GIMP/Linux and Photoshop Element/Windows Comparison

[J. Teske]

I have just scanned a quantity of B/W negatives for a friend. I have
made these into large files and saved them in TIFF format. Since my
friend used Linux, I checked out the scans in THE GIMP. They were made
on an Epson 3170 and edited and saved using Photoshop Elements 2 and
Paint Shop Pro 8, some with one, some with the other. When I checked
the CDROM I made on the GIMP the saved images seem some what
washed out and grainier than when I view the same CDROM on the two
Windows based programs. They also seem grainier on the GIMP. Is there
perhaps some setting on the GIMP that I am missing here?? The
negatives were a mix of 35mm and medium format, but that does not seem
to be the difference here.

Jon Teske

 

[Leonard Evens]

I have just scanned a quantity of B/W negatives for a friend. I have
made these into large files and saved them in TIFF format. Since my
friend used Linux, I checked out the scans in THE GIMP. They were made
on an Epson 3170 and edited and saved using Photoshop Elements 2 and
Paint Shop Pro 8, some with one, some with the other. When I checked
the CDROM I made on the GIMP the saved images seem some what
washed out and grainier than when I view the same CDROM on the two
Windows based programs. They also seem grainier on the GIMP. Is there
perhaps some setting on the GIMP that I am missing here?? The
negatives were a mix of 35mm and medium format, but that does not seem
to be the difference here.

Jon Teske

You might also try the gimp newsgroup comp.graphics.apps.gimp.

I use the gimp regularly, but I also have Photoshop 6. I don't see any
significant difference in contrast, brightness and color balance. Are
you looking at the images on the same monitor. Perhaps one or both of
the monitors are not calibrated.

I do sometimes see differences in 'graininess' between the Gimp and
Photoshop at some magnifications. It may be that Photoshop does a
better job of sampling and smoothing the image when it is shown at less
than one to one. When I examine the images at one to one, though, they
look the same.

Remember that neither the Gimp nor Photoshop is primarily a display
tool. They are both meant for editing.

 

[Dave]

Remember that neither the Gimp nor Photoshop is primarily a display
tool. They are both meant for editing.

He doesn't mention, though it could be read that he's referring to Gimp on
Linux rather than comparing Photoshop and Gimp on the same Windows base.

If so, then it would be down to the configuration of the display card &
drivers under the two operating systems. I'm assuming he's talking about
the same computer/display combo. Maybe he meant they looked "washed out"
on his friends PC with Linux/Gimp compared to his PC with
Windows/Photoshop? If the latter, then there are too many variables to
give any sort of meaningfull comparison without calibrating both systems.

HTH

Dave

 

[J. Teske]

He doesn't mention, though it could be read that he's referring to Gimp on
Linux rather than comparing Photoshop and Gimp on the same Windows base.

It is in fact the case Photoshop elements 2 and Paint shop Pro 8 on
Win XP and the Gimp on Linux.

I will check the video card/monitor setup.

Thanks

Jon Teske