Photoshop Elements..

bullshark · Nov 1, 2007

How is it for editing and tweaking photos? I have photoshop CS, but it doesnt work with the version of RAW that my camera uses and I cant justify purchasing the full program to just do some tweaking and processing.

RacePhoto · Nov 1, 2007

bullshark said:
How is it for editing and tweaking photos? I have photoshop CS, but it doesnt work with the version of RAW that my camera uses and I cant justify purchasing the full program to just do some tweaking and processing.

Check for a plugin that will read your camera raw files? Since you gave no details, camera?, CS version?, or anything, it's hard to answer the question.

If Elements reads your files and it's made by Adobe, I don't know why CS will not?

bullshark · Nov 1, 2007

Camera is Nikon D80, The version of Photoshop is CS (the first one).. Photoshop CS3 will rea them, but the updated version of RAW plug-in only works with CS3.. Which is ridiculous.. So now I have to find a pirated version of CS3 or pay for it (which aint happenin)..ORRRR get something like elements.. But I dont want to drop a hundred on something that is Mickey Mouse and wont do what I need..

Jestev · Nov 1, 2007

Just download the most recent ACR 3.X. The most recent ACR 3.X should have the D80. CS3 uses ACR 4.0.

bullshark · Nov 1, 2007

Tried that, ACR 3.x is for photoshop CS2, the only ones they have for CS1 do not inclue this Nikon line of cameras..

Jestev · Nov 1, 2007

Wow, that really stinks.

Well, I don't use my Photoshop Elements 3.0 for my RAW. I downloaded Nikon's free Nikon View 6.2.7 and convert the RAW files (after fixing exposure) to TIFF files and edit them in PSE. It works great and is really cheap. Just download NV and edit in CS1.

bullshark · Nov 1, 2007

hmmm, good idea.. I didnt know that nikon offered a RAW converter.. I'm assuming on Nikons website? I appreciate the idea.. I downloaded the demo version of Elements and I kinda like it, so I may have to drop the hundo anyway... lol

RacePhoto · Nov 1, 2007

bullshark said:
hmmm, good idea.. I didnt know that nikon offered a RAW converter.. I'm assuming on Nikons website? I appreciate the idea.. I downloaded the demo version of Elements and I kinda like it, so I may have to drop the hundo anyway... lol

I use Elements 5 as much as I do CS2. Sometimes you don't need a 10 pound hammer to drive a thumb tack.

You can save a TIFF or PSD or anything uncompressed and then edit without loosing anything.

JerryPH · Nov 1, 2007

I also have Elements 5.0... honestly, I would suggest you put money into Nikon Capture NX, it will do a far better job, if picture quality is all that you are interested in. It doesn't do many fancy-smancy things, but the results are better than Elements can ever do.

bullshark · Nov 1, 2007

Downloading the trial now.. I'll let ya know how I like it.. How much to buy?

JerryPH · Nov 1, 2007

bullshark said:
Downloading the trial now.. I'll let ya know how I like it.. How much to buy?

Check it out online and in your local area. I live in Canada, and found mine online for $169US delivered to my door.

bullshark · Nov 1, 2007

I'm messing with it now.. Not sure if I like it much.. I'll have to keep playin.. It runs VERY slowly on my computer..

Jestev · Nov 1, 2007

bullshark said:
hmmm, good idea.. I didnt know that nikon offered a RAW converter.. I'm assuming on Nikons website? I appreciate the idea.. I downloaded the demo version of Elements and I kinda like it, so I may have to drop the hundo anyway... lol

Element's ACR is pretty limited. That's why I use the free Nikon View because I don't like PSE's ACR.

Tolyk · Nov 1, 2007

Um, if you have a legal version of CS1 you don't need to pay the full price to get CS3, you can get the upgrade package for pretty cheap and upgrade to the latest version of CS.. I'll go hunt down a link.

Edit: On the website, you go to purchase CS3 and just click on "Upgrade from.." It's 199 US dollars, compared to the full version price.

JerryPH · Nov 2, 2007

bullshark said:
I'm messing with it now.. Not sure if I like it much.. I'll have to keep playin.. It runs VERY slowly on my computer..

NX is a little clunky and RAM hungry, but it has the ability to access more RAW data directly than any other program out there. Control Points are very nice and resultant JPGs look better to me using NX vs my other programs. Batch processing is also convenient for me.

How much RAM do you have? I would suggest at least 1 GB... but then again, I would suggest that amount for almost any computer now a days.

PS, I hate Vista and refuse to use an operating system that demands that I double my RAM amounts and CPU speed to accomplish the same tasks that my current system does VERY well with using XP.