I've recently bought a Nikon D7100 and would like opinions on post-processing software. I currently use the fairly basic 'ACDSee 7.0' (can do crop, curves, noise reduction etc with this). I also now have the in-the-box CD 'Nikon ViewNX 2' but was surprised that there is no noise reduction facility with this.
I'm confused by the next step to take. Photoshop Elements? Photoshop CS6? Lightroom 4? Nikon CaptureNX 2?
I use Elements 11 ,and have had the previous ones also ,it costs about £70 but worth every penny,and additional to that I use a plug in that you can buy called Topaz 5 Denoise,which is good for noise reduction at higher ISO. I tend to start by using Picassa,which is a free program from Google,and is great for quick cropping and deleting,then my best shots I open from picassa into elements and do all my post process there.Elements has a good noise reduction in built,but the Topaz 5 plug in although expensive is a great program.So start with elements and work up from there if you need to,but I have never needed more,and I do Ok. I had cs5 ,but it was overly complicated,and speed to me when doing hundreds of shots,prevented me from carrying on with that.Elements is a simpler version,which gives the same results for a lot less money.
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Wednesday 3rd of April 2013 03:27:54 PM