Confronto tra software per l'elaborazione di immagini 
all know and you know that Adobe Photoshop is the most comprehensive software in the field of ' image processing, but you also know that it is very expensive (CS5 version costs € 1,018.80), and surely also have at least heard of Gimp, which is a similar but free software. But a free software like Gimp can effectively replace an expensive software like Photoshop? Are there any low budget software that allow you to get professional results?
Bisognerebbe testarli uno ad uno... beh io l'ho fatto! Prendendo come riferimento Photoshop CS2, ho testato le stesse funzioni su Gimp 2 e PhotoPlus X2, software low budget scelto da me (costo: £59.99, ora in offerta a £39.99 e cioè € 48.06). Ed ecco il mio resoconto:
In breve:
PhotoPlus offre tutti gli strumenti base presenti in Photoshop e permette di raggiungere risultati molto simili se non uguali a quelli ottenibili con Photoshop; certo PhotoPlus manca degli strumenti più sofisticati di Photoshop e le opzioni offerte sono talvolta semplificate, ma mi pare il minimo, vista la differenza di prezzo, e considerato che permette comunque di achieve the same results in most cases.
Gimp offers a feature that is very comfortable and the possibility of transforming the selection with the handles, but lacks crucial features as layer effects (useful for creating buttons) and levels of regulation, and useful as shape layers, sets of levels, sections, and the animation, not to mention the color management, all functions that instead PhotoPlus offers. In
functions they have in common and PhotoPlus Gimp, Gimp offers better performance in the management of paragraphs (for example, allows it to be clinging to the center of the guides), and PhotoPlus provides better performance of strain and layer masks. Finally
PhotoPlus opens Always PSD file, which does not always Gimp.
more detail: Abstract: Many functions are similar in the three software but often have different names or in the options and differences in the profile. In the following photos
interfaces of software from Photoshop CS, Gimp 2 and PhotoPlus X2.
Workspace: interface very similar to Photoshop, PhotoPlus, a bit less for Gimp.
features in all three software:
- palette on the Tool Palette and contextual options;
- Regolarezione of view with the zoom tool;
- Brush Tool options and size, hardness and opacity;
Photo Fix: features in all three software:
- Rotate and crop the image ;
- Adjusting the curves using commands such as brightness and contrast levels, either automatically or manually;
- filters commonly used as a mask contrast.
In Gimp is missing some commands and tools such as color and replace sponge.
retouch: features in all three software:
- Strumenti di correzione sofisticati come il timbro e il pennello correttivo.
Altre funzioalità:
- Strumenti toppa e pennello correttivo al volo: presenti in PhotoPlus, assenti in Gimp;
- Pennello storia e possibilità di fare istantanee: assenti in PhotoPlus e Gimp, ma in alternativa si può duplicare i livello lavorato e salvare una copia del file.
Selezioni: Funzionalità presenti in tutti e tre i software:
- Selezionare, aggiungere o sottrarre alla selezione, deselezionare e invertire la selezione;
- Strumenti bacchetta magica, forme e lazo, con possibilità di vincolare le forme a un quadrato or a rectangle;
- Climbing the selected items;
Other funzioalità:
- Move the contents of a selection with the Move tool, copying it, to overlay one area to another: this in PhotoPlus, absent in Gimp ( necessarily have to create a new layer).
Levels: features in all three software:
- Layers palette, with the eye and lock icons to show / hide or lock / unlock all levels;
- copy a layer and place it in a file different for each level, and change opacity and blending;
- Merge layers to reduce the size of the image. Other
funzioalità:
- Layer Styles are very useful to apply to all elements of a level effects such as relief and / or shadow present in PhotoPlus, absent in Gimp (!).
masks and channels: features in all three software:
- Masks fast and save and recall a selection; PhotoPlus in the selections are not saved in the channels but the screen is fast enough to create and change at any time.
Other features:
- Extract command, just to easily isolate an object from the background: this in PhotoPlus, Gimp in no (no tool selects the first floor but works fine).
Corrections advanced: features in all three software:
- Lens Correction (for aberrations).
Other features:
- Open and edit files CameraRaw: PhotoPlus only allows you to open them, not Gimp.
- correction tools such as: adjustments lights / shadows, fix red eye, reduce noise, contrast migiore: PhotoPlus present but simplified; adjustments in Gimp lacks light and shade and reduce noise, but alternatively you can use the curves and the blur .
- prospective Filter: absent in Gimp and PhotoPlus;
- Create a presentation in Pdef: absent in Gimp and PhotoPlus, but this can be done easy to put up with an external application freeware called JPEGtoPDF.
Text: features in all three software:
- tool, but in Photoshop there is a lot more flexibility and power, the instrument section is the one that cries out in the other two Photoshop software, for example in PhotoPlus you can not adjust its size with the handles, but you have to go new line.
- Layer masks apply to the text.
Other features:
- ALTER (From the Edit menu - turn), to fit a flat to a curve, for example, a label on a bottle: in PhotoPlus, you can use the mesh warp tool in Gimp there are similar tools.
Vector drawing: features in all three software:
- Pen tool to create paths, and allow you to transform paths into selections and vice versa.
Other features:
- Create a path as a "track only" (not printed), traces with fill or shape layer: present in PhotoPlus, only as a path in Gimp.
- Add or subtract shapes, and even create shapes: present in PhotoPlus, absent in Gimp.
- Smart Object: absent in other software.
Advanced Techniques for levels: features in all three software:
- layer mask to clip a layer without actually damaging it;
- Create a layer mask from selection;
Other Features :
- Connect and disconnect the mask layer by layer: present in PhotoPlus, absent in Gimp (!)
- Clipping Mask, similar to the layer mask, but actually cuts the level: absent in PhotoPlus and Gimp, but it is not essential. Create
- una maschera da tracciato: assente in Gimp e PhotoPlus, ma non è fondamentale.
- Set di livelli e livelli di regolazione, che applicano una regolazione ai livelli sottostanti: presenti in PhotoPlus, assenti in Gimp.
- Opzioni di fusione (presenti negli stili di livello di Photoshop): mancano negli altri software.
- Comando fluidifica, per dare un aspetto liquefatto: in PhotoPlus si può usare warp.
Composizione avanzata: Funzionalità presenti in tutti e tre i software:
- Visualizzazione di guide e righelli ed effetto calamita;
- Cambiare tinta senza influire su luci e ombre desaturando, creando un nuovo livello con metodo colore e dipingendo con un pennello o una sfumatura idonei;
- Filtri per applicare effetti istantanei all'immagine come effetti di pittura o di movimento.
Altre funzionalità:
- Guide sensibili: assenti in Gimp e PhotoPlus, ma non è determinante.
- Registrare una serie di azioni e poi eseguirle automaticamente su uno o più files: presente in PhotoPlus, assente in Gimp;
- Comando corrispondenza colore, per armonizzare una composizione di immagini diverse: in PhotoPlus puoi usare lens filter, in Gimp non esiste uno strumento simile.
Progettazione web: Funzionalità:
- Generare la grafica complete the necessary html code by adding links to sections or image maps: present in PhotoPlus, more simplified, absent in Gimp, or you can cut out parts of the site using the guides and selections, copy and paste as new image.
- Generate complete rollover of the html code needed: none in the other two software.
- Create animations to be saved as animated gifs: present in PhotoPlus, absent in Gimp.
Color Management: Color Management for professional use for print: this in PhotoPlus albeit simplified, absent in Gimp.
