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12/07/2005 03:03:01 PM · #1 |
could anyone give me a clue of what kind of features Paint Shop Pro 8 has? im getting it soon from of all people.....my grandfather :)(he's very techologically able- he was just explaining to me which software he uses to decode dvds) i currently have no editing software so this is (maybe?) a big step for me. theres no way i can afford Photoshop right now (student), but im looking forward to being able to edit photo's to whatever degree PSP8 will allow. also does it feature any editing process that would not be allowed in basic editing? thanks in advance for your help :) very much appreciated
Edit: also does anybody have any experience of how easy it is to use? thanks
Message edited by author 2005-12-07 15:14:26. |
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12/07/2005 03:19:48 PM · #2 |
Originally posted by andersbs:
could anyone give me a clue of what kind of features Paint Shop Pro 8 has?
also does it feature any editing process that would not be allowed in basic editing? thanks in advance for your help :) very much appreciated
Edit: also does anybody have any experience of how easy it is to use? |
very easy to use, lots of nice editing features, some of which are definately illegal under the basic rules...
most of, if not all, of the functions under the "enhance photo" toolbar drop down are legal in basic editing. there the one's you'll use most often, anyway... that and the crop tool.
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12/08/2005 09:20:21 AM · #3 |
Adding borders is the easiest in PSP8. Be mindful of your pixel size when adding borders. For challenge entries remember to crop to smaller than the final size needed with borders and also know that a 1 pixel border is added to 4 sides so it in effect adds 4 pixels to your image size.
PSP8's frames is also fun to use if you like that look. However it is not challenge legal in my opinion.
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12/08/2005 09:22:10 AM · #4 |
editdouble post - oops!
Message edited by author 2005-12-08 09:22:51.
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12/08/2005 09:29:13 AM · #5 |
I bought a book at Borders titled "Paint Shop Pro 9: Photographers' Guide", authored by Koers. It's very useful. I'm sure there is something similar for PSP 8, if not for purchase anymore maybe at the library? Food for thought.
Have fun! ;^)
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12/08/2005 09:36:11 AM · #6 |
Originally posted by andersbs:
could anyone give me a clue of what kind of features Paint Shop Pro 8 has? im getting it soon from of all people.....my grandfather :)(he's very techologically able- he was just explaining to me which software he uses to decode dvds) i currently have no editing software so this is (maybe?) a big step for me. theres no way i can afford Photoshop right now (student), but im looking forward to being able to edit photo's to whatever degree PSP8 will allow. also does it feature any editing process that would not be allowed in basic editing? thanks in advance for your help :) very much appreciated
Edit: also does anybody have any experience of how easy it is to use? thanks |
I have been using PSP8 for over a year. If you have questions along the way, you can ask me about it, no problem. The manual is thick, and boring..LOL. I have learned what I have from trial and error. Once you learn how to use it, its a breeze and very easy. It's one of the best editing programs out there. There is a PSP9 now, but it really doesn't have anything that 8 doesn't have, and 8 has only a bit more than 7, etc.
It has any function you want really. With one click you can turn a photo to b/w, into a negative, you can play with colors, you can paint it, highlight it, do partial b/w and color, and the list goes infinitly on and on. For basic editing, a simple click on adjust and then brightness/contrast and you play a little and wha-lah. For advanced editing, anything can be done you need.
The only trouble I do have with it is in resizing. It will say 640 pixels by lets say 545 pixels, but when I go to put them up on here I am told that it is still too big in JPG size, so I have to go lower than 640, but it still is a decent size. You just really want to keep the original editing and resizing job on your screen in PSP8, then try to put it up here. If it doesn't work, go back to PSP8 and click the undo arrow to get the original size again, and then resize. If you resize OVER the existing resize, you will lose focus to the photo. But you will get the hang of it.
Do not get intimidated by all the bells and whistles. Just put up a photo and play with it and all the features. I have yet to learn a LOT it can do, even in a year. It can do masks and all kinds of things, but it also has tutorials you can watch on how too's. I just never really tryed them. Oh, and it also comes with animation shop, which is a darling feature to make water move in pictures, snow fall, glittering text, on and on. If you need a tutorial, just let me know! Have fun with it!
Rose
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12/08/2005 09:46:21 AM · #7 |
Originally posted by Rose8699:
... The only trouble I do have with it is in resizing. It will say 640 pixels by lets say 545 pixels, but when I go to put them up on here I am told that it is still too big in JPG size, so I have to go lower than 640, but it still is a decent size. ... |
It's not the pixel size, rather the compression, that causes the file size to be too large (over 150kb) for DPChallenge submission. Not sure about PSP 8, but in PSP 9 when you save a file to JPG there is an Option button. By selecting that you can set the compression ratio and see the file size change, in addition to getting a side-by-side live view of what the image looks like before and after. If PSP 8 doesn't have the Option button, then you still should be able to adjust the compression ratio to get a file size small enough WITHOUT reducing the image pixel size.
As for tutorials...use an internet search engine and plugin PSP 8 tutorials...there are quite a few out there. The Jasc software site had some as well, although they may now be at Corel.
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12/08/2005 09:50:58 AM · #8 |
Originally posted by glad2badad:
Originally posted by Rose8699:
... The only trouble I do have with it is in resizing. It will say 640 pixels by lets say 545 pixels, but when I go to put them up on here I am told that it is still too big in JPG size, so I have to go lower than 640, but it still is a decent size. ... |
It's not the pixel size, rather the compression, that causes the file size to be too large (over 150kb) for DPChallenge submission. Not sure about PSP 8, but in PSP 9 when you save a file to JPG there is an Option button. By selecting that you can set the compression ratio and see the file size change, in addition to getting a side-by-side live view of what the image looks like before and after. If PSP 8 doesn't have the Option button, then you still should be able to adjust the compression ratio to get a file size small enough WITHOUT reducing the image pixel size.
As for tutorials...use an internet search engine and plugin PSP 8 tutorials...there are quite a few out there. The Jasc software site had some as well, although they may now be at Corel. |
Thanks for that information! Normally, it automatically saves to jpg, so I don't have to go into export and actually do so, and maybe that is why I never saw that feature? I will try that next time. It may help me keep my images sharper when resizing. What I have been doing is taking the pictures at 3mb in size, just to make sure that when I resize it doesn't distort too much and keeps the same look. Maybe I should have been doing it that way the whole time! AND that is what I get for not reading manuals. LOL...I hate learning by manuals. I like to fly by the seat of my pants and dive in. But I will try that next time! Thanks! Rose
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12/08/2005 10:14:00 AM · #9 |
Originally posted by Rose8699:
There is a PSP9 now, but it really doesn't have anything that 8 doesn't have, and 8 has only a bit more than 7, etc.
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actually, 8 had a lot more than 7, and 9 was a great improvement on 8...
oh... and there's a version X now that's completely different. tons of new features, including 16 bit editing...
Originally posted by Rose8699:
The only trouble I do have with it is in resizing. |
Sounds likek the problem you're having here, rose, is with the resolution, not the size. when you do a resize, change the resolution from 300 (print resolution) to 72 (screen resolution) that way you won't have to make your images so small or compress them so much and they'll still fit the size requirements to upload...
hope that helps...
edit to add : in the information technology field, we have a saying "when all else fails, rtfm." (read the freakin' manual)
;)
Message edited by author 2005-12-08 10:15:48.
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12/08/2005 10:42:07 AM · #10 |
Originally posted by kudzu:
Originally posted by Rose8699:
There is a PSP9 now, but it really doesn't have anything that 8 doesn't have, and 8 has only a bit more than 7, etc.
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actually, 8 had a lot more than 7, and 9 was a great improvement on 8...
oh... and there's a version X now that's completely different. tons of new features, including 16 bit editing...
Originally posted by Rose8699:
The only trouble I do have with it is in resizing. |
Sounds likek the problem you're having here, rose, is with the resolution, not the size. when you do a resize, change the resolution from 300 (print resolution) to 72 (screen resolution) that way you won't have to make your images so small or compress them so much and they'll still fit the size requirements to upload...
hope that helps...
edit to add : in the information technology field, we have a saying "when all else fails, rtfm." (read the freakin' manual)
;) |
OH? Where is this resolution #? I don't look for it, so I don't see it. LOL...Is it under resizing? I really don't remember seeing anything saying "resolution" but I will look.
To read that manual puts me to SLEEP. I tried it once and it really didn't help. I get more help from the tutorials it can give within the program. It's faster and to the point. I am also one that would rather be told how to play a game then read the rules. It is a comprehension problem I have had since freaking elementary school. BUT, I do look for online tutorials sometimes that sum it up a bit faster than the manual.
Rose
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12/08/2005 10:47:16 AM · #11 |
| Not sure about PSP 8 but in PSP 9 when you "save as" jpg, there is a choice to run the optimizer. You select Options when you save and then Run Optimizer which shows the compression value and file size after compression. That is where you can determine the amount of compression to use to get your files size to 150K or just under. |
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12/08/2005 10:51:29 AM · #12 |
Originally posted by rsm707:
Not sure about PSP 8 but in PSP 9 when you "save as" jpg, there is a choice to run the optimizer. You select Options when you save and then Run Optimizer which shows the compression value and file size after compression. That is where you can determine the amount of compression to use to get your files size to 150K or just under. |
true, but if you do this with a resolution of 300, it's going to take a lot more compression than if you'd already changed the resolution to 72. more compression = less quality.
rose, it may not be labled resolution, i can't remember. i may just say pixels per inch. it should be the 5th row down in the resize dialog box, just under the print sizes...
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12/08/2005 10:56:14 AM · #13 |
Originally posted by kudzu:
... i may just say pixels per inch. it should be the 5th row down in the resize dialog box, just under the print sizes... |
It is resolution (pixels/inch), and it defaults to whatever your camera takes images at. For example, my Z3 defaults to 72 so the default resolution on resize is 72...however, my wifes camera defaults to 180 so when I work with any of her image files the resize resolution is automatically set to 180.
Hope that helps.
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12/08/2005 10:56:41 AM · #14 |
Okay, here's how to resize/save a shot in PSP. This is version 6, so I'm hoping later version have at least the ability to do this.
1) Do all your post-processing (it's best to do post-processing before you resize)
2) Click Image / Resize... And look for the highest number, enter '640' to replace this number. Make sure 'maintain aspect ratio' is checked, and click 'OK'
3) Click 'File' / 'Export' / 'JPEG File...'
4) Change the 'Compression Value' until you see the file size of the image on the right become less than 150,000 (150k)
That's it. You should now have an image of 640 pixels on the longest side, and a maximum file size of 150k.
Message edited by author 2005-12-08 10:56:58. |
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12/08/2005 11:00:16 AM · #15 |
Originally posted by rsm707:
Not sure about PSP 8 but in PSP 9 when you "save as" jpg, there is a choice to run the optimizer. You select Options when you save and then Run Optimizer which shows the compression value and file size after compression. That is where you can determine the amount of compression to use to get your files size to 150K or just under. |
I have that, but it is not automatic upon "save as". You have to use export, and choose JPG Optimizer. BUT, how do I know what resolution is good and not good? I dont know anything about that.
Rose
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12/08/2005 11:03:53 AM · #16 |
Originally posted by jhonan:
Okay, here's how to resize/save a shot in PSP. This is version 6, so I'm hoping later version have at least the ability to do this.
1) Do all your post-processing (it's best to do post-processing before you resize)
2) Click Image / Resize... And look for the highest number, enter '640' to replace this number. Make sure 'maintain aspect ratio' is checked, and click 'OK'
3) Click 'File' / 'Export' / 'JPEG File...'
4) Change the 'Compression Value' until you see the file size of the image on the right become less than 150,000 (150k)
That's it. You should now have an image of 640 pixels on the longest side, and a maximum file size of 150k. |
AHHH, ok. Well, I never used the optomizer, and probably why I have so many problems. I just stop at your #2, and don't get to see the kb size. I just set the pixels and HOPE it comes out to an acceptable kb. LOL....(HENCE, no manual reading again! LOL..). Thanks! That was easy enough.
Rose
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12/08/2005 11:09:02 AM · #17 |
Originally posted by jhonan:
1) Do all your post-processing (it's best to do post-processing before you resize)
2) Click Image / Resize... And look for the highest number, enter '640' to replace this number. Make sure 'maintain aspect ratio' is checked, and click 'OK'
3) Click 'File' / 'Export' / 'JPEG File...'
4) Change the 'Compression Value' until you see the file size of the image on the right become less than 150,000 (150k)
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in step 2, you really, and i mean _really_ need to change the resolution (pixels per inch) to something other than 300. screen resolution is 72. this will save you from having to push the slider in step 4 so far to the compression side...
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12/08/2005 11:14:10 AM · #18 |
Originally posted by kudzu:
in step 2, you really, and i mean _really_ need to change the resolution (pixels per inch) to something other than 300. screen resolution is 72. this will save you from having to push the slider in step 4 so far to the compression side... |
I'm not so sure about that. It's not an option during that resize operation to change the pixels per inch (it's greyed out). And I don't think it really does affect the file size of the output image.
I went back to my test image and resized it to 72ppi, and 300ppi and I get the same file size for both. |
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12/08/2005 11:16:11 AM · #19 |
Originally posted by jhonan:
I'm not so sure about that. It's not an option during that resize operation to change the pixels per inch (it's greyed out). And I don't think it really does affect the file size of the output image.
I went back to my test image and resized it to 72ppi, and 300ppi and I get the same file size for both. |
odd... i don't ever remember seeing that option grayed out... i'll have to load up 8 here at work and test it later...
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12/08/2005 11:20:42 AM · #20 |
Originally posted by kudzu:
odd... i don't ever remember seeing that option grayed out... i'll have to load up 8 here at work and test it later... |
Here's the dialog box from PSP 6
I was kind of hoping someone could explain when the PPI actually makes a difference. I normally ignore it. |
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12/08/2005 11:20:49 AM · #21 |
Originally posted by andersbs:
my grandfather :)(he's very techologically able- he was just explaining to me which software he uses to decode dvds) |
Your grandfather teaching you how to steal dvds? How sweet ;) |
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12/08/2005 11:45:43 AM · #22 |
Originally posted by jhonan:
I was kind of hoping someone could explain when the PPI actually makes a difference. I normally ignore it. |
When trying to print in large sizes. 150 ppi in considered a minimum for good print quality. 300 ppi is a lot better, especially if your image has a lot of detail in it. So, for example, to print at 8x10 you would need a file that is at least 1200 by 1500 pixels; and 2400 by 3000 would assure better print quality.
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12/08/2005 11:50:02 AM · #23 |
Originally posted by jhonan:
Originally posted by kudzu:
odd... i don't ever remember seeing that option grayed out... i'll have to load up 8 here at work and test it later... |
Here's the dialog box from PSP 6 |
oh yeah... i remember that now... you picked on or the other...
8's a bit different, as you can see:
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12/08/2005 04:07:28 PM · #24 |
Originally posted by kudzu:
Originally posted by rsm707:
Not sure about PSP 8 but in PSP 9 when you "save as" jpg, there is a choice to run the optimizer. You select Options when you save and then Run Optimizer which shows the compression value and file size after compression. That is where you can determine the amount of compression to use to get your files size to 150K or just under. |
true, but if you do this with a resolution of 300, it's going to take a lot more compression than if you'd already changed the resolution to 72. more compression = less quality.
rose, it may not be labled resolution, i can't remember. i may just say pixels per inch. it should be the 5th row down in the resize dialog box, just under the print sizes... |
DPI/PPI doesn't have anything to do with actual pixel dimensions or compression.
Actually, I ignore this for printing even. I know what DPI I am targeting and what size I am going to print at. Size X DPI = number of pixels I need. That's just how my mind works.
Anyway, resize to 640x... USM, etc.. if you choose. Save As... pick .JPG and then the Options button. Run Optimizer, and as you change the quality/compression box, you can see what the file size will be. Setting the DPI to 1 or 10000 during the resize doesn't make any difference...same number of pixels, with the same data, same compression algorithm. The resulting filesize will be the same.
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12/08/2005 04:15:30 PM · #25 |
Originally posted by jhonan:
I was kind of hoping someone could explain when the PPI actually makes a difference. I normally ignore it. |
So do I. For web posting, it doesn't. For printing, as long as the image is filling the medium, it doesn't. Not sure if say, you're trying to print a 2"x3" pic (wallet size) on a 8.5"x11" paper. It might make a difference then. Never tried that.
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