Adobe Photoshop Elements 2

In terms of colour correction, the focus is on getting good results quickly rather than on high-end features such as Photoshop's Curves and Channel Mixer commands. In addition to the one-click Auto Levels, Auto Contrast and Auto Colour commands, there's a new Quick Fix command that offers fast access to adjustments under the Brightness, Colour Correction, Focus and Rotate categories. The Variations command has also been revamped with smaller thumbnails but larger Before and After previews to help you visually hone in on the desired effect.

Overall, it's difficult to get too excited about this latest release of Elements as the new additions are all relatively minor and there's certainly little for existing users to envy. However, if you don't already have a photo editor, Elements is a more attractive proposition. There might be little that's new, but Photoshop's great strengths - such as its layer-based photo compositing, artistic filters, adjustment layers, history states, vector shapes, text handling and excellent Web optimisation - have all been built up over its long history. Finally, Photoshop Elements' great selling point is simply that it offers access to the vast majority of its big brother's power at comparatively little cost.

Author: Tom Arah