photoshop

wellsj · Mar 23, 2006

Can anyone tell what difference between photoshop elements 4 and adobe photoshope cs2?

Big Mike · Mar 23, 2006

Welcome to the forum.

The main difference between Elements and Photoshop (whatever version) is that Photoshop is a professional grade program, while Elements is more of a consumer product. Hence the huge price difference.

Photoshop is a more of an image software...and elements is more specific to digital photo editing.

If you are mainly using it for editing your digital photos...Elements can do just about anything that Photoshop can do. I switched from Elements 2.0 to PSCS...and I found it harder to use at first. Elements was more user friendly from the start. However, I now have trouble using Elements 2.0...because I'm used to the more advanced PSCS.

I'm sure that Elements 4.0 is more advanced than 2.0 was...so it's probably a great program.

DestinDave · Mar 23, 2006

May I add to this thread?
If I got Elements and later wanted PSCS is it an upgrade or are the two completely different animals?
And, I've been told that a student's version of PSCS is pretty the full-blown version at a greatly discounted price. Is there much of a difference in the two versions?

Not trying to hijack the thread - hopefully just add some info to your question?

Dave

Arch · Mar 23, 2006

They are both different.... i use pscs for my graphic design day job, it does all kinds of things from designing posters, leaflets to web banners, graphics to digital imaging and illustration. Elements is directed at photogs and people who just want to edit images..... elements 4 even has some pic editing features cs doesn't.... but cs can do a shed load more different things :mrgreen:

Mr_Jones · Mar 23, 2006

DestinDave said:
May I add to this thread?
If I got Elements and later wanted PSCS is it an upgrade or are the two completely different animals?
And, I've been told that a student's version of PSCS is pretty the full-blown version at a greatly discounted price. Is there much of a difference in the two versions?
Dave

You can't upgrade from Elements to a full version of Photoshop. However, if it's student discounts you're after, swing by www.gradware.com or www.studica.com I've used both and all you need to do is prove that you're a student. Photoshop is very different from Elements and to say that Elements is aimed towards digital photo editing is a bit iffy. Things that I use quite a bit and would consider basic features are not in any version of Elements. To be honest with you, Elements is really all that powerful when ou compare it to CS2. CS2 is better by leaps and bounds.

wellsj · Mar 23, 2006

Thanks for help guys. I've been checking the both at adobe website. they are both good prrograms. I guess it just depends on how far you want to go your photos.

Arch · Mar 24, 2006

Mr_Jones said:
You can't upgrade from Elements to a full version of Photoshop. However, if it's student discounts you're after, swing by www.gradware.com or www.studica.com I've used both and all you need to do is prove that you're a student. Photoshop is very different from Elements and to say that Elements is aimed towards digital photo editing is a bit iffy. Things that I use quite a bit and would consider basic features are not in any version of Elements. To be honest with you, Elements is really all that powerful when ou compare it to CS2. CS2 is better by leaps and bounds.

Really?.... who is it aimed at then???

Elements 4 has features that CS2 doesn't even have... like the new selection tool, which may feature in a future version of CS, but isn't in any of the current versions.
As i said before CS2 is the better and obviously more expensive programme, and lets you do a wider range of things.... but elements is directed at image editing, so if your only interested in altering your photos elements can handle everything you'll need. Why else would Adobe have made elements in the first place.

Big Mike · Mar 24, 2006

I agree, Elements is more for photographers specifically...while Photoshop can be used for many other things.

Someone who is proficient with Elements, should be able to edit photos just as well with it....as someone using Photoshop.

thebeginning · Mar 25, 2006

not necessarily. It depends on what you as a photographer are planning on doing with the images and what they are for. I havent used psE4, but i've used 2 and 3 and both of them didn't have many key features that even PS7 has. If you occasionally edit photos or do only some color tweaking and a little bit of cloning and burning dodging and other basic actions, then PSE will suit you perfectly fine. Like you said, CS2 is geared more towards professionals and their workflow. I jumped from PS7 to CS2 and noticed a sizeable difference in its abilities and features, especially those that aided in workflow (Adobe bridge and camera RAW for instance).