@SFLinNYC wrote:
I have been trying out Studio since the initial announcement. I am a longtime Topaz user and have licensed the full set of plug-ins. Overall, I like the general feel and usability of Studio, with its inherently intuitive interface. Unfortunately, it is not a full-fledged photo editor and this makes it of limited utility. Not only isn't it a substitute for Adobe Photoshop, but it isn't even a decent substitute for Lightroom or Aperture. It doesn't appear that there is even a way to expand functionality through the use of third party plug-ins, although community-based workflows are supported. The on-line help facility is pathetic, lacking even the most basic ability to go beyond summarizing that which is already obvious.
Here is a brief list of capabilities that are lacking from Studio that are basic essentials of photo editing:
- The ability to correct for distorted perspective (why isn't this in lens correction?)
- The ability to make local corrections without applying a mask (many Topaz plug-ins can do this)
- Content-aware editing (such as the ability to remove people or fill in image gaps)
- The ability to add textual annotation.
- The ability to apply lens corrections to any format other than the original RAW image
These are pretty basic functions that I use in nearly every photo editing session. Without these functions, I am forced to use another photo editor such as Photoshop. But then, what's the point in having another freestanding photo editor? It's a lot easier to make all my corrections within Photoshop than to interrupt my workflow to use Studio. Topaz plug-ins may not be perfect, but at least they're fully integrated with Photoshop and any other editor that uses plug-ins. Until Studio addresses these shortcomings, it's a non-starter of a program. The ONLY thing going for it is that the basic functionality is free.
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