Photoshop Elements v CS3

[GazR33]

Hi guys,

I was just wondering if anyone knew the difference between Photoshop Elements 8 and Photoshop CS3 Extended?

I'm looking to buy some editing software, and having used Photoshop before i'd like to keep to that family of software....looking around it looks like CS3 Extended is only a little more expensive than Elements 8.

I really can't afford CS4, so thought i'd look at an older version and found CS3 a lot cheaper.

Any advice is gratefully received.

Thanks

[_dobbo_]

Not sure where you've seen elements at a similar price to CS3 - there is about £250 difference.

If you're seeing CS3 for less than £300 I'd suggest this is a hooky copy and you're wasting your money.

On the subject of the difference - (amongst other things) elements misses some of the more complicated layer and mask functions, personally I'd start with elements and see how I got on, there is an upgrade path so the money spent on elements need not be a waste.

[beano500]

It depends really on what it is you want to achieve.

Elements series is highly geared to the needs of the digital photographer, and apart from a few esoteric bits and bobs I suppose most won't stray into the realm of the full PS Extended. Personally, I'm a bit of a snob and went for the whole lot (legitiamtely on a student licence I hasten to add) with an ambition to really understand what PS can do. But it can be a daunting and complex beast in its full glory, and what I saved on getting it under a student licence I am now spending on subscription to NAPP and their training! (Oh and it doesn't actually make your photography any better!)

Having said all that, I find Lightroom is a much more useful program these days for organising, developing, printing, slideshows and outputing for web. I think this is a really good starting point for all (maybe more "advanced") amateurs as well as the pro crowd who are flogging a digital horse every working day.

[Simpo Two]

beano500 said:

It depends really on what it is you want to achieve.

I'd agree - for example, RAW processing or general farting about?

[andy-xr]

I used to use Elements 7 and bought CS3 unregistered (or deregistered) from ebay for £150. Serial checked with Adobe post purchase pre install and a pre purchase guarantee from the seller they'd refund me if it went wrong was enough for me. I wanted CS for 2 main things, patch tool and masks. It's made things much quicker and easier.

The only issue I'd have with it standalone is that CS3 doesnt support the ACR version I need for D300 files, but I use Lightroom for preview and initial colour corrections anyway, so I wasnt too bothered

[Ed_P]

I use Lightroom and Elements (v7 at the moment). From a freelance photography point of view, between them, they supply everything I need for my typical workflow. I use Lightroom to catalogue, keyword, sort and select images from shoots; do a quick "fix" and prepare a batch upload to the website. Elements I use to make more detailed adjustments to individual images for print/use by clients and for basic design work.

After struggling a bit with Lightroom initially, I invested some time in completing a tuition book/CD (one of the Classroom in a Book series). An excellent investment which has since saved me much time (and heartache)!

[GazR33]

Thanks for the replies - I take 99% of my photos in RAW format.

When I posted the original question it was just after looking at this link on Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000O17CR4/ref=... - I have to add that I didn't actually look at the sellers at that time and would probably not buy from the cheapest source on there knowing how much it is valued at.