Photoshop version and alternatives
-
- Im an EXPERT!
- Posts: 442
- Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2020 9:25 pm
- Location: Austin Texas
- Has thanked: 148 times
- Been thanked: 294 times
Photoshop version and alternatives
Again, I’m just learning Solar image processing. Full versions of Photoshop are beyond my budget. What are the best alternatives for post processing? Photoshop elements? Pixinsight? Other software?
- JochenM
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 2839
- Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2019 2:26 pm
- Location: Belgium
- Has thanked: 1200 times
- Been thanked: 1619 times
- Contact:
Re: Photoshop version and alternatives
Try taking a look at GIMP (https://www.gimp.org/). It's free, open source image processing software and very rich in features.
I personally use it for certain things as well.
I personally use it for certain things as well.
- Montana
- Librarian
- Posts: 34722
- Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2011 5:25 pm
- Location: Cheshire, UK
- Has thanked: 17974 times
- Been thanked: 8906 times
- stef41
- Im an EXPERT!
- Posts: 474
- Joined: Tue Nov 07, 2017 11:13 am
- Location: france
- Has thanked: 124 times
- Been thanked: 1490 times
- Contact:
- rsfoto
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 6306
- Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:30 pm
- Location: San Luis Potosi, México
- Has thanked: 9723 times
- Been thanked: 5773 times
Re: Photoshop version and alternatives
Hi Alexandra,
Is there also a downloadable PDF instruction manual or is it just available online ?
I looked at the GIMP page but did not find anything
regards Rainer
Observatorio Real de 14
San Luis Potosi Mexico
North 22° West 101°
Observatorio Real de 14
San Luis Potosi Mexico
North 22° West 101°
- Merlin66
- Librarian
- Posts: 3972
- Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 1:23 pm
- Location: Junortoun, Australia
- Has thanked: 174 times
- Been thanked: 619 times
- Contact:
Re: Photoshop version and alternatives
David,
Another alternative worth checking out is the latest PaintShop Pro. It's come a loooong way in the past few years and certainly gives PS a run for it's money. Layers, masking etc etc. Try before you buy, once of $$$$
https://www.paintshoppro.com/en/product ... /standard/
Another alternative worth checking out is the latest PaintShop Pro. It's come a loooong way in the past few years and certainly gives PS a run for it's money. Layers, masking etc etc. Try before you buy, once of $$$$
https://www.paintshoppro.com/en/product ... /standard/
"Astronomical Spectroscopy - The Final Frontier" - to boldly go where few amateurs have gone before
https://groups.io/g/astronomicalspectroscopy
http://astronomicalspectroscopy.com
"Astronomical Spectroscopy for Amateurs" and
"Imaging Sunlight - using a digital spectroheliograph" - Springer
https://groups.io/g/astronomicalspectroscopy
http://astronomicalspectroscopy.com
"Astronomical Spectroscopy for Amateurs" and
"Imaging Sunlight - using a digital spectroheliograph" - Springer
- Montana
- Librarian
- Posts: 34722
- Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2011 5:25 pm
- Location: Cheshire, UK
- Has thanked: 17974 times
- Been thanked: 8906 times
Re: Photoshop version and alternatives
Rainer, I have no idea. GIMP is very similar to Image J being freeware. Because I know Photoshop quite well I just looked through the tools till I found the ones that looked similar. I managed to do an animation the same as Photoshop in a matter of minutes for a test so it can't be that complicated or different to Photoshop. However, it would be complicated if you had never used a photo manipulation tool in your life before. I find ImageJ much more complicated as you have to add in modules that you need. However, if you do want to buy then Photoshop Elements is basically all you need, the only thing I remember missing from this package is the ability to save processing routines.
Alexandra
Alexandra
- Ronnie_Clayton
- Ohhhhhh My!
- Posts: 174
- Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2017 11:00 pm
- Location: Maringá - Brazil
- Has thanked: 10 times
- Been thanked: 130 times
Re: Photoshop version and alternatives
In the past I´ve used PS, but now I bought the Affinity Photo and it´s really a great software, for me it as so good (or better) than PS and much more cheaper...
You can try it per 90 days ;-)
https://affinity.serif.com/pt-br/photo/
Ronnie
You can try it per 90 days ;-)
https://affinity.serif.com/pt-br/photo/
Ronnie
- stef41
- Im an EXPERT!
- Posts: 474
- Joined: Tue Nov 07, 2017 11:13 am
- Location: france
- Has thanked: 124 times
- Been thanked: 1490 times
- Contact:
Re: Photoshop version and alternatives
luminar 3 has been free for some time: https://fstoppers.com/software/how-get- ... ree-469628
it's kind of like the Adobe lightroom equivalent
But I'm not sure it's suitable for astro image processing.
Sincerely,
stéphane
it's kind of like the Adobe lightroom equivalent
But I'm not sure it's suitable for astro image processing.
Sincerely,
stéphane
-
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 6871
- Joined: Mon May 18, 2020 4:45 pm
- Location: Essex, S.E.England
- Been thanked: 4900 times
Re: Photoshop version and alternatives
Hi David and anybody-else who needs a suitable processing program to enhance the results from after using specific Astro imaging programs.
Merlin 66 has correctly stated about "PAINTSHOP PRO" giving the very expensive Photoshop a run for its' money...
In fact independent analysis has shown that for a one-off payment at a much lower-price, than the methods that PhotoShop use to extract your money by annual-subscriptions - is well worth considering.
I have been using various versions of PAINTSHOP PRO over many years and certainly the more recent versions from v.9 and v.2018 do everything that is required for dealing with astro-imaging and of course Solar-imaging too.
Will even now work with my Panasonic DMC-G2 camera's RAW-2 files and numerous other camera-manufacturer's own files - as well.
https://www.paintshoppro.com/static/psp ... n-2020.pdf
is well worth the comparison between the two and unlikely to be lying about the differences.
https://www.paintshoppro.com/en/?link=wm is worth taking a look at all the pages, to get an idea of what Corel have on offer (and reduced -
prices as of July 2020...
https://www.paintshoppro.com/en/free-trials/ is just one possibility of trying for free !!!
You are unlikely to need everything that is included in whichever version is used...
Finally I had used PhotoShop many years ago, but found it far more difficult to understand than "PSP" so "PSP" has been my tool of the trade and not just for Astro & Solar-work - as other subject-matters via "PSP" have been successfully published elsewhere on the web and beyond.
Why buy and use a Rolls Royce for your local-shopping, when a Mini/Lada or whatever - will do the same job ???
To save your dosh and spend it on astro-gear etc., etc., etc., is my idea of making better use of that dosh...
Best Wishes & CLEAR SKIES
Regards
Terry
Merlin 66 has correctly stated about "PAINTSHOP PRO" giving the very expensive Photoshop a run for its' money...
In fact independent analysis has shown that for a one-off payment at a much lower-price, than the methods that PhotoShop use to extract your money by annual-subscriptions - is well worth considering.
I have been using various versions of PAINTSHOP PRO over many years and certainly the more recent versions from v.9 and v.2018 do everything that is required for dealing with astro-imaging and of course Solar-imaging too.
Will even now work with my Panasonic DMC-G2 camera's RAW-2 files and numerous other camera-manufacturer's own files - as well.
https://www.paintshoppro.com/static/psp ... n-2020.pdf
is well worth the comparison between the two and unlikely to be lying about the differences.
https://www.paintshoppro.com/en/?link=wm is worth taking a look at all the pages, to get an idea of what Corel have on offer (and reduced -
prices as of July 2020...
https://www.paintshoppro.com/en/free-trials/ is just one possibility of trying for free !!!
You are unlikely to need everything that is included in whichever version is used...
Finally I had used PhotoShop many years ago, but found it far more difficult to understand than "PSP" so "PSP" has been my tool of the trade and not just for Astro & Solar-work - as other subject-matters via "PSP" have been successfully published elsewhere on the web and beyond.
Why buy and use a Rolls Royce for your local-shopping, when a Mini/Lada or whatever - will do the same job ???
To save your dosh and spend it on astro-gear etc., etc., etc., is my idea of making better use of that dosh...
Best Wishes & CLEAR SKIES
Regards
Terry
-
- Ohhhhhh My!
- Posts: 108
- Joined: Mon Dec 28, 2020 1:01 am
- Has thanked: 42 times
- Been thanked: 49 times
Re: Photoshop version and alternatives
I have recently converted to the program (paid a few £££) and find it both simple and flexible to pick up and use. There are application reference and application guide material for some of the programs and now video tutorials. There are lots of high-quality video tutorials.Ronnie_Clayton wrote: ↑Thu Apr 23, 2020 2:55 pm In the past, I´ve used PS, but now I bought the Affinity Photo and it´s really great software, for me, it is so good (or better) than PS and much cheaper...
Simon
Last edited by SimonM on Mon Feb 22, 2021 1:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
- Im an EXPERT!
- Posts: 442
- Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2020 9:25 pm
- Location: Austin Texas
- Has thanked: 148 times
- Been thanked: 294 times
-
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 6871
- Joined: Mon May 18, 2020 4:45 pm
- Location: Essex, S.E.England
- Been thanked: 4900 times
Re: Photoshop version and alternatives
Hi David, as said by Ken/Merlin66 said here.
Re: Photoshop version and alternatives
Post by Merlin66 » Mon Apr 20, 2020 12:28 am
David,
Another alternative worth checking out is the latest PaintShop Pro. It's come a loooong way in the past few years and certainly gives PS a run for it's money. Layers, masking etc etc. Try before you buy, once of $$$$
https://www.paintshoppro.com/en/product ... /standard/
For a one of low-price PaintShopPro is recommended now to be as good as Adobe Photoshop and a fraction of the price. Is also much easier to use and I have been using various versions for many years. I tried an old version of Photoshop, but got rid of it as not user-friendly at the time, compared to JASC's PaintShopPro (now Corel PaintShopPro)...
All my imaging (not just astro) uses PSPro.
GIMP and the many other freebies are excellent in their own right, so why pay Adobe for items that are free elsewhere ??
Another comment just from SimonM
"Photoshop - they want your money forever!
For software, I cannot quite bring myself to get a PS subscription and so I look for cheaper alternatives. GIMP is a free alternative but I don't have the patience to get into all the undoubted good complex features. "
Is absolutely an accurate comment...
Terry
Re: Photoshop version and alternatives
Post by Merlin66 » Mon Apr 20, 2020 12:28 am
David,
Another alternative worth checking out is the latest PaintShop Pro. It's come a loooong way in the past few years and certainly gives PS a run for it's money. Layers, masking etc etc. Try before you buy, once of $$$$
https://www.paintshoppro.com/en/product ... /standard/
For a one of low-price PaintShopPro is recommended now to be as good as Adobe Photoshop and a fraction of the price. Is also much easier to use and I have been using various versions for many years. I tried an old version of Photoshop, but got rid of it as not user-friendly at the time, compared to JASC's PaintShopPro (now Corel PaintShopPro)...
All my imaging (not just astro) uses PSPro.
GIMP and the many other freebies are excellent in their own right, so why pay Adobe for items that are free elsewhere ??
Another comment just from SimonM
"Photoshop - they want your money forever!
For software, I cannot quite bring myself to get a PS subscription and so I look for cheaper alternatives. GIMP is a free alternative but I don't have the patience to get into all the undoubted good complex features. "
Is absolutely an accurate comment...
Terry
- DeepSolar64
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 19065
- Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2019 12:19 am
- Location: Lowndesville S.C.
- Has thanked: 17849 times
- Been thanked: 16992 times
Re: Photoshop version and alternatives
I use GIMP. It's open source and free. I use a Linux build ( Ubuntu ) on my home computer and GIMP is available in it's download store. GIMP was developed first for the Linux OS before being made available for MacOS and Windows.
Lunt 8x32 SUNoculars
Orion 70mm Solar Telescope
Celestron AstroMaster Alt/Az Mount
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 60 DS
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 90 DS
Meade Coronado AZS Alt/Az Mount
Astro-Tech AT72EDII with Altair solar wedge
Celestron NexStar 102GT with Altair solar wedge
Losmandy AZ8 Alt/Az Mount
Sky-Watcher AZGTI Alt-Az GoTo mount
Cameras: ZWO ASI178MM, PGR Grasshopper, PGR Flea
Lunt, Coronado, TeleVue, Orion and Meade eyepieces
Visual Observer
" Way more fun to see it! "
Orion 70mm Solar Telescope
Celestron AstroMaster Alt/Az Mount
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 60 DS
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 90 DS
Meade Coronado AZS Alt/Az Mount
Astro-Tech AT72EDII with Altair solar wedge
Celestron NexStar 102GT with Altair solar wedge
Losmandy AZ8 Alt/Az Mount
Sky-Watcher AZGTI Alt-Az GoTo mount
Cameras: ZWO ASI178MM, PGR Grasshopper, PGR Flea
Lunt, Coronado, TeleVue, Orion and Meade eyepieces
Visual Observer
" Way more fun to see it! "