Review of ACDSee Pro 2.5

ACDSee Pro 2.5 is an excellent choice for those seeking a program to handle large numbers of files quickly on a budget. The integrated photo browser/organizer makes uploading, tagging, and sorting extremely fast and easy. The pixel-based editing is certainly capable of handling any normal photography editing need although some of the "bells and whistles" of higher-priced programs aren't there (in all honesty, not many photographers use those bells and whistles in the first place). The customizable color scheme of the program is a small item with big impact and makes for a very comfortable working environment.

ACDSee Pro 2.5 is a powerful program with a not-so powerful cost. Almost any pro just starting out (and most hobbyists) could afford ACDSee Pro 2.5 without difficulty. The integrated photo browser/organizer makes it very simple to quickly upload and sort large numbers of images in a way where you can really find them later. By using large thumbnails instead of a second copy of each image, ACDSee Pro 2.5 drastically speeds up the process of browsing through large groups of images.

Once images are uploaded, ACDSee Pro 2.5 can handled RAW processing as well as the standard JPEG. Quick filters, batch processing, and standard pixel-based processing are all handled quickly and with a minimal amount of window-switching. In pixel-based editing the program offers a restore original feature to return your image to its original state if your color corrections or other editing goes horribly wrong (and we've all had that happen).

The browser and editing environment is very well-organized and includes the option of several color schemes. This makes it much easier for a photographer to feel comfortable with the program layout.