I’ve very recently installed some new photo editing software on my PC. Zoner Photo Studio X (ZPS X) is available free for your first month of using it, after which you can pay monthly or yearly for a subscription. The software package offers free pre-sets (and, of course, you can create your own), a free 20 GB of Cloud storage and can be used on an unlimited number of your devices. You can work on an unlimited number of computers without having to pay for a separate license for each one. And for a small extra fee, other members of your household can also use ZPS X.
EISA (Expert Imaging and Sound Association) has named ZPS X the Best Photo Software of 2021-22, saying “This innovative photo software offers a wide range of user-friendly features. Along with being a fully featured raw converter, it provides easy photo editing with layers and masks, while the retouching brush and faces tool are perfect for enhancing portraits. Zoner Photo Studio X also manages your photo catalogue, allowing you to browse by date, shot location, keywords, or folders. The continuous updates and use of artificial intelligence are also very advantageous for users. Zoner Photo Studio X combines features that usually require several programs from other vendors at a very competitive price.”
But hey, I’ve been using another very well-known software package for what seems like an eternity, so why would I even bother looking into something else? Well, quite simply because the opportunity to do so presented itself.
It will no doubt take me some time to explore the features, but right now I’ve noticed many with familiar names or purposes to those I am used to – including Layers and Masks. I’ve also noticed that it supports various RAW formats, that it can be used to create videos, that you can use it to create photo books and order them directly, and that you can create calendars, canvas prints, postcards, collages, and more. There are modules for making panoramas, 3D images and PDF slideshows. You can even have fun with photo editing to make your very own caricature – Zoner’s Learn Photography website has an article explaining how.
Actually, I may never explore every available feature; after all I’ve often said I’ll still be learning things about my current software when I depart this world! But ZPS X comes with an online manual, easily accessed by pressing the F1 key on your keyboard, so that should help enormously whenever anything is not intuitive.
So, I’d best get started on my explorations. From time to time as I learn, I’ll post another piece about it here.
brianropephotography 