Editor's Choice 2007: Digital Compacts

EDITOR'S CHOICE Imaging Software

Imaging Software of the Year: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 1.0

If you've ever wondered why so much in Photoshop has so little to do with actual photography, it may all have been in anticipation of Adobe's powerful new workflow program. Like Apple's Aperture, last year's most impressive software, Lightroom organizes, processes, fixes, prints, and shares your images -- handling RAW-format shots just like any other kind of file. It does all its fixing non-destructively, allowing you to go back and rework your pictures again and again. Its refinement and smooth operation clearly reflect the wisdom gained from Lightroom's year of free public beta testing. So will it make you hang up your Photoshop for good? If you rarely dodge, burn in, or make composites -- in other words, if you don't work locally on different areas of your image -- you may never need Photoshop again. On the other hand, serious retouchers should consider Lightroom for its organizational, printing, and Web prowess alone. About $300.

Read more on Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 1.0. Next product: Apple Aperture 1.5.