Adobe has released a new and improved version of both Photoshop Elements (ver 8) and their video editing package, Premiere Elements (ver 8).
Photoshop Elements continues to be one of the greatest buys on the planet for image editing. It offers most of the powerful tools of big brother Photoshop but with emphasis on serioue home or pro-sumer markets. Its feature set happens to fit very well for the needs of the real estate profession. Tools to organize our images, improve and enhance our images and share or publish our photo images are provided with efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Elements always emphasizes the ease of use and Version 8 has enhanced the automatic functions that improve and correct your images with a single click.
Continuing the comparison between Photoshop and Elements, for example, Photoshop Elements offers output files in RGB color formats used on our laser and inkjet printers. Photoshop (the professional version) offers a wider range of choices including output in CYMK color formats that would be used by the commercial printing industry. Unless you are a professional fully engaged in the process of magazine production and pre-press at a commercial level, in my view, Photoshop Elements is the choice for you.
With each new version, Photoshop Elements gets a bit better and a lot smarter. The basic image editing tools are being improved, but remain similiar to the last several versions. The features that allow us all to adjust lighting, shadows, highlights and color intensity and restore vertical lines distorted by camera lens or position and recompose by cropping are still there to easily and quickly fix or improve our daily residential interior images.
But the “gee whiz” features that are added to each new version are getting better and better. And Version 8 is strong in the bells and whistles categories.
The intelligence of the computer is being applied to Elements tasks in new ways. The face recognition feature in the organizer now goes way beyond finding faces to actually recognizing faces. You can search for photos of cousin Jackson in your photo files. (shades of Homeland Security).
You can merge images to provide proper exposure for a wider range of the image – much like the HDR products like Photomatix. Take multiple shots at different exposure settings (tripod recommended) and find that the merged image can give proper view of the room and the bright window.
You can recompose images removing objects or closing the gap between your kids who won’t stand close to each other for the photo opp.
They have enhanced the integration of Photoshop Elements with its video brother Premiere Elements so it is easier to use still images from Photoshop Elements in the video editing process.
Pricing from Amazon.com is competitive. Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 is priced at $84.99 ( $89 for MAC users) with an after purchase send in rabate of $20. My preferred option is the combo package with Photoshop Elements 8 and Premiere Elements 8 for $123.99 and a send in rebate of $30.
With each new version of Elements, a flurry of new books are available for training and hand holding . The first available (again) is the excellent Barbara Brundage volume, Photoshop Elements 8 for Windows – The Missing Manual. ($23.75 from Amazon.com). I also recommend training books by Scott Kelby, President of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals ($31.49 at Amazon.com for Photoshop Elements 8 Book for Digital Photographers – written with Matt Kloskowski)
I still use Elements 6 – I did not opt-in to Version 7 whose major enhancement was the integration of their on-line services. But I expect I will order Version 8 shortly.
Enjoy
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I didn't know they made the elements version. That's not a bad price and I will have to check it out.