Home > Consumer Reviews > Adobe Photoshop Elements 1.0

Regarding the points made that Elements lacks some of Photoshop's features - channels, curves, etc: Considering the price of the full version of Photoshop, I'm not surprised that Elements is missing a few of Photoshop's features. (Come on, how would they give away the whole enchilada and still sell it for $99 ?) Folks, if you want everything that's in Photoshop, you have to buy Photoshop. I can't justify that price tag, so I bought Elements. And if you do some searching on the net for tutorials on this product, some of those features can be had with handy back door methods.

Elements has the same interface as Photoshop. You will need to learn how to use it. It's not like Photo Deluxe where you're guided into set routines. But if you're willing to put a few minutes into learning the interface, it's a GREAT piece of software. I highly recommend the book "50 Fast Digital Photo Techniques": I learned more by reading the first few chapters than I ever would by experimenting on my own. This book teaches some very useful photo editing methods with PS Elements - the book will teach you how to use the software with useful examples. After you get to know the basics, many of the online Photoshop tutorials will help because so much of the interface is the same. I'm finally learning how to do selections effectively, which I had given up on before.

In my experience, the competing product is Paint Shop Pro, another very good program. However I believe Elements has more bells and whistles specifically designed for photographers. I've used both products and I think you get more for your money with Elements.

After using many image editing software packages, I found Photoshop Elements does what I need faster than any other.

My criteria is based on how fast I can: 1. Get an image from my scanner or digital camera 2. Crop it 3. Fix red eye 4. Adjust overall brightness, contrast, color. 5. Darken or lighten specific areas 6. Save it .jpg

Practically all the software I've used can do all of my list, although some packages can't darken or lighten specific areas. Some programs are so simple that they become hard to work with; It takes forever to crop a picture with Microsoft Picture It. Adobe PhotoDeluxe will only save as a .pdd, you have to do several extra steps to export it as a .jpg.

I really don't use all the extra features and filters and special effects, although PhotoMerge is pretty cool. I know my way around a darkroom, but photography isn't my life. I just want to clean up pictures and move on. Adobe Photoshop Elements allows me to improve and correct my pictures quickly. But when I want to do something artistic, it works great.

Look... Buy or Go to your local library and check out the book "50 Fast Digital Photo Techniques". It has a CD that contains trial versions of Photoshop Elements as well as several other programs. Try them side by side. Find the one that works best for you, I'll bet it's Photoshop Elements.

I upgraded to Photoshop Elements from Photoshop 5.0 LE last week. The package arrived promptly. Yes, there is a manual, unlike some software packages I have(such as MS Office 2001). But, many features are not explained fully in the paper manual (hence the four star rating). I think the program itself is competent enough for most "prosumer" level users. My favorite features that are not in the LE version? Unlimited undos, history pallet, editable text, the ability to position image on a page. Feature that I wished included: the ability to save selection. To me, Elements included quite a few very useful features missing in LE. It's well worth the upgrade fee. The program is very solid on my iMac. No problems with working with several 5-10 megs files at a time with the default memory setting.

I have, and use, Photoshop 6 every day. At this point I'm supposed to say what a wonderful program it is but frankly, if you are just processing photos, Photoshop raises needless complexity to unimaginable heights. Interested in dot gain or 3/4 tones? I didn't think so.

Enter Photoshop Elements. Somebody at Adobe finally realized that photographers--even accomplished ones--want PHOTOshop not PRINTshop. PS Elements has everything you need (plus the inevitable dopey effects) in a genuinely easy to use package.

You won't see any 600+ page books on Photoshop Elements. They aren't needed. If you think about it, in a sane world Photoshop Elements would sell for [money]--because of its simplicity--and the full Photoshop would retail for [money].

Thank you, Adobe. Now how about a simplified version of GoLive....

Adobe Photoshop Elements is an intriquing and remarkable tool. After using it for just a few weeks, here are some thoughts. My scanner came supplied with Photoshop LE 4.0, a "lite" version of Photoshop image editing / enhancing software. It was soon evident that an upgrade was desireable. What gave me pause was the cost of Photoshop 5.0 or 6.0, not inexpensive programs by any measure, yet almost universally considered the 'industry standard'. Elements provides an extremely inviting alternative, adding genuine power as a partner to your lite version....I'm still learning as I go, and Adobe has provided for this with useful hints and 'receipes' to make you productive quite quickly. As you work with it, you'll find ever more power and features. On a cost / productivity basis, this program just can not be matched.