Next best thing to Photoshop?

[Sarah23]

If you cant afford Photoshop? (like CS3) what is the next best thing? I have been using Photoshop Elements 30-day trial, but its about to expire.

Im looking for something under $100. There is no way in hates I could spend hundreds on CS3...lol! I just dont have that kind of cash on hand!

 

[GreenGhost]

http://www.gimp.org/ --- free

http://www.ulead.com/pi/features.htm - this is under $100 and pretty user friendly

 

[JimmyO]

Gimp is awesome. Takes a little while to get used to but for most people theres not advantage to buying for something that has stuff they will not use.

And you could just get elements 6.0....
http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=205769458&listingid=19201173&dcaid=17902#

 

[Socrates]

If you cant afford Photoshop? (like CS3) what is the next best thing? I have been using Photoshop Elements 30-day trial, but its about to expire.

Im looking for something under $100. There is no way in hates I could spend hundreds on CS3...lol! I just dont have that kind of cash on hand!

Photoshop Elements...
http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopelwin/
90% of the power at 10% of the price.

 

[JimmyO]

^^^^Exactly

 

[memento]

+1 for Elements.

I got 6 for x-mas.
it's around $90 usd..

 

[Socrates]

+1 for Elements.

I got 6 for x-mas.
it's around $90 usd..

I got my current version a while back from Amazon. The listed price was US$89 but Adobe had a US$50 rebate (because I owned a prior version) AND Amazon had a US$40 rebate. I made a US$1 profit to take the software off their hands!

 

[memento]

I got my current version a while back from Amazon. The listed price was US$89 but Adobe had a US$50 rebate (because I owned a prior version) AND Amazon had a US$40 rebate. I made a US$1 profit to take the software off their hands!

awesome!

there's awlays deals out there, if you're patient.
my problem is the patience part..

 

[sabbath999]

GIMP is great for windows users. Macs... not so much.

 

[Socrates]

GIMP is great for windows users. Macs... not so much.

Do real photographers use Windoze?

 

[sabbath999]

Real photographers use CAMERAS...

 

[ChrisP]

You're not a Nikon shooter, but I use combo of Nikon's CaptureNX and Elements. CaptureNX for my RAW processing and the usual white balance, exposure, levels, and sharpening, and then Elements for the creative stuff.

 

[Bigcity]

I have Elements 6, it is great for everyday editing. I would like CS3, but unless you're making money off it - it's hard to justify the cost.

 

[skieur]

PaintShop Pro Photo X2 has more Photoshop features than Elements at a cost of less than $100.

skieur

 

[B192734]

Generally any brand name software out there has an open source "equivalent". Like Photoshop and Gimp. You may have to dig through a bunch of different programs to find the one that matches what you want the best, but they are normally out there. You can try looking at places like Sourceforge.net.