Abergavenny Camera Club : Useful Links

Photography Software

Here's some useful links around the subject of software for photographers. If you've got more we can add, please contact the webmaster.

Paid-for Editing Software

Website Notes
Elements Reasonably priced and popular basic editing software, aimed at home users.
Photoshop The 'standard' photo editor for professionals. Note: CC version has monthly charge. You can't get the desktop version any more (although see here).
Lightroom Professional photo software. Note: CC version has monthly charge! You can still get the standalone version for about £100.
Paintshop Pro Similar in many ways to Photoshop, but much cheaper. Not being updated very often these days.
Smart Photo Editor Interesting, cheap and different editor. Aimed more at the beginner, with loads of presets, but still has lots of capability.
On1 Photo Raw Decent, modern and comprehensive editing suite from On1 with non-destructive editing, layers and lots of presets. Made to work seamlessly with other editors such as Lightroom. Very usable.
Affinity Photo Excellent and powerful alternative to Photoshop at a very good price. Strong use of layers, masks, etc. Needs more effort than On1 but worth the effort and has strong help system and videos.
ACDSee Relatively inexpensive editing suite. Fair set of option but not as comprehensive as some other editors.
DxO Optics Good quality software, popular with professionals.
Capture One Pro Professional software for tethered studio work from Phase Eight. Strong but limited editing capability.
Nik Filters Very good plugin filter set that works with Photoshop and any other software that accepts Photoshop plugins (eg. Paintshop Pro). Used to be hundreds of pounds. Now free!
Topaz Labs Popular plugin filters. Not as popular with some as Nik. Very good de-noiser.
Photomatix Classic software for doing HDR. Beginning to age now.
Portrait Professional Specialist software for cleaning up and morphing portraits. Cheap for what it does.
Landscape Pro Designed more for beginners to make dramatic changes to outdoor photos. Has many useful controls as well as 'magic' improvements.
Photo Ninja Smart RAW editor with clever auto corrections, including decent noise reduction. Limited functionality compared with some other editors.

Free editing software

Website Notes
Raw Therapee Oddly-named but comprehensive open software RAW viewer and editor
The Gimp The best free alternative to Photoshop.
Paint.net Ageing but free paint programme.
Fusion Decent free HDR software.
Luminance Alternative free HDR software.
PicMonkey An easy, free, online editor. Useful at least in the internet cafe on holiday.
Tufuse Free software to blend multiple images (dynamic range and focus stack). See also TuFusion GUI (basic Tufuse is command line).
Enfuse Free software to blend multiple images (dynamic range and focus stack). See also Enfuse GUI for a GUI (basic Enfuse is command line).
StarStax Best free software for doing star trails.
Raw Image Analyzer For the super-serious, perchance, seeking to squeeze every last detail from your shots.
Easy Panel Plugin for Photoshop that creates a useful range of luminosity masks.
Algorithmia Upload your monochrome image. Algorithmia uses AI to colourise it. Magic!!
Diffractor Fast viewer, including of Raw files. Lets you skim through pics after taking them to quickly delete and pass images to your favourite editor.

Other software

Website Notes
Artist's Viewfinder Handy IOS tool for framing shots.
Irfan View Very comprehensive programme for viewing images.

Useful websites

Website Notes
Optical Limits (formerly Photozone) Detailled analysis of many lenses.
Photography Life Lens Database More lenses but not as detailed as Optical Limits.
Free Stock Photos Lots of free images.
Pixabay Lots of free images. Useful for ideas, editing experiments, etc.
Free Stock Photos Lots of free images, like Pixabay.
Free Stock Textures Lots of textures, free.

Camera software

Website Notes
Magic Lantern For Canon SLRs only. Extends the Canon firmware to do all sorts of additional tricks, such as intervalometer, motion detection, advanced bracketing, advanced focus, etc. Also enhances video modes.
Reikan Focal Autofocus fine calibration and other stuff for higher-end cameras.

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