photshop elements or another package\\\\\\/

I have been using PSE 7 as my imaging editing software. I have been out of photography for a few years and now going to get back into it. I have just bought new laptop running windows 10. I am thinking of getting the latest version of PSE, 14 I think. But I see there is also called PSE + Premier Elements and or light room. I am not sure what these other add ons are or if they are worth considering. Any advice would be very welcome please. I would not consider photoshop as too expensive and TBH I found using the raw editor in pse 7 was pretty good.

Premier Elements is for Video editing.
I have PSE 14 now, which I use and like. Most people here use Lightroom though I think.
I stuck to Elements because it does most of what I want, and I know how it works, although PSE14 is quite a bit different to PSE9 which is what I was using before. I have kept 9 as well since it has some things 14 seems to have lost, like dodging and burning.

They're probably still there - but under a different name. In a different menu.

I'm still on PSE-11*, but add on Adobe Raw (free) and it can handle raw too. Obviously.


* I finally upgraded fromv ersion 2 when I moved to W7 - lots of faffing about with virtual memory to get PSE-2 to run. Less wear and tear on the temper to upgrade PSE!

I use Elements 11 and it's very good. I originally used the full version of PS but when you couldn't buy it any more (only rent it) I switched. It does everything I need. It would be nice to have more RAW tools but I can work round the basic package.

Dodging and burning are there, incidentally.

They aren't immediately obvious in 14. I have looked, and if they are there they are well hidden. It is very different to previous versions.

In PSE 13 dodge and burn are tool options of the sponge. I don't know if that helps with version 14 mind

Thanks Barrie! Found them at last. I don't use either often, but they are good to have.
I haven't tried the two new features in 14 yet either - haze removal and shake reduction. Haze removal could be useful if it works, and SR will be useful for working on His Nibs efforts .

At the moment I use stand alone versions of Lightroom 6 and, as you know, Elements 13. The subscription version of LR6 has been upgraded with haze removal but not the stand alone. Considering the total cost of upgrading both lots of software I'm mulling over waiting for LR7 and going for the subscription model.

His Nibs gave me PSE14 for my birthday, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered with the upgrade.
At the moment I am not doing any photography so a subscription to LR, which I did consider would be a waste.
One of these days I shall start again I hope. All inspiration and inclination is missing right now.

I also use Elements 7, It has everything I need and the fact that Pentax offer DNG raw files means no compatibility problems with older software.

John