Looking to start learning Photoshop and saw a forum member post that Photoshop Elements is a much more cost effective way to go and that it would be able to do everything most people will need to do.
I am looking at getting into Screen Printing on the side and will need to have working knowledge of Photoshop. What are the forum’s opinion on choosing Photoshop Elements? Money is not neccessarily an issue but also hate to waste money. Photoshop is MUCH more expensive (Elements is $99) but cost isn’t everything. Any advice on which direction I should go? Thank you.
I use Elements and it’s a very good option especially when you compare the cost to its big brother. It has pretty much most of the options you are likely to want to start out with and by the time you get to the more obscure things you’ll probably be making enough money screen printing to afford the real thing. Whether you’ll need it or not is another matter.
Elements is well suited for photo editing (for the average individual) though it’s more comparable to Adobe Lightroom than it is to Photoshop in what feature-set its equipped with. If you want to make simple changes to photos or do really basic image production, then Elements is a fine choice (though for that I prefer PaintShop Pro), but if you want to produce a wide range of high quality images (with lot’s of technical details) then Photoshop really is where you should aim.
Elements is a fine choice (though for that I prefer PaintShop Pro),
Now that’s interesting. I also have both. I use Elements for photographic stuff and PSP for text, vector etc. I just can’t get the same quality using them the other way round.
PE’s Save for Web feature is so much easier to use than faffing around in PSP, or have I missed some vital button?
I use PS Elements. It is very much all I need really. It is not true that it is only good for photo editing. I even paint in it. The thing that is missing is the pen tool. But if you adjust your design in such a way that you do not need to use it, then I highly recommend it.
There are some vector possibilities, text works well enough. Tons of brushes and saving for the web. The filters are enough to be useful also.
If you employ your imagination PS Elements is enough.
They are really different products. PaintShop Pro is more aimed at general image production because unlike Adobe, Corel don’t have a high end product aimed at the same market. Which is why they are both good for different things, Elements is of course highly tuned for editing rather than production.
Another vote for Elements here. There are very occasionally things I get frustrated that I can’t do in Elements… but not enough to make me buy PS itself!!
Imagination is sold separately, and since Adobe trademarked creativity, you’ll probably have to pay an annual maintenance agreement to use the “dream engine”
