[Wolfie665]

Bridge is not free but it's part of photoshop, only it's a seperate program.
I beleive it's also in the package with for example illustrator.
Since adobe have several of these programs it's easier and better to have a seperate program instead of integrating it within each program.
So they are in a way correct you can't manage photos with photoshop but it does provide the tools in the package though so it's a but undair to give it a penalty

48bits editing of lower bits photos thing can be done with photoshop as well but you need to "force it" it doesn't do it automaticly but it's a pro software so you lot of feature need manually need to set.

I wonder how other programs fits in the list.

OK fixed CS management, do not consider photo organizing a penalty for me at all, you got to realize that I am beginner in the sense that I've used Photoshop and Corel tools from the 90s when it was version 3 not CS at all, but still consider myself beginner in the sense I am not very keen on extensive photo processing, not that I am against it, just been lazy and maybe I like from the 35 film times the way you compose and then take the shot seems to me more fun, then dark room processing...

I've checked Paint.NET and SageLight can do 48bit not sure for LR and Bible...anyway if you do use extensive colour management features not sure you are beginner by my definition anymore, the review is for the beginners :-))

[Wolfie665]

For Adobe , thé beginner software is Photo Element for $99 or less

Elements features are too basic compared to other tools hence I've not included it.

[markdesmarais]

Elements features are too basic compared to other tools hence I've not included it.

Really? Which features from your list do you think are missing from elements? Serious noise reduction is typically done with a plugin anyways. . . scripting is the only thing I see other than that.... everything else is in the ancient Elements 6 version that I use, never mind the new versions.

[Wolfie665]

Really? Which features from your list do you think are missing from elements? Serious noise reduction is typically done with a plugin anyways. . . scripting is the only thing I see other than that.... everything else is in the ancient Elements 6 version that I use, never mind the new versions.

On second though you maybe right I've just checked Elements version 10 compared to v9 now includes sharpening, some layer support and looks to me as very good option as beginner tool for 99USD. Although still lacks full selection editing and good undo.

[rtpguy]

This is starting to really look a lot less like a review, and more like advertising for the author's favorite.
Your example given is simply adjusting exposure or brightness and sharpening. I see no reason to believe paint.net does that any better than LR or anything else on the list, takes a few seconds.
It also doesn't qualify for much of a review when your starting data is wrong, and relying on a post from 2008 about some features.

Selective editing is available in LR, as pointed out, but still isn't updated - things like this make me think 'spam ad' vs 'real review with any substance.'
SafeCast - as you said, it seems to be the same as used by Windows XP. You are jumping to seriously wrong conclusions about "if Adobe decides to make it pay per use" and those are just scare tactics (people repeating them in random forums doesn't make them likely nor true). For a given version of LR already released, that simply doesn't happen. EULAs in general are a bad joke of questionable legal use, but you can bet there would be class action lawsuits if ANY software company decided for an already released version to "just convert it to pay per use." Adobe isn't stupid. While they may make a pay per use version of some software at some point in the future, no software company is going to suddenly make an already paid for product version installed on a users computer into a pay per play, as it would violate consumer rights all over the world, not to mention the amazingly bad publicity such a thing would create for any company. I say this after working in the software and hardware industry for 20 years now. It doesn't make your 'review' any more credible IMO, either. Suggest removing it, or simply providing a link. Your link to info on safecast also - is invalid, which might make someone believe this was typed up some time ago simply as advertising.

So, LR frequently also goes on sale and can be picked up for $100-$150 USD often enough.

Best I can tell, Paint.net doesn't work natively on RAW files, and needs a plug-in to do so, which seems to convert RAW files into something else? Other than that, it's got an active forum which is great, but will only ever run on Windows - no thanks.

Corel products - I'm always surprised to see them still kicking. They've always made some pretty decent software, I used to use Corel Draw and another for a business some years back, and at a much lower cost compared to PS, Illustrator, etc. Looks like PSP is Windows only, but pricing at $40-$60.

Use whatever makes you happy. If the only thing you need to do is what the OP posted, adjusting levels, almost anything will do that for you, Picassa included. And why not include PDCU4 in the listing?

Personally, especially after seeing just how much I've been able to recover some RAW files into something usable, my requirements would be for something that handles RAW files natively, does non-destructive edits on those RAW files including virtual copies, allows for side by side comparisons of before/after editing. WB adjustment, selective edits, good mechanism for organizing, rating, and locating pictures, the ability to apply specific edits (sensor dust healing, re-sizing for export, color/wb corrections) across multiple pictures at once, sharpening and noise removal tools, and Tone curve adjustments. Add in good heal/clone/retouch, which is my biggest LR gripe at the moment for some cases. I have no idea looking at this 'review' which of these apply to most of the above.

Also, what is your perceived benefit of scripting? This is usually done to do batch processing, while LR and others allow batch processing easily enough from the UI, so it may be somewhat misleading.

'Reviews' can be tough work. I'm just not seeing this as an impartial or clear, detailed one at this point - it doesn't give much real reasoning as to your conclusions, besides you not liking Adobe. A single example showing level adjustment - well, why not pick an image and let someone with each of the above pieces of software do their best on it, and see which comes out the best? Any of them can do what you showed above.

This is possibly coming off as 'anti paint.net' and that's not the intent. Options, especially free ones, are great. But misleading reviews are like the person that spends $1000 on something they've never purchased before - they usually post it's the greatest thing since sliced bread, but give no qualifications for those statements, and this is sort of the same - ratings without much in the way of qualifying them. But at least Paint.net is free, so it's not costing someone $$ to follow along with the OPs advice. Most of the others mentioned (possibly all) have free trials; I'd suggest trying all of them and seeing what works best for you.

[rtpguy]

Add in Aperture at $79, OSX only but I'd consider it a strong contender at the price points being covered here for Mac users.
And I'd probably add in The GIMP as well - tough to beat free on the price, would be interesting for more experienced GIMP and Paint.net users to give their impressions on both of those.

[Anvh]

OK fixed CS management, do not consider photo organizing a penalty for me at all, you got to realize that I am beginner in the sense that I've used Photoshop and Corel tools from the 90s when it was version 3 not CS at all, but still consider myself beginner in the sense I am not very keen on extensive photo processing, not that I am against it, just been lazy and maybe I like from the 35 film times the way you compose and then take the shot seems to me more fun, then dark room processing...

I've checked Paint.NET and SageLight can do 48bit not sure for LR and Bible...anyway if you do use extensive colour management features not sure you are beginner by my definition anymore, the review is for the beginners :-))

I'm using photoshop since 7 and i'm only 24 so that says something

LR is a strange duck, i know it use prophoto colour space for their RAW files but for the rest i'm clueless.
All the edits are done in a sort of script by catalogue rather then actually editing the pixels, so i doubt it matters in what bits it edits because it preforms all the edits in one go when you save the photo.

I haven't checked with other editors recently, i'm grown up with Adobe and i have used Corel but haven't use them for several years now.
Maybe will pick up SAI to compliment PS maybe but still need to try it out.

[emalvick]

I think it is interesting that this is supposed to be a beginners guide, but the review lists Photoshop as opposed to Elements. The last software I'd want to direct a beginner to is Photoshop. Elements on the other hand would be an excellent choice as the last I used it, it was geared towards beginners and tended to lead the photographer through the editing process in its most basic settings. Lightroom isn't bad either given its workflow orientation when it comes to photo editing. Its organization tools aren't bad, either. Both those software would serve beginners and pros fairly well for less than what CS5 might cost.

That being said, I like to recommend beginners try out Picasa because if you want to talk value, it is free. It isn't the best software with limited features, but a user will quickly learn if it is sufficient for their use and whether they need more advanced features. To me, it works as a free alternative to Elements+Bridge. It is quirky, but I'd probably have used it more if I hadn't already been familiar with other software upon its introduction. Fastone also has a similar advantage, although I've used it very little other than for culling my photos before Lightroom. I can't say much about its editing features, but enough users here use it that it has to be a good alternative for a beginner at a free price.

[bobmaxja]

Also you should included PhotoDirector 3, very good at $99.
PhotoDirector 3 Beta Program

[hawaza]

There is another free alternative that is platform neutral and that is called GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program). Now bad name aside it is open source software which usually comes packed in with most linux distributions and it is actually a fairly nifty piece of software.

Its layout isn't the best and its user interface is a bit dated but if you give it some time and get to learn it you can achieve a lot with it. Now I am not claiming it can match photoshop, but it can give most low cost paid for photo editors a run for their money in what you can accomplish. To top it off with a plugin called UFRaw you can manipulate and edit RAW images. Not bad for something completely free. Can be easily found and downloaded at gimp.org or download.com.

I think most beginners know the basics of photo editing, especially if they are moving into dslr territory. However something beginners usually lack is funds even if they don't why pay good money to try something you might not get on with? To begin with what you want to do is try things first, and when it's free you get that chance.

Now if anyone knows a good raw photo viewer that would be really helpful. Ive got windows live gallery to view them now (after a pentax .PEF codec download) but it is slow and clunky, although better than the bundled software. Any advice on that would be great

[creampuff]

TS, please don't profess to call what you've written a review when there are huge gaps in your knowledge.
Instead of using wasting your time recommending Paint.net, download for free and try Adobe Lightroom 4 Beta.
As far as best bang for the buck goes, I only paid USD99 for Lightroom 3.

[Docrwm]

You left out Paint Shop Pro X4 by Corel. Best bang for the buck. 95% of photoshops tools for a fraction of the price. Great program. Lightroom is not designed to be an editing program although it does contains some editing tools. It is meant as a raw processor and organizer. I use Lightroom to process raw images and PSP X4 for any further editing, if necessary.

Ditto here but I am still using PSP X2 as the reviews of X3 were horrible. Is X4 a big improvement over X2 and did they get rid of some of the glitches that apparently were in X3?

[SpecialK]

On second though you maybe right I've just checked Elements version 10 compared to v9 now includes sharpening, some layer support and looks to me as very good option as beginner tool for 99USD. Although still lacks full selection editing and good undo.

Even Elements 9 has layer masks, and, up to (I think) 100 undos. As "beginner" software it should be high on the list of...beginner software.

[Marc Sabatella]

[SIZE=5][B]
Somehow complex shooting workflow involving RAW and all the hassle with converting it and choosing what exactly noise reductions in your post processing does not fit in my definition of beginner :-)

Well, it is a typically beginner's mistake to assume that shooting RAW need be more complicated than shooting JPEG. But with the right software, this is actually not true at all. With Lightroom and Aperture, for example, the workflow is pretty much identical regardless of which format you shoot. That really should be a separate line item in the chart - to what extent does the software force the beginner to shoot JPEG if he wants ease of use, versus allow him to shoot RAW if he wants and not have it suddenly become more complex.

And as mentioned by others, if your goal is to focus on software for beginners, Photoshop really doesn't belong on the list, but Elements does. So does ACDSee, Picasa, and a number of others that are arguably better choices than some of the ones on your list.