Image editing recommendation wanted

Rik · Jun 11, 2009, 13:24:45

I'm trying to keep the Sammy netbook as 'light' as possible, so haven't installed Photoshop, or even Photoshop elements on it. However, it would be handy to have a small program, ie light on resources, which could do some basics with image files, eg crop, re-size etc.

I'd welcome recommendations.

Sebby · Jun 11, 2009, 13:38:15

Without a doubt, it has to be GIMP.

somanyholes · Jun 11, 2009, 13:44:27

I'll second gimp

though i haven't used it for a little while, always used to be fairly resource friendly. Presume it still is. And of course it's FREE!

john · Jun 11, 2009, 14:02:12

I've used Gimp and it is very powerfull and free.

However if you just want basic editing functions then you might be beter using Irfanview.

The irfan view programs folder on my machine is only 10Mb (including plug-ins) which is less than the compressed download file for Gimp which is 16 Mb (I don't know how much space Gimp takes up when installed).

The download file for Irfanview is only 1.28Mb.

Irfanview will open a wide range of graphics, video and audio files too.

trophymick · Jun 11, 2009, 14:05:42

For lightweight stuff http://www.irfanview.com/main_download_engl.htm I've been using it for years, cracking programme.

This is another http://www.faststone.org/FSViewerDetail.htm

alhenderson · Jun 11, 2009, 14:37:31

I too use GIMP a lot. Coming from Photoshop Elements, I found GIMP fairly easy to get to grips with. What amazed me the most was that a google search for GIMP actually turned it up as the first hit. Had all sorts of horrible visions of what fellow employees might see when I did that :-)

Al.

Baz · Jun 11, 2009, 14:43:45

what can this GIMP do then

Sebby · Jun 11, 2009, 14:47:34

More like what can't it do, Baz.

It's just a free imaging suite, and a pretty good one at that. It's comparable to Photoshop Element, the cut-down version of Photoshop.

Rik · Jun 11, 2009, 15:17:55

Thanks, guys, a little play time is called for.

Rik · Jun 11, 2009, 16:09:55

Interesting results.

Size on disk:
Photoshop - 108MB
GIMP - 35MB
Irfanview - 1.5MB

Size in memory, no image loaded:
Photoshop - 31.8MB
GIMP - 33.2MB
Irfanview - 4.1M

Size in memory with the same 6MB JPG loaded:
Photoshop - 84MB
GIMP - 143MB
Irfanview - 46.8MB

It looks like Irfanview wins for the small footprint, given the limited number of functions I want.

MikeSh · Jun 11, 2009, 16:19:01

Rik ,
Have a look at this online editor http://www.pixlr.com/.
I have used it with great success and no memory overhead to speak of

Mike

Rik · Jun 11, 2009, 16:22:00

Thanks, Mike. I won't necessarily have online access, though, so I was looking more for a 'machine based' solution.

Sebby · Jun 11, 2009, 16:34:51

Quote from: Rik on Jun 11, 2009, 16:09:55
Interesting results.

Size on disk:
Photoshop - 108MB
GIMP - 35MB
Irfanview - 1.5MB

Size in memory, no image loaded:
Photoshop - 31.8MB
GIMP - 33.2MB
Irfanview - 4.1M

Size in memory with the same 6MB JPG loaded:
Photoshop - 84MB
GIMP - 143MB
Irfanview - 46.8MB

It looks like Irfanview wins for the small footprint, given the limited number of functions I want.

Interesting. GIMP isn't so efficient after all. Bloody open source software.

Rik · Jun 11, 2009, 16:37:56

What surprised me, tbh, was how relatively frugal Photoshop was. It's disk size will be inflated by the filters I've added, many of which can be used in Irfanview. However, for the basic crop/re-size and minor correction that I might want to do on the Sammy, it appears to be a clear winner.

TheMonkey · Jun 11, 2009, 17:25:16

Picasa.

I crop all my pics and straighten them in there. its actually quite good

Rik · Jun 11, 2009, 17:26:53

I did use that for a while, but found it a bit too 'fancy' for me. I like 'roll your sleeves up and get you hands dirty' editing software.

Sebby · Jun 11, 2009, 17:30:04

Quote from: TheMonkey on Jun 11, 2009, 17:25:16
Picasa.

I crop all my pics and straighten them in there. its actually quite good

I forgot about Picasa. Actually, it's a pretty decent one.

Noreen · Jun 11, 2009, 17:35:33

My vote goes to Irfanview, highly recommended.

Rik · Jun 11, 2009, 17:42:47

For Picasa:
Disk size: 53MB
Memory size, no image loaded: 51MB
Memory size, image loaded: 64MB

Irfan still ahead on points.

Baz · Jun 11, 2009, 17:45:47

so all of these recommendations V's photshop pro which I have and to be totally honest I very rarely use.

Rik · Jun 11, 2009, 17:48:05

I still will use Photoshop on the desktop for my main editing, Baz, imo there is nothing to beat the application. OTOH, when travelling, and just wanting to crop or reduce an image for emailing etc, something small and light is ideal for the netbook and, from my tests, Irfanview is it at the moment.

Noreen · Jun 11, 2009, 17:56:05

I always download the Irfanview plug-ins as well. In the Irfanview Options/Properties I have it set for Images only.

john · Jun 11, 2009, 18:04:50

I find Irfanview quite fast and versatile as it's capable of viewing many types of file, even text files as images. Usually I only want to open an image file for viewing or perhaps re-sizing it. It does have features like slide shows of all the files in a folder too.

Rik · Jun 11, 2009, 18:12:48

Plus it will use Photoshop plugins if I get ambitious.

Noreen · Jun 11, 2009, 18:18:29

I mostly use the resample, sharpen, crop, color correction and rotate items but have made use of many of the others, I especially like the create panorama image.

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Lona · Jun 11, 2009, 18:44:58

Quote from: Noreen on Jun 11, 2009, 17:35:33
My vote goes to Irfanview, highly recommended.

I agree with you Noreen. I've used it for years. I love it

Rik · Jun 11, 2009, 18:48:15

It's getting my vote at the moment, small and powerful, able to use Photoshop plupins. Perfect for netbook use.

Lona · Jun 11, 2009, 18:49:29

Quote from: Rik on Jun 11, 2009, 18:48:15
It's getting my vote at the moment, small and powerful, able to use Photoshop plupins. Perfect for netbook use.

I've never heard of plupins, Rik, is this something new to computing?

Noreen · Jun 11, 2009, 18:51:30

Perhaps it's some sort of computerised flower.

Rik · Jun 11, 2009, 18:51:58

Quote from: Lona on Jun 11, 2009, 18:49:29
I've never heard of plupins, Rik, is this something new to computing?

No, but it's new to typing.

john · Jun 11, 2009, 21:23:22

There's an Irfanview entry on Wikipedia here Rik and near the bottom of the page is a link to a comparison of raster image editors.

Rik · Jun 12, 2009, 09:06:55

Thanks, John.

alhenderson · Jun 12, 2009, 09:25:29

Quote from: Rik on Jun 11, 2009, 15:17:55
Thanks, guys, a little play time is called for.

One really powerful thing you can do with GIMP is write scripts which automate common tasks. I was playing with this a while back, and when you get the hang of it its really powerful. I wrote a script to put a black border around my pictures and add a label. Fairly simple thing to do manually, but time consuming - would take me a good couple of minutes or so. Now I have an entry in one of the menus which will do it for me in a second.

Al.

Rik · Jun 12, 2009, 09:28:00

GIMP would be good if I didn't already have Photoshop, Al, but for the jobs I want to do on the Sammy, Irfanview wins hands down atm.

sparky · Jun 12, 2009, 10:32:05

Another one that doesn't often get a mention is paint.net http://www.getpaint.net/ .

I didn't want all the fancy extras and have to pay for photoshop, so I went with this. It seems to work really well and has a very good user forum to go with it.

Rik · Jun 12, 2009, 10:35:19

Thanks, Sparky, I'll take a look.

alhenderson · Jun 12, 2009, 10:41:38

Quote from: Rik on Jun 12, 2009, 09:28:00
GIMP would be good if I didn't already have Photoshop, Al, but for the jobs I want to do on the Sammy, Irfanview wins hands down atm.

What's the Sammy?? Am I being dense?

Al.

Rik · Jun 12, 2009, 10:46:26

Samsung NC10, as I refer to it with some affection, Al.

alhenderson · Jun 12, 2009, 10:50:36

Quote from: Rik on Jun 12, 2009, 10:46:26
Samsung NC10, as I refer to it with some affection, Al.

Aha - all is clear now. Thought that was some kind of cockney slang I couldn't make sense of

Rik · Jun 12, 2009, 10:53:22

No, I just fell in love with the machine the moment I got my hands on it, and it needed a name.

alhenderson · Jun 12, 2009, 11:03:03

Quote from: Rik on Jun 12, 2009, 10:53:22

No, I just fell in love with the machine the moment I got my hands on it, and it needed a name.

I have to admit to not knowing a lot about netbooks. Am I right in thinking they're 'lightweight' PCs intended mainly for webs surfing etc? Did a quick google for your Sammy and saw they were £300+ (that was Dixons, mind you!), which is not much different from a Dell laptop.

Just curious.

Rik · Jun 12, 2009, 11:10:13

Yes, essentially, they are small notebooks, Al, with a 10.2" screen (though Samsung have one with a 12" screen which seems to me to defeat the object). Keyboard is about 93% of the size of a full notebook, but they are much lighter and more portable, with a battery life of 6-7 hours. I wouldn't attempt to run Photoshop on it, hence this thread, though the screen is actually very good, but when I'm travelling, it's an ideal companion, big enough to surf, email, handle online banking etc, to plays DVDs from the HD, but small and light. Coupled with a mobile broadband dongle or a WiFi hotspot, it's a gem of a machine.

Simon · Jun 12, 2009, 11:20:07

Except, it creates havoc when designing new forum themes.

Rik · Jun 12, 2009, 11:21:39

Or checks to ensure they work.