[dosdan]

I use:
SILKYPIX Pro (v4)
XnView
The GIMP
PSP X (not very often)
FDRTools for HDR
Hugin for panoramas

Currently playing with PhotoAcute for lots of things.

Dan.

[Canada_Rockies]

i'm a little interested in this thread.. i have a mac and a pc and want to get some post processing software. wasn't sure if i should be leaning towards aperture or ps cs3. i'm guessing for my basic skills, either would do but i love the mac.

On the Mac, Aperture is the solution of choice. I am on PC, so I use Lightroom (as posted above) but the philosophy between them is the same - an organizer with a wealth of organization tools and basic processing included. PS/CS are not designed for photographers, but rather for graphic designers. You still need an organizer. LR and Aperture are also non-destructive editors - you can always roll things back!

[pakuchn]

The one thing I never understood was during the time when I took RAW pictures with a Nikon and imported them into Capture NX, they looked fine. But, when I imported the same picture into Lightroom or any other program, they did not look the same, the colors were little off. For some reason, Capture NX worked well with Nikon RAW format. I wonder if Pentax RAW format is similar that only Silkypix works well, because Pentax provides it with the camera.

[Canada_Rockies]

The one thing I never understood was during the time when I took RAW pictures with a Nikon and imported them into Capture NX, they looked fine. But, when I imported the same picture into Lightroom or any other program, they did not look the same, the colors were little off. For some reason, Capture NX worked well with Nikon RAW format. I wonder if Pentax RAW format is similar that only Silkypix works well, because Pentax provides it with the camera.

The colour differences are more likely to be the colour space you have set in the two applications. There are three common colour spaces in use:

• sRGB - limited to the colours available in JPG format
• AdobeRGB - much wider space - but your monitor may interfere
• ProPhoto - much wider again, but there is no media that can really take advantage of it.

If you set your Pentax to AdobeRGB, and set Lightroom to default to sRGB, you won't be as happy with the results. I use AdobeRBG in both camera and all software that supports it, but export in sRGB for most applications. Unless a printing house specifies that it can accept AdobeRGB, I export images optimized for sRGB.

[pakuchn]

That is very interesting. I think I'm going to get a book or training video to learn LightRoom. It sounds that LightRoom is a great tool.

[Cloggie_UK]

Well, I have a PC and I used to use Nikon Capture NX and it was GREAT!!
Now, I'm looking for something that is "like" capture NX.

If by that you mean the use of control points to manipulate your photos; Lightroom works in a similar way with it's brushes. Other than that, I highly recommend Nik Software's Viveza 2 which if I remember correctly you can call up from PS but also from Lightroom. I don't know whether they are seperate plugins i.e. require seperate licences; I only use it from within PS CS4.

[TOUGEFC]

I use Lightroom 2.0
and sometimes Irfan

[pakuchn]

Well, I learned something new. I had no idea that Capture NX was and is still owned by Nik Software Inc..

I was so sure that Capture NX was made by Nikon Corp.

I use aperture, and as a plug in I have a complete collection of NIK softwares obtained at an academic price! I also own CS4 but don't use it much. A total overkill for me anyway. For that matter, I barely crop. If I want to crop, I get closer to the subject... Why did I start talking about cropping? Pls don't get me started on cropping.

[amilcaralzaga]

I have a K10, LX3 and a K7 (bought them in that order, this is of the matter as it has some influence on the software I use.
I have always shoot in RAW, I really don't think pentax cameras are intended to be really used in JPG mode (altough newer models are adding those fancy efects).
Since the begining I used Lightroom since I found it very useful for large library management and quick edition (my library has around 35000 pictures by now, of course, I really need to review it and downsize it by 90%). The lightroom 3 beta is really amazing, the 2.6 is amazing too. From there I usualy go to PS CS4 for fine edition, or to DXO (before was the 5 then the 6).
Tried Capture One 5, it's nice, well streamlined and results are good, but i think the real advantages come for thetered shooting, library management is not so good to my current customs at least.
Tried Bible 6, it's good, it's nice to have the noise ninja there, again, file management is not great, of course, I might be eally biased by the years of lightroom use.
The LX3 came with silkypix, wich I find it too weird and cumbersome, the lens correction modules are nice tough.

DXO is not compatible with K7 yet (this month it's supposed to become compatible). It's a pitty since I think K7 would benefit a lot from it I also have the film mode modules from DXO, I find it nicer to use than alienskin and niksoft, altough this two work great too. Yes DXO is slow, but you get great results (unless you try to ever-correct things)

Lightroom 2.6 is great, in many senses I like the aproach it has for noise reduction since I find it mor "photograohic" than DXO, I think DXO can make images very neat, but sometimes at great expense on detail, I was specially surprised when I say the difference with my dad's G9, Lightroom tends to leave some fine grain instead and the result looks more natural, just the same aproach that pentax has actually.
Lightroom 3 is a GREAT improvement, I'm really eager for the final verison to come.

Well, that's my two cents

[deejjjaaaa]

Well, I learned something new. I had no idea that Capture NX was and is still owned by Nik Software Inc..

I was so sure that Capture NX was made by Nikon Corp.

but Nik says on its website

Nik Software, Inc. | Capture NX 2

"...Capture NX 2 is the latest version in a long line of quality tools from Nikon..."

so it is just Nikon using some of Nik's code for its Capture NX 2


http://blog.photoshelter.com/2008/07/talkin-nikon-capture-nx-20-wit.html


Michael Rubin, a senior manager at Nikon says :



"Let's talk about "Control Points." This has to be one of the coolest features in the history of image editing. How did you conceive of this notion? What's new with the control points in NX 2.0?

I wish I could take some credit for them. Actually this is Nik Software's creation and genius. They showed this to us early on and we so believed in it that we eventually made an investment in Nik Software. Capture NX was the first software to have Control Points and Capture NX 2 is the first to offer Selection Control Points. Selection Control Points use the same methods to isolate like areas so you can apply almost any enhancement, from sharpening to a black and white conversion. That gives you the full control of your photographs."


so it is clear that Nik does not own Capture NX2, just sells some technology to Nikon

[NKK]

I use:

Photomatrix
Photofiltre
Windows Live Photo Gallery


And i am thinking to start up on Shooting RAW, so i have downloaded RAW Therapy and tested a little with that.
Next step is to try find a workflow that suits me, otherwise i just end up with half a million files, RAW, TIFF, JPG... and some of them in more versions

[Glen]

I use Lightroom 2.6. I downloaded several alternatives before choosing Lightroom and for me the difference was amazing. Lightroom seemed a lot more intuitive and I really liked the fact that raw or JPEG or whatever, it treats them all the same. You just work with what you shot and then use the powerful search features to catalogue them.

I highly recommend getting a book on Lightroom for new users. I borrowed some from the library and then bought the one I liked the best. I also watched a number of podcasts and learned a great deal from them. I still have much to learn but I have a good grasp of the program. Unlike programs such as Photoshop, you don't need a lot of training or skill to get started.

The program is certainly not perfect but I have high hopes for version 3.x due out probably this spring.

[pakuchn]

Is this corrent that Niksoftware Viveza is not a standalone software?

[volley]

I have started using ACDSEE Pro 3 after Christmas and I am quite happy. Still a lot to learn of course, since it offers so many tools and options. The RAW conversion looks good, workflow is easy and the database to locate and find pictures is very fast.

Before I mainly used the following freeware:
RAW Therapee
The Gimp
Xnview