Photoshop elements

[dannat (Daniel)]

Currently i have gimp - which is unable to process raw files, does anyone know if photoshop elements has all the functions I would use for astrophotography (import raw, curves,rgb layers)- or do I need to upgrade to proper photoshop cs3/lightroom?
thanks daniel

[Matty P (Matt)]

Hi Daniel,

I had Photoshop Elements before I upgraded to Photoshop CS3.

PS elements is pretty basic and if you want to get serious I suggest you upgrade to PS CS3. I couldn't open any RAW files or find and curves adjustments.

Mine is the older version.

Hope this helps.

[adds]

Daniel,

I have version 5 of Elements and it can open RAW files from my 350D.

It can't do curves like CS3 but their are other ways of doing that sort of adjustment.

Cheers,

[dannat (Daniel)]

adam - how do you do those sorts of adjustments

[mdgodf (Mark)]

I suggest you have alook at the product site http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopelwin/ the later versions do handle RAW files but don't impliment curve adjustments in the same way as Photoshop and might not meet your requirments. I don't think it does RGB layers. I started with elements (an early version) and moved to CS to get the fuller functionality. You could look around for an older version of photoshop as it's done curves/RGB Layers for many years but you might need to get CS3 if you want to handle RAW files from cameras launched in the last 12 months as they stoped supporting RAW in the older versions of photoshop (and elements) for the newer cameras e.g. CS which I have won't support RAW files from the nikon D300 as the newer RAW plugin that's required is not backward compatitable with older versions of photoshop (but I don't have a D300 either!)

Note: I haven't used the programs for astrophotography only 'normal' photography.