Many people started looking for other options. When Adobe announced their move to make Photoshop a monthly subscription, there was quite a bit of backlash. Finding a capable image editing program is no exception. We are all looking for a great deal. The answer to that is a mixed bag with the newest version of Adobe Photoshop ElementsElements 12.
![]() Adobe Photoshop Elements 12 Review Software To DeliverProcessed images looked like they had undergone some heavy-handed digital sharpening, with halos around high-contrast lines. Sadly, it’s not as impressive in practice as Adobe would have us believe. It attempts to clean up blurry photos by analysing the shape of blurry streaks in the image and then applying a complex sharpening algorithm to counteract this blur. It’s also pretty tricky for software to deliver. It’s not a huge limitation, but it does mean that images are more likely to suffer from noise and colour banding after heavy processing, especially when bringing out details in skies.Shake Reduction is a common feature for video-editing software but it’s more unusual for photo editors. There are two modes, one of which is fully automatic, while the other has two controls to adjust the amount of processing and the threshold beyond which areas of the image are deemed to be hazy.One thing it can’t do is process RAW files directly - unlike Photoshop CC and Lightroom CC, Elements’ Haze Removal is limited to JPEGs (or RAW files after converting them to 8-bit colour). Sign a pdf for macBehind the scenes, the software is doing some sophisticated edits involving masks, but users don’t get to see how these are used when they follow the Guided Edit.I didn’t get along at all well with the Refine Selection Brush, which is apparently enhanced in this update but still gave inferior results compared to the Refine Edge dialog box, available via the Select menu.The Haze Removal tool is the only thing in this update that I can muster much enthusiasm for, and I wouldn’t be remotely tempted to fork out the £65 upgrade price for it. It applies a motion blur to a selected area in a photo to suggest high-speed motion, but the results look fake and amateurish. They repackage various techniques in a simplified interface, so they’re useful if you want to achieve the exact effect on offer, but not so good if you want to transfer similar techniques to create other effects.The new Speed Effect Guided Edit brings this problem sharply into focus. Photoshop Elements’ Guided Edits are less successful. We had reasonable success with photos from a high-quality camera taken at ISO 100, but the old Unsharp Mask filter proved to be quicker, more controllable and, to our eyes at least, gave better results.^ Shake reduction (centre) is an ambitious challenge, but I prefer the results given by the Unsharp Mask filter (right)I really like the Guided Edits in Premiere Elements, as these interactive tutorials do a great job of revealing how to use the more advanced functions the software has to offer. Upgrade every two or three years and you've also made a huge saving on Photoshop proper. If you want to design invitations, create photo montages and process RAW files, but don’t want to commit to spending £102 a year, this is still the best consumer image editor around. Meanwhile, casual users are likely to be satisfied by free software such as Picasa, or free apps such as Snapseed.There is a market for Photoshop Elements, though. However, for anyone with more than a passing interest in photography or graphic design, the Photography Plan makes a lot of sense and is tremendous value. The Creative Cloud subscription is more expensive, and customers must keep paying or lose access to the software.
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