Free Good Quality Imaging Software

[HobieSport]

When I couldn't get my Photoshop program installed, my savy older stepson recommended "Gimp" software, and I've been using that to manipulate my photos with good success. It doesn't have all the features of Photoshop but it's still really good, and it's free:

http://www.gimp.org/

[Greg G.]

Next step up is L-View Pro, which I've always used.  I only need to resize and crop most of the time, this does it well (among other features that I've never used) and it's only $40.00.

[HobieSport]

Besides basic resizing and cropping, one feature I almost always use is "levels". In Gimp, "levels" are in the "color" menu. It adjusts the value balances (dark to light) and usually can make photos look much richer and clearer. One feature that I miss from Photoshop, in Gimp, is to be able to precision-rotate a crop, for when a photo is slightly crooked. Perhaps L-View Pro has that feature?

[Steve]

Matt,

I use Gimp and Picasa to do most of my editing. Picasa has a straightening feature and it's free..


http://picasa.google.com/

[HobieSport]

Thanks Steve! I'll check out Picasa. It seems we can do most of what we want in imaging these days with free software.

[Dan/Panther]

For years i've used a program I got with a scanner for free. Photostacker Pro. I got a new computer and couldn't get the program to work. A fellow radio collector recommended Gimp, It was very much the same program as photostacker with even more options. I was finally able to get my original program working but Gimp is good.
D/P