Corel's Digital Studio 2010 combines photo and video editing, burning software and a video player to create a respectable suite of applications that should be well suited for the hobbyist or home user.

Centralized Launch

Once installed you will find the Corel Digital Studio Gadget now graces your desktop. The Gadget provides a centralized launch pad with easy, single button access, to each of the Digital Studio's applications.

Consistent Interface

The Photo, Video and Burn buttons launch separate applications, each with a similar look and feel. Such consistency from application to application lessens the required learning curve while increasing user friendliness.

Each application's interface opens with media assets displayed in the center. A menu, which includes Import, Create, Print and Share options, lies across the top. Media library and folder navigation stands along the left side of the interface. The media tray, where assets are dragged for various projects, lies across the bottom.

Studio is highly visual, utilizing sizeable thumbnails and fly out menus with large, colorful icons. In each case, export options include email as well as upload to Facebook, Flickr and YouTube.

Photo

Corel PaintShop Photo Express 2010 contains familiar tools used to straighten and crop photos and to fix red eye. There is a Quick Fix button designed to make adjustments automatically. Its purpose is to improve various aspects of the selected photo, however you will probably fare much better by using the slide out tool bar on the right of the interface and making the adjustments manually. Here you have control over brightness, shadow, highlight, saturation, sharpness, fill flash, edges, frames and several other correction tools.

I would like to see a few more effects included, however, as the application only contains black and white, sepia, antique and soft focus. You also have the option of adding limited metadata information and can rate your photos based on a one to five-star rating system.

Video

Corel VideoStudio Express 2010 allows you to create simple video projects with limited editing capabilities. You can trim or split your clips or take a snapshot if you like. The More Tools slide out tool bar lets you adjust the white balance and brightness, reduce noise and shake as well as add tags and view clip metadata. You have options to change styles, select and customize titles, add background music and record your own voiceover. The built-in moviemaker contains templates for a more professional look and does much of the work for you.

Burn

The suite's burning application is Corel DVD Factory 2010. Media is imported from a wide array of sources and exported to audio, video or data backup discs. Additionally, your finished work may be copied to any of a number of external devices including Apple iPod and iPhone, Sony PSP, MP3 players and various mobile phones.

You can add chapters, move graphics around within the selected template, change title properties, select background music and even change template styles at any time. The Settings slide out tool bar allows you to select DVD-Video or AVCHD as your project format, normalize audio tracks, adjust the aspect ratio, choose NTSC or PAL, select the video quality and even choose between Dolby and LPCM as your audio format.