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I love digital photography. I also love when I capture one of those perfect pictures where the subject, composition, lighting, and color are just right. But let's face it, most of the time our photos need a little coaxing to get them to look like we want them. There is a proliferation of free image editing and photo correction tools floating around out there and trying to find just the right one can be a little daunting. After evaluating over 30+ programs, I narrowed it down to a handful. I broke these down into three sub-categories, basic, mid-level, and advanced.
The basic category is for those little gems that help you quickly and easily make small adjustments to the overall lighting, colors, and tones of your images without the clutter of a lot of advanced tool sets. These also offer such tools as cropping, sharpening, and red eye correction.
The mid-level category offers more advanced tools like layers, adding captions and shapes, the ability to select portions of the image and make adjustments to just those portions, etc. These will also offer filters for applying textures, artistic effects, edge enhancements, boarders and frames.
The advanced category will include tools that are comparable to professional programs like Photoshop, or Paint Shop Pro.
Discussion
Basic Editors
LightBox Image Editor is an excellent little utility that I fell in love with after just a couple of minutes of using it. It has an attractive user interface that is simple and straight forward, and offers intuitive slide-bar adjustments for your images. It also has split screen views to help you compare your images before and after the corrections have been made. It includes simple tools to correct red-eye, sharpen, crop, re-size, add borders, and print. I like LightBox so well I decided to upgrade to the Pro version which offers some very nice extras, but the free version is a gem that you will want to check out. This is my basic editor Top Pick!
Photo! Editor is a basic photo correction utility with a few professional quality tools. It has all of the basic enhancement tools to adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, and color cast, and some retouching or "make-up" tools that work similar to the coveted healing brush in Photoshop. Be sure to pay attention to the little down arrows next to the tool bar icons. Those will help you access the more powerful manual options.
Mid-Level Editors
PhotoFiltre is a nice basic to mid-level editor with a good feature set. Simple adjustments can be made fairly quickly using the tool bar buttons, or you can make more advanced adjustments by delving deeper into the menus. There is a nice set of tools for selecting parts of images, doing simple painting, and smudging, drawing basic shapes, and adding text. PhotoFiltre also has a good selection of filters to add effects to your images, and can do batch processing of images.
Paint.Net makes a very good mid-level photo retouching choice. It has a nice set of photo correction tools including curves, and levels. It has a very nice implementation of layers complete with blending modes, and adjustable opacity/transparency levels. It has a fairly full pallet of selection, painting, and shape drawing tools. It is completed with a selection of filters for adding special effects to your images. All in all, it offers a lot for a free image retouching software. Be aware it requires Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 or newer to be installed.
Artweaver - If you don't want the .NET Framework, or simply would like another option other than Paint.Net you should have a look at this. Although it is more focused on being a painting program, it has a very good array of image adjustment tools. Artweaver also has a curves and levels tool that works a little better than Paint.Net, in my opinion. Other than that they are similar programs, with comparable functionality.
Advanced Editors
GIMP is currently the only freeware package I am aware of that can be called an advanced image editor. It has a steeper learning curve than the previously reviewed editors, but it is feature rich. It's multi-windowed interface makes it a little unusual for a windows program. If you are inexperienced at using image editing programs GIMP will likely be too overwhelming to start learning on, so I would suggest beginning with one of the basic, or mid-level editors above.
In A Class By Itself
Photoscape -This is really a different class product than the editors above in that it does things that are beyond the focus of the average editor, and is more of an image suite. I have had a number of users request that this product be included and have finally decided to oblige. Once you get used to its unusual interface you will find it is much more than a photo editor. It includes a batch function utility, a couple of collage creation tools, a gif animator, a batch renaming utility, a raw image converter, a screen capture utility, an image splitter, a photo layout and printing utility, and several other tools. The editor itself is quite robust. While it lacks many of the usual region selection, brush, and cloning style tools, it has a nice selection of manual and auto color correction tools. It also has the ability to run filters and add frames, add text, shapes, call-out boxes, and other objects that work similar to vector objects until jointed with the image or the image is saved. It also includes about 500 clip-art images that can be placed on your photos. While I would still prefer one of the other image editors above for my usual correction and retouching work, many users will probably find its tools are more than adequate and will have fun using its extended features. I think most will find it a worthy companion to their other image tools.
Other Free Digital Image Editors
Some of the other Free Digital Image Editors I reviewed are as follows. Some are not too bad others are worthless. You will just have to visit the websites if you what to know more. It is advised to run a virus scan on these if you download them.
A portable version of this product is available but not from the developer.
Windows XP SP2 or later, Linux, OSX
Quick Selection Guide - In A Class By Itself
Photoscape
9
Runs as a stand-alone program on a user's computer
Very robust suite type program that can be fun to use. Includes everything from enhancing your photos and adding shapes and clip-art, to creating collages and printing.
Lacks a few of the usual retouching tools, and has a slightly unusual menu system and user interface.
There is no portable version of this product available.
All Win
Editor
This software category is maintained by volunteer editor Ritho. Registered members can contact the editor with any comments or questions they might have by clicking here.
Tags
edit digital image, edit digital photo, edit computer image, computer photo, best free image editor, top free image editor, computer image editor, best free photo editor, top free photo editor.
I need a tool to crop photos and make the file size smaller. Every image processing program I have tried increases the file size, I assume because they keep "undo" information.
I think someone who knows how to create software could easily make a cropping tool that does not keep "undo" information. Perhaps it could convert a JPG to a Bitmap then convert only the current image data remaining after the crop back to a JPG.
If anybody knows of the existence of a true filesize-reducing image cropper please let me know.
"... Pholor Express is a free image editing software that is easy to operate. It could crop, rotate, resize, sharp, and adjust tone handily, help to get your photos ready quickly for Blog, Facebook and Twitter ..." (1/46 on Virus Total - possible false positive?) http://pholor.com/enu/express.html
Features:
- Compact User Interface
- Real time results
- Fast Operation
- Dehaze
"... PhotoSun 14 gives you everything you need to fix your photos. Remove red-eye with a click. Adjust exposure, brightness, and contrast. Crop to frame your subject. If you don’t know where to begin, click the Enhance tool and watch PhotoSun 14 automatically fix underexposed or dull photos. From there, you can try a few more tricks ...": http://micranes.weebly.com/index.html
I have tried them ALL, and they are ALL TERRIBLE.
Time consuming, non-intuitive, steep learning curve, non functional or only partially functional. I have not found one that could do HALF of what I want to do with it.
Each has SOME functions that work, and each has many functions that do not. NONE of them will do it all.
I've tried LightBox and Photo! Editor. The first is OK but doesn't have the tools I need enabled in the free version. The second didn't work at all and it seems it's not developed or supported anymore.
Recently I tried PhotoFiltre and I was surprised at what I was able to do with it. I haven't tried all the functions, but all I used worked so far. I guess it depends on what functions you are looking for. The only drawback with PhotoFiltre that I've found is that there isn't much in the help files, and what there is on the internet or their forum is in French which I don't speak. I agree the learning curve could be a bit steep (especially for noobs like me), and it takes a lot of time experimenting and learning, but I think it's worth a try.
A few weeks ago, one of the tech websites that I usually visit recommended "Chasys Draw IES" as the best free image editor for windows. I would want to know if the editor can review this program.
I am in need of a image editing program where I can remove someone from a picture and maybe place someone else there but for sure remove someone. Is there one out there that can do this.
I downloaded Lightbox thanks to the review and I must say I love it, i'm not techie but we all have them photos in our photo collections that we love but are maybe a touch too dark and need lightening up or a family pic that is great but if it wasn't for the fact you all have red eyes . Light box is great and simple to use , so once again thank-you gizmos reviewer.
by provost (not verified) on 31. July 2012 - 20:59(96968)
I am looking for a collage maker. There are supposed to be collage makers that can take a folder of pictures and make the collage look like a design. The design I am looking for is an image of one of the pictures in the folder. Shape Collage has a free version that claims to be able to do this, but it leaves a watermark and the design does not end up looking like the wanted image at all. Is there such a collage maker available for download that can create the design I am seeking?
thanks
Shape Collage was originally freeware, but it seems that has changed since the last time I looked at it. Anyway it just attempts to fill an outline with your pictures. It almost sounds like you are wanting to create a photo mosaic. Which is an image made up of a lot of other little images.
Any way which ever way you are wanting to do it, mosaic or shaped collage look here. http://www.mosaizer.com/index.htm Their mosaic software is one of the best I've ever found, and their collage software is supposed to be able to form the pics into shapes as well.
by provost (not verified) on 6. August 2012 - 6:47(97271)
I tried Mozaizer next to Foto-Mosaik-Edda with same background image and picture folder. Mozaizer produced a smoother mosaic although more grey scale in color. Foto-Mosaik-Edda was more color rich and showed the individual pictures of the mosaic more clearly...and also seemed to produce a more mosaic looking photo. Both results are nice and I guess it would just be the end user's taste to decide which has the better produced mosaic. They both are free so it maybe better to just have both installed, produce a mosaic with each using the same background photo and picture folder and see which is preferred. They probably both put out good mosaics for each project.
by provost (not verified) on 1. August 2012 - 6:53(96996)
Just tried out mosaizer. Man what a wonderful piece of software! I hope the product is listed and reviewed on this site sometime. I downloaded it, installed, worked like a charm and I'm nothing but a beginner. The mosaics turned out very nice and the program was easy to use. Thanks again for the info about this great software.
by BillB (not verified) on 25. July 2012 - 20:32(96658)
Downloaded LightBox. Another unintuitive program. All I want to do is use the zoom function and SAVE it. The zoom was easy, but I can not figure out how to SAVE it (to My Pictures)?
Every time I try, it automatically reverts to the original image!!!
Do I even need LightBox to zoom in on pics in My Pictures (XP)?
I am sorry you are experiencing frustration, but the problem is you don't understand the way image editors work, nor the long history of image editing terminology that far predates the invention of software or the personal computer for that matter.
In photography when an individual wanted to increase the size of an entire picture, it was called "enlarging." If an individual wanted to retain just part of a picture, elimitating the rest, it was called "cropping." As far as I know 100% of all software image editors that have ever been created use the term crop for "zooming in on and saving" only part of a picture.
I can understand your confusion, since if you zoom a camera in on an object and take a picture you get your desired result. However, even then in usual practice, that is called "zooming and cropping" an image.
by BillB (not verified) on 26. July 2012 - 4:24(96664)
Ya' I first came across the 'crop' feature. VERY difficult to use....I couldn't figure out how to use it effectively.
Yet the zoom works wonderfully....other than you can't do anything with it!
So maybe you can tell me what the zoom function is for, if not zooming in on a part of the picture you want to SAVE that way?
In most image editors or viewers, "Zooming" is for viewing purpose. You can zoom in or out to view an image larger or smaller and edit it, but it won't affect the dimensions of the image file you saved.
To save an image file in bigger or smaller dimensions (width and height), try to use "Resize" instead.
by lmail (not verified) on 26. July 2012 - 7:57(96673)
To zoom in of course, without changing the photo.
You might want to do this to take a closer look at something in the photo. Also you may find it easier using some of the other tools if you zoom in on the area your are working on. When you save the changes you will not have inadvertently cropped the photo.
by Joe A.TT (not verified) on 29. June 2012 - 2:16(95494)
I have tried LightBox and although it is very nice here are some of the cons for me:
- Even when I launch it from my limited user account I still have to navigate away from my Admin account if I have to work on photos in my user account :(
- The free version doesn't have clone and undo brushes which I think would be useful for what I want to do.
With the above in mind, I downloaded Photo! Editor. When I launched it, I was able to open a photo file but none of the editing functions worked. I'm using Win 7 Home Edition x64 so I don't know if that's the problem.
Another thing is when I go to the forum, most of the posts are dated 2009 or before - nothing after! The only exception is the forum section for reporting bugs, but all the recent post had nothing to do with Photo Editor! It seems like the forum is a ghost town except for the one part that's taken over by who knows...
I just wanted others here to know what I've found.
Thanks. Picasa falls under the category of a Photo Manager, so we review it there. It is as simple as that. I have nothing against it, and have used it myself.
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Comments
I need a tool to crop photos and make the file size smaller. Every image processing program I have tried increases the file size, I assume because they keep "undo" information.
I think someone who knows how to create software could easily make a cropping tool that does not keep "undo" information. Perhaps it could convert a JPG to a Bitmap then convert only the current image data remaining after the crop back to a JPG.
If anybody knows of the existence of a true filesize-reducing image cropper please let me know.
"... Pholor Express is a free image editing software that is easy to operate. It could crop, rotate, resize, sharp, and adjust tone handily, help to get your photos ready quickly for Blog, Facebook and Twitter ..." (1/46 on Virus Total - possible false positive?)
http://pholor.com/enu/express.html
Features:
- Compact User Interface
- Real time results
- Fast Operation
- Dehaze
"... PhotoSun 14 gives you everything you need to fix your photos. Remove red-eye with a click. Adjust exposure, brightness, and contrast. Crop to frame your subject. If you don’t know where to begin, click the Enhance tool and watch PhotoSun 14 automatically fix underexposed or dull photos. From there, you can try a few more tricks ...":
http://micranes.weebly.com/index.html
LazPaint - Image editor, like PaintBrush or Paint.Net, written in Lazarus (Free Pascal). Includes BGRABitmap, a set of drawing routines:
Features:
* antialiasing
* multiple undo
* alpha blending
* BGRABitmap
* selection of any shape
* rotation
* filters
* update checker
http://sourceforge.net/projects/lazpaint/
I have tried them ALL, and they are ALL TERRIBLE.
Time consuming, non-intuitive, steep learning curve, non functional or only partially functional. I have not found one that could do HALF of what I want to do with it.
Each has SOME functions that work, and each has many functions that do not. NONE of them will do it all.
I've tried LightBox and Photo! Editor. The first is OK but doesn't have the tools I need enabled in the free version. The second didn't work at all and it seems it's not developed or supported anymore.
Recently I tried PhotoFiltre and I was surprised at what I was able to do with it. I haven't tried all the functions, but all I used worked so far. I guess it depends on what functions you are looking for. The only drawback with PhotoFiltre that I've found is that there isn't much in the help files, and what there is on the internet or their forum is in French which I don't speak. I agree the learning curve could be a bit steep (especially for noobs like me), and it takes a lot of time experimenting and learning, but I think it's worth a try.
A few weeks ago, one of the tech websites that I usually visit recommended "Chasys Draw IES" as the best free image editor for windows. I would want to know if the editor can review this program.
You may want to read this article by rob.schifreen: http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/painting-app-also-lets-you-creat...
Although not a full review, you may feel a bit comforted that rob has checked it with Virus Total and Avast!
I am in need of a image editing program where I can remove someone from a picture and maybe place someone else there but for sure remove someone. Is there one out there that can do this.
Thanks in advance
Photofiltre is free for a private or educational use, not unrestricted freeware.
Thanks DaMan it's now updated in the database.
Lightbox sometimes crashes.
Why does Lightbox ask for administrative rights to run? Isn't that suspicious?
Thank you very much!
I got interested in LightBox and PhotoScape. Just installed them.
Cheers!! =)
I downloaded Lightbox thanks to the review and I must say I love it, i'm not techie but we all have them photos in our photo collections that we love but are maybe a touch too dark and need lightening up or a family pic that is great but if it wasn't for the fact you all have red eyes . Light box is great and simple to use , so once again thank-you gizmos reviewer.
I am looking for a collage maker. There are supposed to be collage makers that can take a folder of pictures and make the collage look like a design. The design I am looking for is an image of one of the pictures in the folder. Shape Collage has a free version that claims to be able to do this, but it leaves a watermark and the design does not end up looking like the wanted image at all. Is there such a collage maker available for download that can create the design I am seeking?
thanks
Shape Collage was originally freeware, but it seems that has changed since the last time I looked at it. Anyway it just attempts to fill an outline with your pictures. It almost sounds like you are wanting to create a photo mosaic. Which is an image made up of a lot of other little images.
Any way which ever way you are wanting to do it, mosaic or shaped collage look here. http://www.mosaizer.com/index.htm Their mosaic software is one of the best I've ever found, and their collage software is supposed to be able to form the pics into shapes as well.
I tried Mozaizer next to Foto-Mosaik-Edda with same background image and picture folder. Mozaizer produced a smoother mosaic although more grey scale in color. Foto-Mosaik-Edda was more color rich and showed the individual pictures of the mosaic more clearly...and also seemed to produce a more mosaic looking photo. Both results are nice and I guess it would just be the end user's taste to decide which has the better produced mosaic. They both are free so it maybe better to just have both installed, produce a mosaic with each using the same background photo and picture folder and see which is preferred. They probably both put out good mosaics for each project.
will give this a try...thanks very much for the info
Just tried out mosaizer. Man what a wonderful piece of software! I hope the product is listed and reviewed on this site sometime. I downloaded it, installed, worked like a charm and I'm nothing but a beginner. The mosaics turned out very nice and the program was easy to use. Thanks again for the info about this great software.
Downloaded LightBox. Another unintuitive program. All I want to do is use the zoom function and SAVE it. The zoom was easy, but I can not figure out how to SAVE it (to My Pictures)?
Every time I try, it automatically reverts to the original image!!!
Do I even need LightBox to zoom in on pics in My Pictures (XP)?
I am sorry you are experiencing frustration, but the problem is you don't understand the way image editors work, nor the long history of image editing terminology that far predates the invention of software or the personal computer for that matter.
In photography when an individual wanted to increase the size of an entire picture, it was called "enlarging." If an individual wanted to retain just part of a picture, elimitating the rest, it was called "cropping." As far as I know 100% of all software image editors that have ever been created use the term crop for "zooming in on and saving" only part of a picture.
I can understand your confusion, since if you zoom a camera in on an object and take a picture you get your desired result. However, even then in usual practice, that is called "zooming and cropping" an image.
Anyway if all you want to do is "crop images" or other simple edits on windows xp you might want to consider using an image viewer instead. http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-digital-image-viewer.htm
Ya' I first came across the 'crop' feature. VERY difficult to use....I couldn't figure out how to use it effectively.
Yet the zoom works wonderfully....other than you can't do anything with it!
So maybe you can tell me what the zoom function is for, if not zooming in on a part of the picture you want to SAVE that way?
OK, I figured out how to use the crop. Thanks for your help.
I would still like to know what the zoom is for?
@BillB
In most image editors or viewers, "Zooming" is for viewing purpose. You can zoom in or out to view an image larger or smaller and edit it, but it won't affect the dimensions of the image file you saved.
To save an image file in bigger or smaller dimensions (width and height), try to use "Resize" instead.
To zoom in of course, without changing the photo.
You might want to do this to take a closer look at something in the photo. Also you may find it easier using some of the other tools if you zoom in on the area your are working on. When you save the changes you will not have inadvertently cropped the photo.
I have tried LightBox and although it is very nice here are some of the cons for me:
- Even when I launch it from my limited user account I still have to navigate away from my Admin account if I have to work on photos in my user account :(
- The free version doesn't have clone and undo brushes which I think would be useful for what I want to do.
With the above in mind, I downloaded Photo! Editor. When I launched it, I was able to open a photo file but none of the editing functions worked. I'm using Win 7 Home Edition x64 so I don't know if that's the problem.
Another thing is when I go to the forum, most of the posts are dated 2009 or before - nothing after! The only exception is the forum section for reporting bugs, but all the recent post had nothing to do with Photo Editor! It seems like the forum is a ghost town except for the one part that's taken over by who knows...
I just wanted others here to know what I've found.
Cheers,
Joe
I was surprized that I didn't find Picasa on your list of programs reviewed. I use it on my pc all the time for basic editing.
Thanks. Picasa falls under the category of a Photo Manager, so we review it there. It is as simple as that. I have nothing against it, and have used it myself.
It's briefly mentioned in the "Related Products and Links" section.
I was expecting it to fall into the same category as Photoscape.