Whats your favorite FREE editing tool or program?

[BellaAz]

Im looking for something that has a little more than the average? If you pay for a good one which is your fav that isn't so complicated?

TIA!

[candleman]

Originally Posted by BellaAz

Im looking for something that has a little more than the average? If you pay for a good one which is your fav that isn't so complicated?

TIA!

Photoshop elements is pretty good as a "pay for" one.. its a good starting point

there are free ones out there.. possibly the most taked about is "the Gimp" i've never used it. but there are planty of youtube tutorials on how to use it tho'

all the best.

CS3

~Eric

[dcclark]

I use Gimp and enjoy it quite a lot. It has almost every feature that you'd want -- it's a VERY full-featured image editor. Compared to photoshop, I only miss adjustment layers (although that is a pretty big deal). Some people complain about the interface, but that's almost universally because they learned on Photoshop first and want it to be arranged the same way -- which of course it isn't.

[Drax]

My favorite FREE photo related software is (without question): Google's PICASA 3

It can:

- Organize: It helps you manage your photos in one place, and find photos you forgot you had.
- Edit: It eliminates scratches & blemishes, fix red-eye, crop, straighten and fixes crooked pictures, and, and and....
- Create: It turns you photos into movies, collages, slide shows and more.
- Share: It uploads seamlessly your pictures to Picasa Web Albums to share with friends, family & the world.
- Add text or watermarks to your photos.

And does much more. Not bad for a free program. IMO.

PS: It's also possible to install The Gimp and Picasa 3 on one machine. It cost nothing and doesn't harm to have both. They are free! LOL!

[sk66]

Gimp is great for a free editor.....it's quite comparable to PSP and earlier versions of PS...
Plus, it is open source. That means it is often updated/improved for free and plugins etc are also free (open source). I also think that because it is open source/free/ and Linux compatible it will be around for a very long time.

I've seen where Open source software basicly sets the trend for big money software to follow. (i.e. Open Office's XML based format) And where Open Source can have extra capabilities over any individual big name program...

If I were doing things on the cheap, I'd definitely start with GIMP. (I use PS CS4)

[sk66]

Originally Posted by dcclark

I use Gimp and enjoy it quite a lot. It has almost every feature that you'd want -- it's a VERY full-featured image editor. Compared to photoshop, I only miss adjustment layers (although that is a pretty big deal). Some people complain about the interface, but that's almost universally because they learned on Photoshop first and want it to be arranged the same way -- which of course it isn't.

I don't think missing adjustment layers is a huge issue....it just takes a slightly different aproach.

[pjnr56]

I second what Drax stated...Picasa 3 is a great free editor. I own Lightroom and Photoshop Elements 7 as well as an older version of Photoshop but I still use Picasa a great deal.

[FoG]

GIMP is the best "free" one you can get .. as most Photohsop plugins work on it also allowing far better flexibilty. I persaonlly use Serif Photoplus now in X2 but will upgrade soon to X3 it costs very little compared to Photoshop and the Ilk and offers amazing value for money once you get used to workingit as it is almost as powerfulas Photoshop. Worth a look IMHO

[kelticsol]

Originally Posted by maxharvard

CS3

~Eric

LOL. I was going to say that.

I have changed my ways though. I actually buy the software now. I got tired of messing with serial keys and viruses and not being able to update things. Besides most crackz delete important content (to me) like libraries of fonts, presets, and valuable examples so that they can be smaller file sizes.


No judgment from me though. The companies that sell this software usually stole most if not all of it from others anyway. And they greatly overcharge for what they offer.

BTW, I am not trying to start a philosophical discussion. I'm just sayin.