Is Aftershot needed if you have Paintshop Pro Ultimate X7

[drmuttillo]

I am new to Paintshop Pro and I just started shooting in RAW. I see that Paintshop Pro X7 Ultimate can handle RAW files, so is there actually any need for a program like Aftershot 2. As I have Nikon Equipment and their new RAW file Handling program NX-D.

[dsigman]

I am new to Paintshop Pro and I just started shooting in RAW. I see that Paintshop Pro X7 Ultimate can handle RAW files, so is there actually any need for a program like Aftershot 2. As I have Nikon Equipment and their new RAW file Handling program NX-D.

You don't need ASP2 but the RAW converter that comes with PSP X7 is very limited. I don't know how much functionality you get with Nikon's RAW converter but it probably does less than ASP or other RAW converters such as Adobe Lightroom. The nice thing about good RAW converters is that you can do most of your processing in them. You can then go back to the RAW file to reverse edits and do new edits.

[MikeFromMesa]

I am new to Paintshop Pro and I just started shooting in RAW. I see that Paintshop Pro X7 Ultimate can handle RAW files, so is there actually any need for a program like Aftershot 2. As I have Nikon Equipment and their new RAW file Handling program NX-D.

You don't need ASP2 but the RAW converter that comes with PSP X7 is very limited. I don't know how much functionality you get with Nikon's RAW converter but it probably does less than ASP or other RAW converters such as Adobe Lightroom. The nice thing about good RAW converters is that you can do most of your processing in them. You can then go back to the RAW file to reverse edits and do new edits.

I agree that the raw converter in X7 is very limited. It would be nice if Corel offered hooks for a 3rd party to offer a replacement for Corel's raw converter in the manner that Adobe Photoshop offers hooks to allow 3rd party ACR replacement. I don't expect it to happen, but it would be nice.

I would comment that ASP and X7 are two completely different types of tools. While I don't use ASP I do my main work I do use a workflow tool like ASP (CaptureOne) and turn to X7 only to do special processing involving layers, masks, Perfectly Clear and such. The OP may find that using the ASP/X7 combination in a similar way would be a useful workflow for him or her. While ASP offers masking it is nothing compared to the functionality in X7.

[MarkZ]

I've been using ASP since its introduction and like it very much for the raw editing and cataloging options it provides. ASP is not essential with PSPX7 but I feel the quality of converted images from it are better than what PSPX7 does.

[brucet]

I used ASP until IMHO Corel dropped the ball.
My suggestion is to use the free Nikon NX-D until you think you need something better.
I now use NX-D all the time and find it does an excellent job. It also has the advantage of reading the in camera settings.

regards

[GlenBarrington]

Actually, I use ACDSee Pro 7 for my raw conversions, which I think is one of the best raw converters available and miles ahead of Aftershot Pro in numerous ways. However, I did some experimenting with PSP X6's Corel Raw Lab late last year and I came to the conclusion that it isn't that bad, actually it's pretty decent. Its biggest problem is that it does things in a non standard way, and people get confused by that.

Is it so good that you should give up what you already know and are comfortable with? Not really, but I do think that it is good enough that if you already own PSP X6 or X7 (or are thinking of buying it) and want to experiment with raw in an inexpensive manner, It will allow you to do that and STILL turn out some pretty decent work.

I wrote about this back in April on my findings.

http://glenbarrington.blogspot.com/2014 ... s-why.html