What version of Photoshop should I get?

Cliff.Barnes

Cliff.Barnes

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I recently bought a nikon D90 and I haven't been home yet to post-process any images I have taken.

One bloke I'm working recommended I use Photoshop CS 3 or 4, but I only have Photoshop 7 on my PC. I have no idea what the difference is, so I thought I'd start by asking in here.

So is there much difference? Would I be better off with CS 3 or 4?
 
If you have got £500+ to spare then go for it!

The problem you may have with the older version is that it may not recognise the raw files from your camera, but there are plenty of ways around it.

Just use what you have for a while to see what is restricting you about it.

If you are new to Photoshop I would point you in the direction of Photoshop Elements 8, almost as powerfull as CS4, but 1/10th of the price!
 
I used Photoshop 7 for absolutely ages and only recently upgraded to CS3. The reason for the upgrade was that there were a couple of things that CS3 could do that 7 couldn't that I needed to make use of. If it wasn't for that, I'd still be using 7 to be honest.
 
Just to clarify it's photoshop 7.0 you have, or elements 7? theres a big difference, as pointed out already photoshop 7.0 isn't compatable with the raw files from your camera, although it'll work fine with the jpegs.
Theres a lot of differences between 7.0 and CS4, but you can still do pretty much any editing your lightly to need with it.
 
Thanks for the replies guys.

swanseamale47 said:
Just to clarify it's photoshop 7.0 you have, or elements 7? theres a big difference, as pointed out already photoshop 7.0 isn't compatable with the raw files from your camera, although it'll work fine with the jpegs.
Theres a lot of differences between 7.0 and CS4, but you can still do pretty much any editing your lightly to need with it.
Click to expand...

It's Photoshop 7 I currently have, not elements.

I didn't realise Photoshop7 isn't able to read .raw files. Looks like CS4 is the way to go.
 
There was a sort of raw converter pluging for 7, it also had a jpeg 2000 compatability, but it won't be compatable with your camera, and I'm pretty sure it's no longer available. It was in CS that a proper raw converter shipped with photoshop, that is sort of compatable provided you convert your raw files to DNG (adobes raw) with the free converter from adobe, then CS will open them as raw.
 
For basic stuff use photoshop 7. If you shoot RAW then you will need a raw converter which can convert the images to Jpeg for further manipulation in Photoshop.

Elements is good and cheap! Version 8 is out soon.

My fave is Lightroom which, after having it for 8 months, still blows me away! Superb prog but is about £220 i think.
 
I would highly recommend just using your Photoshop7 just now and upgrade to Cs5 when it comes out early 2010.
The only difference's I found between 7 and cs3 were very small, but the differences between 7 and cs4 are quite noticeable. However, I don't see the point in splashing out on cs4 when we are so close to cs5 being released which will have updated raw formats and Windows 7 128bit compatible incase you did upgrade to that operating system in the not so distant future.
I used to use a raw plugin for Photoshop7 and was happy to use that until cs4 was released having not been all that enamored with the thought of spending £180 on cs3 when the changes where not that noticeable.
 
If you don't mind having two separate programs then you could use the free View NX to convert the RAW file and then stick with Photoshop 7.

I think View NX and Capture NX are meant to do a slightly better job at converting NEFs as they are the only ones with access to Nikon's RAW settings or something - although I might be wrong! :)
 
Why not go for PS elements 8 which has HDR added.

Pete
 
If you can, wait a few months for CS5 which (from a mac user) should benefit from a decent speed increase and no doubt more stuff/features you will play with once and never use again :)
 
I would say give adobe a call and see how much it would cost to upgrade to cs4, I have cs3 and they said over the phone it would be $200 to upgrade which at current exchange rates would be about £125 (I know it is in $ and Im in UK, I was calling the UK adobe people and did ask about the $ but they said it was correct)
 
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