Camera Software vs Photoshop

[stevebedder]

Evening All,

How are you this fine sunny day?

Got back from Cornwall in the early hours of this morning, had a great time and have been gardening all day as the lawn resembled a jungle!!

Anyway, whilst away I managed to give the new camera a good run out and love it - but what I am even more impressed with is the Canon software (Digital Photo Professional) that came with it! It's superb for editing your images.

It's not quite Photoshop, it doesn't have all the bells & whistles and I will still use Photoshop - but for editing levels, contrast, saturation, cropping etc it's superb!

Anyone else using DPP or other similar camera vendor software? How do you think it compares to PS?

Cheers

Steve

[Mick]

Anyway, whilst away I managed to give the new camera a good run out and love it - but what I am even more impressed with is the Canon software (Digital Photo Professional) that came with it! It's superb for editing your images.

It's not quite Photoshop, it doesn't have all the bells & whistles and I will still use Photoshop - but for editing levels, contrast, saturation, cropping etc it's superb!

Anyone else using DPP or other similar camera vendor software? How do you think it compares to PS?

Hi Steve.  Hope you're getting on ok with the new camera.     

I use DPP all the time now, and have done so for quite a while.  The only thing that's missing for me is a straighten tool.  Apart from that it's superb software.  Updated to the latest version (3.6.1.0) a short while back, and was pleased to see they added Highlight and Shadow sliders.

DPP is getting better all the time, and don't use any other software  at all unless I need to straighten a horizon etc.

[stevebedder]

Funnily enough Mick I had the same conversation with my father-in-law this afternoon.

He uses DPP too and we both mentioned that it is missing a straighten\rotate feature.

Maybe one for the Canon wishlist?

I'm running 3.5.0.0 which came with the camera, will have to download the latest version!

Steve

[anglefire]

I must admit, I've not used DPP for a long time - I used to use it all the time, but since getting CS3 (Now 4) I find ACR does everything I want - especially now CS4 has adjustment brushes and such like.

But many swear by it - like everything, seamingly, these days there is not one right way of doing stuff!

[Mick]

But many swear by it - like everything, seamingly, these days there is not one right way of doing stuff!

Absolutely Mark.  Use what works best for you is what I say.   

I only have Elements 6 anyway, and haven't bothered going for the full blown PS.  Obviously DPP is great for straight forward adjustment and conversion, and resizing.  but you can't do anything selectively, ie adjust part of a image.  That aside though, considering it comes free with the camera, it's fantastic. 

[bones615]

I am using Dpp all the time, it does all I need & I very rarely open PS. Mick posted a link to some tutorials for Dpp which may be basic but you can pick up some tips.

[anglefire]

The fact that DPP is so good seems to surprise some people - probably because it is free - unlike Nikons software, which I beleive you have to pay for and it doesn't seem to be so popular. (I not used it so, am onlygoing on what I hear!  )

[Walkthru]

Hi guys,

Not being a Canon user, I obviously don't own DPP, but being a Nikon user, I have Nikon Capture NX2 (which I use in conjunction with PS CS3), and it is a fabulous program.  NX2 does have a straighten tool.  It uses u-point technology where you can do selective adjustments, though you cannot do selective adjustments to exposure.  I do hear that CS4 now utilizes u-point technology too, and you can do selective adjustments to exposure - great for improving underexposed skies I guess. 

[Oldboy]

The fact that DPP is so good seems to surprise some people - probably because it is free - unlike Nikons software, which I beleive you have to pay for and it doesn't seem to be so popular. (I not used it so, am onlygoing on what I hear!  )

Nikon's free software is rubbish, because the cameras are so good!   

[anglefire]

Thats cutting Oldboy - though I couldn't possibly agree with the second part of your statement 

And yes, CS4 and Lightroom 2 can do adjustments within the RAW module. And it works very well a lot of the time. Saves doing two RAW conversions mostly.

[guest4]

Pentax and Sam sung dslrs come with a free version of Silkypix Raw converter which is excellent. It has all the functions but its been hobbled so it'll only work with the files from the actual make of camera.

That said, I'm really too lazy to go about doing complex RAW conversions so tend to do it all in PE4.

[anglefire]

I did download the trial of Silkypix sometime ago - on Craftysnappers recommendation really, and it wasn't for me if I'm honest - may be I didn't try it enough - but also you sometimes just like something else and it works!

[Walkthru]

Mark - what I actually wanted to know about CS4 is, that within ACR, can you do a selective exposure adjustment to the sky, without affecting the foreground, or vice-versa for instance.

...........and I'm sorry to disagree OB, but Capture NX2, , is actually a very good image processing program, if you take the time out to master it (it can be a little slow at times however - but you tend to forgive that when you can do selective adjustments on your shots).

[anglefire]

I've done a screen grab from ACR selective adjustment tab.



I have it set to see the mask - which you can see over the beach - I've also done a grad filter on the sky - but there is no mask on that.

You can see what you can adjust - and you can do more than one, so that different parts of the image have different adjustments.

Does this help?

[Oldboy]

Mark - what I actually wanted to know about CS4 is, that within ACR, can you do a selective exposure adjustment to the sky, without affecting the foreground, or vice-versa for instance.

...........and I'm sorry to disagree OB, but Capture NX2, , is actually a very good image processing program, if you take the time out to master it (it can be a little slow at times however - but you tend to forgive that when you can do selective adjustments on your shots).

Nothing wrong with Capture NX2, but you have to pay for that or had the special offer with the top cameras. What you get with a normal cameras is Picture Project, which is rubbish.