What can CS do that Elements can't?

slimtim

8

3 Jul 2007 - 5:18 PM

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How much simplified is PS Elements to PS CS2/3? I need to get a copy of one or the other at some point but don't know if it is really worth spending the extra £500 on the full bells and whistles version.

My view is that elements must be heavily cut down to justify the price difference so would it be very restricting in what I could achieve?

Thanks in advance.

riprap007

7

3 Jul 2007 - 6:14 PM

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I own and use both Elements 5 and CS2; the biggest differences are (for me) that you can work in 16bit in CS, you have actions, and lots of pre-press functionality... in terms of basic and more advanced photo-retouching, well 80% of my work is achied in Elements, don't find it too cut down at all, and there are a good variety of workarounds to acheive the same or similar effects in Elements as you can in CS. The reason I have both is due to working with printers regularly, if not I'd be content with Elements, (especially since V5 where it accepts ACR 4.1 - inlike CS2)

aftertherain

7

3 Jul 2007 - 10:17 PM

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Straighten a horizon with less fuss.

SuziBlue

9

3 Jul 2007 - 10:57 PM

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I was speaking to someone recently whose view was that using CS2/3 is very worthwhile if you shoot in RAW. You have far more control over the finished image.

If you're like me and still shoot in jpeg then Elements is perfectly adequate. In fact I still use the very basic version of Elements - i.e. the first one - and it has given me everything I've needed for what I use it for.

That said, I'm being coaxed from my jpeg lifestyle and being shown the delights of the RAW shoot - it's a slippery slope .. and old habits die hard.

Plus Stuwhitt's advice is pretty apposite, too

riprap007

7

4 Jul 2007 - 8:52 AM

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CS2 is worse than PSE5 for RAW! also PSE5 has a good straighten tool even easier to use than CS# just drag a line over the angle and it straightens it.

Rune_andersen

5

30 Jul 2007 - 12:07 PM

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I also mainly use PS 5 but for enhancing the colors in the sky or people i use CS2 because i can get a better result there

Rune

joolsb (e2 Member)

7

30 Jul 2007 - 4:17 PM

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Well, CS3 has a whole bunch of things that may or may not be useful to you:

1. Adjustment layers
2. Layer masks
3. Proper curves
4. Ability to save clipping paths
5. Smart layers (i.e. bitmap layers which work like adjustment layers)
6. Selective colour
7. B+W adjustment layer for easier handling of mono conversions
8. Channel mixer (likewise)
9. Channels so you can separate out colour infomation.
10. Soft proofing

and a whole bunch of other stuff....

The main thing about the full version is that it soon becomes tiresome translating all the PS tutorials out there to work with Elements functionality. Most PS tutorials assume at least CS2.

elowes

8

30 Jul 2007 - 6:00 PM

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Elements is good, CS is better but the very much vast majority won't need CS because they won't pay for it.