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Free Photo Editing Software Options (Microsoft Windows)
| | Published Oct 9, 2011 | Software/App Reviews |
We often have questions by newcomers on what free software is available. These requests for information could occur in any forum and we often come up with some favourites. Then the thread of discussion falls off the first page of the forum (no sticklie) or you're not in the forum where the post was. Here's a reference point where we can point newbies to.
I'll list some well known free software - feel free to suggest some or add confirmations in comments to this post. I will update this article over time. This is a work-in-progress.
One source of free software is the CD that came with your camera.
I am not aware of any reasonable camera that does not come with CD with cost free software. The software is usually specific to your camera and that has some advantages.
Reasons to consider using the supplied software
- It's free
- It can read proprietary metadata in your RAW files.
- There might be videos and tutorials on the brand's website.
- There might be technical support from the brand.
Reasons to consider not using the supplied software
- You learn skills that are locked in to that software. If you change brand, the new brand will have different software. You are also missing out on skilling up in defacto industry standard software.
- That particular brand's software comes with a sting - adds a bunch of miscellaneous services and modules that you are not interested in, tries to on-sell paper printing and so on. Makes your computer act funny.
- The software might be so cut down that it is not missing too many features.
Other Free Software
In no particular order. Details will be added and updated later.
Google Picasa
- Catalogues and Thumbnails - the cache is stored in some %user% profile - can be used to launch other programs by right click on the thumbnail, however associating a program to launch is consistent.
- Needs installaion - although there is a standalone launcher somewhere
- Reads RAW, JPEG, TIFF, PNG formats. The RAW reader is selfcontained and does not rely on Windows CODECs
- Allows parametric adjustment and stores the parameters in a picasa.ini file in each folder. Often does not change the source file so you may want / need to export as a batch to a new folder.
- Can apply adjustments by Copy and Paste - to a batch.
- Adjustments include lightening / darkening shadows, mids, highlights, sharpening, saturation, straightening. No framing. Cropping, Red-eye retouching. A few art effects.
- Offers face recognition and face tagging
- Offers Star (flagging)
- Offers virtual albums
- Allows tagging - tags are stored in EXIF.
- Uploads to Picasaweb and has plugin support to upload to Flickr, Facebook.
- Downsizes photos and can send via Gmail or other email.
- Offers Text Search of Captions
- Offers Text Watermark
Wikipedia Description - here
Documentation and Help - here
Download - here
Microsoft Windows Live Photogallery
- Catalogues and Thumbnails - can be used to launch other programs.
- Needs installaion
- Reads RAW, JPEG, TIFF, PNG formats. The RAW reader rely on Windows CODECs
- Adjustments include lightening / darkening shadows, mids, highlights, sharpening, saturation, straightening, noise reduction. No framing. Cropping, Red-eye retouching. Flaw removal.
- RAW cannot be adjusted, just read.
- Offers Rating and Flagging.
- Offers face recognition and face tagging
- Allows tagging - tags are stored in EXIF.
- Uploads to Picasaweb and has plugin support to upload to Flickr, Facebook.
- Downsizes photos and can send via Gmail or other email.
- Offers Text Search of Captions
- Offers changing of EXIF timestamp
- Offers Panorama and Photo Fuse
Faststone Image Viewer
- Catalogues and Thumbnails
- Can be installed in Microsoft Windows or be used without installation
Wikipedia Description - here
Download - here
XnView
Wikipedia Description - here
Download - here
IrfanView
Wikipedia Description - here
Download - here
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