Good editing programs?

o2baladyvol · Dec 25, 2010

New camera, having to get used to editing again...I cannot find a program I really like like one of the original adobe programs. What do you use?

Picasa Web Albums - Stephanie D

tirediron · Dec 25, 2010

My preference is for Nikon Capture II, and CS 4 with the NiK software suite plug-ins. Probably the most popular piece of software right now is Adobe's Lightroom 3, however that is a RAW editor, so of little use if you're not shooting primarily or exclusively in RAW. Depending on your budget, you may want to look at Adobe Photoshop Elements or Corel's PaintShop Pro, both in the ~<$100 range, or if you are really strapped for cash, Get the Gimp! Gimp is freeware application which has probably about 90% of the features and functionality of Photoshop, albeit in a less pleasant UI.

SoulXquisite · Dec 25, 2010

Adobe Lightroom is a great program. I used picassa before its ok for starting. Gimp is also a great free program that acts like photoshop(like tirediron said)

KmH · Dec 25, 2010

Adobe Lightroom cannot edit pixels, doesn't have selection tools, and can't do layers.

Lightroom's main function is image database management.

However it is a good compliment to Adobe Photoshop CS5. The ACR 6 that comes with CS5 is virtually the same edit rendering engine that Lightroom 3 uses. The Adobe Bridge that also comes with CS5 is an image browser, not a database manager, so it takes a little longer to locate specific images using Bridge than it does using Lightroom, if Lightroom is being used properly (keywording at upload).

Jcampbelll · Dec 25, 2010

Unless you are doing heavy editing as mentioned by KmH. Lightroom 3 is a perfect editing program.

RogerD7000 · Dec 25, 2010

How does Aperture compare?

Higgs Boson · Dec 26, 2010

Lightroom 3 and Photoshop CS5.

I tried GIMP, Picasa, etc free programs. They were ok and work as advertised. But for true functionality, leading tech magic, etc you can't really beat the real deal (unless all you want to do is Auto Curves).