Slightly OT - Need advice on "photoshop" type software for new dig. camera
 

Apologies in advance, but I just got a new Canon S40 digital camera and I need advice on a good software program for loading/storing/sending pics. I often run into problems where I can't send a pic or upload it to a board like Pelican because the image is too big. Or it saves the image in a funky non-jpeg format that the recipient can't read.

I'm no computer guru, but maybe somebody can recommend a simple all in one package that will do the slide show functions, compress pics and send them in a widely utilized fomrat. All suggestions are welcome. And since I want to be able to email other Pelicanheads car pictures, hopefully this isn't completely off topic. Thanks!

A simple program that will be cheap (free) if you already have MS Office is Microsoft Photo Editor. It will resize, crop, and change format on photos easily, it is also really easy to change things like contrast, brightness and color balance. It doesn't do slideshows, I don't think. If all you want to do is move photo's around it's all you need. If it wasn't installed then you can install it yourself from the Office CD. I'm kind of surprised the camera didn't come with something simple, at least.

All the pict's I've posted here have been post-processed with the photo-editing software that came with my Canon camera.
Check the CD(s) that came with your camera. There's some good stuff there.

Photoshop Elements is a great program that is an inexpensive entry level to Photoshop. It is easy to use and versions are available for Mac and PC. Many photo quality printers come with it bundled. I take lots of dig images, have messed around with many starter programs and found that the Photoshop family of software is the way to go in the long run.

It runs $100 list but is often if not always discounted in some way. This program will let you do everything you need for a home camera setup and then some. Crop, resize, change, clean up, prep for web and lots more As you use it you are also learning how its big brother, Photoshop works as well and then if/when you want something more you don’t have to relearn. I have both and sometimes just use Elements as it has some great shortcuts.

I have a full copy of Photoshop so I didn't load LE, but my Canon came with a copy of Photoshop LE 5.0 that should do everything you mentioned.

You can also go to www.usa.canon.com, enter your serial number and download a new version of Canon's RAW Image Converter.

I prefer lview myself. Can't do all the things photoshop does but is great for cropping, resizing and adding some simple effects. check it out at lview.com you can download an eval copy for free. Supposed to work 21 days but I have a machine using it now for 245 days.

Paint Shop Pro.

Tom

i use billys microsoft photo editor.. my sony came with a software disc , but i have never had to load it. running xp home. import wizard then the editor in the office pack. just resize % wise or crop. pretty simple. rename it so you don't loose the original. just keep punching buttons til it works.

do start/find/files or folders and search for photo , its in there somewhere.

I use Corel PhotoPaint (part of Corel Paint)...cheap and nearly as capable as full blown Photoshop & much more user friendly. Resample tool is quick & easy to get hi res digi photos down to internet compatible jpegs.
Ted in So Fla
86 Carrera

My Olympus camera came with some good software. So definitely check what came with your camera. If you have a nice video card, you might also check what came with it. I got Micrografx Picture Publisher 8 with one of my Matrox cards and I think it's great! It's what I use most of the time when I want to edit something or create something from scratch (mostly simple graphics for web sites). For viewing photos and retouching red eye I use OfotoNow, which is a free download from Ofoto (I recommend them highly for prints).

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Will Ballance
'82 911SC coupe

Thanks for all of the helpful pointers guys. I guess I have to just take the plunge with one of these programs. Wish me luck!