With the release of version 2.0, Adobe Photoshop Elements is still my program of choice for editing digital photographs. But I find it hard to recommend spending AU$179 on the upgrade. Here's why.
With its new version 2.0, Adobe Photoshop Elements remains my program of choice for editing digital photographs, especially now that the new release allows me to run the same program on both my Windows XP machine and the iMac running OS X.
But, while I like the program, I find this AU$179 upgrade hard to recommend. If you're using OS X, you'll probably want to fork over the money. But even then the tariff seems steep for what you're getting.
Introduced last month at Macworld, the new version adds some interesting features, like a Quick Fix wizard for solving the most common problems that affect digital photographs, the ability to e-mail photos and better manage files from within the program, color correction, and much improved masking tools--important for precise photo editing.
Some people might be willing to pay the upgrade fee just for the new version's ability to import individual frames from video clips. Others may shell out the dough to be able to create slide shows in Adobe Acrobat's PDF format, which can then be displayed on both desktops and Palm OS- and Pocket PC-based devices.
Elements 2.0 also offers a new help system that is arguably better than the old one, but probably not helpful enough for the absolute newbie. (That's what my colleague Lori Grunin concluded in her review.)
That last part is significant because it lies at the core of the dilemma that Adobe faces with Photoshop Elements: Is it supposed to be an entry-level Photoshop? Or should it be designed to attract absolute newcomers?
For example, Elements has a professional look and feel that other low-cost programs lack. And Elements does a better job of getting out of the experienced user's way than many of the other products I've tried recently. But for new users, the look and feel may just seem too complex.
As a low-end version of Photoshop, the program is fairly successful. Though it lacks the "healing brush" that has become a key Photoshop feature, it does allow you to paint away wrinkles and lines in your photographs. While I understand the need for Photoshop to justify its AU$1799 list price (compared to AU$179 for Elements 2.0), I think the healing brush should have been included in the new Elements.
So do we want speed for experienced users or training wheels for newbies? Both--but Elements 2.0 does a much better job of the former than the latter.
The new Quick Fix wizard makes it easy to solve the sort of color and lighting problems that so often happen with digital cameras. This tool allows you to see the effect of changes before committing to them, and did a very nice job of salvaging a number of my shots.
I also made good use of the masking brush, which allows me to add new backgrounds and do other sorts of complex editing by removing the desired subject from the rest of the frame. Color correction allowed me to improve the quality of my prints and is a welcome addition.
Still, AU$179 is a high price for this added functionality--especially for people who are happy with 1.0. It's the same price if you're switching from a competitive photo editor such as Jasc Paint Shop Pro or Microsoft Picture It, but I don't think it's likely to draw many of those folks, unless they are a couple of versions behind. AU$79 would have been more reasonable.
If you don't own or need a high-end photo editor, I'd recommend you consider Photoshop Elements, along with Paint Shop Pro and Ulead PhotoImpact. Between the three you will probably find one that meets both your needs and your idea of how a photo-editing program should work.
Adobe, meanwhile, needs to pack more value into its upgrades if it expects customers to respond.
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