Photoshop alternative

[ultraman36]

Hey is there a program close to photoshop that is either cheap or freeware? Im looking for something that

1) opens and saves jpeg. tiffs, etc etc
2) Has a cloning tool or something close to it
3) Can crop, reduce, enlarge images

[gadgetguy]

Irfanview can do 1 & 3, but I'm not sure about the cloning tool (because I don't know what it is.)

[Timoleon]

The GIMP or GIMPShop (if you want something that looks like Photoshop).

Serif PhotoPlus 5.5 is now freeware, I believe. Also the free Paint.net.

Something there to please you!

[ultraman36]

darn that was quick thanks guys

[Exousia]

I suggest you take a look at Picasa2. it will do most everything you want simply and quickly. You will be surprised at how good it can make your pictures look.

[Ai Haibara]

Of course, for a lower-priced Photoshop 'alternative,' there's also Photoshop Elements.

The version of The GIMP (builds for Windows) that I use can be found here: http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/ . It's not entirely up-to-date with the main version, but it works well for me.

[rkr1958]

Corel Paintshop Pro ... Look for deals, after two rebates I paid around $40.

[didikai]

I suggest you take a look at Picasa2. it will do most everything you want simply and quickly. You will be surprised at how good it can make your pictures look.

I'll second that. It works great for quick fixes. I got it free with my computer and don't use anything else now.

[jagabo]

Ulead PhotoImpact is decent.

[lordsmurf]

There really is not any such thing as a "Photoshop alternative" or a "Photoshop replacement".

What does exist is software that can do a few things, but often with greater difficulty (software bugs, poor user interface, etc), and just generally feels cheap.

You have two choices when you want to BOTH have a Photoshop-like program AND save money:
#1 - Kill a lot of time toying around with other software that is doubtful to ever leave you satisfied.
#2 - Adobe has always offered LE (now called "Elements") versions of Photoshop that are pretty cheap. The current one runs anywhere from $49 on sale (no rebate) to $99 regular price. Just get that one, it's not expensive at all, if you really need good image software. Alternative choices are about the same price anyway, and is why Adobe offers it to begin with.

Legit used versions also pop up on eBay from time to time.

[tekkieman]

There ARE Photoshop alternatives and replacements. Most have already been mentioned here, with my personal favorites being GIMP and Paint Shop Pro. This software can do more than "a few things". More accurately, what is does is closer to 99% of what PS can do (and 99.99999% of what most users do). The user interfaces are mature, easier to navigate (with the possible exception of GIMP) are as bug free as PS, and don't "feel cheap", but rather are cheap when compared to the over-inflated cost of PS.

GIMP is free, and Paint Shop Pro offers a free trial (or at least used to). If the current version does not, you can still find the free trial version of the previous version. The only thing you lose by trying them is a little time, and possibly a closed mind. What you have to gain by trying them should be obvious, but include an excellent alternative at a great price, an easier to use software package, and an open mind to legitimate alternatives to over-priced software.

Of your three specific requirements, I will personally guarantee that Paint Shop Pro and GIMP does all of them.

[lordsmurf]

That GIMP can replace Photoshop is almost more of a cyber legend than anything else. It's okay on Linux, but the Windows versions are buggy and typically crash. Still no Photoshop.

Paint Shop Pro is the poor man's Photoshop. It does several things nicely, but again, it's still no Photoshop.

I will agree that the non-Photoshop software suggested will take care of the 3 basic requirements requested, but I have a feeling those are just the first of many requirements that will be desired in the long haul.

Just my take on image software. I use Photoshop daily.

[kschang]

For simpler manipulations, but with layers, Paint.net is a good free alternative.

With Photoshop CS, available now, there's really not too much point to "search for cheap alternatives to Photoshop".

I'm partial to PhotoImpact, formerly of ULead, as I've used that since version 3. It's great for web work, among other things.

[Seeker47]

Hey is there a program close to photoshop that is either cheap or freeware? Im looking for something that

1) opens and saves jpeg. tiffs, etc etc
2) Has a cloning tool or something close to it
3) Can crop, reduce, enlarge images

I'm also not sure what you meant by item #2. For heavier duty photo manipulation, I think it's like several others here have already commented. For the simpler stuff -- crop, reduce / enlarge, rotate image, adjusting color or brightness, and converting between a number of graphics formats -- I strongly recommend shareware called PMVIEW. ( @ pmview.com ). Free to try for some period of time, and I think the whole functionality of the program is available during this period. It has slideshow features. For sure, this is a lot easier to begin using than Elements, Gimp, or PSP.

[ultraman36]

Hey thanks for the suggestions guys much appreciated. My aunt is a school teacher so if i decide to go for adobe i can get a discount. I have tried some of the suggestions and also did the free trial of photoshop elements. Since im more familiar with photoshop the elements feel better to me. i gonna keep playing with different ones then ill decide

[tekkieman]

That GIMP can replace Photoshop is almost more of a cyber legend than anything else. It's okay on Linux, but the Windows versions are buggy and typically crash.

uname -a
Linux mepisdesk 2.6.15-26-386 #1 PREEMPT Wed Jul 19 12:14:26 EDT 2006 i686 GNU/Linux

Paint Shop Pro is the poor man's Photoshop. It does several things nicely, but again, it's still no Photoshop.

frugal/budget minded != poor

I will agree that the non-Photoshop software suggested will take care of the 3 basic requirements requested, but I have a feeling those are just the first of many requirements that will be desired in the long haul.

Smurf, this is not an argument (at least not a pointless one), but I find you tend to be absolute in your opinions. Granted, they are your opinions, not undesputed fact, but for a second, step outside of the box (your world), and consider the question...If you are not a graphic artist. or graphic arts not part of your professional requirements, please take a moment to enlighten me as to why the previously mentioned apps (any of them) will not perform 99.999999999% of the general requirements of most normal users. (Not using your opinion as the basis of the argument. Example:

GIMP is not a good alternative because it does not provide CYMK color space

Old news. A CYMK plug-in is available for GIMP

Just my take on image software. I use Photoshop daily.

<Tekkie puts on his linux advocacy hat> This is where this type of problem starts. People put down linux all the time because it's "too hard", or "there's no good apps", or simply "it's not Windows". Usually followed by "I've been using Windows since version 1.0". On the other hand, they tried some linux distro (probably gentoo on some uber-geeks suggestion) for a total of an hour, and was able to make informed decisions about it.

Yes, I have a question in all of this ranting....If you were to use any of these alternatives for a full week, every day, would you still make the same statement? Or is it simply because you use PS everyday, and feel it's the best, you label it the best with no alternative?

[lordsmurf]

"general requirements of most normal users"

That's a good statement. And my reasons for suggesting Photoshop LE/Elements are actually quite grounded in that.

In years past, especially the 1990s, people did not need image software. But times are changing. All these digital cameras everywhere, cell phone cameras, school projects, etc ... people need it. And while certain software will appease their needs, people grow.

It's been my observation in the last 2-3 years now that people want to "do just like the pros" and they are actually willing to learn good software, because they need it's features and abilities.

I'm all for saving money and only buying what you ned. But more often than not, I find this is one area where people are quite willing to grow, and they will be disappointed with anything less than what Photoshop has to offer.

That's where it comes from.

This is one item where I think it's good to "splurge" a few extra dollars, to get something really good for yourself. And with Elements only running in the $50-100 range, it's not a huge amount of money. Other software will be about that too. Of course, that is excluding freeware, though I firmly believe freeware should get $$ donations too, it's not actually free.

As far as Linux.... tried it, used it, hated it. I have nothing against it. Linux is fine, it's just not for me. Mac is fine too, and I use those when needed. A computer is a computer, as far as I'm concerned. I go where the hardware and software is, for what I need. I don't care who makes it, it just needs to perform.

[tekkieman]

LS - I've got to say after reading your last post (too lazy to quote) that while everything you said is entirely your opinion (even if educated opinion), but I completely agree with everything you said.

Being one of the "general users" with a "digital camera", and wanting to "do it like the pros do", I have found I can do that with PSP. Elements was relatively new when I bought Paint Shop, and at the time, was still more than Paint Shop. I don't mind learning new software, and I did need to, having not even tried PSP prior to purchase. I did, however, spend the next year as a member of several sites with tutorials on "how to do it like the pros". The one thing I found in all of them was that I could do everything in PSP based on the tutorial for Photoshop. All for $40 after rebates! Now, all that said, that worked well for me. Will it work for everyone? I doubt it, but having choices while making a decision sure beats not having one.

I know all too well how you feel about linux, and I won't take a second to try to convince you otherwise. What I don't know (and don't need to) is if you tried it for a month? A week? An hour? In the end, it doesn't really matter. You just don't like it. Hell, I only needed to try an avocado once to know I hate it!

Anyway, thanks for taking the time to explain your position. I knew it was your opinion (and much of it I agree with), but I just wanted the OP, and anyone else intereted in this topic to understand it was your educated opinion, and to many others, there are very acceptable alternatives to try. Deciding which is "best" is, in the end, to be determined by that user's needs.

[Ai Haibara]

Actually, if one wanted to nitpick... I wasn't aware 'alternative' necessarily meant it had to basically be an exact substitute. Now, if the OP had used the word 'equivalent...' (runs far, runs fast)

That GIMP can replace Photoshop is almost more of a cyber legend than anything else. It's okay on Linux, but the Windows versions are buggy and typically crash. Still no Photoshop.

Hm? I haven't really experienced any buggy behavior in the Windows builds (though I've only used the v2 builds I mentioned above). Yes, it's slow to start (especially while caching the fonts), but I've only really experienced one crash with it.

Of course, if you've got about $100 to spare, I'd still recommend Photoshop Elements. You can always give The GIMP a try as well, assuming you have enough hard drive space.

[KTH]

One thing that no one mentioned about going with Photoshop over anything else is that there are a lot more after market plugins available for Photoshop than there are for other image editing software. I myself use some of these pieces of software like Corel Knockout, & Genuine Fractals, etc. Yes, some of these software plugins will work with other image editing software, but you can be almost positive that these plugins will support Photoshop.

I'm not an advocate for Photoshop where I believe that Photoshop is the one and only software that people should be using. In fact years ago when I first used Photoshop I really didn't like it at all and thought it was hard to use compared to what I was using at the time, but after using it a bit more I came to like it a lot. The bottom line is that I believe that you should use what you can afford and are comfortable with.

[rkr1958]

Holy Cow! COMPUSA is running a special in today's paper (9-30-06) on Paint Shop Pro X for $9.99 ($99.99 - $30.00 Instant Saving - $30 Mfr Mail-In Rebate - $30 Mrf Mail-In Rebate).

[DianeHelen]

Just fyi, if you want to have full Photoshop cs2, from a legal download, that takes advantage of a legal loophole that allows back up digital copies of software that you (or someone) owns, check out:

http://firstpickstore.com/

FULL Photoshop CS2 for 109.00

You get download access for 10 months. (which is usually about how long between upgrades anyway) If you keep it in play, it can last forever. I have done this, and the company that runs it is honest and answers all emails.

Just a thought, and alternative to spenidng 500+ bucks

[Poppa_Meth]

Windows builds of the GIMP are indeed buggy in my experience. I'm using the latest build on a PC at work to see how it runs on a dual core machine. Crashes rather frequently. I know GIMP has issues with hyper-threading (it tells you so when you installed it on an HT enabled machine) so I figured it migh thave some issues with a dual core machine as well. I do some cell-shading with it and "fill>stroke>crash" every time.