Photoshop Elements 2.0 or better?

[ExPOSED]

I just purchased a Canon 20D. I know that a major part of digital photography is the post processing. I noticed that alot of people here use photoshop(which I am assuming is Adobe Photoshop). The 20D came with the Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0 Is this what everyone is using? Or is this software to basic?Unfortunately, my budget is pretty thin now that I have plunged into the 20D. A friend of mine has a brand new Adobe Photoshop 6.0 I know its the older version, but would it be better than the photoshop software that came with the camera? Sorry I know its a Newbie question. Thanks for any help...

[ejwebb]

Elements will do nearly everything that the full version of Photoshop can - there are some key differences but as a beginner you can easily do without them. My suggestion is to get to know Elements 2.0 as well as you can before plunging into the full version of Photoshop - nearly everything you learn will be applicable if you ever do upgrade to the full version. Do some net searches for books and tutorials on Elements - there are many out there that will help you learn how to process pictures with the software. As a beginner it is all you will need for a while at least.

You might consider upgrading to Elements 3.0 which includes a RAW file converter, healing tools and shadow/highlight tools in addition to a photo Organizer software that is very useful. With the upgrade price and discounts available the upgrade should cost you between $50 and $75.

Retail price for the full version of Photoshop is $600 - you may be able to still get a Canon rebate deal of $299 but my opinion is that you probably have other uses for the cash if you are just starting out - lenses, flash, memory, bag, etc.

Good luck!!

[tom2977]

I have had Photoshop 7, Photoshop Elements 2 and have recently upgraded to Photoshop Elements 3. I would highly recommend the latter as the previous post indicates. It has a lot of the power of Photoshop - missing a few tools but some of these can be downloaded off the web (curves/channel mixer/layer masks in particular - these also work for version 2). These cover almost all you need if it is photography which is the interest.

http://member.melbpc.org.au/%7Epshipley/Download.htm

In addition to the shadow/highlights tools (which are great for recovering detail in poorly exposed photographs), the Colour management has been improved in Elements 3 over version 2. It also has the Panorama stitching tools not available in versions of Photoshop before CS.

There is also a book I'm trying to get hold of 'The hidden Power of Photoshop Elements 3' which apparently has extra tools you can add into elements. I think this will then mean elements will have all you need.

Elements 3 is a combination of Photoshop Elements and Photoshop Album. The Album part is a terrific organizer for your files and Elements 3 with the downloaded tools installed has all you need as a photographer.

If you want to upgrade from Elements 2 I would highly recommend Elements 3. It is great value for money.

Hope thats useful.

[Jesper]

A friend of mine has a brand new Adobe Photoshop 6.0 I know its the older version, but would it be better than the photoshop software that came with the camera?I hope you were not planning on making an illegal copy of it.

Start with PS Elements 2.0. It's quite good and contains most of the functionality of the full version of Photoshop. If, sometime in the future, you start to notice limits, then it's a good time to consider upgrading it to the full version.

The current full version is Photoshop CS, and it looks like that later this year Adobe will release Photoshop CS2.

[ExPOSED]

I hope you were not planning on making an illegal copy of it.

No, not making a copy. A friend of mine has the 6.0 version sealed, brand new in the box. It was her brothers, and I guess he gave it to her when she bought her digital camera. She's not into editing and fixing photos. She basically uses her cam for pics to place on the web. Since she wasn't going to use it, I offered to buy it from her, but she said I can have it. I guess I can consider myself lucky!

Thanks for all the info and advice everyone. I think I will do as suggested and start with either elements 2.0 or 3.0.

[Jesper]

In that case..... if they'd give it to you or sell it to you cheaply, I think it's not a bad deal to get PS 6.0. I think an upgrade from PS 6.0 to PS CS costs something like $ 169 in the USA.

[ejwebb]

In that case..... if they'd give it to you or sell it to you cheaply, I think it's not a bad deal to get PS 6.0. I think an upgrade from PS 6.0 to PS CS costs something like $ 169 in the USA.
Or get the 6.0 and use it and Elements 2 to learn until the new CS comes out and then you only upgrade once! If you need a RAW converter until then the new Canon DPP does very well.