Which Photoshop??

[burstintoflame81]

So I talked my wife into letting me buy Photoshop CS4. However, I am trying to figure the basic differences between Photoshop CS4, Photoshop Elements, and Photoshop Lightroom. I always assumed that Lightroom was just a stripped down CS4, is that the case? Which would you recommend? I have Paintshop Pro right now, but find its file handling capabilities and saving functions to be frustrating. Also, I would rather have the industry standard to make the most use out of the plethora of tutorials online and in magazines. Also I can find tons of books at the local library to teach photoshop.

I agree with the mentality of shooting better and less photoshopping. So most of my editing will be in terms of cropping, resizing, adjusting the photo if un-level, adjusting colors and clarity. I would like to be able to remove unwanted background objects with ease. ( telephone poles, light poles, people , cars etc. )

Any advice would be useful. I know that CS4 would be way more than I need but if I was going to spend the money, I would rather get something that I can grow with as opposed to having to upgrade and waste more money.

Thanks guys.

 

[icassell]

I can't help with elements, as I've never used it.

No, LR is not stripped-down CS4. They are complementary programs. LR was designed as a digital workflow/organizing program (although it does have some editing capability) and it can link to CS4 for much more advanced editing capability.

I have used CS2 and now CS4 for some time and am just now learning to use LR. I think I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel of my totally scattered images.

If you or anyone in your family is a student or faculty anywhere (including grade school), you can get significant discounts on CS4 and/or lightroom.

 

[Overread]

Elements is your stripped down CS4 - it has a range of features and works with many plugins, but its overall features are signifcantly hampered - and some are not as indepth as full photoshops (for example curves can be edited only with 4 prepositioned points on the curve line, using sliders).

It is good enough and with some 3rdparty addons (many of which can be found for free) you can expand its functionality, but its not going to be full photoshop ever.

However bare in mind the cost of photoshop CS4 and the cost of camera gear and remember - you can always edit a shot if you have it, but you can't go back and take a shot you missed because you didn't have the gear to take it

 

[Samanax]

Try starting with Lightroom 2 and see how you like it. A lot of my friends use LR2 more than they do PS CS3 or CS4. LR2 can edit photos but not the heavy duty kind you could do with PS.

PS Elements 7 is a good place to start but you'll probably upgrade to PS CS4 and LR2 in the future anyway.

 

[burstintoflame81]

Yeah, I was thinking of trying to do something like that, but unfortunately, other than someone in junior highschool, there are no students in my immediate family. I just want to be sure that spending the money is on what I will need the most. I also like that cs4 has adobe bridge for orginzing my photos as well.

To be honest, I know of friend ( as I am sure many of us do ) that could get me CS4 for free, but I am trying to be an honest professional ( well once I did get to the professional level )

Also, do you know how many computers it will allow you to place CS4 on? Like if you have 2 desktops and a laptop? Or is it one computer per purchase? ( assuming they are all in your household )?

 

[icassell]

Yeah, I was thinking of trying to do something like that, but unfortunately, other than someone in junior highschool, there are no students in my immediate family. )?

Junior high school works fine for the discount. CS4 is $299 and LR2 is $99

https://store1.adobe.com/cfusion/store/html/index.cfm?store=OLS-EDU&event=displayEduConditions

 

[mammarazzi]

Yeah, I was thinking of trying to do something like that, but unfortunately, other than someone in junior highschool, there are no students in my immediate family. )?

Junior high school works fine for the discount. CS4 is $299 and LR2 is $99

https://store1.adobe.com/cfusion/store/html/index.cfm?store=OLS-EDU&event=displayEduConditions

Thanks for the link! You just saved me a ton of money.

 

[burstintoflame81]

Thanks for the link.

 

[icassell]

Yeah, I was thinking of trying to do something like that, but unfortunately, other than someone in junior highschool, there are no students in my immediate family. )?

Junior high school works fine for the discount. CS4 is $299 and LR2 is $99

https://store1.adobe.com/cfusion/store/html/index.cfm?store=OLS-EDU&event=displayEduConditions

Thanks for the link! You just saved me a ton of money.

No problem ... I'll take the savings in glass :greenpbl:

If you have a college student, it's even cheaper -- CS4 is $199 for higher ed students.

 

[cfusionpm]

Junior high school works fine for the discount. CS4 is $299 and LR2 is $99

https://store1.adobe.com/cfusion/store/html/index.cfm?store=OLS-EDU&event=displayEduConditions

Thanks for the link! You just saved me a ton of money.

No problem ... I'll take the savings in glass :greenpbl:

If you have a college student, it's even cheaper -- CS4 is $199 for higher ed students.

I remember reading somewhere that the catch to the "Educational Versions" is that you aren't allowed to use them for business purposes or to make money. Is this true? And if so, how is it enforcible?

 

[mammarazzi]

Junior high school works fine for the discount. CS4 is $299 and LR2 is $99

https://store1.adobe.com/cfusion/store/html/index.cfm?store=OLS-EDU&event=displayEduConditions

Thanks for the link! You just saved me a ton of money.

No problem ... I'll take the savings in glass :greenpbl:

If you have a college student, it's even cheaper -- CS4 is $199 for higher ed students.

Mine was $299 and i'm the higher ed student.

 

[icassell]

Thanks for the link! You just saved me a ton of money.

No problem ... I'll take the savings in glass :greenpbl:

If you have a college student, it's even cheaper -- CS4 is $199 for higher ed students.

Mine was $299 and i'm the higher ed student.

Really? The link I have says $199 for CS4 and $99 for LR2 ...

Anyway you look at it, though, a great deal

 

[icassell]

Thanks for the link! You just saved me a ton of money.

No problem ... I'll take the savings in glass :greenpbl:

If you have a college student, it's even cheaper -- CS4 is $199 for higher ed students.

I remember reading somewhere that the catch to the "Educational Versions" is that you aren't allowed to use them for business purposes or to make money. Is this true? And if so, how is it enforcible?

I don't remember seeing anything like that in my license agreement (I don't have it here to look), but I can't imagine how it could be enforced.

 

[KmH]

Thanks for the link! You just saved me a ton of money.

No problem ... I'll take the savings in glass :greenpbl:

If you have a college student, it's even cheaper -- CS4 is $199 for higher ed students.

I remember reading somewhere that the catch to the "Educational Versions" is that you aren't allowed to use them for business purposes or to make money. Is this true? And if so, how is it enforcible?

The Student Editions of Photoshop and Lightroom can be used for commerial purposes. But only in North America.

That is a recent change from past Adobe policy. I notice they haven't gotten around to updating their FAQ's page.

 

[lvcrtrs]

You can download elements 7 for 30 day trial free. I did, then rather than pay for the download I bought the package when it was on sale. I like to have the disk in case of crash.

Adobe Photoshop Elements 7