NOTE: This is not a review of Zoner Photo Studio. Rather, it is an account of how I came to give it a try and why you should consider it as well.
You probably haven't heard of Zoner Photo Studio (ZPS) but you really ought to check it out. I do a lot of photo management and editing but have struggled with products that excel in certain areas and are lacking in others. I've tried many products and kept coming back to:
- Adobe Lightroom - For management, RAW processing, and minor editing.
- Adobe Photoshop Elements - For scanning and editing.
- Faststone - For quick resizing, batch processing, and annotations (excellent for work related needs)
- ON1 Photo - For more involved editing, resizing, and special effects.
They are all great products but you'd need a flowchart to know when you should use which one. Over the years, then, I've searched for something that would handle the majority if not all my needs - and especially those of others. I was rarely able to recommend just one product! Most often I would suggest Adobe Photoshop Elements but I'd have to add that while it can do many things it has really been dumbed down and is actually harder to use than in years past as you have to dig under the surface for the proper tools.
I've known of ZPS for a couple years now and, while I liked it initially, I was rather dismayed at its inability to handle layers and felt some concern over the lack of knowledge about the product in the US.
Some would say that ZPS is primarily a media management tool yet its editing capabilities were extensive. I looked at how I use layers and found that ZPS could yield the same output without layers. I backed off of my insistence and took another look at its capabilities. To my surprise, ZPS in its current form has all of the features that I use all of the other products for - and then some.
Here are just a few of the reasons why I now recommend ZPS:
I've known of ZPS for a couple years now and, while I liked it initially, I was rather dismayed at its inability to handle layers and felt some concern over the lack of knowledge about the product in the US.
Some would say that ZPS is primarily a media management tool yet its editing capabilities were extensive. I looked at how I use layers and found that ZPS could yield the same output without layers. I backed off of my insistence and took another look at its capabilities. To my surprise, ZPS in its current form has all of the features that I use all of the other products for - and then some.
Here are just a few of the reasons why I now recommend ZPS:
- The Manager module has the power of Lightroom but is easier to navigate.
- Keywords are written into the JPG files as they are assigned (it is not an extra step like it is in Photoshop Elements).
- Performs batch processing of keywords, effects, name changes, time changes, etc.
- Edits are non-destructive so you can always revert back to the original.
- RAW processing with default settings that provide an excellent starting point.
- Has lens profiles that can correct idiosyncrasies with manual overrides.
- You can quickly make video slide shows of your photos with transitions, background music (you can match the length of the slideshow to the music), and even automated panning & zooming.
- Supports GPS, panoramas, HDR, tiltshift, and much more.
- Zonerama - A free location where you can upload an unlimited amount of full resolution photos (this is a big deal!).
- Can run on low powered machines yet take advantage of more powerful systems with high-end GPU's.
- You can import directly from a scanner.
- You can add audio notes to your images.
- Find duplicates.
- Synchronize folders.
- They offer several video tutorials.
- Online magazine/blog with lots of great advice and inspiration.
- Free technical support.
- They offer a very capable free version.
- They offer a free, 30 day trial of the pro version.
Here are some helpful links:
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