Photo Editing Software Choices

[cblurton]

Okay, my head is really beginning to hurt. Too much to learn too quickly ...

I've done the "Which camera?" thing and bought a Shen-Hao as my starter LF camera, I've found my first two lenses on eBay - a 90mm and 210mm; I'm collecting a myriad of other bits and pieces for my kit like film holders, lens wraps, cable releases, backpack, tripod, and a darkcloth; I've got a new iMac; I'm stuck with a legacy Canon scanner/printer for the moment; and I'm searching for sources of 4x5 film and developing where I live in Hong Kong. Whew!

As I'm assembling my system to handle my thus far imaginary 4x5 film to inkjet printer workflow, I am considering which software to use on my iMac to edit and print images. There was a time when there would have been no question - the best and obvious choice was Photoshop. But now - at a minimum - there is Apple's Aperture, Adobe's Photoshop or Lightroom, and Lightcraft's Lightzone to consider (not to mention Nikon's Capture and other products!)

I've looked at all of these products' Web site and read some reviews:

Aperture
http://www.apple.com/aperture
http://www.creativepro.com/story/fea...l?cprose=daily

Lightroom
http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/re...ghtroom1.shtml

Lightzone
http://www.lightcrafts.com
http://www.macworld.com/2006/02/reviews/lightzone1

Photoshop CS2
http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop
http://www.macworld.com/2005/06/revi...pcs2/index.php

I am leaning towards Aperture ($300)* or Lightroom (beta and still free), instead of Photoshop CS2 ($650) or Lightzone ($150) for no good reason other than they are being build from the ground up for photographers and they are new. Before I make a decision, I would great appreciate hearing your views. Do you have a favorite, a different recommendation or a cautionary tale?

Best wishes,

Craig

*Prices are approximate and in US dollars.

[Giacomo GIRINO]

"they are being build from the ground up for photographers"

you may want to add Picture Window Pro to the list: www.dl-c.com

Lino

[Walter Calahan]

Don't forget Photo Mechanic

http://www.camerabits.com/

Very popular with photo-journalist because of its speed. The team that writes the program is very dedicated to constant upgrades to add features requested by working photographers.

Try it. I use it all the time.

[Joe Lipka]

Oh, let's just make it a bit more interesting. There is software known as GIMP. It's open source software for picture editing. Don't know if it runs on MAC.

[Ted Harris]

I dodn't know why you lumped LightZone in with Photoshop. LightZone has not only been designed from the ground up forphotographers it has been designed to use Zone System concepts and it is designed by a large format photographer, a member of this Forum, Lars Vinberg. I findit both quick and intuitive for most of the basic image manipulation steps.

GIMP is vry full featured but has most of the drawbacks of Photoshop. I was excited about Aperture when Apple first anounced but that excitement quickly disappated it seems to be nice software but squarely aimed at digital capture as the starting point of the image and I am not about to makethe investment to find out more.

[Ted Harris]

I dodn't know why you lumped LightZone in with Photoshop. LightZone has not only been designed from the ground up forphotographers it has been designed to use Zone System concepts and it is designed by a large format photographer, a member of this Forum, Lars Vinberg. I findit both quick and intuitive for most of the basic image manipulation steps.

GIMP is vry full featured but has most of the drawbacks of Photoshop. I was excited about Aperture when Apple first anounced but that excitement quickly disappated it seems to be nice software but squarely aimed at digital capture as the starting point of the image and I am not about to makethe investment to find out more.

[Brian Ellis]

The reviews I've read of Aperture haven't been overly enthusiastic and I think I read somewhere that Apple claims it's intended as a supplement to, not a substitute for, Photoshop. I'd probably suck it up and buy Photoshop CS2 (or a light version, I don't see Photoshop Elements on your list, has it disappeared?), if for no other reason than the fact that almost every instruction manual, magazine article, internet information, workshop, etc. dealing with digital editing of photographs seems to be based on Photoshop. It's what most people seem to use, it's the language most people seem to speak. I don't think you're likely to use many, perhaps most, of its features - I doubt that I use it for more than maybe 10% of what it's capable of doing - but it seems to have become the standard in the industry and I would think someone not familiar with it would be at something of a disadvantage when it comes to learning and communicating with others (though people who use other things might correct me on this).

[Ted Chambers]

I'd also add to the suggestion to look at Picture Window Pro. It was designed as a photo editing program and is much more intuitive than Photoshop.

[Bob McCarthy]

I might suggest waiting (before committing) for NIK's new product sold under the Nikon Banner. Certainly not for 35mm only.

http://www.outbackphoto.com/artofraw/raw_29/essay.html

Looks very interesting. NIK is a very capable company.

Bob

[Marko]

No intention to denigrate any package mentioned here, they're all fine programs, but Photoshop has two huge advantages, IMO:

1. It is now on it's 9th version with the 10th to be released within a year, probably less. That's an awful lot of development and refinement invested in it. Chances are that it will be more sophisticated and more stable than any package in its first or second generation.

2. It is also a virtual standard in any graphics-related industry. That means lots of support, third party plugins, books, tutorials, workshops, etc.

Yes, it is expensive and it has a steep learning curve. But there is a reason for both. You get what you pay for. And you can always start learning with Elements like Brian suggested and then move up when you're ready.