Lightroom CC programs.

You really do not want to use both the Library module of Lightroom and the Organizer to manage your images.

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

The main issue I have with PSE is that it has to scale so many things down to 8-bits in order to work. This includes filters and layers. The main reason I use Photoshop is to go to it for layers and filters, and to be scaled down to 8-bits is a show stopper.

I do most of my work in Lightroom using RAW images. From Lightroom, I can go to Photoshop, do some things and return to Lightroom. If in the process it is scaled down to 8-bits, why bother?

TheDman Loc: USA

Yes, however once you've left your raw converter and opened the file in Photoshop/PSE, it is no longer a raw file and is now a bitmap file. In Photoshop this bitmap file can be edited in 16-bit mode, while in PSE it can only be edited in 8-bit.

Algernon Loc: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Good question. I am using Lightroom's Library module. I never used the Organizer in PSE.

Well, technically, there are a bunch of legacy folders that I haven't yet imported into LR that are simply "parking lots" for photos either in their original form or exported versions edited previously in Aperture.

Algernon Loc: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Thanks! What about in Lightroom? I'm converting to DNG on import.