elements or lightroom?

[Josh_Houchin]

What is a good post processing program to use? I am trying to decide between elements or lightroom. Can you work on RAW images in elements?

 

[Ysarex]

Yes you can work on raw files in Elements, but it's kinda like trying to run a race with your shoelaces tied together. There are free raw converters that will do much more than the stripped down version of ACR in Elements. Consider Raw Therapee, LightZone or UFRaw. If you're going to spend money then buy Lightroom -- best bang for the buck.

Joe

 

[tirediron]

To a limited degree, yes. Lightroom however offers MUCH more ease of use, flexibility as well as some outstanding non-destructive enhancement tools. Really however, you should have both, as there are certain things that LR can't do (such as working with layers) which are very useful.

 

[EIngerson]

I'm also siding with lightroom.

 

[KmH]

Lightroom's Develop module and Elements Camera Raw use the same non-destructive parametric Raw Conversion software - Adobe Camera Raw, or ACR.

But LR is a pro grade application and Elements (PsE) is a consumer grade application. So the version of ACR in Elements is de-featured compared to the Develop module in LR.

I'm not yet familiar with PsE 12, so I don't know how much of ACR's tools, features, and functions PsE 12 has.

Actually I recommend you have both LR and PsE 12, because LR cannot edit pixels, but PsE 12 can.
In other words, PsE 12 can do a lot of editing tasks LR can't do, or that LR can't do with enough precision.

 

[Derrel]

Josh--Get Lightroom, definitely. Lightroom is the 40-horse outboard of the skiff world....it is the #5 spinner of the spinner world...it is the 12-gauge one and 1/4 ounce load of #6 shot of the shotgunning world...

 

[ronlane]

I have LR4 and PSE11. I use both, but If I had a newer OS and pc, I would look at the CC that has LR5 and CS6 for the monthly amount. CS6 can do so much more that PSE. (Not familiar with PSE 12 either.)

 

[fokker]

I have photoshop CS6 and lightroom 5. I almost never use photoshop, lightroom is just so much faster and easier for 95% of the editing I do.

 

[Roger3006]

Dtto on Lightroom first. The organizer in Elements sucks. Personally, I am with fokker 100%. I would want Lightroom on the front side of any editor I might use.

 

[ValerieGoettsch]

I'm with the Lightroom folks. I used to be a Photoshop person, but since I got Lightroom I almost never open PS. However, that's ALMOST never. There are occasions where only Photoshop can do the task and I like the spot healing tool better than LR's spot removal tool.

 

[SquarePeg]

You can usually get a 30 day free trial of both of these. See for yourself.

 

[kylecong]

Lightroom. You can almost get all the result as with Photoshop CS 6, or you can't tell the difference. There are somethings that are Photoshop only. The biggest one for me is 32 bit HDR. Photoshop Elements DO NOT support 32 bit photo. So, skip the Element and go with Photoshop CS6 or CC directly if you have enough budget.

 

[Steve5D]

I'll be the rogue, I guess.

I hated Lightroom. I tried it several years ago, and found it to be cumbersome and awkward. It might be different now, but new tricks, old dog, etc.

Elements works fine for me, and it allows me to do everything I need to do...