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I've been using Paintshop Pro in its various guises for probably 6 or 7 years now, and I've always thought it was great and can find my way around it very easily
I am now onto the latest version - Paintshop Photo Pro X3 which has some awesome new features.
I am very new to SLR photography and have had my new camera for only a few weeks, but it has become apparent to me that the industry standard software is Adobe Photoshop so I got myself a copy of CS4.
It was installed, but I carried on using PSP until I ran into a problem with the RAW files - The image quality from a newly imported RAW on PSP was much worse than a JPEG, I couldnt work out what the problem was until someone suggested I used Photoshop - Lo and behold it was fine and dandy on the new program
So now I'm trying to learn Photoshop, which seems to have some good points but also lots of bad points. It looks and feels very basic, and a few very basic functions that I took for granted either just aren't there or are hidden away in a very user unfriendly way
Examples:
Zooming in/out on specific areas of a picture
PSP - Aim your mouse and roll the middle mouse button in/out
Photoshop - Having to use the magnifying glass tool, then click to zoom in. To zoom out you've got to right click/zoom out on the menu.
Straightening a picture
PSP - Click the straighten tool on toolbar, line it up and hit the 'ok' tick.
Photoshop - (I had to google this) Eyedrop tool > measure ruler, line it up, Image, rotate canvas > arbitrary, click.
There are several other things that have flummoxed me, but I'm trying not to moan too much here! The point of my post is to find out if anyone else here does use Paintshop Pro, if I am doing something wrong on the RAW import (which is the only thing that stopped me using it), and to find out WHY Photoshop has become/is the industry standard that almost everyone seems to use, when to me it feels like an inferior piece of software to PSP.
Or perhaps I'm missing a trick and just need to overcome these frustrating problems with CS4 because underneath the clunky interface it is far more capable than its cousin from Corel?
Quote: The image quality from a newly imported RAW on PSP was much worse than a JPEG
I use PSP X3 too and have also had problems with the RAW editor but only on some files, I can only think that there is a bug in the program somewhere that may be ironed out in an update hopefully soon!?
Quote: So now I'm trying to learn Photoshop, which seems to have some good points but also lots of bad points. It looks and feels very basic, and a few very basic functions that I took for granted either just aren't there or are hidden away in a very user unfriendly way
Agreed, I also had a copy of CS4 and stopped using it as I just didn't find it user friendly either, I also tried Elements and still felt the same. As you say CS4 feels clunky, and I find it just way too complicated. I uninstalled CS4 and elements in the end.
I have the problem in reverse.
I had CS3 and its bugging on my pc, I have tried Canon DPP, and cant work out how to do stuff, but found photoshop pretty easy to get on with.
I have uninstalled CS3 and i am looking for another cheap/free program to edit with.
I have also been using PSP (since version 8) and now have X3 which I am delighted with. I share your concerns over Photoshop. I persevered with CS2 for weeks and weeks and gave up for precisely the same reasons as you. I found that PSP did 95% of what I wanted to do and did it at lot more easily and intuitively than CS2. I can't say I have encountered your problem with RAW files, however. Every time I have used RAW files - mostly for HDR work I have been delighted. Just as an afterthought though, PSP X3 is particularly crap at generating HDR images. Like most folk interested in this branch of photography I have opted for Photomatix Pro which offers you a huge amount of control over your images.
Well, I'm glad its not just me then!
I've just had a lengthy online chat to their customer services
He pointed me here which is a list of all supposed compatible RAW cameras
And then here which is a guide to using their RAW import lab.
It appears that I've been clicking the wrong button on the RAW lab, I was using EDIT when I should use RESET, however I very much doubt that this will resolve the issue but I will test it when I get home.
one of his last comments was:
Also, from this type of issue, it is best that you call our Technical Support Department directly at 1-877-662-6735 (Mon-Fri 9am-7pm EST). I am confident they can assist you with your concern and get it resolved as soon as possible because they are the subject matter experts on this particular issue.
I may give them a call when my ears and phone bill are feeling up to it, but not today.
So - Am I right that almost everyone uses Adobe? It seems that all of the college courses I came across are aimed solely at this.
I think if they(Corel) could get this RAW issue right they would have a far better package than the competition
Quote: Examples:
Zooming in/out on specific areas of a picture
PSP - Aim your mouse and roll the middle mouse button in/out
Photoshop - Having to use the magnifying glass tool, then click to zoom in. To zoom out you've got to right click/zoom out on the menu.
Why not read the instructions for Photoshop CS4....
Then you would realise that this feature you crave is actually available under " Preferences " .....
Quote: Straightening a picture
PSP - Click the straighten tool on toolbar, line it up and hit the 'ok' tick.
Photoshop - (I had to google this) Eyedrop tool > measure ruler, line it up, Image, rotate canvas > arbitrary, click.
Why Google for answers that are in the " Help " options...?
Whatever... If you are dealing with a RAW file via Adobe Camera Raw, There is a very nice tool called " Straighten " along the top tool bar, Simply draw a straightened line, And hey presto its straightened " Automatically......
You should really try and get to grips with a software program, Before making comments on how it does or does not function.....!!!
The fact that Adobe Photoshop ( whatever version ) is an industry standard, Is just so for a very good reason, Adobe Photoshop Elements is a trimmed down version of the same, So anything you learn in Elements goes towards a better understanding of Photoshop.
There are truck loads of sites with all manner of tips & tricks/tutortials etc etc for Photoshop & Photoshop Elements, Hell there is Adobe TV for starters, The amount of help available for learning Photoshop or Elements is massive, The same can't be said of the competition.
However you do need to apply yourself to spending some time learning a new software, Or save yourself a load of grief and money and stick with what you know.......
Corel will have to do considerably more than sort out their abysmal " Raw " handling option/updating, Before they can come close to Elements, Let alone Photoshop.
Paint Shop Pro was a fabulous program up to version 7, Then Corel bought it from JASC software, After that it has steadily gone from bad to worse.....
Quite honestly your better of using whatever software that comes with your camera, Than even thinking about Paint Shop Pro....!!!!!!!!!
Agree with above....
Photoshop idealy needs to be used in conjuction with the keyboard too.... as most of the funtionality can be acessed through shortcuts....
example zooming in and out - hold down the control key and press + or - on the keyboard numerical keypad.... or click the magnifying glass and drag a square around the part you want to see.... it will enlarge the view by the size of the square.
a few very basic functions that I took for granted either just aren't there or are hidden away
Photoshop has ALL the basic functions you could want... you just need to set up the program so you can access the things you want when you want them.... it depends on the sort of work you are doing as to the tools you need most often... so you need to customise the program to suit your needs.
Quote: you just need to set up the program so you can access the things you want when you want them.... it depends on the sort of work you are doing as to the tools you need most often... so you need to customise the program to suit your needs.
Just another one of the reasons why its number 1 and an industry standard
Quote: [quote]Quote: you just need to set up the program so you can access the things you want when you want them.... it depends on the sort of work you are doing as to the tools you need most often... so you need to customise the program to suit your needs.
Just another one of the reasons why its number 1 and an industry standard
[/quote]
what, and you can't do that with PSP??
Like many on this site, I've usedPSP for years, it's not perfect but it does 99% of what I need. I use a 3rd party raw editor.
PS isn't just the industry standard cos it's the best, it's not as simple as that. There comes a point where there's a self-fulfilling prophesy - everyone uses it cos everyone uses it, and everyone tells everyone else to use it.
Say it loud, PSP and proud
Its all down to personal preference at the end of the day.... i chose a nikon because my hand fitted the case better than the canon, and i chose photoshop to begin with because someone bought it for me... and i kind of stuck with it. I cant comment of PSP as i have never used it. 
I have used both PSP (various versions) and Photoshop (CS3) over the past few years. I find PSP much more user friendly.
Photoshop has a loud voice out there and we are continually told it is the industry standard and the most powerful tool available. Sometimes I wonder if it is a case of who got there first much like the VHS and Betamax video recorder systems many years back. It was reckoned that Betamax was the better system but by the time it was launched VHS had the market sewn up and Betamax failed badly.
Quote: I have the problem in reverse.
I had CS3 and its bugging on my pc, I have tried Canon DPP, and cant work out how to do stuff, but found photoshop pretty easy to get on with.
I have uninstalled CS3 and i am looking for another cheap/free program to edit with.
Most of what can be done in PSP or PS can be done in the Gimp. Like any other application you do have some learning to do, but that is the only cost as the application is free. Google for The Gimp.
Quote: cool I didn't realise there was team adobe and team corel, just as I'd never come across this nikon versus canon thing before
Welcome to Ephotozine!
I'm cming out in support of Paint Shop Pro. i have X2 and it serves me very well indeed. i shoot with a Pentax k20 and dont have any issue with RAW files. However, I do with Canon RAW files (I have a canon S90). They have a rather heavy green tinge, so i have to mess around with them in Canon software beforehand.
there are lots of editing tips online for PS but I have no problem in converting these tips to PSP. Pound for pound (or should I say currency for currency) PSP is head and shoulder above Photoshop.
i would concur with a previous member who said that the reason everyone usues Ps is becuase everyone uses it. It's a bit like Hoover. We all call a vacuum cleaner a hoover, so therefore Hoover sells probably more vacuum cleaners than most. Photoshop is synonamous with photo editing but this doesnt mean it is the best editing software, just the most widely used.
for the price of PS Elements you can get PSP which gives SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much more than elements.
I think it's all down to what you are used to using. i started off with PSP so will stick with it as i know the interface.
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