Graphic Design with PhotoFiltre
Pros
- Text dialog offers basic font previews
- A few options for adjusting the appearance of text
Cons
- Text is not editable once applied
- Lack of layers makes it difficult to visualize different layouts
As with other pixel-based image editors, this PhotoFiltre review focuses upon its abilities for working with photos and editing raster graphics; nonetheless, I think it's always interesting to consider such an application's ability to produce a complete piece of work, such as a poster or a simple leaflet.
However with no form of layers, it's really a non-starter to consider trying to use PhotoFiltre for basic desktop publishing tasks. The application does offer basic text tools in the text dialog, along with the ability to apply some effects and adjust the text opacity, but once you apply text to your image there is no option to edit or even reposition it.
To be honest, with an excellent free vector-based image editor available in the form of Inkscape and with Scribus being a very accomplished free DTP application, I don't think anyone should produce complete designs in raster software. I do know, though, that some people do prefer the convenience of working in that way and so, if you're one of them, you really should look elsewhere.
Sharing Your Files
As there is no layer support in this free version of PhotoFiltre, it doesn't need to offer its own file format as images will only ever consist of a background. There are a few common file formats on offer when saving files, including GIF, PNG, JPEG and TIFF, meaning that there should a suitable format for most occasions.
As there is no layer support in this free version of PhotoFiltre, it doesn't need to offer its own file format as images will only ever consist of a background. There are a few common file formats on offer when saving files, including GIF, PNG, JPEG and TIFF, meaning that there should a suitable format for most occasions.
Conclusion
This free version of PhotoFiltre is a bit of an anomaly. There are some truly innovative touches that could make this an excellent first choice for new users seeking suitable image editing software, including:
- The Filter bar makes image adjustments easy for beginners
- Good range of Effects
- The free PhotoFiltre website offers a selection of tutorials
- There is a community forum for support and advice
On the other hand, despite apparently trying to punch above its weight, there are several aspects that hold it back, such as:
- No layers support
- Text can't be edited once applied
- Limited selection of brushes
- No Dodge or Burn tools
I love the Filter bar and the simplicity that this offers new users to get involved with adjusting their images by just clicking on plus and minus buttons to make incremental image adjustments. This feature on its own is enough for me to recommend this to users who want to improve their pictures, but don't want to learn the theory behind traditional approaches, such as Curves and Levels.
The application also offers a reasonable range of other attractive features that are found in some better known pixel-based image editors, but I personally found the lack of layers a big turn off. I can't imagine why anyone who wanted to get more creative with their work would persevere with PhotoFiltre, when there are other free programs that do offer this facility, such as GIMP and Paint.NET.
When I review an application like PhotoFiltre, I do have to consider the application in the round and how it compares to competitive applications and that's why it scored a relatively low overall score. While it promises some powerful features, without layers it becomes impractical to use those features and there are better free options available.
However if the application were stripped back to the Filter bar and, perhaps, the Effects menu, this would be ideally placed as a first pixel-based image editing tool for beginners who just want to experiment and get quick results, without pondering theory. If that's all you want, then I'd say download it and forget about PhotoFiltre's other features as it scores full marks in this respect.