# Photoshop Elements vs. Photoshop 7: what will I be missing?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photoshop-elements-vs-photoshop-7-what-will-i-be-missing/119501>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 18, 2002, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photoshop-elements-vs-photoshop-7-what-will-i-be-missing/119501 "2002-07-18T00:15:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photoshop-elements-vs-photoshop-7-what-will-i-be-missing/119501/1 "2002-07-18T00:15:00Z")

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I’m an illustrator; I normally use Painter for my illustrations and Photoshop for some tweaking of color and value and maybe use some of the layer effects as well. Does anyone know what was left out of Photoshop Elements in comparison to the full version of Photoshop? The much lower price is very attractive…

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**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photoshop-elements-vs-photoshop-7-what-will-i-be-missing/119501/2 "2002-07-18T00:51:31Z")

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What was left out?

Most of it.

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**Author:** ![Earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/90db22/32.png) [@Earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthling)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photoshop-elements-vs-photoshop-7-what-will-i-be-missing/119501/3 "2002-07-18T01:23:07Z")

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No CMYK. No channels. No curves.

[Read this review.](http://www.imaging-resource.com/SOFT/PSE/PSE.HTM)  
[Read Adobe’s propaganda.](http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopel/pdfs/faq.pdf)

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**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photoshop-elements-vs-photoshop-7-what-will-i-be-missing/119501/4 "2002-07-18T03:54:26Z")

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You can do a free 30 day trials of Elements by downloading it from the Adobe website.

I’m just a dabbler, so Elementals is enough for me. But it has a lot of special effects buttons that are not adjustable – if you don’t like what it does, too bad.

Also, it only has ONE “undo” buffer, which can be a real hassle when you’re winging it.

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**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photoshop-elements-vs-photoshop-7-what-will-i-be-missing/119501/5 "2002-07-18T05:32:02Z")

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You mean there’s no History palette?? That settles it…

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**Author:** ![Earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/90db22/32.png) [@Earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthling)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photoshop-elements-vs-photoshop-7-what-will-i-be-missing/119501/6 "2002-07-18T06:10:55Z")

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Elements _does_ have a History Palette, though the lack of channels support means that sophiscated masking is pretty much out of the question.

[Another review](http://www.macworld.com/2001/08/reviews/elements.html).