Which Photoshop Version?

[Mike K]

Do they all work on Raw files? I doubt I need the full blown version but will Elements 9 suffice or do I need to CS3?

 

[Ryan L]

What are you going to be doing? I would suggest Light Room 3, but Elements 9 would be a very good start and then LR3, once you need it CS5 is the way to go. If your looking to go the cheaper route, I started with Gimp, its free, open source and is very functional.

 

[KmH]

Elements, being the less expensive ($75, retail) consumer version of Photoshop, has a heavily de-featured version of Adobe Camera Raw (ACR), Adobe's Raw converter.

CS5 ($699, retail) is the current version of Photoshop and includes ACR 6, unless you opt for CS5 Extended ($999, retail) for the 3D and scientific editing features. CS3 uses ACR 4, which hasn't been supported for several years now.

Photoshop Lightroom 3's editing function also uses ACR 6. The interface looks a little diffect from Camera Raw in CS5 but they are essentially identical. Of course with Lightoom 3 ($299, retail) you don't get msot of Photshops best editing tools like layers, and the precise selection and masking tools Cs5 has. Lightroom is primarily image database management software, the editing function is secondary. Adobe designed Lightroom to be a compliment to Photoshop, not a replacement for Photoshop.

 

[KmH]

What are you going to be doing? I would suggest Light Room 3, but Elements 9 would be a very good start and then LR3, once you need it CS5 is the way to go. If your looking to go the cheaper route, I started with Gimp, its free, open source and is very functional.

GIMP does not have a Raw converter, however there are also free Raw Converters out there like IrfanView and RawTherapee.

 

[Ryan L]

What are you going to be doing? I would suggest Light Room 3, but Elements 9 would be a very good start and then LR3, once you need it CS5 is the way to go. If your looking to go the cheaper route, I started with Gimp, its free, open source and is very functional.

GIMP does not have a Raw converter, however there are also free Raw Converters out there like IrfanView and RawTherapee.

+1 ^, forgot about that.

 

[SunnyHours]

I'd go with Lightroom 3 or Aperture on a Mac. If I wouldn't be in Web Design and own the CS5 Master Suite I would go with only Aperture as it does pretty much anything you need. I use Photoshop Extended with Lightroom 3 though.
Lightroom for workflow, curves and levels, importing, organizing. Photoshop for every retouches though as it's easier and faster for me.

 

[jaomul]

As said above elements 9 has Adobe Camera Raw. It is slimmer in features than the full CS3 but still has as much as most people (possibly not pros) need. Sometimes if you have a very modern camera your raw file will not be recognized until the next version is updated but in this case Adobe has a conversion program that converts your file to a format Adobe can use. I have elements 8 and its great, 9 is supposed to be much better.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

What are you going to be doing? I would suggest Light Room 3, but Elements 9 would be a very good start and then LR3, once you need it CS5 is the way to go. If your looking to go the cheaper route, I started with Gimp, its free, open source and is very functional.

 

[Mike K]

What are you going to be doing?.

To be honest, I have no idea I've never shot in Raw before and now realize that it's the way to go. I'm definitely not a pro...let's say serious amateur. I imagine I'll want to adjust saturation, exposure etc. As soon as I realize what's possible it will be a new addiction.

 

[Hatch1921]

Terry White has a really good video to get you going in the right direction with Lightroom. How To Get Started With Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 | Terry White's Tech Blog

I'm a LR3 and CS5 user... all depends on your end goals and how you want to setup/establish a work flow.

Hatch