Additional Software Questions

[aklaube87]

What do you guys think of Elements? I'm considering buying it as I'm only using CS2 now - I've used CS3 only a little bit and I'm horribly finding out the limitations of using outdated software

-CS4 price is $700
-Lightroom is priced at $300
-Elements $70-100?

I have a decent knowledge of photo and shooting, but am a beginner at Digital Editting. Though, I don't want a program that will hold me back as I'm going to be using this quite extensively over the next year when I get in to doing landscape, night, and sports.. Suggestions to make this search a bit easier?

 

[Kimba]

i too am just beginning. i'm starting to use elements 7 and finding it quite good so far. i have heard a lot of great comments on lightroom as well

 

[Big Mike]

If you already have Photoshop, don't bother with Elements....it's basically Photoshop Lite.

CS2 isn't all that old. Sure, there are some nice improvements in CS3 and especially in CS4...but I don't think that Elements is the answer for you.

I personally love Lightroom and highly recommend it...but it's not a replacement for Photoshop.

 

[Samanax]

What do you guys think of Elements?

I've been using Photoshop Elements 6 for the past year and a half to do my photo editing and don't feel limited by it at all.

A lot of my shooting buddies use Lightroom 2 to do almost all of their PP work. I haven't picked it up yet.

If you already have CS2 can't you just get the CS4 upgrade? It's half the price of the full version.

You could start with Photoshop Elements 7 while you're learning how to do photo editing and then move up to CS4 in the future...that will allow you to learn how to post process your images and let you save up for CS4.

 

[benhasajeep]

I am guessing that you don't have your own version of CS2 that you are using. As the upgrade to CS4 is $199 (from CS, CS2, CS3). The full version is $699 list.

I have gone from Full version of 6, upgrade to 7, upgrade to CS2, upgrade to CS4. At the same time I purchased my CS4 upgrade I purchased LR2 (full version). There was a decent discount if you got the 2 together. I find I use both about the same, to maybe LR2 a little more often the CS4.

 

[jcblitz]

My wife is a teacher and was able to get a nice discount on Lightroom 2 at Adobe Lightroom 2 for Mac, Win at Academic Superstore

I think they also offer the same discount to students if you happened to find yourself in that boat.

 

[icassell]

My wife is a teacher and was able to get a nice discount on Lightroom 2 at Adobe Lightroom 2 for Mac, Win at Academic Superstore

I think they also offer the same discount to students if you happened to find yourself in that boat.

If you are a student or faculty member, Adobe has huge discounts. I just bought Lightroom and CS4 extended for the total price of about $400. You are allowed to buy one copy of each program per year in this plan. If you are not student/faculty, do you have a friend who is not a photographer who is a student and will buy for you?

 

[aklaube87]

I'm a student, just finishing up college in a few weeks so that advice works really well.
As of right now, don't have the serious kind of cash flow to purchase all the programs, but yes I am using a friends CD of CS2. I, however, was not aware of the CS2 -> CS4 upgrade discount, so that's kind out of the question. but I got the impression from doing research through the threads that Light-Room was "godly".

Anyways. With looking into the student discount, Adobe Lightroom 2 is only 98$ (200$) off.

Adobe Lightroom 2 for Mac, Win at Academic Superstore

I think I'm going to use this; thanks all for the very helpful advice

 

[icassell]

Considering how expensive CS4 is to the non-academic purchaser, you might consider pricing this and obtaining it before you leave school. I have both. Although LR2 has some editing capability, it is no where near as powerful at that function as CS4.

 

[SonnarSphere]

. Though, I don't want a program that will hold me back as I'm going to be using this quite extensively over the next year when I get in to doing landscape, night, and sports.. Suggestions to make this search a bit easier?

i use GIMP for maybe 10 years now. it's open-source (GNU), multi-platform, scripts and filters for practically any effect/task. try it out. latest release is 2.6.X. I use it in combination with Canon DPP for shooting RAW.

 

[KmH]

You can get the Student Editions discounts directly from Adobe in their Education Store.

Just be aware, the use license for Student Editions prohibits their use for commercial purposes. There's always a 'catch'.

 

[aklaube87]

Thanks all for your feedback! Sonnar, I'll let you know how GIMP goes for me and I'll post how everything works out