Pixiq

There are questions that get asked so often that I'm compelled to visit, re-visit, revise, or look at from different angles from time to time.

This is especially true when it comes to the digital dark room. Software updates happen so often and can be so game changing that it's probably a good idea for everyone to revisit these types of ideas every once in a while.

Which Image Editing Software Platform Should I Use If I Want To Shoot RAW?

We're going to take a look at this from the prospect of someone who is already shooting RAW or is planning on making the switch.

Almost every new camera comes with the ability to process RAW with their own software programs if they have the ability to shoot RAW. So why not use those?

You could. It would be pretty simple to do so and the most affordable option as those programs are all free.

Okay great. This article is done. Have a nice day.

...

OR...we have to be realistic. I know many photographers become married to their brand of camera. I used to be that way too. But the truth is that these camera manufacturers are always outdoing each other and the day may come when you'll want to jump to another brand. Or maybe you use a Canon DSLR but like Sony's point and shoots or want an Olympus micro four thirds or whatever.

You need to have ONE software program that can process all of the images from all of your cameras and do it consistently well.

That's where Adobe comes in. Sure, there are others, but who are we kidding? Adobe's Camera RAW (ACR) is consistent, it's the most widely used, and will more likely be around for generations. I'm not as comfortable saying that about any of the other guys. I'm just not.

I want to be able to access my digital images painlessly for decades to come.

Now, which Adobe product is right for you?

So you're shooting RAW because you know that you can do more with the RAW file than a compressed JPEG. There's more information.

Lightroom and Photoshop basically use the same version of ACR. Elements comes with a little less functionality. With Elements you're missing these key features:

• batch processing
• save custom settings
• resize image
• color samples
• spot removal
• adjustment brush
• graduated filter
• color spaces
• vignetting
• curves
• calibration
• HSL/grayscale
• split toning
• presets

Do note, however, that once you've processed your image into a JPEG you'll be able to do most of these functions. You just cannot do them to the RAW file.

So, now let's look at work-flow.

If you're new to digital photography or Adobe products you may want to start with Elements. It's less expensive and it already includes most of the functionality that you'll need out of the more robust Photoshop. Plus, it manages your photographs really well. The interface is easy to grasp and can shorten your time in front of the computer.

If you're already using Photoshop and can manage your way around it just fine then you probably already know whether you want to stick with it. Oh yeah, and if HDR is your thing, it's Photoshop all the way.

Where does Lightroom fit in? This is where it can get complicated. Lightroom kinda sits right in between Elements and Photoshop. It's more powerful and faster than Elements but you don't have quite the full "down-to-the-pixel" control that you get with Photoshop.

I love Lightroom. It manages my photographs, does almost all the editing work I need to my RAW files while keeping them together with the converted JPEGs. It's powerful and fast. I can resize my images for uploading to the web.

Many photographers have switched to Lightroom and haven't looked back. I hear story after story about photographers, pros and hobbyists alike, who rarely open their images in Photoshop now that Lightroom can handle most of the editing work.

That's exactly where I sit. For me, Lightroom handles about 98% of the editing that I need done on my photography. When I really need to "fix" or do some "heavy lifting" I actually use GIMP. This is because I cannot justify the cost of Photoshop for that little 2%. I just can't.

All of this is personal. It's about how much you photograph, what you photograph, and how well you like to keep organized.

The beauty? You can try all three of the programs for free for 30 days by going to Adobe and using a trial version. I recommend doing this if you're thinking of switching from one to the other.

Want to learn more about the products? Here's what our experts have to say:

Adobe Articles on Pixiq

Elements Articles on Pixiq

Lightroom Articles on Pixiq

Photoshop Articles on Pixiq

So, if you're a photographer and you have a thought or idea about which one to use please share it in the comments. Did I miss a key reason why one photographer may choose one of the platforms over the other? Other photographers want to know: What do you use and why?