Opinion sought on software for use w/Canon DSLR

I've been using iPhoto for my point and shoots, and I really love it. Fast, light-weight, easy.

I've got my first DSLR, and I'm thinking I might want to learn a new program to make the post of my shots. Maybe do RAW, save as Tiff. I still wouldn't mind organizing in iPhoto, plus then my wife has access to the photos, but I'm trying to decide what software to produce the pics in.

I've had PSE6, and while I can do some basic things with it, I haven't sat down to really learn it. Canon's DPP, frankly, seems really nice and light and quick. I haven't used it much yet, but I like how quick it works. Then there's Ap/LR. I have a chance to purchase LR on the cheap, and like the localized brushing feature.

But, I really only have time to learn one new program. If I shoot jpgs, should I just stay in iPhoto, and not bother with the rest? Or is there a benefit to working in one of these other programs?

If I shoot in RAW, I'm assuming iPhoto will be pretty limited, in which case what's the program I should focus on instead -- PSE6, DPP, or Ap/LR? Can I get away with just DPP and iPhoto? If I went to LR, would I even need PSE6 anymore?

Any thoughts from folks who use these tools would be greatly appreciated.

ChrisA said:

Why is iPhoto "retty limited"? Is there something you need to do that it can't do? What is it? Until you can name something specific I'd stick with it. Yes you can move to Aperture but unless it has something in it you would actually need and use all Aperture will do is make things more complex.

PSE6 is a different beast and has a different purpose then Aperture/iPhoto/LR PSE is for making somewhat extensive changes to the photos. Thinks like removing a utility pole or wire, or adding a person to a group shot. iPhoto/Aperture is for managing a large library and making minor adjustments and crops. The two work well together.

I would suggest sticking with iPhoto for now and learning PSE. Later when you can justify it maybe replace iPhoto with Aperture. One of the things I liked about Aperture is that it is a very fast workflow. I move the images from the camera to Aperture and I can begin editing in aperture as soon as the first image is there while the download is in-progress.

With the new camera, shoot in jpg or raw as the subject requires

Click to expand...

I love iPhoto, but it doesn't do spot corrections well. I've been learning layers in PSE6, but they are cumbersome. LR brush works much better. In working w/RAW, there are more parameters for corrections in DPP than in iPhoto -- for instance, lens aberrations. And the levels adjustments are more sophisticated. A number of folks have also commented in other forums/threads that colors and output in DPP seems richer than other packages.

When I was using point and shoots (and I tried RAW on my G9), I decided that the limitations of the sensor put a pretty hard ceiling on what you could do with the file. With RAW on my DSLR, I want to explore how high that ceiling can go.

Also, with LR/Ap I can get NN as a plug-in. I tried NN as a stand-alone ap on my jpgs -- it was too cumbersome and working only on jpgs, it had it's limits. I'd like to try RAW to TIFF, and then work in NN, see how it goes.

I'm looking to take my PP up another level, and am asking for recommendations on a good set of tools, because I'd like to avoid going from one to another. Frankly (at the risk of starting Ap/LR flame-wars) I am leaning towards LR because of the local brush application capabilities. If I go w/LR, though, does that make DPP and PSE6 redundant for picture developing (cont, sat, noise, levels, color, red-eye, spot correction, blur, etc.). I realize PSE6 is great for merging photos or removing a telephone pole, etc. so I'm not ditching it, but I THINK learning LR would be a better use of my time then continuing to drill into PSE6.

If I go w/DPP to develop, then I'd go RAW-TIFF then into iPhoto. NN would have to be stand alone if I wanted to use it, and PSE6 would be the "external editor"

If I go w/LR then I'd develop in LR and have NN as a plug-in. Again, PSE6 would be there for occasional use. But, I'd have to think about where I want to store images. Other family members access iPhoto, so I'd either need to plan on storage there (export jpgs from LR into iPhoto) or store them in folders, for both tools to access, but I'm not sure I'm crazy about that either.

So, I see some strong benefits w/LR, but I think it makes it redundant/cumbersome to work w/iPhoto.

Any rate -- enough rambling. Still would like to hear others' input.