Corel Paint Shop (a cheaper alternative to Photoshop) is currently available for 50% off for Topaz users, with a final price of $49.99:

Save 50% on Corel Paint Shop Pro

The link will works for everyone, but please only take advantage of this offer if you use Topaz products.

A free trial of the software is available.

[RobA_Oz]

Still Windows only? You get the impression they think a low-price strategy will only attract cheapskates, and, by inference, brand Windows users that way. That aside, they need a good cataloging program that seamlessly feeds into the editor, but the integration of PS plugins has to be a strong point in their favour, for Windows users.

[stevebrot]

Still Windows only? You get the impression they think a low-price strategy will only attract cheapskates, and, by inference, brand Windows users that way.

Are you inferring that there are cheapskate MAC users who would also like to take advantage of the PSP low-price strategy?


Steve

[mee]

Are you inferring that there are cheapskate MAC users who would also like to take advantage of the PSP low-price strategy?

If I paid 2-3x more on the hardware than I do for a Windows based PC, I'd be forced to be a cheapskate even if I wasn't already.

[Peter Anson]

It would be useful if they came up with a version for Linux users as well as Mac which would happily mate with Aftershot.

[fuent104]

This debate is beside the point.

Paint Shop Pro is an astonishing piece of software for the price. It's the lowest-cost editor that can work with full 16-bit files, as far as I know. Processing times are slow, but it costs $50, and has some exceptional features. It's great for anyone who wants to upgrade from Gimp, but can't afford or doesn't want to purchase Photoshop, and it's got greater bit depth than Photoshop Elements (as far as I know).

Here are a few files I recently edited with Paint Shop Pro.

[stevebrot]

when its users clearly won't accept a reasonably-priced product when a ridiculously overpriced one is available?

Ha! Ha! Photoshop Elements is moderately-priced and available for the Mac. I agree that it would be nice if Corel were to create a version of PSP for the Mac to give that segment of the market more of a choice, but Corel (aside from Painter) has traditionally not been Mac-oriented. I don't think I would hold my breath waiting for a port.


Steve

[RobA_Oz]

Are you inferring that there are cheapskate MAC users who would also like to take advantage of the PSP low-price strategy?


Steve

Absolutely! You're talking to one.

---------- Post added 1st Jul 2014 at 05:00 PM ----------

Funny hearing such snobbery on a forum devoted to a brand strongly associated over the past decade with cost-consciousness (avatars with Leica images aside)....

As a realist, considering 90+% of desktop PC marketshare is still Windows, what would be the point of porting this product to (presumably) Mac when its users clearly won't accept a reasonably-priced product when a ridiculously overpriced one is available? Of course a similar question can be asked of Linux users, except with the converse recognition that their (supposed) competitive product is underpriced at $0...

Well-spotted, that man! I've been working on a similar avatar with my Q, which I haven't got around to taking down to a suitable size, yet. I hope your tongue was firmly in your cheek when you talked about snobbery. My old Leica, be it known, cost a lot less than any of my Pentax DSLRs, and in case you didn't get the program there, in that photo it looks a lot like a character from a children's TV show, some years ago.

However, back on topic, Corel's inverted snobbery is one reason why I went for (the cheaper education versions of) CS3 and CS5, as much as I would have liked to have saved some of the outlay on a similarly useful but lower-priced alternative program. I know it's hard for some Windows die-hards to accept (present company obviously excluded) but, like-for-like, Mac pricing these days is not much different to that of Windows machines, and often cheaper.

[Kayaker-J]

Regarding the whole matter of post processing, you're looking at someone just now dropping into the 21st Century from the film era -- not slow on the uptake at all; just not pursuing photography in any form for a long stretch because of 'extenuating circumstances'. So I have the most basic of questions: How would making this purchase benefit me as a PP neophyte & owner of (so far,) Lightroom 5 plus 'DeNoise' & 'Detail' from Topaz? Is this one "worth it" (?), considering the following:

I would characterize myself as determinedly IQ-oriented for a relatively modest file throughput... centered on landscape/cityscapes and other subjects that might allow for a set of optimal exposure techniques to be employed (mostly with prime lenses). Being in my sixties now, I don't have forever to "get it" with respect to using PP programs efficiently & effectively. I am also particularly interested in effective post processing of image files for a final presentation in B&W/ monochrome. Does that help?

And while we're at it, I'd also be grateful for referrals to any other program(s) I should consider in view of these objectives. Thank you, Pentaxians!

[atupdate]

I am also particularly interested in effective post processing of image files for a final presentation in B&W/ monochrome.

Paint Shop Pro will accept almost any Photoshop plug-in. Here is a link for a free plug-in that has a very nice B&W converter.

B/W Conversion - Photo-Plugins


This list may be a little old but there are links to many free processing programs.

Freebie imaging software: the big list - DPChallenge Forums

Tim

[rawr]

Just a FYI for those looking into this. For $50 I thought it was worth a try. I've used PSP in the past, and found it pretty useful.

The install downloads end up being in several seperate files:

- the main PSP exe, which is about 250MB
- FaceFilterStudio.exe, which is about 240MB and runs stand-alone
- the PerfectlyClear plugin, which is about 50MB
- CorelCreativeCollection.exe file ['dozens of brushes, textures, and over 100 royalty-free background'], which is about 450 MB
- CorelCreativeContent.exe, which is about 140MB
- KPT.exe [the old Kai's Power Tools plugin set], which is about 85MB
- the PSPX6 scripting guide, which is about 6MB

and finally you will need to download and install the latest PSPx6 Service Pack 2, which is about 170MB, after initially installing PSP Ultimate.

So it's a very tedious install process. But you do end up with some useful software. If you are on a slow Internet connection, buying the DVD installer may be the most practical option however.

I personally couldn't be bothered downloading the CreativeCollection or Creative Content stuff, nor KPT, so I saved myself about 700MB of downloads, but those extras may be worth the download for others.

[Douge]

Wow this coupon works.
10EXTRA
Save an extra 10%. Comes to $45. Oh it's in Canadian dollars too Comes with Topaz Simplify.

Remember to remove the "2 Year Extended Download". Seems useless to me

Edit: It actually comes with Topaz Detail.

[Iam1of2]

Paint Shop pro (and Ultimate) does not yet support the K3's .PEF format in the latest release. Also for that matter, OnOne's Perfect Suit 8.