# What programs are the best to have?? **URL:** \ **Category:** Shift518 Automotive\ **Created:** [June 15, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-programs-are-the-best-to-have/258946 "2011-06-15T17:32:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dsblk93gt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@dsblk93gt](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/dsblk93gt)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-programs-are-the-best-to-have/258946/1 "2011-06-15T17:32:19Z")
I have PS Elements and Lightroom 4 right now. Any other suggestions? I also have a pile of plug ins for the Elements. I got a Canon T1i recently and still trying to get everything else I can to support it. ---
**Author:** ![CFD\_Productions](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/cfd_productions/32/6519_2.png) [@CFD\_Productions](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/CFD_Productions)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 5:35pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-programs-are-the-best-to-have/258946/2 "2011-06-15T17:35:44Z")
elements is perfect to learn the basics on … thats how i did it … after a while you will want to upgrade to CS3 at the least … i also use alien skin bokeh and topaz adjust and when i feel brave i use photomatix ---
**Author:** ![dsblk93gt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@dsblk93gt](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/dsblk93gt)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 5:39pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-programs-are-the-best-to-have/258946/3 "2011-06-15T17:39:01Z")
Ok, maybe I will stick with that for awhile. Thanks! I just got a 50mm 1.8 lens since it seems to be a good bang for the buck lens. That and my auto-focus is broke on my 18-55 too. (don’t ask). ---
**Author:** ![CFD\_Productions](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/cfd_productions/32/6519_2.png) [@CFD\_Productions](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/CFD_Productions)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 5:52pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-programs-are-the-best-to-have/258946/4 "2011-06-15T17:52:21Z")
> [@Monte Cristo sandwich](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/monte-cristo-sandwich/43073/10): > > Ok, maybe I will stick with that for awhile. Thanks! I just got a 50mm 1.8 lens since it seems to be a good bang for the buck lens. That and my auto-focus is broke on my 18-55 too. (don’t ask). yea i use that lens non stop for my nikon ---
**Author:** ![KillerBlackbird](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/killerblackbird/32/6525_2.png) [@KillerBlackbird](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/KillerBlackbird)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-programs-are-the-best-to-have/258946/5 "2011-06-15T20:27:57Z")
> [@Monte Cristo sandwich](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/monte-cristo-sandwich/43073/10): > > Ok, maybe I will stick with that for awhile. Thanks! I just got a 50mm 1.8 lens since it seems to be a good bang for the buck lens. That and my auto-focus is broke on my 18-55 too. (don’t ask). With those two lenses you can hammer out some quality shots. Scott Chu [www.schottchu.com](http://www.schottchu.com) only used an 18-55 for most of his work for quite a while. Which can prove the misconception about needing extravagant equipment to make quality photos. I personally used to use Topaz Adjust and Photoshop CS3. I now use Photoshop CS5 and thats it. ---
**Author:** ![AMD\_IS\_THE\_BEST](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/amd_is_the_best/32/6342_2.png) [@AMD\_IS\_THE\_BEST](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/AMD_IS_THE_BEST)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 10:31pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-programs-are-the-best-to-have/258946/6 "2011-06-15T22:31:56Z")
Lightroom 4 doesn’t exist yet. Lightroom 3.4 maybe? I use almost exclusively lightroom 3 (current version is 3.4.1) and it’s a great piece of software novice to advanced user.