When it comes to referring to a way of working as widespread as everything related to photographic editing , we have many programs at our disposal. Some free, some paid, some simple, and others much more complex. But if there are two that generally stand out from the rest, these are Adobe Photoshop and GIMP.
As perhaps most of you already know, these two titles are one of the most powerful and complete, for both domestic and professional use. But of course, between the two there is a clear difference, and that is that Adobe’s proposal is paid, and not cheap, while GIMP is free . This offers the most advanced users in these areas the power to opt for the option that best suits their needs.
GIMP still has things to improve to catch up to Photoshop
The truth is that many compare both proposals in terms of their functionality, but there are still important differences in this regard. And we must bear in mind that when we talk about GIMP , we are referring to an open source project for image editing that has been with us for many years. Thus, it has not stopped evolving and improving based on updates.
Hence the comparisons with the powerful Adobe alternative , which by the way is also a veteran in the sector. But it must be admitted that despite everything that is said, at the moment it has some aspects in which it must still evolve a little more. But of course, it must be taken into account that the difference in cost for its use is very large for users.
That is why in these same lines we are going to talk about some of the things that we can do with the Adobe program, but that does not support GIMP. This does not mean that they are functionalities that will not be implemented in the future, for the moment it is not known.
Some functions that Photoshop has and that are missing in GIMP
To begin with this review of differences between the two programs, we will tell you that initially the functions presented by the Adobe proposal do not offer greater control. Specifically, we mean that the tools available here open up a wider range of possibilities with respect to those of GIMP.
It is true that when it comes to basic functions at the user level, both programs are quite similar, but as we level up, the differences are more evident. This is something that can be extrapolated to elements such as brushes that we can draw on, much more numerous and varied in Photoshop . At the same time we can mention that the payment program has several independent correction functions, each with its own parameters . However, the free proposal only has a single option in this regard, all despite its enormous use.
RAW format support
On the other hand, it is also worth knowing that the RAW file format is becoming more widespread. In fact, the number of cameras that support it does not stop growing, something not only limited to the most professional. Thus, RAW contains much more information than other image formats, something that thanks to Camera Raw, Photoshop can also handle. What’s more, regular updates add compatibility with new camera manufacturers in this regard to be able to work with RAW in the best way.
However GIMP cannot do this as we need to use a RAW processor to convert the file to another program readable format before we can edit it. Similarly, while it is capable of opening Adobe PSD files , there are cases where it doesn’t render things correctly.
Cleaner, more professional editions with Adobe software
Another of the sections worth mentioning here is that Photoshop offers us a less destructive image editing. We say this because one of the main improvements we’ve seen in the latest versions of the program is how easy it is now to do nondestructive editing with selections and layers . With this it is achieved that instead of changing the original file, we can use a wide range of functions to modify things in a reversible way.
Thus, we have the Undo button that is very useful for us on many occasions. At the same time, we must admit that GIMP has improved a lot in recent years in this sense, although when it comes to non-destructive editing, it has yet to improve. If we make simple edits on the image there is no problem. The disadvantage can be found when making a more advanced and professional use of the program .
On the other hand, one of the main advantages that Photoshop offers compared to GIMP, is that the first one has support for the CMYK color mode. You have to know that in this field there are two dominant color modes that professionals use: RGB and CMYK. Well, the second and most advanced, CMYK , is a deeper color range with more shades that allow you to create more realistic images. As an example, this mode is used by printers for the highest quality jobs.
But of course, as you may have already guessed, at the moment the open source program, GIMP, does not offer the CMYK working mode. Therefore, for those professionals who need to edit with the highest precision using CMYK, GIMP will not work for them. Saying this is something that is especially important for those planning to print their projects .
More support and support for Photoshop than for GIMP
To finish, we are going to talk about a section that could be considered external to the editing program itself. Specifically we refer to everything related to the support offered, where as expected, Photoshop wins by a landslide. While this software has one of the world’s great software giants behind it, GIMP is developed by a team of volunteers.
That does not mean that the free program is not respectable, quite the contrary, but the actual final support cannot be compared. And it is that this is a firm with a huge budget, and an entire team dedicated to helping users. However to solve problems in GIMP we will have to move around forums or talk to other users most of the time.
