Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo Reviewer's Comments

Corel Paint Shop Pro X2 is so much fun you’ll lose track of the time as you play with your photos. You’ll see editing and design features only available in software designed for professionals—at a fraction of the cost. This program offers the most appealing, creative editing package available. If you want to do more with your photos than standard editing, organizing and sharing, try this product. The help function is not as integrated as our #1 product, but with its engaging features there is no doubt about its second place ranking as the "TopTenREVIEWS Silver Award" winner.

Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo Screenshots. Click for more
       


Ease of Use:  

This is a complex program with an unmatched feature set. It’s not easy, but it is worth the effort. Use the integrated Learning Center to explore the functions. Even with step-by-step instructions, some of the functions like editing text did not produce the expected results. You’ll have to use the traditional drop down menus; the workspace does not include big task tabs to navigate across functions like Adobe Photoshop Elements. However, you can see a preview of all the possible effects to apply to your photo by choosing Browse Effects under Effects in the Learning Center. Previews are large, making it easy to see potential results. 

Importing:  

Import from a digital camera or scanner. There is also a built-in screenshot capture feature. Make fast work of standard edits in the Express Lab where you can crop, rotate, straighten, remove red eye for an entire imported folder. 

Editing:  

Paint Shop Pro X2 offers many of the features you can only find in professional editing software. Edit in two modes: the Smart Photo Fix to automatically correct color and lighting, and full edit mode to make adjustments by hand.

The batch capabilities in Paint Shop Pro are more extensive than those found in competitors’ programs. Batches are pre-recorded edits like rotate, change color and resize that can be applied to a group of photos or saved as settings to apply to future photos.

Find more interesting effects and enhancements in Paint Shop Pro X2 than in any other program. Make collages, apply the effect of 100-year old newsprint, give your subject a makeover, remove or change the color of specified objects, and do all of the other photo edits commonly used in photo editing. And, you can fine tune every adjustment.

The text tool is hard to use. To add text, you'll have to type in a text box rather than on the photo itself.

Bonus Features

• Makeover Tools: thinify, whiten eyes and teeth, smooth wrinkles, add a tan, and remove blemishes
• Change the color of a single object
• Erase backgrounds but maintain overlapping fine details like a strand of hair
• Go Retro: Use the Time Machine to make photos look like they were taken from the 1800’s through the 1960’s. You’ll get an informative description of photographic processes at each point on the time line.
• Picture Tubes: Add graphic elements to your photos. The image library is a mixed bag, try the photo images. Click away—objects in the tube vary with each click. Makeup: lipstick, mascara, blush … what’s next? Easily change position and size.

Sharing:  

You can print contact sheets and many combinations of photo sizes on one sheet with templates. Send a photo in an email: one click and the email form opens with your selected photo in it. Upload photos to an online photo sharing site. All of these methods are well designed and easy to do. 

Output Capabilities:  

Paint Shop Pro has some professional output features, including image slicing for html. It also has a JPG, GIF, and PNG optimizer for web graphics. You can even save your files in 50 different formats.

Organizing:  

The organizing function of Paint Shop Pro X2 is efficient and useful. Drag and drop keyword assignments and click to use the 5-star ranking system. Do the work now and your future searches will be much more efficient. 

Help/Support:  

Use the Learning Center as you work on photos and projects. This is the easiest way to navigate the site as you learn the program. Conversational language makes task selection easy and speeds program mastery. Corel also offers online help, knowledge base, forums, complimentary email for customer support and technical support by phone for a fee. 

Summary:  

Paint Shop Pro X2 has editing features found in Adobe Photoshop—not Photoshop Elements—which combine editing and graphics in a program designed for the creative amateur. New features are appealing and engaging. At last, a program that's fun to use. If you want to take your photos into the graphics world, this is the most cost effective way to do it. Yes, you’ll need more time for mastery, but the results are worth it.