PhotoShop Elements or CS2?

[StewartR]

I'd appreciate some advice from people who are familiar with both Elements and CS2.

I have been using Elements (v5.0) for several months, after trialling quite a lot of packages for image editing and/or management. I'm pretty happy with it. So far so good.

I now have the opportunity to acquire a CS2 licence for free. (Basically, it was bought for a project at work, but is no longer needed.) But I'm not sure whether it's worth it. My impression is that CS2 has a load of stuff in it that I'm unlikely to want to use very much. (I'm a not-terribly-serious hobbyist with not enough time on my hands.) I'm comfortable with Elemetnts and it seems to do pretty much everything I want to do. I particularly like the image organiser that automatically keeps multiple edited copies of an original together.

So my questions are: Is there a compelling reason to upgrade to CS2? Does it offer any must-have functionality that Elements doesn't, and if so what? Will it make editing easier or quicker, and if so how?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Tsmith]

I've used Elements 2 & 4 and totally prefer CS2 and CS3 even more so. The Adjustments are more powerful enabling you to gain better control in adjusting the Highlight and Shadows details in your work. What I saw in PS4 was very limited and often creating halos in horizons. Not to mention the option for Smart Sharpen ... for FREE you can't go wrong if your computer can handle it.

[pturton]

(I'm a not-terribly-serious hobbyist with not enough time on my hands.) I'm comfortable with Elemetnts and it seems to do pretty much everything I want to do.

I think you have answered your own question here. CS2 has a steep learning curve to make good use of its power. Without time to devote to learning CS2 properly it may be a big frustration to you.

[SYS]

If you don't want it, I'll take it!

[bacchanal]

There are many many tutorials, action sets, and plug-ins for CS2. It may take a little time to learn, but Elements can be just as tough. If you find yourself trying to use workarounds with Elements to get to the more advanced functions, then CS2 is for you.

Oh, and there is nothing wrong with having both.

[TheSteveMadden]

At that price... take the CS2 and run! If nothing else, you'll be able to get the better upgrade price to CS3

I've used several (PSE4, CS2 and CS3) and once you know one, the others are very easy to pick up as they share the look and feel so there really isn't a learning curve.

I'm waiting for CS3 to come out before upgrading from PSE4 (My CS experience has been on 30 day trials, but I own Elements 4)

The only thing I really miss having to go back to Elements are the recordable actions. It's SOOO easy to create an action such as constrain/USM/Framing and run it on a group of images. Bridge also makes it easy to do batch converts, but Adobe Lightroom has nosed out a lead in my workflow.

[Jason77]

free? i say take it and spend some time with it. if you don't like it, you can always go back to elements.

[Swift]

CS2, or, even better, get CS3.

CS3 has shortcuts in it that Elements does not, and it really reduces the time needed to finish processing your photos in Photoshop.

Some of the features in Photoshop CS2 that are not included in Photoshop Elements 5 are:

* CMYK and LAB color modes
* More tools and features that work with high-bit (16-bit and 32-bit) images
* Combine multiple exposures to create high dynamic range (HDR) images
* Channels Palette
* Recording custom Actions (for batch processing)
* Adjustments: Color Balance, Match Color
* Layer Masks, Layer Comps, and Quick Mask mode
* Smart Objects, Smart Guides
* Lens Blur Filter
* Vanishing Point Tool
* Pen tool and paths palette
* Some adjustment layers (curves, color balance, selective color, channel mixer)
* Editing History Log
* Text on a path, advanced text formatting
* Advanced Layer Style manipulation
* Advanced Color Management
* Advanced Web features and ImageReady (rollovers, slicing)
* Customizable tool presets, keyboard shortcuts, and menus
* In the features and tools that are shared, the Photoshop version usually offers more advanced options for fine tuning and control.

Photoshop Elements also offers some features that are not available in Photoshop such as the cookie cutter tool, drop in frames, backgrounds, and artwork, an automatic red eye removal, Quick Fix mode, and the Photo Organizer. The Photo Organizer (only in the Windows version of Photoshop Elements 3 and up) lets you organize your photos with tags, then search and share them. The Organizer also offers several types of creations for sharing your photos in slide shows, video CDs, cards, email, calendars, Web galleries, and photo books.

[davidcrebelxt]

Difficult question actually, since you state yourself won't be spending much time editing, etc...
Is it really going to matter to you if you are editing in 16-bit or 8-bit? Are you wanting to use the RAW capabilites? (CS2 ACR is more capable than Elements implementation of the Camera Raw plugin.) Are you really going to actually take the time to make actions to streamline workflow if you are rarely going to use it?

I use elements happily... yes sometimes i wish I had CS2 features, but I would take the time to learn them, because its something I enjoy doing.

As said, for free, you can't go wrong. You could still keep Elements on your machine, for the organizer if nothing else... when you go to standard edit from the organzier, you can set it up to choose between Elements Editor, and CS2 as your editor.

If you don't plan on actively learning CS2, or pursuing photography more (even as a hobbyist), than maybe you SHOULD pass on it, especially if the next person in line to get it is more likely to utilize it... (Unless you don't like the next person in line, and you just want to take it to rip them off! :) )

[René Damkot]

for free. <....> But I'm not sure whether it's worth it.

Re-read what you wrote here ;)
Yes, it's worth it.

So my questions are: Is there a compelling reason to upgrade to CS2? Does it offer any must-have functionality that Elements doesn't, and if so what? Will it make editing easier or quicker, and if so how?


Not familiar with the newer PSE, but th one I used missed a few things:
Layer masks, quick mask, actions, conversion from one color space to another.

[T Kubik]

I just went from CS, to Elements and I REALLY miss curves and channel mixer. GET CS2!!

[magicmikey]

CS2, or, even better, get CS3.

CS3 has shortcuts in it that Elements does not, and it really reduces the time needed to finish processing your photos in Photoshop.

Although there are certainly many more features in CS2 or CS3, some of the missing actions are available for PSE 3 or PSE 5. I found Graffi's Handy Actions 2.0! yesterday and for $9.99 you get more than 50 actions, including Channel Mixer, Curves, Layer Masks and lots of others. It certainly doesn't take the place of CS2 but it's a big help for PSE 3 or 5. Here's the link: http://www.graficalicus.com/graffishop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=34&zenid=ac0b8fa28bd15107ea66725b89c5625d

The only problem is that some of the best actions don't work with PSE 4.

Michael

[rfreschner]

There are many things you can do in CS2 that you can't do in PSE, but that doesn't mean you have to. You can make it as easy or as complicated as you want to. IMO, unless you're using the Organizer feature in PSE (which isn't available in CS2), then you be crazy not to take a free license.

[flaclick]

I have another question for those who have/had Elements 5 and jumped to CS2......

When CS2 was installed, did the images in the E5 Organizer copy into CS2???

And was their any conflict during the installation process by keeping both on the PC?

[Billginthekeys]

FREE. no doubt, get CS2

[davidcrebelxt]

No, shouldn't be any conflicts, you can keep both. And if you want to keep using Organizer from Elements you can... You can set it up start CS2 as your standard editor, if you don't want to use Bridge.

I don't quite know what you mean by "copy into CS2"
The images aren't actually IN the organizer, the organizer just links to wherever the images are located on your hard-drive... the organizer just displays them all in one place and allows you to place tags and visually search for images.

[rfreschner]

When CS2 was installed, did the images in the E5 Organizer copy into CS2???

CS2 (and CS3) do not include an organizer so no images need to be copied into them.

And was their any conflict during the installation process by keeping both on the PC?

I haven't had PSE since v3, but there were no issues running both at that time.s