Picasa Automatic Photo Organizer

This review is provided for WNDOW SYSTEMS USERS. Picasa has yet to produce a MAC version, though a MAC BASED Picasa Upload tool is available.

Though I currently use Photoshop, Lightroom and other tools for photo post-shoot archiving and editing. I do remember my leaner days and being financially strapped and needing SOMETHING to keep an inventory of my images and giving me a reasonable post-shoot editing capability. Camera OEM softwares were ok, other freewares were ok, and then came Picasa by GOOGLE. Well in celebration of 10 YEARS OF GOOGLE, they have ramped up Picasa with the Picasa 3 Beta and this software deserves a closer look.

I will not be heaving my licensed softwares, but as I review this NEW PICASA version, I am excited about what it brings to folks seeking a FIRST CHOICE in their growth and self-development in post-shoot archiving and image development.

Digital Photography provides everyone with the ability to improve their craft. Unlike silver-based negative film, EVERYONE has access to digital imaging tools and can become efficient in post processing edits.

Picasa's file archiving is excellent. Picasa can IMPORT all camera images into the archive. Filing by date, name and now user filter settings. Version 3 brings a couple more GREAT features over the former version 2's editing tools. Cropping, Straightening, Contrast, Color, B&W-Sepia adjustment tools, selectable shading, adjustable glow, adjustable focus, saturation control, selective color control, and color tinting. Version 2 also provided web uploading, email size defaults, blogging and other really "neat," features. Well Picasa 3 Beta (very stable beta!), brings a couple more features worth discussing.

Retouching capability, with adjustable brush size has been added. Text (scalable and font selective) to image has been added. Text can be copied and pasted to any number of images in a file. Fun is also added by providing BLOG, YOU-TUBE and web album upload links. One more feature tied to the upload process in the UPLOAD SYNC. This feature allows you to post edit a prior upload, then click SYNC, it remembers your link to the web and UPDATES the web-based image.
Additional tools include a MOVIE MAKER, DESKTOP WALLPAPER, and SCREEN SAVER creation tools. An additional new feature is the Picasa based Image Display process that allows the user to click on ANY image in any file, including DESKTOP, and present that image in a slick viewer that will also track any additional images in that folder, or desktop and present them in a SLIDE SHOW format. The user can click any image showing in the SLIDE SHOW and it will take the user into Picasa to EDIT if desired.

This software is a GREAT first experience for anyone wanting to edit, archive and upload digital imagery. I wished this existed when I made the painful transition from silver-based film to digital. It is FREE, non invasive (comes without popups and adware attached), and is a truly free software. Combine this with a Gmail address and a whole new potential opens up to all users. All photographic software producers will benefit from this program. Users as they learn will demand more from their software and will more than likely BUY UP, and want to learn the incredible capabilities of the many licensed software available.

A great tool, totally free, and very user friendly. What more could an aspiring photo hobbyist ask for. I hope this review will prove helpful to all.

FREE, Non invasive to systems, super learning tools in photo editing. Archive process and many other "neat" tools that will encourage the hobbyist to grow in their art. "Best FREE imaging software available - personal opinion."

NONE

Picasa ALL versions,
Photoshop CS2,
Photoshop Elements,
Lightroom 1 and 2,
GIMP2,
Photo-Matix HDR,
Camera Manufacturer Softwares,
Infraview,
Image Expert,
Online Image processes.

Great GOOGLE HELP SCREENS and many web blogs posted for PICASA users.

First off, I'd like to say you have a wonderful thing going here. Please don't sell out AOL like everyone else! :-) I first came across picasa while looking for a way to catalogue and view the pictures of my son I have taken for the past year. Some were scanned, and many with the new digital camera I just received. Picasa made it easy to transfer pictures in, organize and view them. There were a few things I was displeased with. They landed in the area of viewing and options.

Did I mention.. wonderful idea! Great compatibility. Love the timeline, very easy to quickly find pictures and collections. Excellent previewing of pictures, nice scrolling (Like the osX type touch on the scroll bar.. many curtian calls for that!)

Pictures viewed in timeline and slideshow were often blurry/pixelated. In short, way too few options for controlling the display. Also disappointed on the integration with the filesystem. Would have liked a system for copying and moving files. "Locate picture(s) on disk" is nice, but falls short.

You name it. I've used just about everything else I can lay my hands on. ACDsee, psp, ifran, and on, and on..

Haven't had to call customer service, but I'm sure I'll break it somewhere along the line. I'll call then :-)