Is there a robust alternative to Photo Story 3 for Windows.

[Joe Hissen]

Is there a robust alternative to Photo Story 3 for Windows? I do not mind a
reasonable cost provided I am purchasing a tried product that makes up for
the short comings of PS 3.



I like the short learning curve of PS3. It is intuitive and user friendly.
It is very good for small projects (less than 300 photos). However, it is
punitive when errors are made, freezing and stops running instead of
generating an error message. It lacks the tools to employ selective or
global commands, such as changing durations. (I use Mark Coffman's TweakPS.)
When loaded to capacity, PS3 strains and will not function properly: had to
delete the music for it to work, and even then, the transitions distorted
the images.



I relay the above shortcomings not as a criticism, (PS3 is excellent for its
cost) but to describe what I am looking for in the alternative. IMHO I
think PS3's shortcoming is not enough effort was put into developing it.



Thanks every one.

 

[Joe Hissen]

I think I have resolved my issue.
I will use Movie Maker to create the slide show.
MM gives me what PS does not: huge image capacity;
stability; robust application.

Thanks every one.

 

[Michael J. Mahon]

I think I have resolved my issue.
I will use Movie Maker to create the slide show.
MM gives me what PS does not: huge image capacity;
stability; robust application.

But no "Ken Burns effect"... ;-(

-michael

Home page: http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/

"The wastebasket is our most important design
tool--and it is seriously underused."

 

[Rehan]

Well it does if you look around enough ...

* My own Pan zoom effects are available at
http://www.rehanfx.org/panzoom.htm

* Pixelan have made available a pan zoom package for Movie Maker:
http://www.pixelan.com

* Custom titles can also be tweaked to do panning and zooming:
http://www.windowsmoviemakers.net/Forums/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=13994

* Windows XP Media Center Edition has built in pan zoom effects which can be
acquired for use in normal XP machine (requires oem hacking):
http://www.windowsmoviemakers.net/Forums/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=18685

* A limited custom effects package that does cropping and some panning:
http://www.freewebs.com/danielsmm2/effects/pancrop.htm

 

[Michael J. Mahon]

Well it does if you look around enough ...

* My own Pan zoom effects are available at
http://www.rehanfx.org/panzoom.htm

Cool--I may give it a try...

* Pixelan have made available a pan zoom package for Movie Maker:
http://www.pixelan.com

....and this one, too.

* Custom titles can also be tweaked to do panning and zooming:
http://www.windowsmoviemakers.net/Forums/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=13994

Not as flexible as I expect.

* Windows XP Media Center Edition has built in pan zoom effects which can be
acquired for use in normal XP machine (requires oem hacking):
http://www.windowsmoviemakers.net/Forums/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=18685

This is actually a built-in Photo Story 3, with random transitions.
(Surprisingly good, and what turned me on to Photo Story 3 in the first
place.)

* A limited custom effects package that does cropping and some panning:
http://www.freewebs.com/danielsmm2/effects/pancrop.htm

A little too limiting...

-michael

Home page: http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/

"The wastebasket is our most important design
tool--and it is seriously underused."