Photoshop Elements 7

Who of you are using PSE7. Please tell me what you think off it.

Siegfried

The reason I asked is that I recently really discovered just how awesome this package is. I have been working on Lightroom 2 plus I have been using CS3 and CS4.

Both CS4 plus Lightroom has very interesting functionality build in that enables the editor to edits parts of the picture and to later go back and make further adjustments.

I knew PSE7 had a similar function but I also knew it was reasonably limited in comparison.

Folks this was until I discovered the full functionality of this function. I am so impressed that I could even go back to only using PSE like I did before....

Siegfried

Hello Siegfried..
I have just PSE6 and CS2(pro).I was almost going to buy PSE7,but IMO there where to little difference between them,so I didn't .
.Can you,if you have time tell me a little about them.Can I do the same with EPS6 that you are speaking about in your example....
Erik

Hi Erik

It happened when I noticed just how many books were written about PSE7. That made me think there must be something with version 7.

I have the package and decided to install it again. The initial version were in-stable when I 1st installed it. The version I now downloaded is much more stable plus it seems Adobe also improved the memory utilization.

Most interesting is the new brush tool which allows a similar function than the smart brush in LR2 or in the curves function in CS4.

I will be away for one week. When back I will write a page about PSE7.

Enjoy your software, its great. If you good using layers then you can do what the new brush just made much easier.

Best

Siegfried

Camera raw 5.5 due soon.

Simon.fairclough wrote:Camera raw 5.5 due soon.

There is a "release candidate" out. Can't use it because I have PSCS3, which does not support ACR 5.0 and above, but I did play with the update of the DNG converter on my EP1 files. And if Windows XP handled DNG files better - seems to always lock up Windows Explorer as if Windows does not know what to do with the DNG files - I might have considered going that route. Will just have to be patient (yeah right) and wait for the next LR update.
Steve

Steve,
It seems as if Adobe want you to up-grade from CS3?
If only the camera makers would go to a generic raw file like the DNG from adobe then we could stick with old programs like CS2/3 and still have a new camera with out up-dating everything. (Pentax I think uses DNG)
Sigi,
I hear good things about surface blur in PSE7, have you tried it for smoothing skin?
I am happy with PSE6 but will get 8 when it comes out along with Premiere up-date.

You must all try http://labs.adobe.com/wiki/index.php/DNG_Profiles
if you have RAW 5.4 its a BETA but there are no bad reports.
This adds camera profiles to camera RAW to match the software that comes with your camera like Nikon NX2.
These profiles make most of your images look great without moving any sliders. One click and your done. There is also a profiles editor that I am struggling with right now hope to get it working.

Up-date, got it working and, well give it a go, its quite easy. link hope it works; http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/entitlement/index.cfm?e=labs_dngprofileeditor
This allows you to make a 'action' (?? sort of) in Camera RAW in PSE I have made a highlights curve that can now be used on all my D70 shots to up the contrast and save blown highlights. (work in progress)
" alt="" />

Hello Simon

I tried the profiles already some versions back. I am not sure when exactly that was possible to use the camera profile....

I also used the DNG converter, especially for CS3 purposes. What I could not get right to date was creating my own profiles, something I really would like to do....

I will be happy to get more info and help from you on the latter...

I have always been a great supporter of PSE and had them from V4 onwards.... V7 is just out of this world I think. Its a memory killer plus its become slow but a great editing program. I got distracted when I bought the student version of CS3.....I bought it at such a time that Adobe gave me both CS3 and CS4.....that was a PSE7 killer....Its only now that I have been getting back into it....

Siegfried

Well the trick with making your own profile is getting a colour checker chart like the Macbeth chart but that's quite expensive.
Once you have the chart you take a photo with the camera you want to make a profile for of the colour chart, then in the profile editor open the file and line up the the dots with the colours on the chart, save the file to disk. then every time you open a file in RAW the option is in profiles as above screen shot.

Thanks Simon

The Macbeth is next on my list.....I have been thinking in that direction for some time already, just never had the pieces together...like you explained now....thanks

Siegfried

Hello Simon

I have a book on color and in there I found the color codes for each of the blocks on the Mac beth chart. Next was to get it printed true. I set every stage for RGB 1998 and printed. I did two, one high gloss and the next mat. Both seem to work fine.

Then I battled to get a good copy to use. Until I set the E3 on 6500K (2 choices in the DNG profile builder) I could load it into the profile builder plus the profile builder then build the first E3 profile for me. I was amazed at just how accurate the profile was.

To be honest I do not know how to use it in PS or LR right now. Will have to do a bit of study to see how. How do you use the profile Simon?

I cannot help to think this will change my life a lot.....I would love to take pictures in the future with little or no post processing....exposure as I want it plus color as I did it when taking the picture....

Siegfried

I use the profile to just change the curve to give more contrast and I have one that rescues highlights a bit. I found it useful for those changes you make everytime you open a RAW, it allows a one click change without having to move several sliders. It is most useful if you want to make a profile that changes say the saturation on a file or to change intensity of the reds, with a profile you can hit all your raw files with the same tweak by opening several files in ACR and adding the profile to them then clicking done this will save the profile to these files, so next time you open them to print or edit the profile "action" is already there.
Tip for those that try this, don't forget to exit and restart PSE before trying to use your new made profile.
Sigi you might want to offer to email your profile to other Oly users on this site? I think the E3 sensor will be close to say a E30 or E650.
I see that there are many profiles for most cameras in the editor but the G7 is sadly missing I have made some but need to get a Macbeth chart to make a standard profile.
---------------------------------------------------
I have also been opening Jpegs for my wifes Panasonic tz3 in ACR and saving them as a DNG file, I find it easier to work the file in pse if it comes via ACR, also I still have the original Jpeg untouched. (not everything just the ones that need help)
You open them with ACR, by pressing Alt+Ctrl+O in PSE editor (this won't work from organizer) then change the open as box in the drop down to camera raw. With Jpegs you lose the profiles but still have all the other adjustments.

Hi Simon

I am getting there. I have been doing a fair amount of reading between calibrating, color profiling and setting up a color environment.

Long story short, I printed the Macbeth as said, took the pic with the E3 and created the profile. As said I did not know what to do with it at first....

I then saw its available in the RAW converter. There is more to check at this stage for me....but the good news is I processed a few pics using the new profile and it works perfectly well.

I knew people were selling profiles.....doing a little research will only be positive.

Simon as said I have the color codes for the Macbeth as you showed (smaller version). I controlled the printing (all RGB ) and it worked well with the profiling. I will try and get you the codes tomorrow....

Siegfried

Thats great thanks I can then profile the G7.