Photoshop Elements or 50mm 1.8?

[marie1128]

I have the money to buy either Photoshop Elements, or the 50mm 1.8 lens. My son is almost one, and I'd like to try to take his one year photos (I know I'm no pro, but if I totally botch it to where I hate it, my sister in law is coming up in a few weeks, and she said she'd be willing to take them). I don't have any photo editing software, so even if I did get the 50mm 1.8, I wouldn't be able to edit anything.

Should I get the Photoshop Elements, or the 50mm 1.8?

Thanks!

 

[Heitz]

Photoshop-like programs you can get for free (e.g., Gimp). Lenses you cannot get for free. At least not legally.

 

[marie1128]

Photoshop-like programs you can get for free (e.g., Gimp). Lenses you cannot get for free. At least not legally.

But is Gimp just as good as Photoshop?

 

[Light Guru]

I don't have any photo editing software, so even if I did get the 50mm 1.8, I wouldn't be able to edit anything.

Should I get the Photoshop Elements, or the 50mm 1.8?

Nether. If you don't have a editing software then I would say get Lightroom or aperture first. Most photos don't need photoshop. Lightroom and aperture will let you edit and give a way to catalog and organize your photos.

 

[DeathDiesel]

Photoshop-like programs you can get for free (e.g., Gimp). Lenses you cannot get for free. At least not legally.

But is Gimp just as good as Photoshop?

Take it from one person who has both and has used both. Gimp can do 90% of the same stuff, its free, but slightly harder to use.

 

[marie1128]

Thanks everyone. I'm off to do some more research!

 

[Dominantly]

The 50mm.

The images you capture can always be tweaked in the future when you finally get software.

 

[Derrel]

I would buy Lightroom instead of Elements, and skip on the 50mm lens.

 

[Gavjenks]

For a beginner, I'd say having decent software is more important than a couple of stops of aperture on a redundant focal length. Software is likely going to affect almost every image you publish / do anything with. Whereas specifically 50mm photos between 1.8 and 4.5 are going to be in the minority in your portfolio.

 

[peter27]

Picasa is quite a decent editing program and there's a free version available for download. It can't do all the things Elements can but on the other hand it's a lot more user friendly.

 

[Gavjenks]

Even if you do decide to get free software like picasa or gimp or whatever, I still would advise against the 50 1.8 to spend your $100 budget on if you're strapped for cash.

Before getting a 50 1.8, I would buy any number of other things that would probably expand your abilities more as well as help you learn more, and can be had for $100 or less:
* A flash. This one is a very nice $65 leaving you room in your budget for a remote trigger or PC cord and maybe even a cheap stand and umbrella too Amazon.com: Yongnuo Speedlite YN560 Flash for Canon, Nikon Cameras: Camera & Photo
* A nice tripod.
* Books about composition and/or lighting.

 

[Dominantly]

But as a beginner, you should be focusing on the fundamental elements of photography. You should be striving to figure out how to get everything right in camera so your post minimal.

While the 50mm focal length is covered in the 18-55, that is as far as that comparison goes. The prime will be sharper and the increase in low light capability will allow the budding photographer to expand their skill set.

The 50mm lens is the perfect lens to hone your skills. Worry about over saturating, selective coloring, or HDR edits later.

 

[mikeyidaho]

Get the 50mm if that's the prime you want to go with. My 35mm prime is my go to lens. I'm no pro by any stretch of the word but far too many people on here encourage learning to edit your pictures before you even know what you're doing with a camera. Shouldn't learn to photoshop before learning composition and exposure in my opinion...

Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S III using Tapatalk 2

 

[Gavjenks]

I agree that the 50mm 1.8 is a good second lens to get (or the 40mm f/2 which is a little higher quality, serves many of the same instructive purposes, and is much cuter). I think you're spot on with considering a prime next.

I also agree with portions of the above two posters' comments:

Shouldn't learn to photoshop before learning composition and exposure in my opinion...

you should be focusing on the fundamental elements of photography.

^Yes.
But a 50mm 1.8 isn't going to teach you much about the fundamentals of photography.

Books will. I'd say books are #1 priority actually. Then probably a flash as #2 next priority when it comes to actually learning photography basics. There's way the hell more to learn and master with a flash to play with that with 2 stops wider aperture at a focal length you already have. Controlling light is crucial. Then software. Then, in last place in terms of giving you the most ability to develop as a photographer, 50mm 1.8 and subsequent lenses.

 

[Dominantly]

I find a wider prime to be beneficial in that it makes the photographer compose their shots via that foot zoom feature. Kinda makes you have to plan stuff and think about how you are framing things.

It's really all up to what the OP feels is right for them.