# Cs2 Or Photoshop Elementrs 9?



## Barryboy (Mar 21, 2006)

I have the chance to acquire a legit copy of Photoshop CS2 but I could also buy Elements 9 for just about the same price.

I am well aware that the CS range is designed primarily as a pro application and that Elements is the amateur version, but can anyone advise how elements 9 rates against CS2? CS2 is a few years old now (In fact I think we are up to CS5...), and Elements 9 is brand new so I was wondering if the new Elements had caught up with the old CS2.

Rob


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## Agent orange (Feb 11, 2006)

It depends on what you're going to use it for Rob.

If its going to be used purely for retouching / enhancing pics I'd say PS elements 9 is more than good enough. If you're going to use it as a graphics tool i.e incorporating text and drawn elements PS2 will suit your needs better.

I use the CS5 suite at work but for my home photography I actually prefer PS elements 8 (haven't upgraded to 9 yet). It's easier, more intuitive for beginners and probably has a good 75% of the functionality of photoshop 5 tbh.

Hope this helps and good luck.

Cheers,

Gary


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## Chromejob (Jul 28, 2006)

Consider what one instructor calls it, Photoshop Elements is roughly 75% of Photoshop for $75. It can do some neat things (I'm not familiar with ver. 9).

But Photoshop is the Swiss army knife. There are more than one way to do many things, so you get your choice of what you're comfy with. I use it nearly daily. Even for something as mundane as scanning a CD booklet to size it down for 600x600 for my MP3s, it is superb for adjustment and correction. PS Elements has some basic things home users need, probably still with a "training wheels" interface, but PS has an interface that you can configure to your liking (CS2 introduced workspaces that you can save, so you can restore the placement of tools and windows). PS lets you work on the photo and get the interface out of the frakking way.

CS2 added a bunch of things, including enhanced RAW processing, and a better version of Adobe Bridge, a robust tool for organizing, changing and even processing images en masse. For photographing watches in macro, and correcting minor glitches and lighting anomalies, I wouldn't trust anything less than the boss app.

If you can get both for the same price, get CS2. Ensure that the license has been DEACTIVATED by the previous owner on all PCs upon which it was installed, so that you can activate it (license is for 3 PCs IIRC). Otherwise, when you try to activate and use it, it'd be bad news. Like with watches, buy the seller, then buy the product.

Consider also that you can probably find instructional books for CS2 on discount now. I like Deke McClelland's books.


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## squareleg (Mar 6, 2008)

All these programs are only as good as the amount of time you are prepared to invest in them. PShop is a massively powerful app, perhaps best left to professionals - or keen enthusiasts - who use it every day. Elements is sort of 'PS Lite'. I own and use Elements but it's still a bit tricky and I find myself having to re-learn the thing almost from scratch on each occasion. There are various other options around for the 'occasional user'. Both Photobucket and Picasa are online tools which have editing and manipulation capabilities - I'm sure others do as well. 'Gimp' is, I understand, a fairly easy (and free?) program. For Mac users, iPhoto is sufficient for most everyday applications - after which there is Aperture (never used it but gets good comments). The beauty of these 'lesser' tools is their ease of use. They're limited... but you never have to get a manual out. Hth


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## Chromejob (Jul 28, 2006)

I am forced to use GIMP at work, and though it is full-featured, the workflows and location of tools and even the ability to launch tools is a PITA. I HATE IT!!!

Because PS spoilt me. Almost everything (tool) can be launched with a single key. Many functions can be modified with combinations of CTRL, SHIFT, ALT ... once you learn your favorites, you know them for life. (I even have a book with a hilarious apropos title: When In Doubt Hold Down The Entire Left Side of Keyboard and Click.)

Yes, it's the professional's tool, but with a good "getting started" book, anyone can learn how to do things. Then ... as deep as you'd like to go, PS will let you. If you're paying the same price, get the Porsche, leave the Trabant at the curb.


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## Barryboy (Mar 21, 2006)

Well general consensus is to go for CS2, so think I will go down that route as I have negotiated a couple of hours work against his copy of CS2 plus a copy of Paint Shop Pro V8 - I don't know quite how good that is, but I believe it to be a sort of 'Elements' produced by a different software house. Maybe that will suit me if I get bogged down with CS2.

Thanks, all, for your time and advice.

Rob


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