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RSS feedsDigital cameras are great; you don't need to buy rolls of expensive film, you don't need to fork out for developing costs and you can re-take any photo you're not happy with. There will be occasions, though, when the photo you decide to keep will need some extra handiwork, such as cropping or removing red-eye. This is where image editing software comes in handy.
Unfortunately, Windows only comes with the basic Paint program, which is fine for stretching, skewing or resizing an image but doesn't provide any advanced tools.
Professional image editing software, such as Adobe Photoshop, can be used to transform any image into a digital masterpiece, but at a jaw-dropping price. There are dozens of cheaper alternatives but you'd be hard pressed to find a really good image editor for under £50.
Nevertheless, there is a load of free image editing software available on the internet, which is good news for those who've spent too much over the Christmas break or haven't received such software as part of a bundle.
We're not talking about function- or time-limited applications that are unusable after 30 days or a certain number of activations, but the best free image editing applications that are available online. Although we can safely say that none of them can truly compete with the high-end players, we think you'll be surprised at what these gratis goodies can do for your images.
VCW Vicman's Photo Editor
Vicman's Photo Editor is compatible with 33 image file types, which is impressive for free software. As well as the more common file formats such as.jpg and.bmp, it can also read Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro and screensaver files.
When you use the software for the first time you can watch one of three animated tutorials to help you get to grips with the package and the different features on offer. The lesson on image cloning is already installed but you'll need an internet connection to view tutorials on basic techniques and retouching images.
The application resembles most paid-for image editing applications by offering a toolbox full of virtual image manipulation apparatus and individual palettes that relate to whatever tool you're working with. There are also more than 25 effects to play about with and you can also use filters designed for Photoshop.
Photo Editor is easy to use and works well at a basic level but it does have it drawbacks. Firstly, in this free version your image cannot exceed a size of 1,000 pixels in width or height. In addition, you can't have two images open simultaneously. To resolve these niggles, you'll have to upgrade to the pro version, which costs $30 (about £21) but this means you'll also be able to save your image in.gif format.
Download Vicman's Photo Editor
Gimp
Originally designed for Linux, Gimp has been around since 1997 and is considered by many as the definitive free image editor. The Windows version needs two separate downloads, one for the installation software and one for the main application. Once you've installed it, though, you'll realise just why it's so revered.
For a free application, Gimp is stunning. It has all the tools and quirks of a paid-for application such as Paint Shop Pro and is relatively small in file size - about 20MB once installed. Almost all the editing options are controlled by right-clicking on an image, which brings up a list of commands. These range from basic resizing and skewing to more intricate filter effects.
Its layout is similar to that of Photoshop as the toolbox, image window, layer palette and brush selection windows are all in separate frames. Although a potentially confusing system to any new user, it becomes easier after some practice.
Gimp is unquestionably the best and most powerful application here but it does have its downsides. First, it's slow at applying filters. Those with fast PCs won't notice it at all but users of older computers may wait up to 30 seconds just for one effect to be applied. It also creates a separate Taskbar button for each open palette, so you could have half a dozen buttons squeezed into your Taskbar. There is a built-in help file and the 'Tip of the Day' is worth reading, but Gimp will take some getting used to and you'll need patience to get the most out of it.
ImageForge
The first thing that impressed us about ImageForge was the Tech Tips box that appears every time you use the application and offers helpful information. As well as increasing confidence, the tips offer new ideas once you've got to grips with the basics.
Speaking of the basics, this has to be one of the simplest applications to use - it's easy to tell the function of any of the icons in the toolbox just by looking at it. The cloning icon, for example, takes the form of two people standing side by side, while the Cut tool resembles a pair of scissors. This may be a small point, but it's a godsend for inexperienced users.
Unlike Vicman's Photo Editor or Irfan View, ImageForge doesn't have an extensive range of fancy filters to apply to your images. In fact, the only effects on offer are blur, sharpen and colour manipulation filters such as automatic brightness, contrast and gamma correction. You can preview each effect before applying it to your photo.
It also comes with a feature to create self-contained slideshows from your images, to which you can add sound and transition effects.
ImageForge can read and save in all the common file types and although it's not as powerful a tool as other applications in this round-up, it's very straightforward and can breath new life into digital photos or scans.
Firegraphic
Firegraphic may not offer half as many editing options as Vicman's Photo Editor but it is certainly the most user-friendly application here.
To select a file, simply browse the folders on the left side of the screen as you would in Windows Explorer. Use your mouse to make the on-screen pointer hover over a folder and any images contained within will appear as thumbnail images. Open a folder and thumbnails will appear in the main window; these can then be selected for basic editing. Supported file types include .bmp, .tif, .gif and .jpg.
This application only allows you to change colour, brightness and contrast levels, but if all you want to do is spruce up an under-exposed digital photograph, Firegraphic does the job very well. It's also possible to crop a portion of any image and resave it as a separate file. You can automatically resize and email any image, which is especially useful for dial-up internet users who haven't got the luxury of fast broadband connections.
Other features include a slideshow player, advanced printing options, useful tips and the ability to compare two images side by side. Firegraphic is best described as a glorified image organiser. Its basic editing features can't compete with the likes of Vicman's or Gimp's, but for simple colour correction or resizing, it's definitely worth a look.
Irfan View
Considering the size of Irfan View (only 818KB), it's amazing how much has been squeezed into it. It doesn't look like your typical image editor as there are no toolboxes or floating palettes in sight. Instead, everything is controlled by options within the menu bar. Here you can apply a variety of effects, such as pixelise, oil paint and blur. You can also apply external Photoshop filters, although you will first need to download the required free plug-in from the Irfan website.
Irfan's best trick is the excellent batch conversion tool, which allows you to take a large selection of images and convert them into another file type, resize them all, apply the same effect to each image or crop a particular area. Although this may not sound like a particularly desirable feature initially, it's great for tasks such as simultaneously resizing dozens of images for emailing, adding the same text to each photo or saving to one of 17 different file types.
Irfan also comes with a basic help file that contains a handy list of keyboard shortcuts and a brief overview of what each icon is and does.
OfotoNow
Ofoto is an online photo developing service from Kodak. As well as allowing you to order prints online, it also offers basic image editing tools including options for rotating, cropping and removing red-eye.
There's also a useful 'instant fix' mode for automatically balancing brightness and contrast levels to make the best of your photo. Unfortunately, once any change is made to the image it can only be saved in.jpg format, although Ofoto can read all the common file types. There's also a Photo Information function to note the type, size, number of colours and resolution of any photo.
Additionally, a neat cropping feature allows you to resize any image to one of three pre-determined photographic areas (4x6in, 5x7in and 8x10in), which is handy when ordering prints of a specific size online. You can also create personalised screensavers using images from your photo collection. Ofoto is basic to say the least but it does what it's meant to do.
Freedom - but at what price?
Free software is all well and good but it does have its limitations, especially when compared to paid-for applications.
Because most free software is developed by a small number of individuals who want to promote their programming prowess rather than provide a handy tool for novices and professionals alike, the resulting application is usually very basic. The main difference you are likely to notice between image editing applications is the sophistication or range of the editing tools on offer.
Paid-for software such as Paint Shop Pro, PhotoImpact or Photoshop will give you tighter control over how your image looks and offer more filters and effects. There will also be a lot more in the way of tutorials and help files.
Making the decision to purchase a piece of image editing software should depend on what you want to do with your digital photos. If you just want something that will remove red-eye or brighten up an image, any of the free applications here will do the trick. However, if you're after a wider selection of editing tools that will allow your creative juices to run wild, it will cost you.
See also:
All Software Applications
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