Norbert,
Very true that photoshop can do all express digital can do and then some. We make our templates in PS 6 and import them into ED. Each template is customized for that event. (ie tournament name etc.)
The real timesaver is the workflow. Keep in mind that ED only works with a low res version of image until it comes time to print so all onsrceen changes are done in virtualreal time. Finding a file is a breeze, rather than scrolling through folders you key in the camera file # and image pops into template automatically, ready for scaling or moving in template. I agree that the capabilities of color controls are nowhere near PS but the click balance and camera profiles work surprisingly well.
I am not saying it can do more than PS, but in conjunction with it the event possibilities are tremendous.
Works wonderfully with camera tethered or at a roaming event (as software calls it). No computer crashes or gliches have been found by my trusty assistant yet. She loves it.
When a client orders a photo she has pic printed (complete with file # and copyright info on photo) before their interact or visa, mastercard is processed.
You dont need a ps master to print for you.
Take Carewww.fxphoto.com
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
When I was looking at ED last year I was told on this forum that it had 3 major advantages over PS - speed, speed, & speed. Having used it for 4 months, I agree. It is really user friendly, not just for the operator but for the client too. They see exactly what they are going to get.
The other big benefit we have found is that a lot of customers recognise PS in use, and know what it can do. So we kept getting asked to 'just do this or that, I have/know PS and know how easy it is'. They want a dog's lead or a bit of background removed, while they wait, but do not expect to pay extra for something so 'easy'. With ED we have not had that problem. The very easy and fast cropping options can often minimise the 'problem', and that is usually enough. Our customers really like it, and with commission jobs, eg livestock for a farmer, I can show them how to use it in a couple of minutes, and they can sort through a 100+ images themselves. I have found this leads to more sales, not less, as they do not feel under any pressure, and ED is fun to use.
Peter.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
We have done many small events using PS and it works fairly well. We recently did a much larger event and used Express Digital Sports and Events. While there were many advantages to using the software, we ran into problems using our D1x tethered. The software and the camera would periodically stop talking to one another and images would be lost. It also crashed 2 or 3 times on us causing use to have to reboot our system. Aside from these problems (which for us were pretty major issues), the software was fast and definitely made some tasks easier than in PS.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
Nancy,
I found that when I was tethered to the computer I had to make sure my D30 was set to not go to its sleep mode or software would ask if I wanted to shut it down and then had a problem detecting it from the sleep mode. We changed that setting and it worked wonderfully. I am not sure if that contributed to your troubles or not.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
I won't deny that any of the programs you have mentioned will do the job very well.
The other aspect of ED that is quick is in package printing. Unless I missed something in PS, which is quite possible, there is no easy, and fast, way to do this. Now, if you aren't doing packages, then it doesn't matter at all.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
Bill, do not use the Package printer in PS. Make your own canvas with Alpha channels the size you want and the same or other pictures into these channels. You will get exact sizes
regardless of the aspect ratio of your original.
You can not do this in those programs.
No I do not sell Packages I prefer to sell different backgrounds with the same or other pictures.
Norbert
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
Linear Mode
