Elements Software

RAZKY · Jul 30, 2022

Can one edit 16-bit TIFF files in Elements?

Ysarex · Jul 30, 2022

RAZKY said:
Can one edit 16-bit TIFF files in Elements?

Partially. The ACR component of Elements will output in 16 bits and some of Elements editing functions will work with that image before forcing an 8 bit conversion. But to take full advantage of the range of editing ability in Elements the conversion to 8 bit is required.

Elements can be used to reasonable effect by paying attention to what's done when and where. Get edits that involve substantial changes to tone and color completed in ACR.

Elements is a less expensive alternative to PS. Adobe isn't going to allow Elements to become feature competitive with PS. Given the cost of Elements the best alternative now is Affinity Photo which costs less than Elements. Affinity Photo unfortunately handles raw files very poorly but that's easy to work around using a free raw converter like RawTherapee.

AlanKlein · Jul 30, 2022

Doesn't what you want to do with your pictures play an important part in making a determination as to what editing program to use? What will you do with yours?

RAZKY · Jul 31, 2022

Ysarex said:
Partially. The ACR component of Elements will output in 16 bits and some of Elements editing functions will work with that image before forcing an 8 bit conversion. But to take full advantage of the range of editing ability in Elements the conversion to 8 bit is required.

Elements can be used to reasonable effect by paying attention to what's done when and where. Get edits that involve substantial changes to tone and color completed in ACR.

Elements is a less expensive alternative to PS. Adobe isn't going to allow Elements to become feature competitive with PS. Given the cost of Elements the best alternative now is Affinity Photo which costs less than Elements. Affinity Photo unfortunately handles raw files very poorly but that's easy to work around using a free raw converter like RawTherapee.

I'm just going to subscribe to Photoshop and be done with it. Really appreciate the information.

RAZKY · Jul 31, 2022

AlanKlein said:
Doesn't what you want to do with your pictures play an important part in making a determination as to what editing program to use? What will you do with yours?

I print them.

AlanKlein · Jul 31, 2022

Good luck. I'm sure you made the right choice.

RAZKY · Jul 31, 2022

AlanKlein said:
Good luck. I'm sure you made the right choice.

Thanks for the affirmation - I'm digitizing 65 years worth of transparencies and need all the help I can get!

AlanKlein · Jul 31, 2022

One suggestion. After you do all the edits with Photoshop CC online, it might be a good idea to make a TIFF with all the edits - your final picture. And save it as a separate file.

If you ever decide to stop the monthly service, you won't have access to the PS editing program of what you did to all the photos. So you would have to start over and use another program to edit each picture. By saving a final TIFF or a superior compressed jpeg, you'll at least have all the edits made incorporated into the final photo file. Then you can make any additional minor edits to the TIFF with your new editing program if required without starting over.

You might be able to resign up with CC if that need occurs. But I don't know the mechanics of that. Someone else familiar with it will have to comment.

RAZKY · Jul 31, 2022

AlanKlein said:
One suggestion. After you do all the edits with Photoshop CC online, it might be a good idea to make a TIFF with all the edits - your final picture. And save it as a separate file.

If you ever decide to stop the monthly service, you won't have access to the PS editing program of what you did to all the photos. So you would have to start over and use another program to edit each picture. By saving a final TIFF or a superior compressed jpeg, you'll at least have all the edits made incorporated into the final photo file. Then you can make any additional minor edits to the TIFF with your new editing program if required without starting over.

You might be able to resign up with CC if that need occurs. But I don't know the mechanics of that. Someone else familiar with it will have to comment.

Actually, the only files I work with (or want to work with) are 16-bit TIFF - lossless, uncompressed, and maximum color depth. I convert the NEF files to 16-bit TIFF with the software that came with my Nikon Df. I don't do JPEGs. I've had no problems printing 16-bit TIFFs. Also, as far as I know, any program that will open a JPEG will also open a TIFF.

AlanKlein · Jul 31, 2022

RAZKY said:
Actually, the only files I work with (or want to work with) are 16-bit TIFF - lossless, uncompressed, and maximum color depth. I convert the NEF files to 16-bit TIFF with the software that came with my Nikon Df. I don't do JPEGs. I've had no problems printing 16-bit TIFFs. Also, as far as I know, any program that will open a JPEG will also open a TIFF.

My point is you want to make a final tiff file that contains all the edits you made.

I don't know about PS because I don't use it. But Lightroom does not modify the original tiff photo file when editing. It creates a table of edits that it applies to the unedited original tiff when you print without changing the original tiff file. In order to print, Lightroom does not require there to be a final tiff file that contains all the edits. If you did not make one, and you cancel your CC subscription, you won't be able to access all the edits. You will have to start over editing the original raw tiff from the beginning with your new editing program.

So you want to create a second tiff photo file that contains all the edits in the image and save it as a separate second file.