If I started a thread for GIMP users and what it can do, any takers?

[Mika Y.]

I've been using GIMP as my primary raster graphics editor since the late 90's and it's satisfied my needs pretty well, especially with the G'MIC plugin mentioned by a few others.

Hi Mika, What does the G'MIC plugin do, if it is good and is it easy to install?

Hi, basically it's a very large collection of pretty much any kind of filters and effects one can think of in one plugin, so the chances are good that if there's no built-in GIMP filter/effect of some kind, G'MIC may very well have it. The version I have currently installed (not the latest, I should upgrade it) has 590 filters and effects. Some of them are quite esoteric, but there's plenty of genuinely useful stuff in there.

As for the installation, it's pretty easy, basically just downloading the plugin and copying the file to GIMP's plug-in folder and restarting GIMP will do. The plug-in path can be found in GIMP's preferences.

This is one of the few open source projects I've actually donated some money to.

 

[Mika Y.]

Hi Mika, What does the G'MIC plugin do, if it is good and is it easy to install?

I'd be interested in that also.

I do not have Gimp .... but have used the G'MIC plugin within PS CS6.

Does unusual and weird stuff ... but I have not found anything in it to help me edit a photo.

Maybe I don't understand how to use it.

Well, it has some quite esoteric filters but also lots of more regular things such as different kinds of sharpening, noise reduction, tone mapping etc. filters to complement what's available in GIMP itself.

 

[Mark_A]

Hi, basically it's a very large collection of pretty much any kind of filters and effects one can think of in one plugin, so the chances are good that if there's no built-in GIMP filter/effect of some kind, G'MIC may very well have it. The version I have currently installed (not the latest, I should upgrade it) has 590 filters and effects. Some of them are quite esoteric, but there's plenty of genuinely useful stuff in there.

As for the installation, it's pretty easy, basically just downloading the plugin and copying the file to GIMP's plug-in folder and restarting GIMP will do. The plug-in path can be found in GIMP's preferences.

This is one of the few open source projects I've actually donated some money to.

Thanks Mika,

Appreciate your input.

I am going to have to think, what I will do in darktable, and what I will do in GIMP.

Mark_A

 

[lacogada]

Hi Mika, What does the G'MIC plugin do, if it is good and is it easy to install?

I'd be interested in that also.

I do not have Gimp .... but have used the G'MIC plugin within PS CS6.

Does unusual and weird stuff ... but I have not found anything in it to help me edit a photo.

Maybe I don't understand how to use it.

Well, it has some quite esoteric filters but also lots of more regular things such as different kinds of sharpening, noise reduction, tone mapping etc. filters to complement what's available in GIMP itself.

Have to see if I have latest version and dig deeper.

Thanks for reply.

 

[bakubo]

I am going to have to think, what I will do in darktable, and what I will do in GIMP.

You will probably find that you can do almost everything you want to do in darktable using non-destructive editing and only rarely need to use GIMP for destructive editing.

In my case, I have been using Lightroom Classic and Photoshop for something like 15 years and I am able to do almost everything in LrC. It is very rare I need to work on a photo in Photoshop. I have played with darktable a lot over the years just out of interest so I am pretty familiar with it. Current version is 4.8.1 and I have seen it improve a lot over the last 5 years or so.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[Mark_A]

I am going to have to think, what I will do in darktable, and what I will do in GIMP.

You will probably find that you can do almost everything you want to do in darktable using non-destructive editing and only rarely need to use GIMP for destructive editing.

It does seem that way.

I have a learning curve in front of me because I am used to vibrant jpegs. I don't have experience editing raws, initially they seem a bit dull and so raw working will take a bit of learning. It is no worries, I am up for it.

In my case, I have been using Lightroom Classic and Photoshop for something like 15 years and I am able to do almost everything in LrC. It is very rare I need to work on a photo in Photoshop. I have played with darktable a lot over the years just out of interest so I am pretty familiar with it. Current version is 4.8.1 and I have seen it improve a lot over the last 5 years or so.

darktable seems useful to me. I used it yesterday as I mentioned in the thread already to cull down a directory with 300 photos, gradually down to just about 19 odd which I then wanted to edit. I tweaked some paramaters and cropped the images to a size ratio I wanted. It all seems to work.

Tonight I am going to see if I can sharpen and output them in sizes, print size and web sized jpegs.

And I am going to look into linking darktable with GIMP which I understand is possible.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Thanks bakubo, I think I will persevere with darktable and GIMP.

Mark_A