Review by Tomsde

This is a peculiar product in that it allows for Camera Raw file processing, but yet fails to include support for some of the most common file formats–most noticeably Photoshop or PSD images. A person sophisticated enough to shoot their images in RAW format would most likely have either Photoshop Elements or one of the full Photoshop iterations (which also add cataloguing and viewing software of their own). This software only supports RAW, JPG, and TIFF file formats–I think it’s odd that it doesn’t support GIF and BMP at very least (two formats one will most likely encounter on the web or in Windows). Consequently this software simply does not cut it for me –it pales in comparison to ACDSEE, which can open just about any image file format that you throw at it and supports video clip playback as well. It is not uncommon for people to shoot short video clips on their cell phones or with their cameras, it would be annoying to have to quit PhotoDirector just to view those clips as they would normally be imported when photos are downloaded from people’s devices. In my humble opinion those considering this software should look at ACDSEE as well–it also has many cataloguing tools as well as the ability to do the most common image editing functions. I will say, that despite it’s other limitations this program does offer some very nice photo retouching features not commonly found in basic browsing programs. Perhaps Cyperlink would be better off developing this more as a photo editing program with less emphasis on cataloguing.

So who would I say this program is good for? Beginner photo enthusiasts who only used JPEG, TIFF, and RAW formats in their work flow and want better editing features than Window’s Gallery offers. It’s okay for some quick, basic edits, retouching, and sharing, but as a person learns more about photo editing and their skills grow they will most likely out grown this software package in a relatively short amount of time.