I lost the program I had when my hard drive crashed in late April. It came with my H/P scanner that I have since given away and gotten a new one (the scanner was like 4 years old and huge). However, I loved the program. It had it's down side but it worked for resizing without downgrading the picture and you could tell it to do it by pixel or inches or however you wanted - and you didn't have to be all technical. I've had several other programs - most came with several different digital cameras (I'm on #4 now) as I'm slowly upgrading to more and more professional camera's. Unfortunately the programs they give you to go with the camera's literally s*ck pond water. I'm about ready to throw this $400 camera out the door and start over and I know it's not the camera's fault (because the photo's look great on the screen until you start to resize them). It's the programs (all of them). I've looked around and can't find any that I like. I miss my Adobe - it was not Photoshop (older than that). When it's all said and done I intend to in the next year or so pick up a Nikon so I can change out lenses. Going to have to save up for that one unless I can pick up a slightly used one. Did I ever mention I'm a slight camera nut? Didn't say I could take good pictures but I've got cameras laying around (and I should remember to take the film out of a few of them).
T, First, I do a lot of image work and I love my Nikon Digital (and my 35mm SLR) and yes, it's the only brand with easy and inexpensive interchangeable lens option. As for software, I use 4 or 5 different programs because each offers a feature I like. I mostly use Photoshop for print media but my favorite all around is Photoimpact. It's relatively inexpensive, full featured, intuitive for the user. I have their Web Extension option which allows me to compress images and set all sorts of parameters like progressive image scanning (brings images to screen by pixel rather than top to bottom) http://www.ulead.com/pi/runme.htm I have a few Free packages which have proved to be pretty useful also. The best is Easy Thumbnailer which allows you to resize and compress jpeg images. It is not a classic editing program, just a straightforward resizer. http://www.fookes.com/ezthumbs/
The problem with that Quig is that some of the really old programs don't interface well with current operating systems.
I have MS digital image suite for my wife. I think it's also called picture it. I've always found that many of the $30ish apps were a little weak. I think Her's cost $79 and is pretty full powered yet still has the "happy drag and drop" GUI that the basic ones have. If you don't know photoshop, It can be a little intimidating the first few times
Photoshop is very intimidating. It takes a long time to learn all the features and I don't recommend it unless you'll be using it all the time for serious image work. I've never used the MS digital suite but it's priced about the same as PhotoImpact. I agree with most of the free editors - very lightweight on features.
I don't mind spending money for something that does work. I figured I would have to dish out somewhere between $80-$150 for a program. I'm not going to dish out several $80-$150 till I find a program I can live with (because they don't do what they are advertised to do). That's why I'm here. I need something that will do some serious photo work. That when I take photographs of guns or knives or even flowers or barns I can then crop or downsize and keep the integrity of the picture. And umm RightHand - I'm still running on Windows 98. That's how old this computer is Someday I'll spend the money and upgrade (well I've upgraded the video card and other stuff but not the motherboard, keyboard, and actual operating system - that's about 7 yrs old or so).
T, go read the reviews of the S/W. Once I get something that fills my needs, I tend to stick with it so after I started routinely using Photoimpact, I didn't look into others. I do buy upgrades to both PI and Photoshop. http://photo-editing-software-revie...treng=1&ttrkey=image+editing+software+reviews They rate Photoimpact East of use as good to very good but I think it's very easy to use.
Oh ouch, looks like whatever I do I'm going to first have to upgrade my operating system. Dang...that bites! I did not want to go to XP or even 98SE. I don't think I can find 98SE and I'm pretty dang sure the system won't handle XP (nor would I load that onto my computer for love nor money). I'd do Windows 2000 but definitely that's way too much for this motherboard. Okay guess I'll have to wait on a program till I update the computer.
Paintshop is cheap, and you may already have it from M$. It is not as fancy as photoshop, but will do a lot of things moderately well. Runs on 98 and newer without problems. If all you need is a viewer, go get Irfanfiew off the web. Free, works well, but is highly dependent on how the pix were saved in the first place.
ghrit, viewers I have up the ying yang, I need something that will let me manipulate pictures I take. I'm working on it and may have found something. Time will tell. But considering some other problems with the computer I may just have to give in and upgrade sooner than I wanted to.
