Ulead PhotoImpact 12

As well as a fully featured image editor offering both easy quick fix and more advanced options, Ulead’s package also has a host of useful web-design tools. Not least of these is the facility to build and edit photo blogs, as well as design web galleries, buttons and so on. Among the other benefits there’s RAW support for high-end cameras – admittedly also available in the other packages reviewed here – and plenty of correction features to fix any technical faults within your photos.

There’s also a wide array of DVD and slide show options, including the ability to create DVD menus, and with a decent set of tutorials to guide you, even the most complicated jobs are less tricky than you’d think.

On the downside, the built-in image browser is basic: it does display EXIF information, but is limited to single folders at any one time. However, the package also includes PhotoImpact Album, and Photo Explorer to aid in importing and cataloguing. Also included is Cool 360 for creating panoramas of multiple images, and GIF Animator – another web-design utility.

This is a well-endowed package, with plenty of tools for the photographer and the web designer, although it lacks one-click uploads to online sharing and printing. However, the blog facility is fun, and sure to reel in a few fans.

Want to discuss this review? Voice your opinions about this and other products on our Readers Recommend forum

Read about the latest gadgets and hardware everyday in our Most Wanted blog