[SteveUK]

I tried to skimp on editting software - DONT DO IT ! Downloaded the phtoshop elements 30 day trial and no looking back, the bundle with premiere video software is only 75USD on Amazon uk, frankly the organiser component alone is worth buying on its own. Save up, beg, borrow, if you value a good photo buy elements, ignore cheap and free alternatives, also with elements you'll find help on the web for whatever you want to do, plenty of books too.

[UnknownVT]

I tried to skimp on editting software - DONT DO IT ! Downloaded the phtoshop elements 30 day trial and no looking back ...
frankly the organiser component alone is worth buying on its own. Save up, beg, borrow, if you value a good photo buy elements, ignore cheap and free alternatives, also with elements you'll find help on the web for whatever you want to do, plenty of books too.

PhotoShop Elements indeed is one of the best mid-priced editors - with many reviews and top picks in comparisons.

However there is nothing preventing one from also having other free editors processors.

For example FastStone Image Viewer is free
- can open, view and convert RAW files including PEF and DNG (important for Pentax dSLRs)
- has 11 re-size/re-sampling algorithms, including Lanczos3 - regarded by some as one of the best re-sampling methods - which PS Elements doesn't even have.
- It also has curves - again missing in Elements.

Personally I don't like organizers - much preferring to use the operating system's built-in file management - since the initial discovery phase for an organizer has to crawl through one's hard drive, and that can take ages - but more than understand if YMMV.

BTW - PS Elements can have curves via a free supplemental plug-in SmartCurve
another PS Elements advantage is that there is free ACR (Adobe Camera RAW) - the de-facto RAW processor converter used with the full PhotoShop.

I have and do use Elements - but much prefer an old copy of PhotoImpact 8 as my main processor
and FastStone for quick re-size and adjustments.
I also use PDCU (Pentax Digital Camera Utility - as supplied free with every Pentax dSLR), a lot for white balance adjustments, as unsurprisingly, that understands images from Pentax cameras better than any other RAW processor.