Corel Paintshop Pro X8 Ultimate

**onlineflyer** · 11-24-2015, 05:35 PM

Anyone using it and how intuitive is it? I'm looking something fairly straight forward for raw processing, perhaps some photo enhancement. The package is now on sale for $39.95. What are the pros and con?

davek · 11-24-2015, 06:57 PM

I used PSP for quite a few years before I went with the Adobe CC subscription. Worked pretty well for me although it doesn't integrate very well with Lightroom. I wouldn't say I was a serious user of the tool, as LR handled most of the work I needed.

HudsonShooter · 11-24-2015, 07:35 PM

corel has a raw file handler program, check out their site for sales this week. i think the program is called aftershot.
paintshop pro is for hard core photoediting. corel makes good software

Macario · 11-24-2015, 11:52 PM

If you are looking for something for RAW processing, don't get PSP X8. I find it for raw processing extremely limited. They do have a pretty good raw processor though, Aftershot pro2.

But for editing photo's it is a very good program. If you are used to photoshop, you will have a small learning curve, but it is pretty straightforward. Personally I use LR for RAW editing. And only go to PSP if I want to work with layers. So for the price, you can't really go wrong (unless you want PSP for raw editing)

LennyBloke · 11-25-2015, 05:01 AM

The "Ultimate" package includes AfterShot 2 - how this differs from AfterShot Pro 2 I haven't yet figured out, but if it is essentially the same then the package is a steal at that price.

I'm considering it too, but over here in Dear Old England the price is exactly that - Dear!

**onlineflyer** · 11-25-2015, 06:43 AM

Thanks all for your input. I'm not into heavy pp, just looking for a good basic package for raw processing, plus noise reduction and sharpening,

Originally posted by LennyBloke

The "Ultimate" package includes AfterShot 2 - how this differs from AfterShot Pro 2 I haven't yet figured out, but if it is essentially the same then the package is a steal at that price.

I'm considering it too, but over here in Dear Old England the price is exactly that - Dear!

Attached is a pdf compairing Aftershot Pro 2 versus Aftershot 2. Hope this helps.

Macario · 11-25-2015, 12:02 PM

Originally posted by LennyBloke

The "Ultimate" package includes AfterShot 2 - how this differs from AfterShot Pro 2 I haven't yet figured out, but if it is essentially the same then the package is a steal at that price.

I'm considering it too, but over here in Dear Old England the price is exactly that - Dear!

What I have always done (in holland). Go to the corel site, set your location as the US, and you can purchase it for the US prices.

**onlineflyer** · 11-25-2015, 01:18 PM

Originally posted by Macario

What I have always done (in holland). Go to the corel site, set your location as the US, and you can purchase it for the US prices.

Sneaky but smart.

AutoGOD · 11-26-2015, 11:23 AM

I have PSP X8. I recently upgraded from X7.

I like having AfterShot with X8. It wasn't included with X7.
I am not the most experienced user and am not a Pro photographer. For the price, it more than meets my requirements.

Here are the Pros and Cons as I see them.
Pro
- Price, although not free it is still low ±£80.00 new and ±£50.00 upgrade. Much lower than Photoshop ±£400.00
- Once you know your way around PSP you can adapt concepts from some Photoshop tutorials.
- Support for a wide variety of cameras, including .PEF
- PSP X8 includes AfterShot 2 for RAW development.

Con
- Native PSP tutorials are hard to find, and may be for an older version.
- Can't do everything that Photoshop can do, but does loads for the price.

LennyBloke · 12-01-2015, 02:22 AM - **2 Likes**

Thanks for all the suggestions on pricing and the AfterShot comparison

I finally picked up X8 Ultimate (as a Black Friday deal) and installed it last night. First couple of things I noticed were how good it is with AfterShot to not have to import everything into a catalog (just browse the file system), and secondly how quick X8 appears (64bit). The integration with Perfectly Clear (part of the "Ultimate" package) is also a nice little touch - as it seems to be a pretty good assessor of what to change.

Like many (I suspect) I've got quite used to LightRoom, but this bundle may just be a clearer way for me to catalog and process

kjg48359 · 02-23-2016, 10:07 AM

Hi LennyBloke, after reading this, I am wondering how your experience with this is after the last few months? I see Paintshop Pro "ultimate" version now has "Aftershot" which from the sounds of it must be a "LightRoom" competitor. Is it pretty good?

I've been using mostly open source stuff, but text handling for "fun" projects in GIMP is not easy or worth the effort. Plus, most open source does not scale well on a 4k monitor (which my laptop is).

Also, would PaintShop pro happen to be able to composite images together through an HDR kind of function?

atupdate · 02-23-2016, 11:04 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by kjg48359

Also, would PaintShop pro happen to be able to composite images together through an HDR kind of function?

I use PSP X4 and it has an HDR function. I really haven't used it to determine how good it is. I have done a ton of composite images using layers. Here are a couple of examples.

Each puppy in this shot was a separate image.

Tim

apete · 02-23-2016, 11:16 AM

Originally posted by atupdate

Each puppy in this shot was a separate image.

You are my master! Awesome! :-)

11-24-2015, 05:35 PM	#1
onlineflyer Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: NW Ohio Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,092	Corel Paintshop Pro X8 Ultimate Anyone using it and how intuitive is it? I'm looking something fairly straight forward for raw processing, perhaps some photo enhancement. The package is now on sale for $39.95. What are the pros and con?

12-01-2015, 02:22 AM - 2 Likes	#10
LennyBloke Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Worcestershire, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 677	Thanks for the X8 advice Thanks for all the suggestions on pricing and the AfterShot comparison I finally picked up X8 Ultimate (as a Black Friday deal) and installed it last night. First couple of things I noticed were how good it is with AfterShot to not have to import everything into a catalog (just browse the file system), and secondly how quick X8 appears (64bit). The integration with Perfectly Clear (part of the "Ultimate" package) is also a nice little touch - as it seems to be a pretty good assessor of what to change. Like many (I suspect) I've got quite used to LightRoom, but this bundle may just be a clearer way for me to catalog and process

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11-24-2015, 06:57 PM	#2
davek Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Elmira, On, Canada Posts: 461	I used PSP for quite a few years before I went with the Adobe CC subscription. Worked pretty well for me although it doesn't integrate very well with Lightroom. I wouldn't say I was a serious user of the tool, as LR handled most of the work I needed.

11-24-2015, 07:35 PM	#3
HudsonShooter Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 108	corel has a raw file handler program, check out their site for sales this week. i think the program is called aftershot. paintshop pro is for hard core photoediting. corel makes good software

11-24-2015, 11:52 PM	#4
Macario Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Hoek van Holland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,393	If you are looking for something for RAW processing, don't get PSP X8. I find it for raw processing extremely limited. They do have a pretty good raw processor though, Aftershot pro2. But for editing photo's it is a very good program. If you are used to photoshop, you will have a small learning curve, but it is pretty straightforward. Personally I use LR for RAW editing. And only go to PSP if I want to work with layers. So for the price, you can't really go wrong (unless you want PSP for raw editing)

11-25-2015, 05:01 AM	#5
LennyBloke Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Worcestershire, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 677	The "Ultimate" package includes AfterShot 2 - how this differs from AfterShot Pro 2 I haven't yet figured out, but if it is essentially the same then the package is a steal at that price. I'm considering it too, but over here in Dear Old England the price is exactly that - Dear!

11-25-2015, 12:02 PM	#7
Macario Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Hoek van Holland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,393	Originally posted by LennyBloke The "Ultimate" package includes AfterShot 2 - how this differs from AfterShot Pro 2 I haven't yet figured out, but if it is essentially the same then the package is a steal at that price. I'm considering it too, but over here in Dear Old England the price is exactly that - Dear! What I have always done (in holland). Go to the corel site, set your location as the US, and you can purchase it for the US prices.

11-25-2015, 01:18 PM	#8
onlineflyer Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: NW Ohio Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,092 Original Poster	Originally posted by Macario What I have always done (in holland). Go to the corel site, set your location as the US, and you can purchase it for the US prices. Sneaky but smart.

11-26-2015, 11:23 AM	#9
AutoGOD New Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Photos: Albums Posts: 19	I have PSP X8. I recently upgraded from X7. I like having AfterShot with X8. It wasn't included with X7. I am not the most experienced user and am not a Pro photographer. For the price, it more than meets my requirements. Here are the Pros and Cons as I see them. Pro - Price, although not free it is still low ±£80.00 new and ±£50.00 upgrade. Much lower than Photoshop ±£400.00 - Once you know your way around PSP you can adapt concepts from some Photoshop tutorials. - Support for a wide variety of cameras, including .PEF - PSP X8 includes AfterShot 2 for RAW development. Con - Native PSP tutorials are hard to find, and may be for an older version. - Can't do everything that Photoshop can do, but does loads for the price.

02-23-2016, 10:07 AM	#11
kjg48359 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Just outside of Detroit MI Photos: Gallery Posts: 103	Hi LennyBloke, after reading this, I am wondering how your experience with this is after the last few months? I see Paintshop Pro "ultimate" version now has "Aftershot" which from the sounds of it must be a "LightRoom" competitor. Is it pretty good? I've been using mostly open source stuff, but text handling for "fun" projects in GIMP is not easy or worth the effort. Plus, most open source does not scale well on a 4k monitor (which my laptop is). Also, would PaintShop pro happen to be able to composite images together through an HDR kind of function?

02-23-2016, 11:04 AM - 1 Like	#12
atupdate Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Dayton, OH Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,724	Originally posted by kjg48359 Also, would PaintShop pro happen to be able to composite images together through an HDR kind of function? I use PSP X4 and it has an HDR function. I really haven't used it to determine how good it is. I have done a ton of composite images using layers. Here are a couple of examples. Each puppy in this shot was a separate image. Tim

02-23-2016, 11:16 AM	#13
apete Senior Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 249	Originally posted by atupdate Each puppy in this shot was a separate image. You are my master! Awesome! :-)