I just downloaded a free trial of PaintShop Pro X

[Blue_In_AK]

and I like it so much better than version 8 that I had, I think I'm just going to have to get it. Is anybody else here using it? Here's a photo from today that I doctored up a little...

[bvar22]

1. I had it.

I DLed the trial version (now expired). I upgraded to CorelDraw12, and was hoping that PaintShopX would be a redundant version of PhotoPaint12, but it isn't.
I spent most of my time fooling with the new CorelDraw12, but the little time I spent in PaintShopX convinced me I would need it also.

Only one thing bothered me.
When I loaded a picture in PaintShopX alongside the same picture in PhotoPaint12, the colors were noticably different. I didn't dive in deep enough to determine what caused the difference .
I will be buying PaintShopX (maybe today) and reloading it so share any of your Learning Curve with me, and I will return the favor.

I actually wrote to Corel asking them to explain the differences between PhotoPaint12 and PaintShopX. This was Corel's response:

Hi Bob ,

There are a number of benefits to having Corel Paint Shop Pro as a part of your workflow. Corel Paint Shop Pro supports the RAW file formats, and has a number of tools that cannot be found in Corel PHOTO-PAINT. Please visit www.corel.com and download the free trial version of the application. This will allow you to try both applications, and see what best suits your needs.

Regards,

Greg
http://www.corel.com

I was hoping for more detail, but was delighted that they responded at all. One of the few complaints I have had about Corel over the years was their lack of Customer Service.
Their new website and help forums are pretty cool, along with the numerous free tutorials and "free stuff" downloads.

BTW: I LOVE CorelDraw12.
I found a website that offered an OEM WordPerfect12 for under $20, and I ordered it, but haven't received it yet.

[Blue_In_AK]

3. I'm not familiar with CorelDraw12...

What does it do?

[bvar22]

10. CorelDraw is the flagship of the Corel Line.

First offered in the early 90's (to my knowledge) as a PC competitor to Adobe which was only avail abe for Macs at that time.

CorelDraw is a combination package of 2 programs (Draw/PhotoPaint) (plus an assortment of accessory programs), and originally, was their only product. It continues to be their main offering and core product.

1)CorelDraw
is a vector based graphics program that is wonderful for assembling and modifying almost any type of graphic layout. Posters, newsletters, magazines, web stuff, start from scratch creative art projects. It can combine many different types of graphic formats with special type fonts and special effects for some truly amazing results. Since it is vector based, everything is re sizable without losing quality (except embedded bitmaps or jpgs which have limits).

2) Corel PhotoPaint
is a good bitmap/jpg/tiff editor. It incorporates many different tools and effects for graphics files (like digital photos). PaintShop ProX is a specialized version of PhotoPaint optimized for digital photographs.


I have been using the CorelDraw package since version 3 in the early 90s. It has always been a base package of the two programs (Draw and Photopaint) with some other accessory programs that change over time. There is usually some type of Animation Program, and something called CorelTrace which is neat, but I have never learned exactly what it does. It also includes a really good capture utility.

It is a little confusing at first understanding the difference between the two programs (Draw and Paint). CorelDraw is a layout program essentially based on mathematics, where CorelPaint(and PaintShop ProX) modifies the individual pixels of a picture. If I am working only on a single image (bmp, jpg, tiff, etc) I will use PhotoPaint. If the picture is going to be combined with other pictures in a layout that uses text and other special effects, I will import the finished picture into CorelDraw (the vector based layout program)for arrangement, blending, Text, and special effects.

In the 90s, I produced educational handouts to accompany lectures.
a)I started with CorelWordPerfect if there was going to be alot of text.
b) I used PhotoPaint to optimize and resize to approximate dimensions any images.
c) I imported the text and images into CorelDraw for the final arrangement, specialized text effects, borders ect.
Students and clients loved my handouts because they were used to boring plain typed pages. A little color and some fun graphics won their attention and focus.

Adobe is the same way: Two distinct programs:
a)PhotoShop, a bitmap (jpg, tif, whatever) editor
b) Adobe Illustrator, a vector based layout and drawing program.

I have always used Corel (and PCs), but occasionally thought of switching to Adobe when their horse took the temporary lead in the long feature race between the two graphics systems. Some people swear by one or the other, but over the years there really has been no real difference between the two (except in price). Most Graphics Professionals are biased toward Adobe since it was offered on Macs in the 90s, and people tend to stick with what they know. (ALL graphics Pros used Macs exclusively in the early 90s.)

The only REAL difference between the two (Adobe vs Corel) is in price. Corel costs 1/2 as much.

If you ever want to combine your photographs into a collage, or incorporate TEXT or other effects with your photos, CorelDraw is a practical necessity. TYPE can be added to pics in PhotoPaint (and PaintShop ProX), but not with the precision, flexibility, or scalability of CorelDraw.

I hope that explanation is clear.

The market has become confusing as the marketers develop more specialized packages that overlap one another. It used to be simple:

CorelDraw(/PhotoPaint) or Adobe Illustrator/PaintShop.

[Blue_In_AK]

12. Thanks for the info

As we've discussed before, I'm a big fan of Corel. I may have to download this program to go with the rest of my WordPerfect Office Suite, PaintShopPro, etc. I've never had much need for anything beyond word processing (which is what I do for a living), but now that I'm getting more into this photography, it might be fun to branch out. Who knows, I may have another career left in me. :)

[GOPFighter]

2. Guess what I found under the c'mas tree?

Yup, PS Pro X. Maybe Santa didn't find out about all those naughty things I did last year...

I haven't loaded it yet (mainly because I also got Civilization 4 for C'mas and I've been busy building empires ever since)

[Blue_In_AK]

4. I think you'll like it...

It seem much more intuitive to me than the older program, and it's very easy to work with. I sure wish I didn't have to work and make money...I'd be playing with my new camera and this program all the time.

[GOPFighter]

5. What? You have a job?

When do you find the time to take all those great pictures?

I saw a demo at a Corel seminar this summer and started panting for Pro X then.

[Blue_In_AK]

6. I work at home.

I'm a legal transcriptionist so I can make my own hours as long as I meet the deadlines. Sometimes (like yesterday) I'm between assignments for a day or two and that's when we make our little photo excursions. Other times I'm working for two weeks straight without a day off, so I either have to go out in the daytime and work at night, or just skip the photography altogether. It's great work though ... I worked in an office for 32 years (with only short breaks to have kids), but I could never do it again. That 8 to 5 stuff really bites.

[Fovea]

7. That's a nice shot!

What are you shooting with?

[Blue_In_AK]

8. It's my brand-new toy -- Canon D20

that my husband got me for an early Christmas present. I was having fun mostly with the 70-300 lens yesterday, and also shot a couple with the Sigma 10-20. He also got me the 17-85 with the package, and then put the 50 mm/1.8 in my stocking. He's really 'way too good to me. I am very spoiled.

[Fovea]

11. that is a good range of lenses

and fairly like what I use.

I use the following...

nikkor 18-70 af
nikkor 105mm ai'd (ancient)
" 50mm f1.8 af
sigma 70-300
sigma 14mm rectalinear (a friend gave me when he got a faster version)
vivtar AI 70-210 ai

I tend to use the older AI lenses more on the
used D1 body, because it will meter on it.
The D70 does a lot better with the AF lenses.

I was taking some pics of my sweetie's knitting when my very jealous cat had to jump up into the frame...



But the D70 is a lot better for available light shooting than the D1.



I know you will love the 20D, it is a great camera. I like the Nikons a bit better, because the control layout seems a bit better for a lefty like myself.
Both makes are spectacular cameras, IMO, fast and well made.

[F.Gordon]

9. Just did the upgrade from PSP9

2 kule. Has a lot more RAW adjustments than 9. Thanks for helping me spend more money.
:hi:x(