Photoshop Elements 4 or Paint Shop Pro X?

[Gooberlx2]

I currently have Elements 2....but I want to upgrade to something which will include the RAW workflow in one application (I'm tired of converting).

I can upgrade to Elements 4 for $70 download or purchase PSPX for $100 download.

I tend to like both Corel and Adobe...so I don't have any loyalties.....just wondering what other people here would do.

Some questions to consider, I guess:
- Does one product have certain limitations over the other (i.e. bit-depth, layers and manipulations)?
- How do their RAW plugins compare in terms of quality?
- Is one more user friendly...or, along the same lines, is one too "bubble-gum, assumes I'm retarded, friendly"?

 

[Gooberlx2]

Nevermind....turns out that I found a coupon link on dpreview and got Corel PSPX download for ~$63....not bad at all really.

Everything I've read has alluded to PSPX being better. I was just curious what people here though since I'm familiar with Photoshop Elements, whose parent software also tends to be the industry standard.

 

[episodic]

Consider the new coreldraw graphics suite x3. If you are a student it only costs a little over 100 dollars or something. It includes an illustrator replacement and a photoshop replacement and is getting good reviews.


All this advice is if you have a moneyflow issue. If you don't - go ahead and get CS2 (elements if you must).

 

[MrChad]

Be sure to get the RAW image thumbnailer for XP too; handy if you work with RAW files a lot.

 

[corkyg]

I have both PSP X and PSE 4. PSE 4 has a lot more in it, but it is also a lot harder to learn and use. PSP X is much easier to use - contains Photo Album 6.0 - and is what I use most of the time. RAW can be handled by PSP X. The following is from Corel's KB:

"RawShooter Essentials comes with Paint Shop Pro X and can be used to convert digital camera Raw files into TIFF files for editing in Paint Shop Pro X. You can also download RawShooter Essentials from the Free Trials page on Corel.com Note: RawShooter Essentials is supported by Pixmantec. See the Support menu at www.pixmantec.com for more information on Pixmantec support."



Easy, simple editing is where I use Google's Picasa 2.01 - free!

 

[Gooberlx2]

Originally posted by: corkyg
I have both PSP X and PSE 4. PSE 4 has a lot more in it, but it is also a lot harder to learn and use. PSP X is much easier to use - contains Photo Album 6.0 - and is what I use most of the time. RAW can be handled by PSP X. The following is from Corel's KB:

"RawShooter Essentials comes with Paint Shop Pro X and can be used to convert digital camera Raw files into TIFF files for editing in Paint Shop Pro X. You can also download RawShooter Essentials from the Free Trials page on Corel.com Note: RawShooter Essentials is supported by Pixmantec. See the Support menu at www.pixmantec.com for more information on Pixmantec support."



Easy, simple editing is where I use Google's Picasa 2.01 - free!

Woulda been nice if pixmantec made a plugin for PSPX so they could be integrated, not two seperate programs...just 'cause RAWshooter seems to be faster manipulating RAWs. It's all about the workflow!

...wish I had the $$$ for CS2.