*** GRAPHICS and VIDEO
SOFTWARE ***
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* = free $ =
relative cost
# = often free with new Digital Camera GRAPHICS
Gimp
*
Adobe
Photoshop $$$
Photo
Studio $#
VIDEO
UTILITIES
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There so are many programs
available in this category, especially for graphics. Some good, some not
so. We will not go in to great detail, except to note a few special
cases. Several are completely free and very
good, plus are used in the creation of the HPRA web pages. On the left
there are links to some of these programs. Maybe the best of the free ones are GIMP and Paint.Net. Gimp is often compared with Adobe Photoshoptm, used by most graphic artists in the commercial world. They even have an associated add-on to make it look like Photoshoptm. It is absolutely loaded with features. For me, I find it to be more than I usually need. "Paint.Net" is a newer program (from "dotPDN, LLC"). It has a some of the features of GIMP and is much easier to use. I use it in the developing many of the graphics for the HPRA pages. The original "Paint" comes (came ??) with most Microsoft Windows installations, and may still has its uses, but Paint.Net is a better choice. See these Wikipedia links for more information... A good commercial program for the average user is "Adobe Photoshop Elementstm" It has a subset of its parent; Photoshoptm, and is quite good. It can be found at most places that sell software for around $60 - $80. The real Photoshoptm will run hundreds of dollars. "Photo Studio" from ArcSoft is also a commercial program, but a version is often supplied with the purchase of a digital camera. (Paint.Net will do most if not all you might need for your digital photos.) (Note; sometimes an older version of Elements is available for a much reduced price. Try Amazon.Com.) On the left under VIDEO are programs for video editing and DVD creation. "Adobe Premier Elementstm" has many good functions and is used for the HPRA video page. Vegas Video Production is from Sony. Both have a multitude of function to create video presentations you can put on a DVD, upload to You Tube etc. Both are very good and run around $90. Both are available for download with a free trial (30 days). Also listed is the program, "Movie Maker", from Microsoft. This is now part of the Windows Live Essentials 2011 package, free from Microsoft. There are some other free video programs, but are very usually limited in their functions unless you purchase the full version. "IRFANVIEW" is a utility for image manipulation, viewing, format conversion etc. It is good for a quick solution for format conversion. It is fast and easy to use. See the link for a complete overview. It is a special purpose utility, not really meant for major work, but quite useful. |