FOR THE DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHER

So just what can Creator 7 do? We'll start with its still image-related offerings.

Media Manager is a tool for creating virtual collections, or catalogues, of media files, like photo images, movie clips and audio files. The window is split into two, with a folder and file browser on top showing thumbnails of media files and a similar-looking display that shows the content of collections.


Media Manager is used to browse media files and create collections

A collection is simply a selection of references to media files stored anywhere on your hard drive. One media file can be included in as many different collections as you like, though only one copy of the file, in its original location, is required. Maybe you took a great picture of a racing car at the Silverstone circuit on the 25 July, 2004. Collections including that shot might be about your best racing car shots, your day out at Silverstone and, for example, a collection of all your pictures taken in July, 2004. Remember, the contents of a collection is completely independent of the actual file's location on your hard drive. Unfortunately, image files using the LZW data compression system, including some TIFF files and GIF files, are not supported.

Once you have built up a collection of media files, you can process all those files using another Creator 7 function – burn them to CD, preview and edit them or print them, whatever. You can also examine the EXIF data stored in camera images, like aperture and shutter speed settings, ISO settings and more. It is also possible to annotate the files and use different strength search facilities to find files or collections of related files that you need.


Media Manager lets you examine embedded information like camera EXIF data and even add your own annotations

All of these features are typical of a stand alone image management package. Creator 7 keeps things simple and easy to understand. Power users may, however, soon grow out of Media Manager.

Next on the list is PhotoSuite 7, Creator 7's image editing application.


PhotoSuite 7 may be a simple application, but it has some surprisingly sophisticated features, like different shaped cropping tools, for example

PhotoSuite has always been a techno-fear free introduction to transferring photos from your camera and tidying them up. It's unlike conventional editing applications that use complex layers and highly technical jargon. Instead, it approaches image editing from first principals in an intuitive and friendly way using a browser-like user interface, aided by step by step wizards.


Want to convert your large camera images into a form suitable for emails? PhotoSuite will hand hold you through the process

Over the years PhotoSuite has become much more capable than its simple look and feel might suggest, but nobody is suggesting that it is a be all and end all of image editing packages. Have you noticed a theme beginning to form here? PhotoSuite works well, but you may well grow out of it if you get ambitious enough.

Incidentally, you have the choice of firing up Roxio's own-branded online photo print ordering service. It's actually run by the German firm, Pixum and results we've seen in the past are pretty good and competitively priced, though order turnaround times haven't been particularly swift.

Check the latest price or purchase this item via
Click on the flag that best relates to your location
The EU flag links to Amazon Germany, currently the only European Amazon outlet that supplies electronic goods like cameras priced in Euros.
Each Amazon outlet can ship to most countries in the world.