Ed Rooney Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 I have the Adobe CC monthly photo package myself, but I have a friend who needs a good FREE editing program. Any suggestions? Edo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.Chapman Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 If they are using a Mac then the built-in Photos app now has some pretty good functionality, including RAW development. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of Photoshop Elements but it's fast and easy to use. The downside is that the images need importing into the Photo library before they can be edited, which "buries/hides" the originals inside Apples filesystem which doesn't suit everyone. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Woods Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 I often see GIMP recommended but have never touched or even seen it as I am a PS user. https://www.gimp.org/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Yarvin Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 Ed, if he's looking for no-cost software, he should check out our Linux thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jodyko Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 I primarily use Adobe Elements which is not free but inexpensive and for my purposes and on my machine it is quicker than GIMP and very capable. That being said, I also have and use GIMP but it does not convert raw files so either a plugin or standalone program is needed for conversion. One method for converting raw files prior to editing with Gimp would be to use the camera manufacturer's software. Darktable and RawTherapee are two free programs that can also be used. In my case I opted for a custom build that can be found at https://www.partha.com/ . It comes with the nufraw converter plugin already installed as well as some other plugins and filters I find useful. With this setup you can simply import your raw file directly into GIMP, do the conversion, and proceed to editing. As explained on partha.com the original NIK collection of filters will also be installed as a plugin if installed on your machine prior to installing the GIMP build. The NIK Dfine 2 noise reduction filter works very well for me. Faststone image viewer, https://www.faststone.org/ also free, will do a lot of basic edits including converting raw files but there are some steps I've found that need to be gone through in order to get the correct file size for Alamy if converting directly from raw. It is an excellent image viewer and great for uncomplicated edits on jpegs. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.Chapman Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 21 minutes ago, jodyko said: Faststone image viewer, https://www.faststone.org/ also free Free for personal use, not commercial. However a lifetime licence, including all future updates is only $34. 27 minutes ago, jodyko said: In my case I opted for a custom build that can be found at https://www.partha.com/ Thanks, that looks interesting. I'll have to take a closer look. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecadet Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 (edited) 31 minutes ago, M.Chapman said: Free for personal use, not commercial. I wonder how an American software company is going to find out, then enforce, any breach of that in the UK? Edited August 26, 2019 by spacecadet 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 (edited) Capture One Express for RAW conversion if your friend is a Sony person. Edited August 26, 2019 by John Mitchell 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.Chapman Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, spacecadet said: How is an American software company going to find out, then enforce, any breach of that in the UK? Given how upset we tend to get when our photos are used without payment or outside the terms of the licence (e.g. not used as PU) I don't think whether one can get away with using FastStoneViewer for commercial purposes without paying for it in the UK is the point... Isn't there a strong parallel there? Wouldn't it be rather hypocritical to use that software for commercial purposes without payment whilst complaining when our images get used without being licenced? Or have I missed something... Mark Edited August 26, 2019 by M.Chapman 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecadet Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 (edited) 15 minutes ago, M.Chapman said: Or have I missed something... Mark Well, my images are not available for free at all but this software is offered to all and sundry for nothing- are you sure that using it to view images that might later be licensed is "commercial" anyway? In any case I can click right through to a download without seeing the prohibition, so how can I be bound by it? All it seems to say on the details page is "free for home users". Well, I'm at home. I used Faststone years ago and would probably be using it now if I didn't have LR. Edited August 26, 2019 by spacecadet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Rooney Posted August 26, 2019 Author Share Posted August 26, 2019 GIMP and Linux and on and on -- this should keep him happy. My friend lives in New England, not Old. And he's not on a Mac.( God only knows what he is using.) I'm giving him my RX100-3. He won't be shooting stock or any pro stuff, although he once was a pro. He's much more of a tech dude than me. Thank you, people. Edo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.Chapman Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 (edited) 2 hours ago, spacecadet said: using it to view images that might later be licensed is "commercial" anyway? Good point. But OP was asking for an image Editor not just a viewer. FastStone viewer can do basic editing, and I guess it may also add tags to the EXIF data to leave a trail of evidence... 2 hours ago, spacecadet said: In any case I can click right through to a download without seeing the prohibition, so how can I be bound by it It's in the licence terms that you have to agree to when you install it. Mark Edited August 26, 2019 by M.Chapman 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Yarvin Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 Oh no! Not the Mac crowd again! Before you know it their'll be twenty posts encouraging Ed's friend to spend roughly the price of a new house in Pennsylvania on a new computer. I believe that combining Darktable for raw processing and GIMP for editing will the the easiest free solution. Faststone is really great, but it doesn't take the place of either of these. And Ed, don't worry about the kind of computer, the installing software will figure that out quickly enough. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Yarvin Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 26 minutes ago, spacecadet said: In any case I can click right through to a download without seeing the prohibition, so how can I be bound by it? Should you be caught - and I concede that the chance is beyond minuscule - I would like a video of you telling this to the judge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.Chapman Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 1 minute ago, Brian Yarvin said: Oh no! Not the Mac crowd again! Before you know it their'll be twenty posts encouraging Ed's friend to spend roughly the price of a new house in Pennsylvania on a new computer. Good grief... I only said "If they are using a Mac" and my other comments relate to FastStoneViewer which is a Windows app. Mark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Yarvin Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 Mark, even whispering the word "Mac" draws them in. It's like blood in a shark tank. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.Chapman Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 (edited) 6 minutes ago, Brian Yarvin said: Mark, even whispering the word "Mac" draws them in. It's like blood in a shark tank. It certainly drew your comments in pretty quickly. But then I thought you were a Linux user... I think it's a shame that DarkTable and GIMP aren't a bit easier to use. I certainly wouldn't want to cut my teeth on them. Are there any simpler and free, Linux image editor and raw development tools? Mark Edited August 26, 2019 by M.Chapman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.Chapman Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 (edited) 3 hours ago, M.Chapman said: In my case I opted for a custom build that can be found at https://www.partha.com/ I just downloaded and tried this. It's a nice implementation and I like the way the opening of RAWs has been implemented, but unfortunately it doesn't seem to recognise my cameras' lenses and apply the right distortion corrections. Maybe I need to download something else? But then that's often what I find with Linux stuff, it doesn't quite work without something extra. It's where Mac OS or Windows combined with PS and LR score so well. They (in general) work straightaway without having to phaff about. Mark Edited August 26, 2019 by M.Chapman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jodyko Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 "I just downloaded and tried this. It's a nice implementation and I like the way the opening of RAWs has been implemented, but unfortunately it doesn't seem to recognise my cameras' lens lenses and apply the right distortion corrections. Maybe I need to download something else? But then that's often what I find with Linux stuff, it doesn't quite work without something extra. It's where Mac OS or Windows combined with PS and LR score so well. They (in general) work straightaway without having to phaff about." That's why I primarily use Elements Mark. And also why I suffer with my old machine and Windows 10 performance. I have a much better experience in general while using Linux but that also rules out Adobe unless I want to dual boot and bounce back and forth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jodyko Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 By the way, being new to the forums, if I want to quote in my reply would I highlight and then click quote? Or if not how? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.Chapman Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 (edited) 5 minutes ago, jodyko said: By the way, being new to the forums, if I want to quote in my reply would I highlight and then click quote? Or if not how? Thanks! Either tap the word "Quote" button if you want to quote the whole post (as I did for this reply). Or Highlight the bit of text you want to quote and tap "Quote selection" when it pops up. Mark Edited August 26, 2019 by M.Chapman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Rooney Posted August 26, 2019 Author Share Posted August 26, 2019 Brian, there's no chance of my friend going near Apple. He and his wife are frugal folks. I'll give him your suggestion -- "I believe that combining Darktable for raw processing and GIMP for editing will be the easiest free solution." I'm a Mac laddie, myself. Edo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jodyko Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 28 minutes ago, M.Chapman said: Highlight the bit of text you want to quote and tap "Quote selection" when it pops up. Thank you Mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted August 27, 2019 Share Posted August 27, 2019 14 hours ago, Ed Rooney said: I have the Adobe CC monthly photo package myself, but I have a friend who needs a good FREE editing program. Any suggestions? Edo I've been kicking the tires on darktable (free open source) in an effort to see if I could use it at least semi-effectively if I ever had to stop using my MacOS Lightroom 6.1 perpetual license s/w. I've installed it on both an older MacOS iMac and a late model small Dell Win 10 PC. Seems to run fine on either system for basic editing, etc. darktable appears to be both a capable RAW converter and image editor. It has lots of image editing modules/tools including masking - but it doesn't do layers or stitch panoramas far as I can tell. If coming from LR the image editing workflow scheme is kinda different so takes some getting used to. Latest darktable 2.6.2 available for various Linux flavors, MacOS, MS Windows, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AM Chang Posted August 27, 2019 Share Posted August 27, 2019 Days ago I took a brief look about darktable and RawTherapee, both installed on Linux Mint. Differences at a glance: [darktable] IPTC metadata editor panels: - Title, description, creator, publisher rights, tagging, geotagging. Lack of "headline" tab Development settings: - Simple raw development settings [RawTherapee] IPTC metadata editor panels: - More complete meta tabs (compared to darktable) Development settings: - More options, but I found it a bit confusing Cheers, andre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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