Good day to all of you!
I got my Capture One LE a few months ago from our local agent at Toa Payoh and have updated it to v3.7.
There are mixed opinions about whether Phase One or Adobe Camera Raw is better. There is neither right or wrong answers.
Capture One allows you to work quickly due to its workflow design/arrangements.
PS CS/CS2 offers more features if you need them during the raw conversion stage; its free and offers timely updates for new cameras.
In my humble opinion, its best to choose a raw convertor base on:
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The availabiltiy of good & comprehensive educational materials like good books, mag/web articles, etc. Very often, PShop authors not just tells you how to use the program, but shares their insights, experiences and recommends what they think is the best workflow. Their expertise and insights are highly valuable in helping us achieve the best image quality possible.
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I have tried searching for books, articles to help me fully understand Capture One but found none. Most articles on the web are just quick reviews, nothing in depth. As a result, I don't really understand some of the folders, features, buttons within the program. Although the manual helps, but it just can't beat the kind of comprehensive info & advises that I received from good Photoshop books.
Today, I do most of my raw conversion on Camera Raw simply because I am familar with the program. Since my workflow usually extends into Photoshop (mainly because of the flexibiltiy of using adjustment layers), I really appreciate having everthing "under one roof".
Try before you buy. To me its not so much a quality issue, both produces great results if you know how to use them well.
Just my opinions, neither right nor wrong.