Photoshop.

[jaygpoo]

Dear all out there. Can you advise on the best all round version of photoshop to have . I currently have photoshop element 8 . Watching youtube videos of imaging processing many users seem to be using versions of elements . Do you need the full blown photoshop to be able to do all the levels and curves etc seen in these tutorials. Lastly what version of registax is best as there are 6 to go with and I have v5 at present.

[JamesF]

Regarding Registax, I'd have both installed, though I'd go for AutoStakkert!2 for smaller frame sizes such as webcam images.

For those things I use Registax v6 for it generally works well, but when it goes wrong it goes horribly wrong. If I can't get it to sort its life out by choosing a different reference frame or something similar then I drop back to v5.

There are plenty of people who have stuck wtih v5 though, and it certainly does a fair job. When I tested them side by side I believed that v6 did a slightly better job on my data which is why it's my preferred version, but Steve Ward for instance produces some gorgeous white light solar images using v5.

I've only ever used CS6 for Photoshop so I'm afraid I can't comment on that one.

James

[ollypenrice]

For Ps I'd say that CS2 or later will be fine. I use CS3. Elements really isn't in the frame for AP.

Olly

[vladoffice]

I use Adobe Photoshop CS6 on my Mac.

http://www.insofter.com/app/195443/adobe_photoshop_cs6.html

[keithatrochdale]

You might also like to consider Lightroom.

[jaygpoo]

Thanks to all for your thoughts.

[Tinker1947]

I think CS6 will take Canon CR2 files while CS5 and low won't until there converted.....i could be wrong. but i am sure i see this typed some place....

[JamesF]

I think CS6 will take Canon CR2 files

I'm sure I've done that once or twice, though generally by the time they get to Photoshop they're TIFF now.

James

[Tinker1947]

I'm sure I've done that once or twice, though generally by the time they get to Photoshop they're TIFF now.

James

Nothing like trying it out, CS6 Extended loads CR2 files......

[cgarry]

Nothing like trying it out, CS6 Extended loads CR2 files......

It will depend on the camera model, each model produces a slightly different type (or very different type) of CR2 file.

[jgs001]

There are plugins available (smartcurves) for PSE that will provide you 16 bit curves editing. For the other features you have to drop the bit level down to 8 bit. But, that won't prevent you from processing the images. Full PS provides a lot more options to you, but it's a heck of a lot more money too. The latest PSE (11) will allow you to open the raw files from the same cameras as the latest PS (I believe).

What sort of imaging are you referring to? If you're talking Registax, that generally implies lunar/planetary/solar, in which case, the cameras a lot of people use are often only running in 8 bit anyway, so using full PS doesn't really add a lot (in fact, most of my lunar images etc, have been finished off in GIMP which is free), you want to do most of the processing in Registax or similar.

If you're looking at SLR imaging, and Deep Sky, then Registax is not the right tool anyway, and you want to look at Deep Sky Stacker.

[Jannis]

PS CS2 is also free now, so it's a good start i guess. I wouldn't worry too much about RAW support either, as by the time i open PS, like James said, it's become a TIFF file.

I've used mainly CS5, but have the last year used CS6 a bit. For astro work i still use CS5 though, but only because the noise-ninja plugin i have don't work in CS6.

[Tinker1947]

It will depend on the camera model, each model produces a slightly different type (or very different type) of CR2 file.

Canon 1100D.......

[jaygpoo]

I am using a cannon 500d and do have deep sky stacker . I have not yet started using a video cam.

[jaygpoo]

Just downloaded cs2 free but its no good to me as its only usable on macs that had the old intel pc chip.

[RikM]

I have CS3 at home and CS6 at work. CS3 is perfectly fine for astro use.