Photo Editing

[greybeard]

Afternoon everyone.
After lots of advice on this forum, I'm starting to get better with the manual settings, many thanks.
I'm now after some advice about photo editing, what's the best photo editing software for RAW images.
Many thanks.

What camera are you using?

 

[gk fotografie]

A fairly nice (simple and free) program to start editing RAW is PhotoScape X, but you can always opt for a program like GIMP, which is a kind of (free) Photoshop and at least just as difficult to get to know the many possibilities.

 

[AlanKlein]

Another vote for PS Elements to learn the ropes. Tons of online tutorials covering all actions.

PS ELements has a companion software video editing program called PS Premiere Elements. If you buy the package of two porgams, there a cost savings. I use the video program to create slide shows. You can also add video clips to the show with music credits, titles etc like this example and then download to YouTUbe or show on your smart TV or computer or cell phone.

 

[DanOstergren]

If you don't want to pay a lot of money, I recommend the Photography Plan of the Adobe CC subscription, which comes with Photoshop and Lightroom. You can process your raw images in Lightroom, or in Photoshop using the Adobe Camera Raw extension which comes built-in to Photoshop. Both are fairly straightforward so they're easy to learn, and there is no shortage of free online educational material that will give you the information you need to start using them effectively. My preference is Adobe Camera Raw in Photoshop, instead of Lightroom, but that's just my own personal preference.

 

[MontanaDave]

Afternoon everyone.
After lots of advice on this forum, I'm starting to get better with the manual settings, many thanks.
I'm now after some advice about photo editing, what's the best photo editing software for RAW images.
Many thanks.

I used to use Affiniity Photo, then Lightroom and Topaz.
For the past year or so I've been using ON1 Photo Raw 2025 and I love it.
I especially like their customer support.
Also a great teaching video library on most topics and features in the software.

You can try ON1 Photo Raw 2025 for trial 30 days for free.
https://www.on1.com/free-photo-editor-trial/

 

[greybeard]

What camera are you using?

I ask this because each camera manufacture usually has a free program for editing their RAW files. For instance, Nikon has NX studio that is a free download and (imho) is excellent. I also have lightroom, photoshop, and topaz but, I often use NX as part of my editing because It has my favorite colors. Good editing software is a bargain when you think about the cost of cameras and lenses by comparison. You might only use a super tele once in a while but you use your software for every shot.

 

[Rob one]

If you don't want to pay a lot of money, I recommend the Photography Plan of the Adobe CC subscription, which comes with Photoshop and Lightroom. You can process your raw images in Lightroom, or in Photoshop using the Adobe Camera Raw extension which comes built-in to Photoshop. Both are fairly straightforward so they're easy to learn, and there is no shortage of free online educational material online that will give you the information you need to start using them effectively. My preference is Adobe Camera Raw in Photoshop, instead of Lightroom, but that's just my own personal preference.

I'll give it a try, many thanks

 

[SunriseAvenue]

It really depends on your budget and level. I'd recommend starting out with something easier and free or budget-friendly. Some programs even have how-to articles on their websites:
How to Edit RAW Photos Like a Pro Without Photoshop
Getting Started - RawPedia

Open RAW Photos Online

Also, as other mentioned, your camera manufacturer's options might be worth checking out as well.

 

[Tartness9094]

A fairly nice (simple and free) program to start editing RAW is PhotoScape X, but you can always opt for a program like GIMP, which is a kind of (free) Photoshop and at least just as difficult to get to know the many possibilities.

I agree about Photoscape X, I have the Pro version that you have to pay for, I bought it years ago for a very small amount but it is a very underrated program.

 

[jcassel]

Afternoon everyone.
After lots of advice on this forum, I'm starting to get better with the manual settings, many thanks.
I'm now after some advice about photo editing, what's the best photo editing software for RAW images.
Many thanks.

My suggestion is Affinity Photo. No subscription, fully capable of near anyone’s needs. One time purchase and it’s yours. I taught photoshop back in the day, Affinity, in my opinion and personal experience, is the best alternative.

 

[MontanaDave]

I used to use Affiniity Photo, then Lightroom and Topaz.
For the past year or so I've been using ON1 Photo Raw 2025 and I love it.
I especially like their customer support.
Also a great teaching video library on most topics and features in the software.

I edit almost every day and it typically takes me about 2 minutes per photo.
I like that ON1 has AI based tools for noise removal, sharpening, color and tone adjustments
to quickly get my edit to close to what I desire, then a few minor tweaks and I am done.
And the adjustments are local (sky, animal, foliage, etc.) not global.
I also like their masking (gradient masks, depth masks, luminosity masks, AI-based masks, etc.)
ON1 supports most features found in Photoshop such as layers, filters, presets, etc. but you don't have to use
them if you don't want to.

You can try ON1 Photo Raw 2025 for trial 30 days for free.
https://www.on1.com/free-photo-editor-trial/

 

[Don Fischer]

Something I learned years ago is there is no best of anything! There is what your able to learn to use and your comfortable with and then the stuff well beyond your ability to comprehend how to use. I use Picasa 3, the free version. Lot of things I can't do but does more than enough to make me comfortable and happy with it. best will be determined by who you talk to.

 

[Rob one]

Something I learned years ago is there is no best of anything! There is what your able to learn to use and your comfortable with and then the stuff well beyond your ability to comprehend how to use. I use Picasa 3, the free version. Lot of things I can't do but does more than enough to make me comfortable and happy with it. best will be determined by who you talk to.

Many thanks for you comments. After a lot of searching, head scratching, and trying various different programs, I've gone for DXO photolab 8, it's a little expensive, but I tried the free trial first, the results are just fantastic, unbelievable quality. Their helpdesk online are also brilliant, very patient and helpful, I'm still on the basic settings, easy to use with brilliant results. I just thought if I'm scouring the countryside for great wildlife pictures, I should probably use a good program.

 

[Don Fischer]

Many thanks for you comments. After a lot of searching, head scratching, and trying various different programs, I've gone for DXO photolab 8, it's a little expensive, but I tried the free trial first, the results are just fantastic, unbelievable quality. Their helpdesk online are also brilliant, very patient and helpful, I'm still on the basic settings, easy to use with brilliant results. I just thought if I'm scouring the countryside for great wildlife pictures, I should probably use a good program.

...Great wildlife photo's! Your absolutely right there, find a way to learn to use the best program you can. On the down side of that the best program still only deliver's a photo you may or may not like. Have a brother that's a retired pro in Michigan and he learned to use photoshop really well. But he'd sit up nights till early in the morning figuring it all out, I lack the patience for that. what my brother did requires a discipline I simply don't have!

I like printing my own but it has also taught me that, like the modern camera, learning take's a big commitment and I don't know a lot of people that can make it. Upside is learn to get the best photo's you can and go for simple processing and call it good. I have at times paid a shop to print photo's for me; bigger than I could shoot. Deal is, not all shops are all that good in the first place but are run and making money by lesser learned owner's simply doing what they enjoy. And most the people getting these picture's haven't a clue how to do it themselves and not gonna try. Place I messed up in the beginning was getting a regular printer, 8 1/2". If I had to start over I'd go right off to a min 13" printer designed for photo printing. I wasted several years using my 8 1/2" printer. It did a good job but has its place and for me, that is not photo printing. Since getting my 13" printer the vast majority of my print's are 13"x"19 and 12"x24". Have sold a few and the smallest good one I sold was 13"x19". And I also have an 81/2" printer that does up to 8 1/2"x16" and I can operate on the front seat of my veh, comes in handy at times.

Deal with photography is like anything else you might want to do well. You either make a commitment to be all you can be or settle for second place or much lower down the line. If I could start over knowing what I know now, from maybe 20yrs old. I'd choose photography and commit to being much better than I am today. 79yrs seems like a late place to start to me.