Elements or Photoshop CS2?

[gert7to3]

If you have a student or or know professor in a college, check out the educational version's cost of PhotoShop CS2 at their discounted price. It might even be worth enrolling for a community college course (basic photography perhaps) to get the educational version for yourself.

That said, Elements offers a very good basic set of image enhancers.

 

[AndyT]

Before you splash out on PSCS2 , check out the proposed release date for PSCS3 - no point in buying software now only to have/want to buy an update in a couple of months.

 

[Jeff Toorish]

Actually, we're up to CS3 Beta, now.

I'd go with CS, not Elements.

Jeff

 

[N692BC]

I went with elements 5 to begin with. You can get a legal copy of it on Ebay for about $35. So far it has done what I wanted at a very minimal cost. As I get better I'm sure I will want to upgrade to CS3 or whatever version they have at that point.

But the big factor is elements is inexpensive, does most everything and hasn't confused me to bad, and thats important. I really think elements is a good learning tool

 

[mislav]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but last I heard was that Elements doesn't support CMYK color which is necessary for print media. If OP's target media is print, Elements is out of the question.

 

[N692BC]

You are correct CMYK is not supported by elements. But since that is a commercial standard for the printing industry, I really don't think that for the average user it really matters. I usually just my stuff to a professional developer to handle it.

But if you really must then check out this link:

www.hiddenelements.com

They have some utilities that might interest you.

 

[mislav]

OP asked what is the difference between Elements and Photoshop - I find that to be the key difference which makes one app suited for web design and the other for full professional work.

I've used Photoshop from its early beginnings, so I'm completely at home with it. Elements on the other hand is very underpowered for me, so I'm unfamiliar with its features. I know personally a lot of professional photographs who edit and retouch their work in CMYK and submit it as such. They are very sensitive about anyone messing with it afterwards.

The logic is simple: CMYK color field is a lot smaller than RGB one. Once you convert a photo from RGB to CMYK you sometimes lose the original color and/or a lot of contrast. It helps if a photographer can at least preview on screen what his work might look like printed on paper. If print is really OP's target media, I'd definitely recommend a full version of Photoshop. Of course, I'd also recommend getting a Mac and a calibrated monitor.

So, in the case of print, I wouldn't recommend buying Elements and then paying more money to get a full version of Photoshop which is what is needed.

If we're dealing with the web being the target media here - Elements is all you need.

 

[jarhed]

If you decide to go with PS CS2, you might consider waiting for PS CS3, I understand it will be released this spring.

edit: Sorry, I missed the 2nd page of this thread... guess it was already covered..


Take care,
John

 

[somewhereinla]

Actually neither. You should get Apple Aperture if you have a Mac or check out Adobe Dark Room if you have a PC. Those will be much better for color corrections.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

What about GIMP? (general license image manipulation program, I think) I use it cause I'm cheap, and it seems decently good, and it's free.