Its time to get serious about my editing program(s).

Currently I use Nikon view (freebie, came with the D50) to do basic ajustments to contrast & white balance and convert NEF to JPEG. Beyond that, If I need to edit out dust bunnies, etc I open the jpeg in an old version of paintshop pro. For organizing I use an old version of Jasc photo album. (My wife always uses the camera in jpeg mode, and prefers this program)

I dont like having to use all these different programs for what seems like basic functionality. I am looking at buying either photoshop elements, or Nikon NX. I have heard that NX is better at working with NEFs, but that photoshop has better features. So, If I had to buy one, what should it be? I have been leaning toward photoshop, but keep reading that working with raw is much better, giving NX the advantage.

Anyone out there use these 2 programs? Is either one a suitable replacement for all 3?

Well, you can't beat Nikon NX for working with NEF's. I used CS2 for this until NX was released and have gone back to many old NEF's and reworked the files. NX blows CS2 raw converter away.

However.......CS2 is much more flexible and robust for such things as, cloning, resizing, color conversions, retouching, etc. You can't beat CS2 for this!

and.......Lightroom is the most superfantastic photo organizer and it has some basic retouching capability in it (for jpeg and NEF's)

I use all three, but if I had to choose, I would get NX to really pull out all the info your camera is giving you in program written specifically for it and then maybe use Elements rather than CS2.

Thanks,
Wes

I use Thumbs Plus as my Photo Data Base and it handles most RAW camera photo files including Nikon's NEF's. As Thumbs Plus almost does it all but for Bit Editing, for bit editing like editing out dust bunnies, either PiantShop Pro, PhotoShop 5LE, or PhotoShop CS. I have a copy of PhotoShop Elements, and I would not us it for editing out dust bunnies, as the PhotoShop 5LE or PiantShop Pro is easier to use for that kind of editing.

I use Capture 4.whatever the version is for my raw conversions. Then 90% of the time I'll do my editing using PS CS2. Sometimes I'll use the editing tools in Capture though.

I also use ACDSee for my organizing photos and doing some batch work on them.