which photo editing software to get?

[wet]

I shoot pictures with RAW format. For now, I use Canon ZoomBrowser to do editing & conversion. However with Vista, it is really slow. It literally take 10-30 sec to convert a files & another 10sec to trim a pic. I will be sitting on my PC all day longs if I have couple hundred pics.
I don't like to do extensive editing. I am suck at it, maybe that's why. I try to take good pictures & do very minor editing but there are time I hope I have something powerful to save my pictures.
I tried out Lightroom, like it very much but is $300 too expensive. I can afford Element but I am intimidated by having to create layers etc.
Any suggestion what is cheap & good?
Thanks.

 

[bigtwinky]

Cheap and good? Look at downloading GIMP... its free

 

[wet]

GIMP crashes on Vista. Damn Vista.

 

[Big Mike]

I really like Lightroom, I do most of my editing with it now, but it's real strength is in how it allows you to handle your workflow, especially when you have lots of images to work with.

Elements is like Photoshop Lite, it can do just about anything you would want to do for photo editing. Certainly a good program but I don't know that it will speed up your workflow.

What are your computer's specs? More RAW will probably improve your processing time.

 

[Josh66]

I don't think the problem is Vista.

I have Vista and everything works fine on it.

 

[MelissaMarieImagery]

Lightroom is absolutely worth the money. It makes my life SO much easier!

 

[thenikonguy]

+1 for lightroom... it completely changed my work flow (for the better) but its not cheap.. $300

 

[inTempus]

If you know someone who is a student, Lightroom is $99.

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.0 - Mac/Win for Mac, Win with Academic Discount at JourneyEd.com

You can get it from Amazon for $200:

Amazon.com: Used and New: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2

Scroll down.

 

[fred0000]

If you know computers/internet its all free... I use lightroom aswell, worth all my efforts.
try,
www.isohunt.com
www.mininova.org
www.piratebay.org

I am not responsible if you find yourself downloading and installing a virus...

edit: though if i was doing this profesionaly there is no way i'd be aquiring the software the way i do, I WOULD be paying for it, but as a hobby $100's on just software is defenatly not worth it.

 

[DemonAstroth]

Gimp has never crashed on my vista running computer. It seems it's so easy to blame Vista for every problem someone's computer has. I've never had any problems with vista (business 32).

Anyway, for most of my editing I use lightroom. It cannot do as much as gimp or photoshop, but for the stuff one most does it does it VERY well. You can even sort of make your own layers (with the brush), so it can be very convenient. Also, it has a great library system so it's easy to go through your pictures.

I think I got it for about 100 with a student discount.

 

[choudhrysaab]

If you know computers/internet its all free... I use lightroom aswell, worth all my efforts.
try,
www.isohunt.com
www.mininova.org
www.piratebay.org

I am not responsible if you find yourself downloading and installing a virus...

lol ... you're such a troublemaker.
downloading software for free is illegal


*wink wink*

 

[fred0000]

lol ... you're such a troublemaker.
downloading software for free is illegal


*wink wink*

I download trials and somethimes if i'm lucky there is a crack of somesort

If my post is not within the rules feel free to remove it, or let me know and i'll do it myself.

 

[ANDS!]

The Righteous White Knights Of Internet Honesty in 3. . .2. . .1 -

 

[thenikonguy]

i was going to mention torrents.. but, I dont think the forum promotes stealing..

 

[JenLavazza]

I use Elements...I had to read, read, read and play, play, play, but I like it alot. I've never tried Lightroom though to compare.