Older Photoshop Elements Versions

[SJEaton]

I'm just starting out and want to get photoshop but don't have much of a budget. Are any of the older versions of photoshop elements (eg 6, 7 ,8) any good still or would you recommend saving for the newest version?

[arith]

I use 7, and add some plugins like Topaz and Helicon Filter. It's fine for me except you can't do 16 bit layers, which requires photoshop and that is expensive.

If you want to do video, then you will have to get 8 plus.

[victor]

Samantha,

Why not try The Gimp. Its free, not to difficult to use and has a great user guide with it.

Help in its use is also available from forum members.

Regards

David

[MiniChris]

Since I have no need of this program (I have the full Adobe CS5 Suite), I have not tried to download it, or really even look at it as a possibility (RAW conversion program). However, one of my former colleagues found it, downloaded, and is using it quite happily, and like GIMP, it is totally free.

http://rawtherapee.com/blog/list/13

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Samantha Jane,

I have used Elements 6 and Elements 8, both bought retail from reputable sources and registered.

I would be wary of where you buy from, I'm sure there are counterfeit versions on auction sites.

Also, it may not be a problem now with your Olympus SP880 (especially if it doesn't shoot RAW - I haven't checked), but if/when you get a newer camera and shoot RAW, you may have an upgrade issue for Adobe Camera RAW if you buy too early a version of Elements and it isn't compatible with newer camera models - there is a workaround though, conversion with the free DNG converter to DNG format, then use that in Elements, but it's just another step in the process, which some do anyway (e.g. Colin).

Useful links;
This page tells you which version of ACR is supported by which version of Elements (and CS, etc.)

This page tells you which version of ACR you need for a given camera model.

In terms of features, either are pretty good, but obviously later models have more gadgets and some can be useful.
I notice Elements 10 (just out) isn't in those lists, so the links may break if Adobe re-issue the pages, let me know if this happens (someone, anyone).
UPDATE: when I tried these later (29 April 2012) as long as I accepted a browser redirect, they both still worked.

Movies come with the Premiere Elements versions only as far as I know, not by number.

Cheers,

[arith]

Does elements 9 have the same ACR as CS5. I thought only PSE10 separated into Premium and Standard.

Is PSE9 likely to get even cheaper, although PSE10 looks like it will have masks.

Adobe PSE10

Wot I need is a sugar mummy who will buy me CS5, then I will really be able to get to work.

[Geoff F]

If you shoot Raw, Samantha, the Raw Therapee software which Chris mentioned is an excellent free Raw converter.

It has all the adjustments you need for basic editing but if you want to work with layers and masks etc, which I recommend, you will need something more comprehensive.

Before acquiring something expensive, I used the Serif Photo Plus software which has the ability to do most of what the pricey programmes do, but at a fraction of the cost.

Layers etc are easy with it although I found their Raw converter to be poor; which is why I used RT for that. The other drawback is that some of the special effects only work in 8 bit jpeg; but I rarely needed any of them anyway.

[FrankMi]

Wot I need is a sugar mummy who will buy me CS5, then I will really be able to get to work.

If you (or your sugar mommy) take a college course and get a student ID, you (or her) can get the CS5 Student and Teacher edition at a significant discount.

[Clactonian]

Wot I need is a sugar mummy who will buy me CS5, then I will really be able to get to work.

If you find one Steve can we share? I too make do with PSE, refusing to pay the ridiculous premium for CS5.

[SJEaton]

Thanks to eveyrone for your comments and tips, I may take a look at some of the free one's mentioned

[SJEaton]

If you (or your sugar mommy) take a college course and get a student ID, you (or her) can get the CS5 Student and Teacher edition at a significant discount.

Do student discounts count if your just doing a one night a week evening course?

[arith]

If you find one Steve can we share? I too make do with PSE, refusing to pay the ridiculous premium for CS5.

Even at half price it's expensive Mike; I don't know if that's the commercial version though.

If you (or your sugar mommy) take a college course and get a student ID, you (or her) can get the CS5 Student and Teacher edition at a significant discount

Cheers Frank, I got a granddaughter starting playschool.

[FrankMi]

Do student discounts count if your just doing a one night a week evening course?

Hi Samantha, I would doubt it. My grandson was able to get the discount but he is enrolled full time in a local college. Adobe needed a photocopy of his Student ID. I suspect that colleges have minimum requirements before they will issue a Student ID. It would be best to check out the Adobe site for the current requirements but in his case all he needed was his Student ID.

[FrankMi]

Even at half price it's expensive Mike; I don't know if that's the commercial version though.
Cheers Frank, I got a granddaughter starting playschool.

Hi Steve, my grandson (in college) was able to get CS5 Extended. Not sure what 'extended' has that basic CS5 doesn't?

[Geoff F]

For most photographers the 'extended' version doesn't have anything of interest. I think it mostly includes items for 3D work and video editing.

[arith]

Which is better; CS3 at £180 from Amazon or PSE10 at £64 from Adobe. £64 is a lot for me by the way, but I always now use layers and would like them to be 16 bit.

The salesperson at Adobe had difficulty understanding the no money doesn't equal stupid concept; and seemed to think somehow everyone who is able to use photoshop can afford CS5 at a mere £600 come to think of it that was the price of just one set book (Bourbaki Vol1) in just one course (Universal Algebra) at university. So maybe it is good value but I think the reason Bourbaki was expensive was because only 0.01% of the population could understand it.

I think everybody of elementary level can understand photoshop, and it is used by almost every professional outfit; conclusion must be it is a rip off. If the GIMP was 16 bit, prices would tumble.

[Jon Ryan]

This is from the Adobe site:

The following individuals are eligible to purchase Adobe Student and Teacher Editions:

* University and college students — students enrolled at a higher education institution defined as an accredited public or private university or college (including community, junior, or vocational college) that grants degrees requiring not less than the equivalent of two years of full-time study
* Primary and secondary school students — students enrolled at an accredited public or private primary or secondary school providing full-time instruction
* Faculty and staff — teachers and staff employed by an accredited primary or secondary school, public or private university or college, school district, or board of education (including emeritus status professors)
* Homeschooled students and their teachers — students and teachers as defined by state homeschooling regulations

So no, sorry, a short course won't qualify you for student discount.

But the good news is that you can get a legal version of Elements 6 from Amazon for peanuts. '6 has RAW built in, although you may need a .dng converter depending on your camera. This is a free download from Adobe. Can be slow, but it works. Elements 6 will do everything you need to learn the basics of Photoshop, and the basic operations are pretty much the same for all later versions. These tend to add more tools and smooth out use of existing ones rather than change everything. Whatever you do, get a decent teaching manual and/or do a course or you will drive yourself quite mad trying to learn at random.

But it really, really is worth the effort. Knowing how to edit your images opens huge new doors to what photography can become.

[Shadowman]

I purchased PSE8 about six months ago and immediately afterward versionn 9 was released. I have yet to fully explore the capabilities of verison 8 so I am in no hurry to upgrade to version 9 or 10. Find out what you want to achieve with the software and see if it fits your needs then see if it warrants purchasing the newer version. The only reason I would see against purchasing the latest version is if the software manufactureres released it too soon without getting all the bugs out. An Adobe forum would help you see what current users think of the latest version.

[speedneeder]

Why not try The Gimp. Its free, not to difficult to use and has a great user guide with it.

I use the GIMP too. CS5 at $700 seems totally crazy to me. Maybe if I made a living doing this it would make sense due to better support and documentation.

Someone said elements 10 has layers and masks? ACR comes with Elements?

[SJEaton]

This is from the Adobe site:

The following individuals are eligible to purchase Adobe Student and Teacher Editions:

* University and college students — students enrolled at a higher education institution defined as an accredited public or private university or college (including community, junior, or vocational college) that grants degrees requiring not less than the equivalent of two years of full-time study
* Primary and secondary school students — students enrolled at an accredited public or private primary or secondary school providing full-time instruction
* Faculty and staff — teachers and staff employed by an accredited primary or secondary school, public or private university or college, school district, or board of education (including emeritus status professors)
* Homeschooled students and their teachers — students and teachers as defined by state homeschooling regulations

So no, sorry, a short course won't qualify you for student discount.

But the good news is that you can get a legal version of Elements 6 from Amazon for peanuts. '6 has RAW built in, although you may need a .dng converter depending on your camera. This is a free download from Adobe. Can be slow, but it works. Elements 6 will do everything you need to learn the basics of Photoshop, and the basic operations are pretty much the same for all later versions. These tend to add more tools and smooth out use of existing ones rather than change everything. Whatever you do, get a decent teaching manual and/or do a course or you will drive yourself quite mad trying to learn at random.

But it really, really is worth the effort. Knowing how to edit your images opens huge new doors to what photography can become.

Thanks Jon