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What is the Best Software for Fixing Pictures?



 
 
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  #21  
Old September 7th 07, 11:38 PM posted to rec.photo.digital.point+shoot,rec.photo.digital
Michael Calverley
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Posts: 19
Default What is the Best Software for Fixing Pictures?

Marty Fremen wrote:
Barry Goodthrall wrote:

What is the best software to quickly fix photos.

Before rushing to say Photoshop, while I agree for more complex
digital photo manipulation it can't be beat, I want something that
does common corrections the average novice often needs, such as red
eye, bluring , dust removal, lighting adjustments, etc quickly.
Ideally what program has the best "one step fix" function?



Irfanview will do red-eye, blurring/sharpening, and has an auto-levels
control which in one click will try to optimise the
brightness/contrast/colour, however this somewhat hit and miss, sometimes
it's great, sometimes goes too far, and sometimes not far enough. Usually
worth trying though since you can always undo the result and fix the shot
manually.

Dust removal is a much trickier thing as it needs some intelligence on the
part of the software. Polaroid did a free dust & scratches removal program
which can be used by itself or as a plugin from within photoshop. It
highlights what it thinks is dust and lets you deselect the stuff it got
wrong before fixing the image. That's about as good as it gets I think
unless you have a scanner with an infra red channel. Unfortunately I don't
have a specific URL for the program but their site is
http://www.polaroid.com and the program is also known as PDSR.


The best software for photography is the one that you will use. That's
an over simplified answer.

If you do not currently not using any software, then I would suggest
Photoshop Elements. The reason being, if you turn Pro, you will want to
switch to Photoshop CS3. The learning curve will be shorter in this
scenario. Otherwise find a program that corrects the problems that
occur in your photographs...red-eye, color correction, etc.

I hope that this helps.

This could get to be a long news thread.

Michael
  #22  
Old September 8th 07, 11:02 PM posted to rec.photo.digital.point+shoot,rec.photo.digital,alt.consumers.uk-discounts.and.bargains
Phil[_3_]
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Posts: 2
Default Serif Photoplus free offer details....


"KGB (KGB)" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 05 Sep 2007 11:41:03 +0100, Adrian C
wrote:

wohwagen wrote:

Serif are currently giving away 5 of their older programmes for
absolutely
nothing (you pay 89p for the CD & P&P) They make a half-hearted
attempt
to sell you the latest version when you telephone them for the free
software - but that's it.


The down side - and I have this verified here - is that Serif readily
sell name and address details of applicants to junk mail outfits. If you
do order the (mostly worthwhile!) software, make it clear to them that
you don't want your postal mailbox spammed.

--
Adrian C


Hi

The other downside in my experience is that whilst the software is
very good and the retail products reasonably priced, the company
itself is very, very, hard sell.

The free offer (whilst genuine) is basically a ploy to get you on the
end of a phone by giving away out of date software so they can try and
sell you their latest offering. Phone the contact number and, far
from being half-hearted, they will go to any lengths to persuade you
to upgrade to the latest product - or perhaps I was just unlucky.

The last couple of times I have phoned Serif for the activation code
for a free download, the latest product started around £100 (special
price as an existing customer, Sir). When I said I was only
interested in the free product, the price dropped, eventually
bottoming out at around £25 (I have just had a word with my supervisor
and he is prepared to offer a very special price just for you...).
When I still refused, they got quite abusive and came very close to
accusing me of ripping them off by only ever using their free programs
(not actually true - I have bought Serif software on more than one
occasion in the past). When I stuck to my guns, insisting that all I
wanted was the activation code for the free download, they eventually
gave me it, after threatening to bombard me with sales calls for not
upgrading (I never actually received any further sales calls from
them, so obviously they were bluffing). I came very close to reporting
them to Trading Standards.

Having said that, I have been using Serif products from the mid 1990's
and find them extremely good - especially the free ones!!!! Dealing
with the company on the phone however is another matter - just grit
your teeth and keep reminding yourself that the software is free. To
be quite fair, I haven't had my postal mailbox spammed with the
exception of a "special offer" letter from Serif a couple of times a
year.

By the way, if you visit http://www.freeserifsoftware.com/ you will
find most of their earlier software as free downloads. Just remember,
when you do phone for the activation code, stick to your guns and
don't let them bully you.

Regards
KGB


Serif stuff, esp the early stuff, is quite simply, ****E.

  #23  
Old September 9th 07, 06:34 PM posted to rec.photo.digital.point+shoot,rec.photo.digital
Barry Goodthrall
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Posts: 8
Default What is the Best Software for Fixing Pictures?

On Sep 4, 10:44 am, "HEMI-Powered" wrote:

shoot, an estimate of your skill so far with graphics and your
camera, and what you expect some software to do for you.

--
HP, aka Jerry


If I was going to do something more complex I would use photoshop.

But I am trying to find a program for my mother who is a novice so
what I would like is a program that with a very few steps could fix
the most common photography errors such as lighting, blurs, dust (in
the case of scanning), red eye, etc. What would really be great would
be a "one step fix" that just looks at the photo and makes the needed
corrections.

In short, I would like a program that fixes photos without any
thinking, (well without lots of thinking) from the person using the
program.

Again, if more complex editing is needed she would send the photo to
me where I would use photoshop.

So, I mean best in meeting those qualifications.


  #24  
Old September 9th 07, 06:37 PM posted to rec.photo.digital.point+shoot,rec.photo.digital
Barry Goodthrall
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Posts: 8
Default What is the Best Software for Fixing Pictures?

On Sep 4, 5:04 pm, "Joseph Meehan" wrote:
Unless you define "Best" there can be no "Best."

Your skill level, the features needed, the cost, the ease of use, your
tolerance for errors, likely continued support etc.

There are a lot of good ones out there.

--
Joseph Meehan


Again ease of use would be the key component. How well it does with
correcting common photo porgams with as few steps (and thinking) as
possible.

And if you can't think of "the Best" how about a short list?

  #25  
Old September 9th 07, 06:38 PM posted to rec.photo.digital.point+shoot,rec.photo.digital
Barry Goodthrall
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Posts: 8
Default What is the Best Software for Fixing Pictures?

On Sep 7, 3:38 pm, Michael Calverley wrote:
Marty Fremen wrote:


scenario. Otherwise find a program that corrects the problems that
occur in your photographs...red-eye, color correction, etc.


That was my question.

  #26  
Old September 18th 07, 01:23 AM posted to rec.photo.digital.point+shoot,rec.photo.digital
mack
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Posts: 8
Default What is the Best Software for Fixing Pictures?


"Dave Cohen" wrote in message
news:d4jDi.6616$2N2.2035@trndny03...
Dennis Pogson wrote:
Barry Goodthrall wrote:
What is the best software to quickly fix photos.

Before rushing to say Photoshop, while I agree for more complex
digital photo manipulation it can't be beat, I want something that
does common corrections the average novice often needs, such as red
eye, bluring , dust removal, lighting adjustments, etc quickly.
Ideally what program has the best "one step fix" function?


Faststone will probably do all you wish and it's free from-
http://www.faststone.org/FSViewerDetail.htm


Dennis.


FastStone is the best I've come across for a free utility that does almost
everything. It stops short of paint brush tools, layers etc and for that
I'm using PhotoPlus. I've used PSP version 7 and if I had to buy a package
today would probably get the latest version of that, but would still use
FastStone for quick corrections.
My default viewer is Irfanview, it's good for bulk resize/resample and
file move.
Dave Cohen


Has anyone mentioned PICASA, freely downloaded from Google? I like it a
lot.


 




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