PaintShop Pro X4
 

Has anybody used this software as a photo editing package? Can't find any reviews for it. Just bought it to use with my Canon EOS 550D. Does it deal with RAW format OK? Any advice welcome. Even bad ones!!

Never used it but its one of the most popular after adobe. I should imagine it deals with raw.

Difficult to find a truly independent review of PSP Photo4 - most of the 'review' sites are using the [URL="http://www.techradar.com/news/photography-video-capture/cameras/corel-unveils-paintshop-pro-x4-1018659"]same press release[/URL]. But yes, it handles Raw files and is a very good alternative to PS Elements (though probably a little more expensive). 16-bit editing, though, and it boasts a few features lacking in Elements. The only drawback with PSP was that there wasn't much to be found in magazines (or sites like PhotoRadar) on it, and less on the web, but it's gradually catching up and there are now plenty of tutorials on YouTube etc.

I have Photo-Paint X5, but to be honest it's not a patch on CS5 which I use all the time.

Not sure how it compares with PS Elements as I don't have that, but I would assume that again it won't be as good.

As for handling RAW files X5 has no problem opening PS DNG files, they open in Camera Raw Lab fine.

[URL="http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite/gb/en/Product/1281109933608#tabview=tab2"]Photo-Paint X5[/URL] and [URL="http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite/gb/en/Product/1184951547051#versionTabview=tab1&tabview=tab0"]Paint Shop Pro X4[/URL] are different photo editing programs offered by the developer Corel. I think Photo-Paint X5 is part of a suite of programs included in [URL="http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite/us/en/Product/1191272117978#versionTabview=tab1&tabview=tab0"]CorelDRAW® Premium Suite X5.[/URL]

[QUOTE=rbarry;62883][URL="http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite/gb/en/Product/1281109933608#tabview=tab2"]Photo-Paint X5[/URL] and [URL="http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite/gb/en/Product/1184951547051#versionTabview=tab1&tabview=tab0"]Paint Shop Pro X4[/URL] are different photo editing programs offered by the developer Corel. I think Photo-Paint X5 is part of a suite of programs included in [URL="http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite/us/en/Product/1191272117978#versionTabview=tab1&tabview=tab0"]CorelDRAW® Premium Suite X5.[/URL][/QUOTE]
Sorry, my mistake. :o

As you say X5 is part of the Corel Draw suite (Draw is what I have it for) and I assumed that X4 was just an earlier version.

Having looked at the link for X4 I can see it is on a par with PS Elements price wise, and I assume capability. Personally I think I would still stick with Elements as magazines and on-line tutorials seem to concentrate on Adobe software.

[QUOTE=pollycat;62747]Has anybody used this software as a photo editing package? Can't find any reviews for it. Just bought it to use with my Canon EOS 550D. Does it deal with RAW format OK? Any advice welcome. Even bad ones!![/QUOTE]

PaintShop Pro has always been a great product and most people who use it swear by it. It started off as a cheap alternative to Photoshop and Adobe brought out Elements, a cut down version of Photoshop, to compete against it. Once you get use to it you will love it. :D

[QUOTE=OldBoy;62886]PaintShop Pro has always been a great product and most people who use it swear by it. It started off as a cheap alternative to Photoshop and Adobe brought out Elements, a cut down version of Photoshop, to compete against it. Once you get use to it you will love it. :D[/QUOTE]

Not only was it cheap - it was Shareware! (cost about $12 to register). I used to use it before Elements and it was much better for slicing jpegs for the web and for GIF animation.