Lightweight photo editing / graphics package

15peter20

Can anyone recommend a good, lightweight digital image/photo/graphic design editor (ideally free). I don't need the full grunt of Photoshop really.

- is there a Photoshop 'lite' ?
- Picasa any good?

Ta

citrus_

A good one to use in my opinion is called GIMP

(No, seriously that is what it is called)

It's free to download and their website is here

solosuperia

I thoroughly agree GIMP is excellent, as the man said, free as well.
Why not go the whole hog and install linux....that is free and a bloody good OS to boot.

itboffin

another +1 on Gimp

deptfordmarmoset

I didn't find using gimp very easy so I swapped over to www.paint.net . For free, with all the plug ins, it's a real bargain.

freehub

There is a photoshop "lite" if you look around.

It may or may not be legal.

beverick

It depends what you mean by Photoshop lite. Since the early 2000's Photoshop has been a suite of creative software apps bundled under the 'Creative Suite" name - currently CS5 but CS6 is in the wings.

On the 'lite' side, Elements is at the entry level end of the Photoshop spectrum whilst the excellent Lightroom takes the middle ground.

Bob

freehub

When he says "lite" he mights lightweight, as in, low file size, something you could whack on a usb stick and just run.

richk

Agree with the above.
At work I use paint.net - have also tried The Gimp but think that has a higher learning curve (but there is more to it)

lastant

Sumopaint - it basically is a Photoshop Lite that runs in your web browser

bompington

MS paint, it's the only way

shouldbeinbed

GIMP is great but terribly slow, particularly to fire up Paint is second slightly in functionality but still very good and quicker. both fit the bill as Photoshop lite.

another to consider is IrfanView, its a great little program, freeware, super fast, not a memory hog, it has the essential tools and a few that work better that the others and is very much more open source, there are hundreds of plugins for pretty much anything you may want. video player etc The developer is also very responsive to suggestions and bug reports

my only gripe with it is that it tends to be a bit of a bully in terms of 'I want to be your default...... and I won't take no for an answer'

15peter20

thanks all, top tips. Am trialling GIMP

durhamwasp

So, what do you think?

redddraggon

I use Aperture for a lot of my image editing these days

Hoopdriver

Lightroom 3 is excellent - it is essentially Photoshop pared down for professional photographers.

Anonymous

I tried GIMP, didn't find it very easy to use, but then I have full blown Photoshop so no real need to learn it.

If your prepared to spend a little cash I think Photoshop Elements would be perfect. They're up to version 10 now which is about £70, but you can pick up version 9 for a little over £50 -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Adobe-Photoshop-Elements-PC-Mac/dp/B0042D81NO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1317151156&sr=8-3

The advantage of Elements is if you ever want to upgrade to full blown Photoshop for whatever reason you already have a grounding of whats what.

BigG67

If you are looking at Elements at £70 take a look at Lightroom 3. If you've a teacher, student or school kid in the house it's about the same price and has great functionallity, an excellent library structure and can handle RAW files.

symo

+1 for Paint.net
GIMP is good but needs a lot of getting used to; but paint.net is instantly accessible.