Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/12/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I spend much more time using image editing programs than I do taking photographs. This is a defect in my character, of course, but it makes me qualified to offer a reply to this query. I use Adobe Photoshop because I know it will always solve my problem. There is nothing that I can't do with it. Other programs have 80% or 90% or 70% of its functionality, but when you really need to do something and there's a deadline, you know Photoshop will be there for you. When I need a transformation layer or a cubic spline or a history brush or the ability to convert a selection to a rubylith channel or to convert to Lab color and make a mask in the Lightness layer, Photoshop is just sitting there waiting for me. I've used it for 10 years, and I still spend an hour or two a week reading the manual and practicing new tricks. My guess is that I could do 95% of what I need to do with a lesser program, but when that last 5% comes up, I'm very glad I have photoshop. There's no point in buying photoshop unless you are going to learn how to use it. Probably the same is true of a Leica, but Photoshop is a lot cheaper. And it's big and clumsy and not very user-friendly. Unless you are prepared to spend 50 to 100 hours learning how to use Photoshop and then keep your skills up by using it at least an hour a week, don't waste your money. Brian Reid