need advice on a digital camera photo program

[mrpat]

I recently flooded my old reliable Sea & Sea MX-10 and decided to go digital. I bought a Sealife DC500 complete kit and have been playing around on land learning the features, settings, etc.
Anyway the damn Ulead Basic Photo Explorer software that came with the camera has a few undesirable features, not the least of which is the frequent tendency of locking up my more than capable computer.
So I'm hoping all you photo gurus on the board can recommend their favorite software packages.

I'd like to be able to compose a slide show of my best shots and digital mini-short videos in any order I choose. To be able to easily lay down musical tracks over a particular group of photos. Individually pick the transitional blend from one shot to another. I'd like to be able to burn this slide show to a DVD or CD-Rom and for the recipient to be able to play the darn thing with a minimum of trouble on their part. If burning to a DVD it should play upon insertion like a commercial disc.
Am I asking too much??
How many of these features are available in a single package and about how much would it cost?

 

[El Orans]

For camera info etc.: ScubaBoard > Scuba Diving Central > Underwater Photography. :camera:

BTW, welcome(Scub)aBoard! :happywave

 

[Jason Ooi]

welcome to SB

 

[Koreanfrogger]

Welcome to the board

 

[DandyDon]

Howdy and welcome to SB!

It is a neat cam, isn't it. I like the Shark mode, so I can shoot where the fish is, not where it was. I'm a fumbling amateur - I use Adobe's free photoshop 3.0 and Windows movie maker. But check with on our photo forums...

Good to have you here. Click here to PM me if I can help you get started in our various forums.

:cowboy2: don

 

[herman]

Welcome to the board.
I just got Photoshop Elements 4.0. It will do every thing you want plus alot more. You did not mention being able to process your pictures (light/color/tint/ect) but you will will want to do that as well. The program runs less than $100. I got mine at Staples office supplies for $80 (plus a $20 rebate if you had an old Adope product). So far the only thing I have found I don't care for is the speed at which it compiles wma files (Windows media player), I have not tried a DVD yet.
Another program you might want to look at is Proshow. I have been using this one for several years. You can download this program and try it for free. The free test version will put some banners and stuff you don't want on the screen but otherwise it is fully functioned and you can get an idea if you want to buy it or not. It's only $30 and works well. If you download the free test version and decide to keep it, you can give them a CC number and they email you a release code that removes the sales BS from your downloaded program, no need to download anything else. http://www.photodex.com/products/proshow/

On a totally different subject, come join us on the NC board. We have a good group of local NC/SC/VA (and others) divers. There is someone diving almost every weekend somewhere and a great group of divers. www.ncdivers.com

 

[mjh]

Think herman has hit the combo more and more people seem to enjoy. Here is a sample of photos worked on in Photoshop than put into a slide show using Photodex. You will have to enroll, sign-up for free, to view.

http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewshow.html?fl=2538595&alb=0

 

[DandyDon]

I gotta try Adobe 4 again. It scared me last time I looked at it - complicated

 

[mrpat]

Thank You to all who've responded

I'm figuring out which buttons are which and how to navigate around this site. I'll get it togeather eventually, but you guys may have to bare with me if I make a message board faux-pax.
Thanks again for all the great info

If a picture of a Great White taken from a cage in S. Africa is attached somewhere to this meassage I accomplished my task. If not I'll have to tryView attachment 33140 again

 

[DandyDon]

yeah, you got it attached. but its' not our usual thumbnail. How did you do that?