I am tired of searching, I just need your opinions.

I don't take a lot of pictures and I don't do a lot of post processing so I have been using DPP to edit my shots. Of course DDP has some deficiencies so I am thinking about purchasing either PSE8 for $70 or Lightroom 2 for $100. I have a copy of PSE5 and very briefly I tried the trial version of LR1 so I am somewhat familiar with both products but moreso with PSE5. I don't plan to do a lot of editing just straightening a few horizons, some minor touchups, and maybe some mild HDR. My question is how much difference is there between the two products? Is LR2 the better program or are they really about the same?

Joe,

As you say you don't post process very much and already have Elements 5 I suggest you stick with what you already have until you feel it is holding you back.

I still use PS7 and that's after running a trial version of CS4 recently, which is just not worth the cost to me. I am not a believer in spending money I don't need to spend!

Joe, Lightroom and Elements are two different programs and your workflow will vary between the two, and so I'd say give thought to what you want your workflow to be.

DPP is a very capable Raw processor, but as you say does lack things like horizon straightening and some fine-tuning features that Elements provides and, from a different direction, Lightroom also provides a certain amount of.

You may benefit from trying the 30 day trial of LR2, because there are some very significant capabilities that have been added. In addition, I'd get a good book on Lightroom, or at least Real World Camera Raw (CS4 Adobe Camera Raw shares almost all tools with Lightroom) and read up on the workflow they provide.

I imagine that you're are shooting jpeg? If so, and you are shooting a low volume, Elements may actually be a better choice to begin with. It has an organizer built in and a limited version of the Camera Raw processor but for jpegs you may get more from working in the Editor. You mentioned familiarity with Elements 5 -- my use of Elements stopped with 4, but the new version would have a free trial as well.

I shoot mostly RAW and only shoot JPG when I need a quick shot to send back to an engineer or my project manager. My copy of PSE5 has some problems and I was thinking about upgrading to something else. I don't need CS4 but if someday I feel it will benefit me I will purchase it. I have read so many good things about LR2 but many people seem to use it in addition to CS4 and that confuses me. Will LR2 do everything PSE8 will do and more or is it something entirely different? I have read so many posts that I think I know less now than when I began.

Joe,

The two are very different in approach. What is it you don't like about the version of Elements you already have? What would you like it to be able to do that it cannot? That would give us a feel for how best to advise you.

I have both LR2 and PE7 and hardly ever use PE.

LR lets me make 99% of all the photo adjustments I need.

Download the trial version of LR2.5 and give it a try.

Tom_D wrote in post #8761737
I have both LR2 and PE7 and hardly ever use PE.

LR lets me make 99% of all the photo adjustments I need.

Download the trial version of LR2.5 and give it a try.

Ditto for me.

Just a side note to OP... even with LR at times it is really useful to have a pixel-editor like PSE... so don't throw it away. I think LR and PSE make a great, affordable combo for me. Based on my workflow CS4 would go largely unused and just be $$ down the drain. (And if you can get LR for $100 that's a good deal... the full $300 price would be much harder to swallow.)

I'll go along with the suggestions for LR 2.5; you said you don't shoot that much so simplify it's use by just importing into the collections, creating a new folder for each project and then start learning the develop module, watch the available teaching videos and have fun, it offers so many different ways that are easy to control the image and is seriously worth the regular price of $300 so getting it for the student price makes it even that much more appealing. It's a well thought out and excellent functioning tool.