What is the best photo editing software?
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#1. "RE: What is the best photo editing software?" | In response to Reply # 0
JosephK Nikonian since 17th Apr 2006Thu 11-Feb-16 06:47 PMThere is no "best". However, if you can list the features you are looking for, we can probably get you a good fit.
That said, you would have a hard time finding a better deal than the $10 per month Lightroom + Photoshop bundle.
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Joseph K
Seattle, WA, USA
D700, D200, D70S, 24-70mm f/2.8, VR 70-200mm f/2.8 II, TC20e3,
50mm f/1.4 D, 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 VR, 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 DX
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#2. "RE: What is the best photo editing software?" | In response to Reply # 0
kstrong1 Nikonian since 08th Aug 2011Thu 11-Feb-16 06:52 PMWelcome to Nikonians.
Do you mean (< less than $100.00?
Knowing what camera you are using and the format your photos are taken in would help.
What are the photos used for? Lots of factors to be taken into consideration.
Free software that comes with the camera can be all you need.
Please supply more information, Nikonians are full of information and willing to help.Visit my Nikonians gallery.
"Nikonians membership - My most important photographic investment, after the camera."-
#3. "RE: What is the best photo editing software?" | In response to Reply # 2
Step by step.
program < $100
D3300
Usually jpeg, but I can use RAW
I'm taking: abstracts, macro, landscape, portraits, and anything else that captures my creativeness. (No free software) Hope this narrows it down.
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#4. "RE: What is the best photo editing software?" | In response to Reply # 0
Do you for example need it to maintain a library for you, where you can capture and keyword shots, and find them quickly and easily?
Do you need it to be able to organize photos in some kind if on and off-line hierarchy, so old shots may be archived (but still cataloged so you know where they are).
Do you need it to do related functions - print (is color management important to you), produce books, produce CDs, keep a web site updated (or even build a web site).
Is non-destructive editing important to you?
Here's the reason I ask -- LOTS of programs will do edits. Hundreds, from free to very expensive. And while experts can argue all day which is better than the other, a large percentage of these are "good enough" for most people most of the time. For editing.
Where most get distinguished are in the coverage of these other ancillary things (that and non-destructive vs bit editing which is a bit different). Giving some thought to this and your future, growing, stack of digital images may drive you to a more targeted answer.
Linwood
Comments welcomed on pictures: Http://www.captivephotons.com
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#5. "RE: What is the best photo editing software?" | In response to Reply # 4
Ferguson Nikonian since 19th Aug 2004Fri 12-Feb-16 08:08 AM | edited Fri 12-Feb-16 08:09 AM by FergusonIncidentally, if the term "non-destructive" is not familiar to you, editors tend to fall into two categories.
Non-destructive editors leave your image alone, and take from you a series of edits that it remembers as instructions. Every time you display the image, or print it, or save it to a file, it follows these instructions each time. Your original image is unchanged, and you can undo these at any time.
The other sort (I don't think "destructive" is a fair description, perhaps bit-editors) are ones that modify the image itself as you edit. Each time you save, you are saving the modified image and (unless you also saved a copy separately) the original is gone.
As an over-simplified example if you crop an image in a non-destructive editor, the full size image is still there. in a destructive editor it is not, the surrounding bits have been thrown away when you cropped.
Other than when you want to roll back changes, this is all transparent to the user, in a non-destructive editor it LOOKS like you are changing the image just as it does in a destructive editor.
One big advantage of non-destructive edits (beyond the obvious) is that they typically take up a LOT less space for their results than using lossless formats like TIFF. One disadvantage is that they are typically a bit slower.
Lightroom is a non-destructive product (there are many others).
Photoshop is a destructive or bit-editor, as is Elements (caveat - both have Adobe Camera Raw in front of them which is a non-destructive raw converter, just to make this more confusing).
Linwood
Comments welcomed on pictures: Http://www.captivephotons.com -
#6. "RE: What is the best photo editing software?" | In response to Reply # 4
Thank you for your insight to the problem. For me I don't need the editor to also organize the photos (but it would be a nice feature so that it is easier to get a picture off of the hard drive and into the program). I just need the editor to edit the photos. A non-destructive program is definitely appealing, but I can copy the original image myself if needed. What would you recommend in the non-destructive category for both editing and editing/organizing? Same for the destructive category.
Thank you-
#7. "RE: What is the best photo editing software?" | In response to Reply # 6
Ferguson Nikonian since 19th Aug 2004Sat 13-Feb-16 08:42 AM
> What would you recommend in the non-destructive category for
>both editing and editing/organizing? Same for the destructive
>category.
I hope others will jump in here, as I do not keep up very well, but will offer some thoughts.
For those who really want to spend very little time in front of a computer, or more importantly learning the ins and outs of software, it is often worth considering the manufacturer's own. In this case the ultra-simple ViewNX-I which can do some very minor editing (free) or CaptureNXD (not free). Personally I hate Nikon software, but it has the advantage of using all the camera settings concerning picture control, and will out-of-the-box give you a more natural look. Both are non-destructive (well, mostly - they do save info in the NEF but it doesn't affect the image).
I personally use the Lightroom/Photoshop bundle. It's the most bang for the buck in my opinion, but it is neither simple nor quick to get a lot of the bang. It also includes some of the best organizing and publishing features going. Lightroom is non-destructive, Photoshop is destructive.
Elements is Photoshop-Lite. I've never used it, but it seems widely viewed as one of the better entry-level editors (destructive).
There are also a ton of free-to-expensive alternatives. By limiting the choices to "just edits" I bet you can find a hundred tools if you looked around, from freeware like Gimp to highly sophisticated, maybe-better-than-photoshop tools like Dx0. I'm just not competent to comment on them. Hopefully others will jump in.
Linwood
Comments welcomed on pictures: Http://www.captivephotons.com-
#8. "RE: What is the best photo editing software?" | In response to Reply # 7
jkg0806 Registered since 21st Feb 2015Sat 13-Feb-16 09:03 AMThe Light room/Photo shop CC bundle for $10 a months is probably one of the most popular. Light room is not that difficult to learn and is a nice program that you will probably like and use while you are experimenting with and learning the more difficult and better photo shop program.
With the bundle you get all the updates from Adobe for free as they become available. I use the bundle and I believe a lot of photographers do also later on you can start to explore other programs that can be used as plug ins with Light room and Photo Shop personally this combo in my opinion beats the Elements program hands down.John
"Which of my photographs is my favorite? The one I am going to take tomorrow"-
#9. "RE: What is the best photo editing software?" | In response to Reply # 8
I would really like to aviod paying a monthly fee, I would much rather pay the whole fee upfront - which I know is impossible with the Lightroom Photoshop CC bundle.
Thank you for your input.-
#12. "RE: What is the best photo editing software?" | In response to Reply # 9
Nick2013 Registered since 21st Nov 2013Wed 24-Feb-16 11:02 PM>I would really like to aviod paying a monthly fee, I would
>much rather pay the whole fee upfront - which I know is
>impossible with the Lightroom Photoshop CC bundle.
>Thank you for your input.
You can buy LR standalone. I've no idea what the US price is but I'm sure it's cheaper then Europe. You should be able to get it for less then your budget.
Best thing is you can download the thirty day free trial and see if you like it. If it isn't want you like you've only wasted a download -
#13. "RE: What is the best photo editing software?" | In response to Reply # 9
JosephK Nikonian since 17th Apr 2006Thu 25-Feb-16 10:58 PM>I would really like to aviod paying a monthly fee, I would
>much rather pay the whole fee upfront - which I know is
>impossible with the Lightroom Photoshop CC bundle.
You can pay the fee for the whole year in a single payment. You just need to pick that option; the monthly fee is the default.
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Joseph K
Seattle, WA, USA
D700, D200, D70S, 24-70mm f/2.8, VR 70-200mm f/2.8 II, TC20e3,
50mm f/1.4 D, 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 VR, 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 DX
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#10. "RE: What is the best photo editing software?" | In response to Reply # 7
Skyco Nikonian since 12th Mar 2012Sat 13-Feb-16 12:51 PM | edited Sat 13-Feb-16 08:35 PM by SkycoHi Linwood,
Jumping in ; ) I use DXO Optics Pro 10 Elite and love it. I started out with Photoshop (V 4 1999) and started using Lightroom with (V 2 2007) and have been using DXO almost exclusively for the last year. I love it, its very easy to learn and a powerful nondestructive photo editor & RAW converter.
Henry, Welcome to Nikonians!
Amazon has an older (Version 9) DXO for $109.99. You can also get a 30 day trial for DXO 10 to see if you'd want to upgrade. Other than Nikon's free software or a subscription to PS & LR I don't think your going to find anything better for the price.
DxO Labs Pro 9 Standard Edition Photo Enhancing Software for Macintosh & Windows - for Crop Format Cameras Only
http://www.amazon.com/DxO-Labs-Standard-Enhancing-Macintosh/dp/B00G6E60X0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1455395649&sr=8-3&keywords=dxo+optics+pro
http://www.dxo.com/us/photography/photo-software/dxo-opticspro
Hope this helps,
Well Wishes,
Kenhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/skyco_g/
Visit my Nikonians gallery
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#11. "RE: What is the best photo editing software?" | In response to Reply # 10
Canyon nut Registered since 26th Mar 2015Wed 24-Feb-16 09:10 AMI also am curious as to a "good photo editing" software. I also have a D3300 and just had a wonderful 3 week bucket list trip to South America where I took 1,800 photos. Organization and editing prized photos are on the list. The Sun angle on Easter Island was not that great for most of the tours I took.
Jeff
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