Photoshop elements/Premier elements/Lightroom 3

First off, I wasn't sure if this is the right place to put this thread, so sorry if it's in the wrong place...

What are the differences between Premier Elements, Photoshop Elements, and Lightroom 3? Will they all open RAW files? Which is the best/easiest to use & learn for someone who has never used Photoshop? Is one of them 'bad' in comparison to the others, and why?

...also, do they do anything that DPP & GIMP don't do?

Thanks,.

~Steve

Ace and Deuce wrote in post #14423165
First off, I wasn't sure if this is the right place to put this thread, so sorry if it's in the wrong place...

What are the differences between Premier Elements, Photoshop Elements, and Lightroom 3? Will they all open RAW files? Which is the best/easiest to use & learn for someone who has never used Photoshop? Is one of them 'bad' in comparison to the others, and why?

...also, do they do anything that DPP & GIMP don't do?

Thanks,.

~Steve

I bought Elements a few months ago mostly for the ability to blend multiple photos. It will open Raw files. I still use DPP when I am just adjusting WB, brightness, contrast. Elements may do that just a bit better, I've used it when I had a problem photo that I can't quite get right in DPP. (tried Gimp, hated it) Lightroom seems to be turning into the software of choice for many photographers from what I can tell from general reading about this stuff.

This should probably go into "RAW, Post Processing and Printing".

I like Lightroom because of its catalog and keywording system. I have 70,000 photos in a single catalog that enables me to easily sort, find, and export photos whenever I need them. I can color label, flag, and star my favorite photos, and create virtual copies to make different adjustments without needing to remember to save another copy. Prior to that I'd actually use Explorer to pull out the files I liked the best and then open them one by one in PS to edit.

LR does not replace PS or Gimp.