Need browsing and editing app suitable for netbook

ChopperCharles · 01-26-2011, 08:00 AM

I've been using Paint Shop Pro 7 for the longest time, because it's fast and doesn't require a lot of resources, and because it has a really great image browser. Folder tree on the left, thumbnails on the right, and I can move and copy images around easily. All of that works flawlessly on my netbook running XP, and the use of screen space suits itself quite well to a netbook.

The biggest thing about PSP is it strips EXIF data out of images when it saves.

I've tried GIMP and I like it well enough, but it doesn't have a browser and I don't like the way it loads images and toolbars in individual windows, and each file opens in a new instance. I also tried Picasa, and it's just too busy for the amount of screen real estate on my netbook. Plus while it is nice for browsing images, it's not actually any good at viewing them. Image is small and it can't edit or the image in any useful way. It's even a bitch just to zoom and scroll, the image doesn't take up the whole screen and the mouse wheel doesn't zoom

I don't need a lot of features in an editor. I need to be able to adjust the saturation, contrast, and brightness, rotate and crop, change the white balance after the fact, and maybe add (or remove) vignetting. A built-in image navigator would be ideal too. This needs to work on a 1.2Ghz netbook with 1GB of ram.

Any recommendations? As it stands I still use PSP7 to browse and move images from memory cards into new directories, picasa to upload to facebook, and GIMP to edit without losing EXIF. It's a clusterfrak really.

Charles.

jolepp · 01-26-2011, 08:10 AM

I have quite liked FastStone for a viewer on Windows, the full screen view (+ interface) seems especially nice

. It can deal with .PEF and .DNG and easily be set up to launch an external editor (e.g. gimp or ufraw, there is some editing functionality built-in too).

SpecialK · 01-26-2011, 01:10 PM

I also have FastStone on my netbook, but only for viewing.

photolady95 · 01-26-2011, 01:42 PM

Third that FastStone. It more now than it used to be. It has more editing tools, and a few other options. It's footprint is small so it should work well with your netbook.

The newest version newest features:

Quote:

Version 4.3 (January 14, 2011)
Added Clone Stamp and Healing Brush
Added "Auto-Adjust Colors" to Colors menu. THANKS to Andras Horvath: log69.com
Added "Adjust Lighting" to lighten or darken shadows and highlights
Added "Adjust Levels"
Added "Adjust Curves"
Added USM (Unsharp Mask) option to Sharpen/Blur
Added Sketch and Oil Painting effects
Added outward-pointing tails to text objects in Draw Board
Now images in Slide Show Builder, Multi-page File Builder, Image Strip Builder and Email list can be drag-and-dropped to rearrange the order
Supported EPS format by displaying the preview image
Updated the RAW format library. Sony SR2 raw format is supported
Improved memory management to handle larger images
Other minor bug fixes and improvements

slip · 01-26-2011, 05:14 PM

I was reading that adobe had a free online version (likely a light version) of photoshop.
otherwise, you are limited by the speed and size (or lack of) of your hard drive. My wife just bought a notebook which was only 100 dollars more then a netbook and I am glad she did, for the same reasons you are finding out now. good luck with your search, let us know how you make out.

cheers

randy

ChopperCharles · 01-27-2011, 07:58 AM

I love my netbook, 160GB harddrive is quite adequate, and I love the small form factor. I never use my regular laptop anymore, even at home. The only thing I have trouble running on it is the latest version of Corel Paint Shop... and it's been so crapified since JSAC sold out to Corel that it's not really what I'm looking for anyhow, even if it wasn't dog slow.

I'll look into Faststone and the free photoshop though. If there are any other suggestions I'd appreciate them!

Charles.

DeadJohn · 02-02-2011, 09:31 PM

Maybe Bibble 5? You can download a free 14 day trial.

Specs say it can run in 1 GB but you'll need to test performance on your netbook. As a test I just shrunk my Bibble window down to a small netbook-like resolution and the user interface still looks usable.

I've recently been evaluating Bibble 5 Lite, LightRoom 3, GIMP, and DXO. I plan to buy Bibble before my trial expires in a few days. The user interface was fairly intuitive for me. Photo quality is good. It's easy to adjust saturation, brightness, contrast, etc. A basic version of Noise Ninja is included.

It is $99, though, so more expensive than the free options but not nearly as high as LightRoom. In terms of capabilities I want (basic catalog tracking, quick browsing, exposure adjustment) Bibble and LR seem very close.

01-26-2011, 08:00 AM	#1
ChopperCharles Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Durham, nc Photos: Albums Posts: 954	Need browsing and editing app suitable for netbook I've been using Paint Shop Pro 7 for the longest time, because it's fast and doesn't require a lot of resources, and because it has a really great image browser. Folder tree on the left, thumbnails on the right, and I can move and copy images around easily. All of that works flawlessly on my netbook running XP, and the use of screen space suits itself quite well to a netbook. The biggest thing about PSP is it strips EXIF data out of images when it saves. I've tried GIMP and I like it well enough, but it doesn't have a browser and I don't like the way it loads images and toolbars in individual windows, and each file opens in a new instance. I also tried Picasa, and it's just too busy for the amount of screen real estate on my netbook. Plus while it is nice for browsing images, it's not actually any good at viewing them. Image is small and it can't edit or the image in any useful way. It's even a bitch just to zoom and scroll, the image doesn't take up the whole screen and the mouse wheel doesn't zoom I don't need a lot of features in an editor. I need to be able to adjust the saturation, contrast, and brightness, rotate and crop, change the white balance after the fact, and maybe add (or remove) vignetting. A built-in image navigator would be ideal too. This needs to work on a 1.2Ghz netbook with 1GB of ram. Any recommendations? As it stands I still use PSP7 to browse and move images from memory cards into new directories, picasa to upload to facebook, and GIMP to edit without losing EXIF. It's a clusterfrak really. Charles.

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01-26-2011, 08:10 AM	#2
jolepp Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Finland Photos: Albums Posts: 3,196	I have quite liked FastStone for a viewer on Windows, the full screen view (+ interface) seems especially nice . It can deal with .PEF and .DNG and easily be set up to launch an external editor (e.g. gimp or ufraw, there is some editing functionality built-in too).

01-26-2011, 01:10 PM	#3
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,481	I also have FastStone on my netbook, but only for viewing.

01-26-2011, 01:42 PM	#4
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	Third that FastStone. It more now than it used to be. It has more editing tools, and a few other options. It's footprint is small so it should work well with your netbook. The newest version newest features: Quote: Version 4.3 (January 14, 2011) Added Clone Stamp and Healing Brush Added "Auto-Adjust Colors" to Colors menu. THANKS to Andras Horvath: log69.com Added "Adjust Lighting" to lighten or darken shadows and highlights Added "Adjust Levels" Added "Adjust Curves" Added USM (Unsharp Mask) option to Sharpen/Blur Added Sketch and Oil Painting effects Added outward-pointing tails to text objects in Draw Board Now images in Slide Show Builder, Multi-page File Builder, Image Strip Builder and Email list can be drag-and-dropped to rearrange the order Supported EPS format by displaying the preview image Updated the RAW format library. Sony SR2 raw format is supported Improved memory management to handle larger images Other minor bug fixes and improvements

01-26-2011, 05:14 PM	#5
slip Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: 2 hours north of toronto ontario canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,535	I was reading that adobe had a free online version (likely a light version) of photoshop. otherwise, you are limited by the speed and size (or lack of) of your hard drive. My wife just bought a notebook which was only 100 dollars more then a netbook and I am glad she did, for the same reasons you are finding out now. good luck with your search, let us know how you make out. cheers randy

01-27-2011, 07:58 AM	#6
ChopperCharles Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Durham, nc Photos: Albums Posts: 954 Original Poster	I love my netbook, 160GB harddrive is quite adequate, and I love the small form factor. I never use my regular laptop anymore, even at home. The only thing I have trouble running on it is the latest version of Corel Paint Shop... and it's been so crapified since JSAC sold out to Corel that it's not really what I'm looking for anyhow, even if it wasn't dog slow. I'll look into Faststone and the free photoshop though. If there are any other suggestions I'd appreciate them! Charles.

02-02-2011, 09:31 PM	#7
DeadJohn Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: New York Posts: 4,834	Maybe Bibble 5? You can download a free 14 day trial. Specs say it can run in 1 GB but you'll need to test performance on your netbook. As a test I just shrunk my Bibble window down to a small netbook-like resolution and the user interface still looks usable. I've recently been evaluating Bibble 5 Lite, LightRoom 3, GIMP, and DXO. I plan to buy Bibble before my trial expires in a few days. The user interface was fairly intuitive for me. Photo quality is good. It's easy to adjust saturation, brightness, contrast, etc. A basic version of Noise Ninja is included. It is $99, though, so more expensive than the free options but not nearly as high as LightRoom. In terms of capabilities I want (basic catalog tracking, quick browsing, exposure adjustment) Bibble and LR seem very close.