Need Advice on photo editors: Other than Photoshop, what do most of you use as an editor that supports PSD files?

fotomagic Loc: Glendale, Arizona

Other than Photoshop, what do most of you use as an editor that supports PSD files?

Adubin Loc: Indialantic, Florida

It looks like you can use GIMP to edit .PSD files and it's free. Arnold

Iduno Loc: Near Tampa Florida

I like Elements. It's what I consider reasonably priced and more powerful than I need it to be. There's plenty of free training for it online. I like that too. I do see that many folks like the free Gimp product and I've never heard anything bad about it.

MtnMan Loc: ID

I tried GIMP. It is fabulous for a free product but the Help sucks and much of the available You-tube training is crude. I did get a great book on it but for reason below just sold it on Amazon.

I have gone to Elements 10. It is actually three programs in one: Organizer, Editor, and Adobe Camera Raw. It is currently $50.

The online training is great, there is a great magazine, and there are already some great books on it (e.g. Dummies Guide), although I am waiting on Scott Kelby's new book in January.

Regards,
Larry Leach

Iduno wrote:

I like Elements. It's what I consider reasonably priced and more powerful than I need it to be. There's plenty of free training for it online. I like that too. I do see that many folks like the free Gimp product and I've never heard anything bad about it.

Dun1 Loc: Atlanta, GA

Gimp is free and I realize that is as just as powerful at most of the Adobe offerings. I did find that it for me it was hard to use and not as user friendly as most Adobe offerings.
You can also take a look at Corel's Paint Shop offerings, Paint Shop Pro supports .psd files.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

I use PaintShop Pro X4 for the majority of my editing, but I also use Gimp, Nikon Capture NX2, DXO Optic 7, Photoshop 5.0 and AdobeElements 9. They all work but they all have their strengths and idiosynchracies too. Not unusual for me to edit one photo 3 times in different programs to get just the effect I want or need. PSD files are editable in almost all formats, but most readily by Photoshop products, I prefer to work in TIFF after converting from RAW format.

MtnMan Loc: ID

Why Tiff?

MT Shooter wrote:

I use PaintShop Pro X4 for the majority of my editing, but I also use Gimp, Nikon Capture NX2, DXO Optic 7, Photoshop 5.0 and AdobeElements 9. They all work but they all have their strengths and idiosynchracies too. Not unusual for me to edit one photo 3 times in different programs to get just the effect I want or need. PSD files are editable in almost all formats, but most readily by Photoshop products, I prefer to work in TIFF after converting from RAW format.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

lleach wrote:

Why Tiff? br br quote=MT Shooter I use PaintShop... (show quote)

Because I have yet to find a photo printer that will print RAW files, all will print TIFF, and I do not like the "lossy" JPG's but I can easily convert a JPG copy anytime to post here or other sites that require JPG format. I have a 1TB hard drive in my computer and a 3TB portable so storage space isn't a problem for me. Just my personal choice

MtnMan Loc: ID

Thanks!

MT Shooter wrote:

quote=lleach Why Tiff? br br quote=MT Shooter I... (show quote)

Bob Curtis Loc: Bay City, TX

The only program I use is Photoshop as this is the only program I have ever used since it first came out many years ago. It was only in B/W then but it has really grown to become THE leading retouching and adjustment program available now. I am very familiar with it, have no problems now, have about 10 -15 books for reference when ever I do have a problem, regularly attend seminars on upgrades and keep up with all of the improvements, so there is really no reason, except cost of upgrades, for me to make a change. By the way, I also have a Wacom tablet which makes it easier to make adjustments.

hlmichel Loc: New Hope, Minnesota

I use Paint Shop Pro X3 after processing my RAWs in ViewNX and converting.

I've tried Gimp and just don't have the patience to learn it. I had the demo of CS5 and just don't like it. Getting tired of X3 locking up and crashing so considering a move to elements.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

hlmichel wrote:

I use Paint Shop Pro X3 after processing my RAWs in ViewNX and converting.

I've tried Gimp and just don't have the patience to learn it. I had the demo of CS5 and just don't like it. Getting tired of X3 locking up and crashing so considering a move to elements.

You should try upgrading to PaintShop Pro X4. It is light years ahead of X3 and about the same interface, and only $39 right now, bought mine at Office Depot.

nyweb2001

Besides Elements 9, I also have Paint Shop Pro X2. I use Elements most of the time but PSP X2 has a few features that Elements doesn't. For instance, it has a simple HDR effect and you can also use it with one image where most programs require 3. It's not a full featured plug in like Photomatix but it's nice now and then !