Photoshop vs. PSP

[CrystalMarie]

I see this has been discussed quite a bit, but I'm still wondering a couple of things....

I'm looking for opinions about photoshop vs. psp... from people who have used both. I know all the photoshop users love it, and psp users love it, but have any of you used both and had a strong preference for one over the other? I have PSP and love it, but I'm wondering if I want to make the switch to Photoshop. The plethora of tutorials, magazines, book, etc. is very attractive to me, and I saw a friend of mine (Yogamama here on DSP) use Photoshop and do some really neat things on it that I don't know if I can do in PSP and some I'm pretty sure I can't do. I'm wondering how much photoshop does that psp doesnt do... especially for photo editing and digiscrapping. Price isnt an issue... I know the difference in price. I've looked online for comparisons of the two products, and havent had much luck. Especially not from digiscrappers. Thanks so much for any and all input!

[Vallie]

I think they are pretty equal as far as digi scrapping goes. I don't make my own elements so can't comment on that aspect. I love PSP9 and XI but have used PS CS3. I think it is awesome but probably more than I would need for what I can do in PSP. I find text easier in PSP and love the built in and downloadable masks. The blending modes are great in Photoshop and the huge brushes and the red-eye fix. I miss not being able to scroll the mouse in Photoshop to resize the screen image, and find zooming in and out more cumbersome. But if I were younger and working in the graphics industry Photoshop would be the one to learn as that is the industry standard. Money is the big question for most of us, I cant afford CS3 but I am more than happy with what PSP does. My son has PS CS3 Extended (he works in dvd industry) and I use it sometimes just for the heck of it and I like to fiddle! My last few layouts in my gallery were done with CS3 if you would like to look but most are PSP.

P.S. edit - :lol: I found out how to scroll to zoom in and out it is in the preference settings so that is resolved!!

[debbers]

I've *had* to learn Photoshop for work. Lots of people here held my hand thru the PAINFUL learning curve from PSP X.

I would say there are things Photoshop does better, and there are things PSP does better. There are also things each one does easier.

I don't know of much that you can do in Photoshop that cannot be done in PSP for digital scrapbooking. It might not be accomplished the same way ... but I don't think either one is limiting you.

There are designers who use PSP - It's a pretty fair contender with all the enhancements which have been introduced in the last few years.

So ... tell us what you think can't be done in PSP -- we'll see if we can find a way!!

deb

[dmrdm]

I used PSP from when it was freeshare or shareware or whatever it was until PSP X. Loved it. Used a varity of PS Elements versions (got so many of them free with things I bought..camera's, scanners, tablets, etc) an have been on PS CS 2 and now PS CS 3. I liked them all and didn't find any of them difficult, but I love dinking with computers and learning programs. I'm just a hobbiest, so I really didn't need PS, but always wanted it, so I got it when they offered an upgrade from Elements for $299. I love it and have never looked back. My husbands desktop crashed so he's ordered a new one with Vista, so he plans on getting PSP again because he likes it.

I never had a problem figuring out what I needed to do when I ran PSP. (wait there was typing inside an object issue or something like that I could never figure out) Actually I had bought several photoshop books -Photoshop Artistry and Photoshop Restoration & Retouching when I only had PSP to learn how to fix photos. Like debbers said one does this, another does that better. Just like using WORD or EXCEL, there are always two or three ways to accomplish about anything.

There are hundreds of threads on the website of the world that go into the pro & con's of this and that. Guess I just don't worry about them. A lot of people have more than one program on their computer so they can switch between them when they encounter those. If you google paintshop pro vs photoshop cs you'll find many discussions on it. If you love PSP and you aren't going to be needing to learn photoshop as a job skill, stick with it. If you love playing with programs, enjoy learning and the extensive available resources are appeiling to you, go for PS CS 3.

Download a trial version of CS 3 and play with it for 30 days. (You'll notice they are more into short cuts and don't have a button for many things). If you survive the 30 day trial period and like it, go for it. Good luck.

[Emma]

I use both and teach both. I agree that they're pretty even for scrapping, pros and cons to each, and if there's anything you want to do in PSP and don't know how to convert from the PS instructions, just ask. PS does have one big advantage in layer Styles, they make creating things much faster, plus you can edit them at any time.

Since several of us use both, maybe you can join us? Only one way to find out! Download a trial of PS, do the First Page tutorials here and all the rest of the PS ones, just don't open PSP for a month. Then you'll really know how well you like it, and if it's worth the cost to you.

[LoriD]

Having used both PSP and PS - and a few other image editors - for more than a dozen years, I can simply echo what others have already said: Each has its strengths and weaknesses, but there's probably nothing that you can accomplish in one that you can't accomplish in the other. The means to get to a particular end may be somewhat different, but you can still reach that end with either app. (If there's something you think can't be done in one that can be done in the other, point to an example and those of us who use both can see if there is in fact a way.)

I'll also agree with something else others here have mentioned: One of the best things you can do is download the trial version of PS CS3 and give it a workout. There's nothing like firsthand experience. :)

Lori