PhotoShop - Cost?

 If you just want basic functions, go for Photoshop Elements.  The version I have of Photoshop, is part of the CS3 Design bundle which currently retails for $1700 US (UK costs a little more) and I have probably spent half that again on additional plugins for it.  Elements currently retails for $100 US.  Photoshop CS3 alone (not part of a bundle) retails at $649.

If you know a teacher (or a student), this would be a good place to order from. Whoever orders must fax them a copy of a teacher (or student) ID or a letter stating that the person is indeed a student or a teacher (letterhead paper signed by someone in position of authority) if I remember well.

http://www.academicsuperstore.com/quick_search.html?qks=1&qk_srch=Photoshop&x=14&y=7

They have Photshop 5.0 for $ 64.95 and tons of other stuff. I ordered a couple of times from them, they are reliable.

Thanks!

I had NO IDEA it was so expensive! $1700 for software?  I'm outta the loop! Everyone seems to have it. Are they spending $500 for this stuff? I can't believe it! 

Well to be fair, the Design bundle isn't just Photoshop...it's a whole bunch of things all packaged together and most of which I use on a regular to semi regular basis.  Photoshop I use every day, others a little less often but they are there when I need them.

I think my bank manager cried when I bought it, though...LOL.
 

I am runing arcsoft, but, I can't explain to the IRS spending that much money, basically our business doesn't need it.....

Carla, I have Photoshop Elements, and I don't remember what I paid for it, but it wasn't that much, probably around $100, maybe less. I upgraded from a really old version when I bought my new OS X Mac. I don't know how to use most of the features, but it's great for cropping and resizing, and correcting color and exposure. Well worth the $.

What all do you need to do with it?  I use PhotoShop (got it free), FireWorks (also got it free) and Picasa (freeware).  Of those three, I use Picasa on a daily basis.  The only time I use PS or FW is when I have to do a lot of manipulation of the photo like adding and removing things.  For cropping, hue/saturation/brightness, glow, sharpen, shadow, correcting colors, contrast, darkening/lightening, red eye, etc I use Picasa. No need to pay, Picasa is always free. The expensive programs I use for graphic design stuff and web design.  Rarely am I correcting or editing photos in those programs.  My boss has been a photographer for 35 years and also switched to Picasa.

 i bought my mac used and it was installed when i got it. it is photoshop 7, but is plenty sufficient for what i use it for (not much).

for just dinking around with, i recommend checking out the gimp. it is similar to photoshop, but it is freeware. there is even a hack of it that mimics photoshop's layout.

http://www.gimp.org/ 

http://gimpshopdotnet.blogspot.com/ 

my sig was made with the gimp. 

Liesje, I use Irfanview for those functions. I wanted something to make signatures and stuff like that with. I made my siggy with Paint! LOL

Bradley, that's exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for! Free! LOL Thanks!  

Edit: (oh, sorry, I meant Bradley, the Great!)  

FourIsCompany

Thanks!

I had NO IDEA it was so expensive! $1700 for software?  I'm outta the loop! Everyone seems to have it. Are they spending $500 for this stuff? I can't believe it! 

Carla, get connected with a University and get the "Educational Version".  So much cheaper and I really don't know the difference between the commercial vs education version.  I got the creative suite for $400.  Anyway, here is a site with the price listing.  For this particular store, you have be connected with UIC.

http://www.microstation.uic.edu/software.htm

I will be honest and say I didn't read all of this thread so it may have already been mentioned or irrelevant, but there is a program you can download for free called Gimp that is very similiar to photoshop, or so my brother tells me.  I have it and play with it from time to time but have never actually used photoshop.  It might be worth looking into though.

I just downloaded the GIMP and will look into it tomorrow! Thanks everyone!  

For me, this is the best option. In matters related to web design, Photoshop is always very helpful.