editing software

[richkenney]

How can I best edit pictures taken with my T1i?  What software do I need?  The "EOS utility" is terrible...

[Skirball]

There's a hundred answers to your question, and none of them are really wrong.  A couple of key points that might help you narrow it down:

What computer system are you using: PC or Mac?

Are you willing to spend money or are you looking for freeware?

Do you shoot in RAW?

How much post processing do you usually do and/or want to do?

What level of post do you do: basic levels or a photochopper?

I'm a long time Photoshop fan, but I like to chop.  However, when Adobe lowered their price on Lightroom 4 I decided to try it out.  Never looked back, it's a photographers best friend.  I still pull to Photoshop for heavier work but everything comes through LR first.

If you want free then start trying stuff and seeing how you like it.  I know people who use the basic Picasa editor because they don't want to hit more than two buttons to 'process' a photo.  Others like and use Gimp, which is like a free version of Photoshop.  I don't know if it has the equivilent of Bridge, which is to say, you need a program that can help organize all your photos.  Adobe Bridge works ok, but nothing that I've used comes close to Lightroom.   Sorry, can't speak to Mac, but I believe most use LR, PS, or Aperture.

[hsbn]

In addition to Skirball, when you said "EOS Utility", you meant Canon DPP right?
There are a lot of RAW processing software out there; luckily, they all offer 30 days free trial. So you can check them out.

[cicopo]

Picasa has got several very good features now & I use it a lot but I also use Photoshop when required. IF you're looking for a good RAW converter (Picasa isn't good that way) I highly recommend looking at either Photoshop Elements or Lightroom (which I don't use) AND spending the money for 1 months worth of lessons at Lynda.com. You can get a lot faster results that way & I think it's only $25 per month and you only have to subscribe by the month unless you want a longer contract.

[7D5D]

I would certainly install and try your free and included DPP software. You'll probably want to download the latest updates first. You can easily apply lens corrections, NR, and basic adjustments.   One handy features is you can apply any of the Picture Styles to see what your in-camera JPG processed would have looked like.  I also like the being able to turn on the AF point (Alt+L) to check focus.

Lightroom is my editor of choice by a long shot.  IMO it is a real bargain and value for what it can do--some of the very best money I've ever spent on photography.  Do yourself a huge favor, download the free trial from Adobe and take the time to evaluate it and you will see why it is so popular with photographers.  I still consider myself a novice with LR but I'm continually learning everyday.  No matter which route you take, do expect to spend time learning and developing the skill of photo editing.  I've found the Julieanne Kost tutorials (from Adobe TV), and Scott Kelby books and resources very helpful.  I've heard lots of good praise on the Lynda.com education that cicopo referred to.

I would definitely start with one of the Adobe products, even if it is Elements, and who knows, someday you might work up to Photoshop.

Good luck

[Skirball]

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@7D5D wrote:

I would certainly install and try your free and included DPP software. You can easily apply lens corrections, NR, and basic adjustments.   One handy features is you can apply any of the Picture Styles to see what your in-camera JPG processed would have looked like. 

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That's actually a really handy feature for .jpg shooters to learn what the styles do.  That function probably doesn't get used as much as it should.

[cicopo]

Back in 2009 I tore the Achilles Tendon off of my heel so I had a big operation to repair it & was really laid up for several months. While I was confined to a chair or my bed I opted to take as many Photoshop related courses as I could from Lynda.com and really enjoyed them. It doesn't take long to learn which instructors make it entertaining nor to learn more than you could by yourself. I spent a total of $75 and felt it was money well spent & may take another month again soon to refresh myself on the stuff I've forgotten.  

[ebiggs1]

How can I best edit pictures taken with my T1i?   Photoshop CS6 has no peer. It is the very best and is the industry standard.

That said, Photo Shop Elements will do most of what any amateur wants for a fraction of the cost of PS CS6.

What software do I need?    If you need Photo Shop, you need Photo Shop!

The "EOS utility" is terrible...    I am going to guess you mean DPP from Canon? As EOS Utility is not an editor. And if you do, you are right, it is terrible. But it is free after all.

There are several PS want-a-bees! It should say something if everyone tries to be PS. Light Room is also an Adobe product so preforms many of the same or similar functions as PS does. LR is more designed for the Pro that is shooting many, many photos. LR is a data based software. If LR is your choice, and it is a viable one, you should wait for Light Room 5 which will be released very soon.

But the bottom line is, if you need Photo Shop, you need Photo Shop!

[Greyhaven]

I've heard so much pro, Photoshop CS , but the price was too much for an old retired dude to justify. Then about 3 weeks ago I found that adobe was allowing people to download Photoshop CS2 in a 100% functional version for free, now it is in my price range, The program is very good and many free video tutorials are available to help you learn. If you need the later even more powerful versions it's still will get you going quite well on the processing learning curve.

Grey

[Skirball]

FYI:  That's actually not what happened.  Adobe was releasing CS2 from using the activation servers to validate the copy.  Technically it's only legal for those holding a valid serial number to download off the FTP.