Does anyone use PSE and PSP?

[Jenny B]

I have free trials of both PSE 4.0 and PSP X right now. I wanted to do them at the same time so that I could really compare the two. So far, I have found that where one is lacking the other is not. For example, I really like the control I can have over my drop shadows in PSP. It seems that PSE just has a couple of drop shadow presets, and I haven't figured out how to customize them. I also think PSE does a great job with converting images for the web. I saved the same LO in both PSP and PSE and the PSE one looks much clearer and crisper online than the PSP version.

Anyway... I'm seriously considering buying both. I would probably do most of my scrapbooking LO's in PSP and then save them as PSDs so I could use PSE for saving them for the web. I have a website where I post family photos, and I think I would do most of that editing in PSE. Oh, I also really like the auto red-eye removal in PSE.

So, am I crazy or is it common to use both programs for their different strengths? :)

[tape]

How are you saving from PSP? Here's how I do it: Merge all layers, resize to 600x600 pixels (if you scrap square) using the Smart Size option, then File > Export > JPEG Optimizer and tweak the compression until you get a file size of under 125K (but not a lot under or you'll get too many compression artifacts). Close the .pspimage file without saving over it.

Does PSE have layer styles like PS? That would be about the only reason I'd consider buying it, those are the one thing I miss in PSP. But if you have the money for both, why not, I'm sure there are some things that PSE can do better than PSP, I just don't know about them. :) If the above steps for saving in PSP sound too complicated, you could record a script from them to save some time and effort. Scripts are like the actions in PS (PSE doesn't have them I think), or macros in Word.

[lilbunge]

Just wanted to say that I use PSE 3 and love it but am considering purchasing psp because I hear that many people do use both for different things. I like PSE because it does have layers and you can download alot of actions that are made for PS. Let me know what you think about psp jenny. Also theres a link in one of these forums for psp for $59 dollars.

[Maikku]

I have them both and love each one for different reasons.

PSP is great for text manipulations, scripts and the fact that you can customize your workspace. It also has autosave feature if your puter crashes your work is saved. In PSE I love the brush size (they are huge) and all the cookie cutter shapes. Also like the save option better although I have not noticed any difference in quality. I save them the same way Tanja described in PSP and for PSE I use the save for web option. Btw there are no layer styles in PSE. On some lo's I use both programs and sometimes I go thru periods of just using one. I tend to lean towards PSPX as I know all the shortcuts by hand but would I want to give up my PSE? No way. :D

If you have the $$ I'd say buy both. You can get them at a better deal in the stores though. I see PSE at Walmart for only $75.

[lilbunge]

Maikku, what version of PSE do you use? I use PSE 3.0 and have used 2.0 and they both have layer styles, I use them all the time.

I have them both and love each one for different reasons.

PSP is great for text manipulations, scripts and the fact that you can customize your workspace. It also has autosave feature if your puter crashes your work is saved. In PSE I love the brush size (they are huge) and all the cookie cutter shapes. Also like the save option better although I have not noticed any difference in quality. I save them the same way Tanja described in PSP and for PSE I use the save for web option. Btw there are no layer styles in PSE. On some lo's I use both programs and sometimes I go thru periods of just using one. I tend to lean towards PSPX as I know all the shortcuts by hand but would I want to give up my PSE? No way. :D

If you have the $$ I'd say buy both. You can get them at a better deal in the stores though. I see PSE at Walmart for only $75.

[Abby]

I have both PSP and PSE and love them both - you're so right - they each have really good points and they aren't that expensive either, so you can actually afford both.

[ScrapMel]

Well, I lucked out - got PSP Studio for free and never used it because I have PSEv4. Messing around one day, found out you can do text on paths in the PSP Studio. Can I just say how happy I was! Having a 'lite' version of PSP I thought it wouldn't do all that - but so far I have not found a thing it doesn't do that PSP does do. But I still use PSE mostly - more people use it, so more tuts and more freebies and I am now more used to it.
Oh, I also got DIP2006 with my computer and have recently found out it justifies text - again, HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY! One thing PSE does lack in is text options (paths, etc).

[dmrdm]

I have had both for many years. Some things the one does better, other things the other one does better. I've gone from favoring one to the other. Over the years, I've gotten a free newer version of one....then I end up using that for awhile. I now also have PS CS2 and for the most part don't use either of the other two right now, unless I have to help someone figure out something.

You can get PSE and PSP cheap or free in some cases (when you buy say a camera, a scanner, a tablet, etc) sometimes. The local computer stores have great buys with rebates also....so having both doesn't need to cost much if you like having options. I can't bad mouth either because I like them both myself.

[Jenny B]

Tanja, I followed the same steps you listed to save my lo's for the web using PSP, except that I didn't merge all the layers before I saved. Would that make a difference? I didn't merge the layers in PSE, and the quality was still way better. You can see in my gallery what I'm talking about. The "Pool" and "Tigger" LO's are posted twice. The first time, saved using PSP, the second time saved using PSE. I think I noted which was which.

Melanie, I used to have Picture It (the predecesor of DIP), and I really miss it's auto wrapping text feature! Why PSP doesn't do that, I have no idea!

I am having some trouble with PSP right now. For some reason, I keep getting a "not enough memory" message whenever I try to resize photos. I opened up PSE, and had no problem, so I know it's not my computer. I have 2 Gigs of RAM, so it's got to be something weird going on with PSP. ???

[tape]

I think I might have an answer for your resizing problems... I've done this myself, lol... Make sure your unit of resizing is pixels and not percentages - if you try to resize a 12x12 LO to 600% of the original instead of 600x600 pixels, you will get that "not enough memory" message!

As to the quality issue, it looks like PSE does a secret sharpening step as part of its saving for the web feature. So just do Adjust > Sharpness > Unsharp Mask before the JPEG Optimizer in PSP. You will want the layers merged or the sharpening will only affect the active layer. Merging the layers before resizing is also a good idea because it saves system resources, and you do sometimes get slightly different results depending on whether or not you merge the layers - vectors, for example, behave differently, and sometimes the placement of stuff looks a bit off if you don't merge.

Suitable USM settings could be something like radius 1 / strength 50 / clipping 5, or 0.5 / 100 / 3. Or you could do Adjust > Sharpness > Sharpen on a duplicate layer and reduce the opacity to taste. Again, these steps can be scripted so that it's only a couple of clicks for you, just like it's in PSE - you just get more control over the end result.

[Jenny B]

Tanja, thanks... I responded to the resizing issue on the other thread. :)

As for the sharpening in PSP, I'll have to give that a try! :)

[Emma]

PSE out of the box isn't so great: you have to download a lot of PS presets to make it really useful. More drop shadows, more shapes, etc. The stuff I give in the DSU PSE elements classes are a reflection of this, since I couldn't make the stuff in PSE I made it in PS and give it in the class. Stretches PSE so much farther.

PSP is far more complete, though I think the Effects and presets generally lack either variety or effectiveness, and PSP relies heavily on plug-in filters to make it go farther.

PSP has more text, pattern, and brush options, but the layer styles in Adobe are just amazing. I personally think that Adobe graphics are "smoother" somehow, but have been involved in more than one good-natured argument over that! PSP has more advanced photo editing options in some cases, like Curves, layer masks (butyou can download for PSE), Quick Mask/Edit Selection in PSP, and several other things I couldn't do without!

So that said, pros and cons to each for sure. I'm glad I have both, as there are things I prefer about both.