Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 [OLD VERSION]

Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 [OLD VERSION]
by Adobe

Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 [OLD VERSION]
List Price: $99.99
Our Price: $38.99
You Save: $61.00 (61%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used and New: from $24.49 (click here)
Category: Software
See more product details and other editions


(Click here)

Software Summary

Manufacturer: Adobe
Brand: Adobe
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: CD-ROM
Release Date: 2008-10-13
Platform: Windows Vista, Windows XP
Model: 65026616
Product features:
  • Stay connected with your favorite people and memories with new Photoshop.com membership
  • Make ordinary photos extraordinary with easy-to-use editing tools
  • Share your stories in beautiful, personalized creations for print and web
  • Easily find and view all your photos
  • Share your photos in fun, interactive ways with invitation-only Online Albums
Accessories:

Software Reviews of Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 [OLD VERSION]

Customer Review: Adobe quality with clunky user interface
Summary: 3 Stars

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Adobe Photoshop Elements 7
OS Environments evaluated: XP Pro / Home SP-2 and Vista Home Premium SP-1

This was my first time using Adobe Photoshop Elements and I was intrigued because I have heard so much about Adobe Photoshop in the past. I was not entirely sure what Elements was comprised of other than the tidbits I picked up off Wikipedia and other web resources. My previous experience with raster image software (basically simple programs to edit/crop/adjust images) had been with MS Paint, Office Image Editor, Paint Shop Pro, and even the open-source program GIMP. They are all generally the same because they offer layers, different selection tools, color and brightness/gamma adjustments, and resize algorithms. The biggest differences are in load times, application size, resource usage, interface usability, and overall speed.

The system requirements include Windows XP SP-2 or SP-3, or Vista with at least 1GB of RAM, 2GHz or faster processor, and at least 1.5GB of hard drive space. Of course, if you are going to be working many photos, then you will want a much larger hard drive especially with 1 TB (terabyte) drives dropping in price!

Some of the new features advertised on the box are a scene cleaner where you can use multiple shots of the same scene to create a composite image, eliminating crowds or other elements that you want to remove. The same theory applies to the group shot feature and panorama. The problem with this is you must take multiple images and there is no easy way to determine if you took enough photos from the right angle to get the images to lineup. It is an interesting tool, but unless you are using a tripod in a relatively controlled environment, the final product is not going to be as clean.

The more interesting features were the teeth whitener and bluer sky touchup filters. In the past, I simply created a selection on teeth and adjusted the brightness, contrast, or gamma to create the right shade of white appropriate for the photo. I wanted to give Adobe's built-in functions a try, but I found Photoshop Element 7's teeth whitener to be extremely clunky as it kept creating a larger selection rather than increase the whiteness. The user must select "New Selection" to increase the whiteness each time. Locating this tool was already a pain, as I had to consult the help, except F1 just activates your web browser and takes you to Adobe's website. After I quizzed the query box about whitening teeth and wasting 15 minutes trying to find a dodge tool, I discovered that the help site also links regular Photoshop content with Photoshop elements. I also found out there is no dodge tool in Photoshop Elements. Eventually I did find the teeth whitener, blue sky, and some other touch up tools located under Quick Fixes -> Touch Up.

The opening screen for Photoshop Elements reeks of a simple idiot-proof program as it allows you to Share, Create, Edit, or Organize. The option to create an account at [...] and signing-in is very annoying. It is very simple and cumbersome at the same time, since if you choose one option and decide to do something else, it requires more menu navigation. Bottom line is that it overcomplicates something simple by making it appear simple, sort of like Windows Vista and its Aero interface. What Adobe should have done is use a simple screen asking if the user wants to use a wizard or the base program and to remember this selection in the future.

My biggest gripe with Photoshop Elements is how clunky the user interface is and how it does not allow the use of the scroll wheel for zooming by default. In almost any web app (Google Maps) or application, the scroll wheel defaults as a zoom tool for convenience. It is either that, or the user can hold Ctrl and use the wheel as zoom. Neither of these commonly used options works in Photoshop Elements. The user must use the magnifying glass tool to "Zoom In" or "Zoom Out" or go into Edit -> Preferences -> Enable Zoom with Scroll Wheel (thanks to a reader that provided this tip). Adobe should enable the zoom by scroll wheel option by default.

Not all is lost as I found that Photoshop Elements offers an extremely flexible print interface. The options are choosing scaling, centering, etc... but with real-time feedback and direct scaling of the photo with the mouse. Every application should allow this, including Acrobat and Microsoft Applications. I find it disheartening that many modern applications, such as IE7, FireFox, and even Acrobat 9 do not allow direct scaling of documents ready for print. Many web pages use obscure coding or framing to make them feel "unique" but produce the worst printouts (empty pages or frames that cut into half the document). Paint Shop applications often allow some degree of tweaking during a print-preview session but do not offer the same flexibility and real-time feedback as Photoshop Elements. Dynamic cropping should also be standard across all modern productivity applications.

Pros: Decent load times on modern laptops and PCs, flexible print-preview and direct scaling of photographs prior to print outs, has all of the basic features an average photo enthusiast needs without the full cost of Photoshop.

Cons: The zoom feature should have been linked to the scroll wheel for easier zooming while performing other tasks. Many of the touchup tools are "hidden" away and requires some time to locate them. The usability of Photoshop Elements 7 needs improvement.

Overall: There are many options in the basic to intermediate level raster/vector photoshop app market, even some that are very robust and free like GIMP. I do like the Adobe interface but it is often difficult to do the simplest tasks because the user has to find the right button or find the right menu that has the button. Power users would not like Photoshop Elements since it lacks many of the professional level tools from the regular Photoshop CS3-CS4. However, Photoshop Elements costs 1/10 that of CS3 or CS4, which is astounding since I feel it is still quite expensive for the simple features it offers. I would recommend looking at open-source alternatives such as GIMP or less expensive but more popular options like Paintshop Pro (before Corel bought out Jasc in 2004).

Description of Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 [OLD VERSION]

Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 software combines power and simplicity so you can make ordinary photos extraordinary; tell engaging stories in beautiful, personalized creations for print and web; and easily find and view all your photos. New Photoshop.com membership* works with Photoshop Elements so you can protect your photos with automatic online backup and 2 GB of storage; view your photos anywhere you are; and share your photos in fun, interactive ways with invitation-only Online Albums.
Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 software combines power and simplicity so you can make ordinary photos extraordinary; tell engaging stories in beautiful, personalized creations for print and web; and easily find and view all your photos. New Photoshop.com membership* works with Photoshop Elements so you can protect your photos with automatic online backup and 2 GB of storage; view your photos anywhere you are; and share your photos in fun, interactive ways with invitation-only Online Albums.

Effortlessly select an area and simultaneously apply incredible effects with a single stroke of Adobe Smart Brush. Click to enlarge.

See all your photos in one convenient place where you can scroll through them, apply visual keyword tags, and view and retrieve them fast--even if your library includes thousands of photos. Click to enlarge.

Showcase your photos in one-of-a-kind Online Albums with your choice of dynamic, animated templates. Click to enlarge.

Easily upload photos to your website, iPhone, or CEIVA Digital Photo Frames, or view them on your TV.

Do it all with one powerful yet easy-to-use product
Use Photoshop Elements with Photoshop.com* for all your photo needs--organize, edit, and enhance photos; make unique photo creations; share in print and on the web; protect your photos; and view them anywhere you are.

*Available only in the U.S.

Introducing new Photoshop.com membership*
Works with Photoshop Elements to help you protect your photos from computer loss and hard drive crashes with automatic online backup and enough storage (2 GB) for up to 1,500 photos; view your photos anywhere you are; and share your photos in fun, interactive ways with invitation-only Online Albums. And upgrade to Plus membership at any time and get 18 GB more storage, and a variety of inspiring ideas, tutorials, seasonal artwork, and templates delivered regularly to your software.

*Available only in the U.S.

Select and apply with a single stroke
Simultaneously select a specific photo area and apply incredible effects with a single stroke of new Adobe Smart Brush. Improve lighting, add rich textures, and more with eight libraries of over 50 sophisticated effects.

Go from flawed to phenomenal in seconds
Whiten teeth, make skies bluer, get rid of red eye, and take advantage of many more shortcuts that reduce common, multistep editing tasks to a single click or brush stroke.

Dramatically transform your photos with easy-to-use tools
Convert your color originals to elegant, nuanced black-and-whites, or use color curves adjustments to get the perfect exposure.

Count on step-by-step assistance
Want to touch up a scratch? Create a scrapbook page? Add artistic effects that make a photo look like a pencil sketch? Photoshop Elements walks you through key steps to make it easy to get the results you want fast.

Quickly clean your scene of unwanted elements
You took five shots of your subject, but pedestrians and cars distract from the scene in every one. Now, see only what you want to see in your photos--use Adobe Photomerge Scene Cleaner to simply brush away any elements that changed positions between photos to create a single, perfect composite.

Composite with amazing results
Create flawless group shots in just a few clicks with amazing Adobe Photomerge technology. Photomerge also lets you create seamless panoramas and combine elements of different faces for entertaining results.

Share experiences in fresh, exciting ways on the web
Showcase your photos in one-of-a-kind Online Albums with your choice of dynamic, animated templates--including new, visually stunning options. Adobe Flash technology lets viewers interact with your photos for an entertaining experience.

Show off your creativity in unique ways
Make amazing printed photo creations--like scrapbook pages, photo books, and cards--that you can customize to get exactly the look you envision.

Organize your library with ease
See all your photos in one convenient place, and find photos fast using powerful, flexible visual tags and a variety of viewing and searching options, including a new text search box.

Photo Editing Software

Software Categories
Bestsellers in Photo Editing Software
ACDSee 4.0 100-user with Media ImageACDSee 4.0 100-user with Media
ACD Systems; ACD Systems; Windows NT; Software
Price in other shops: $3,828.00
FlipAlbum 4.0 C ImageFlipAlbum 4.0 C
eBook Systems; eBook Systems; Windows NT; Software
Price in other shops: $39.95
KPT Effects ImageKPT Effects
procreate; procreate; Windows NT; Software
Picture Publisher 10 Digital Camera ImagePicture Publisher 10 Digital Camera
Corel; Corel; Windows NT; Software
Microsoft Picture It 2002 [Old Version] ImageMicrosoft Picture It 2002 [Old Version]
Microsoft Software; Microsoft; Release date: 2001-09-20; Windows NT; Software
Price in other shops: $34.95
PhotoSuite 4 Business Edition ImagePhotoSuite 4 Business Edition
MGI Software Corporation; MGI Software Corporation; Unix; Software
Best price: $69.95
IXLA PhotoEasy Deluxe ImageIXLA PhotoEasy Deluxe
ISR ResearchSoft; ISR ResearchSoft; Windows NT; Software
Price in other shops: $169.95
Live Picture 2.6 ImageLive Picture 2.6
CD-ROM; Book
Screencam 4.0 ImageScreencam 4.0
Lotus Development; Lotus Development; Windows NT; Software
Adobe Photoshop CS2 für Fortgeschrittene - Video-Training (DVD-ROM) ImageAdobe Photoshop CS2 für Fortgeschrittene - Video-Training (DVD-ROM)
by NA
Addison-Wesley, München; Published: 2005; Windows 98; Software
Similar Computer Software
Photoshop Elements 7 All-in-One For Dummies (For Dummies (Computers)) ImagePhotoshop Elements 7 All-in-One For Dummies (For Dummies (Computers))
by Barbara Obermeier, Ted Padova
For Dummies; Published: 2009-03-16; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.90
Price in other shops: $39.99
The Photoshop Elements 7 Book for Digital Photographers ImageThe Photoshop Elements 7 Book for Digital Photographers
by Scott Kelby, Matt Kloskowski
Peachpit Press; Published: 2009-03-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $27.45
Price in other shops: $49.99
Adobe Premiere Elements 8 [OLD VERSION] ImageAdobe Premiere Elements 8 [OLD VERSION]
Adobe; Adobe; Release date: 2009-10-12; Windows Vista; Software
Best price: $18.99
Price in other shops: $99.99
Photoshop Elements 7 Digital Classroom ImagePhotoshop Elements 7 Digital Classroom
by AGI Creative Team
Wiley; Published: 2009-03-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $18.37
Price in other shops: $44.99
Photoshop Elements 7 All-in-One For Dummies (For Dummies (Computers)) ImagePhotoshop Elements 7 All-in-One For Dummies (For Dummies (Computers))
by Barbara Obermeier, Ted Padova
For Dummies; Published: 2009-03-16; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.85
Price in other shops: $39.99
Teach Yourself VISUALLY Photoshop Elements 7 ImageTeach Yourself VISUALLY Photoshop Elements 7
by Mike Wooldridge, Linda Wooldridge
Visual; Published: 2008-11-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $22.00
Price in other shops: $29.99
Adobe Photoshop Elements 7: A Visual Introduction to Digital Photography ImageAdobe Photoshop Elements 7: A Visual Introduction to Digital Photography
by Philip Andrews
Focal Press; Published: 2008-12-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.95
Price in other shops: $39.95
Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 Classroom in a Book (Book & CD-ROM) ImageAdobe Photoshop Elements 7 Classroom in a Book (Book & CD-ROM)
by Adobe Creative Team
Adobe Press; Published: 2008-12-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $20.00
Price in other shops: $44.99
Photoshop Elements 7: The Missing Manual (Missing Manuals) ImagePhotoshop Elements 7: The Missing Manual (Missing Manuals)
by Barbara Brundage
Pogue Press; Published: 2008-10-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.05
Price in other shops: $44.99
Photoshop Elements 7 For Dummies ImagePhotoshop Elements 7 For Dummies
by Barbara Obermeier, Ted Padova
For Dummies; Published: 2008-11-17; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.84
Price in other shops: $29.99
Illustrated Catalog of Computer Software
Our prices are low