Photoshop CS2 Info Central
Today, Adobe Systems Incorporated announced Adobe Photoshop CS2 (Photoshop 9), a major upgrade to the professional industry standard for digital image editing and creation. Photoshop CS2 is available as a stand-alone software application or as a component of Adobe Creative Suite 2, also announced today. Code named "Space Monkey" by the Photoshop development team, Photoshop CS2's new features include a new file browser (now called Adobe Bridge), a vanishing point tool, smart sharpen filter, noise reduction filter, smart objects, and camera raw workflow enhancements. I've been working with a late beta version of Photoshop CS2 for several days, and I've prepared the following pages of screen shots and examples of the new features in action, along with my commentary on them:
Photoshop CS2 New Features:
- Adobe Bridge File Browser
- Smart Sharpen Filter
- Vanishing Point Tool
- Warp Transformations
- Spot Healing Tool
- Noise Reduction Filter
- Smart Objects, Smart Guides, Layer Enhancements
- More New Features (red eye tool, lens correction, font previews, camera raw, customizable menus)
Photoshop CS2 Full Version, PC Photoshop CS2 Full Version, Mac Photoshop CS2 Upgrade
Here are a few other tid-bits I wasn't able to mention in the articles above:
- Adobe has reduced the price for Photoshop CS2 to US$599 for new users and US$149 for upgraders.
- Photoshop CS2 breaks through the 2 GB RAM barrier. According to Adobe's press documentation, "Photoshop CS2 can address approximately 3.5 GB of RAM on a Power Macintosh G5 running Mac OS X, or on a Windows XP 64-bit Edition system running an Intel Xeon processor with EM64T, or an AMD Athlon 64 or Opteron processor."
- A new "Merge to HDR" command lets you combine multiple exposures into 32-bit high dynamic range (HDR) images.
- Shadow/Highlight can now be used in any 8 or 16-bit RGB, LAB or CMYK image.
- More filters have been upgraded to 16-bit compatibility, including Liquify and Lens Blur.
I'll continue to update this page with the best Photoshop CS2 and Creative Suite 2 information I can find over the next few days so keep checking back.
Adobe Press Release:
Photoshop CS2 software brings a new level of power, precision and control to the digital photography experience and to the overall creative process.
"Photoshop CS2 pushes the envelope with powerful features and simplified workflows that provide photographers and creative professionals the freedom to deliver stunning images," said Bryan Lamkin, senior vice president of Digital Imaging and Digital Video Products at Adobe. "In light of the four million digital SLRs expected to ship this year, more photographers than ever will be making Photoshop CS2 their digital darkroom of choice."
Advanced Tools for Digital Photographers, Graphics and Video Professionals
Photoshop CS2 integrates a new set of intuitive tools, including an enhanced Spot Healing Brush, for handling common photographic problems such as blemishes, red-eye, noise, blurring and lens distortion. Smart Objects allow users to scale and transform images and vector illustrations without losing image quality — as well as create linked duplicates of embedded graphics — so that a single edit updates across multiple iterations.
Responding to requests from film, broadcast and video professionals, Photoshop CS2 now allows non-destructive editing and the creation and editing of 32-Bit High Dynamic Range (HDR) images, ideal for 3D rendering and advanced compositing. FireWire Previews can also be viewed on a television monitor through a new direct export feature.
Photoshop CS2 users will test the limits of creativity with new tools like Vanishing Point and Image Warping. Vanishing Point cuts tedious graphic and photo retouching tasks by allowing users to clone, paint and transform image objects while retaining visual perspective. Reinventing workflows such as product packaging development, Image Warping makes it easy to fold, stretch, pull, twist and wrap an image into shape by selecting an on-demand preset or dragging custom control points.
Adobe Bridge and New Camera Raw Features Speed Imaging Workflows
With Photoshop CS2 software, finding and working with digital photos and images has never been easier. The popular File Browser has been upgraded to Adobe Bridge, which functions as a hub for productivity, imagery and creativity, providing multi-view file browsing and smooth cross-product integration across Adobe Creative Suite 2 software. Adobe Bridge also provides access to Adobe Stock Photos, a new stock photography service that offers users one-stop shopping — across five elite stock image providers — to deliver high-quality, royalty-free images for layout and design.
The new Camera Raw 3.0 workflow allows settings for multiple raw files to be simultaneously modified. In addition batch processing of raw files, to JPEG, TIFF, DNG or PSD formats, can now be done in the background without launching the main Photoshop executable. Integrated, non-destructive cropping and straightening controls allow raw files to be easily prepared for final output.
Simplifying Photoshop's rich interface, task-based menu presets make it easier to find the features needed for specific work. Users can create their own custom presets, highlighting favorite items and now have the ability to define event-based scripts and time-saving operations that execute automatically when triggered by actions, such as saving or printing a file. Multiple Layer Controls speeds editing, enabling the simultaneous selection and manipulation of numerous layers within a file.
Pricing and Availability
Adobe Photoshop CS2 for Mac OS X, Windows 2000 or Windows XP, will begin shipping in May to customers in the United States and Canada. Adobe Photoshop CS2 will be available for an estimated street price of US$599 and licensed users of any previous version of Photoshop can upgrade for US$149.
Adobe Photoshop CS2 is also available as part of Adobe Creative Suite 2. The price for Adobe Creative Suite 2 Premium Edition at the Adobe store is $1,199 (U.S.) for all platforms. Upgrade pricing in the United States and Canada Licensed users of Photoshop may upgrade to Adobe Creative Suite 2 Premium Edition at the Adobe store for $749 (U.S.). Licensed users of Adobe Creative Suite 1.x may upgrade to Adobe Creative Suite 2 Premium Edition at the Adobe store for $549 (U.S.).
Photoshop CS2 New Features:
- Adobe Bridge File Browser
- Smart Sharpen Filter
- Vanishing Point Tool
- Warp Transformations
- Spot Healing Tool
- Noise Reduction Filter
- Smart Objects, Smart Guides, Layer Enhancements
- More New Features (red eye tool, lens correction, font previews, camera raw, customizable menus)
From Adobe:
Elsewhere on the Web:- David Nagel's First Look at Photoshop CS2: "Just when you think there isn't a whole lot more that Adobe could do to Photoshop, along comes Photoshop CS2, the most expansive, innovative and feature-packed update in the new Creative Suite 2… It's also easily the most advanced version of the premier image editing tool to date."
- Imaging Resource Looks at Photoshop 9: "We're particularly impressed with the new Bridge (which replaces the File Browser) and Camera Raw's ability to edit multiple images simultaneously (with a live preview)."
- The Little Things in Photoshop CS2: "Every time a new version of Photoshop comes out, we all tend to focus on the “big features.” …But one of the things I love about upgrades is that Adobe always sneaks in all sorts of little enhancements and improvements along the way."
- NAPP's Photoshop CS2 Learning Center: videos, articles, reviews, news, etc.
- Interview with Photoshop Product Manager John Nack: "There’s a ton of power in the Creative Suite applications, but most people aren’t a master of every app. Being able to hand off images from the File Browser to Photoshop automation tools proved really popular, so we wanted to extend that power to the whole Suite."
- Adobe Photoshop CS2 for Photographers: Download PDF versions of two complete chapters from Martin Evening's forthcoming Adobe Photoshop CS2 for Photographers book and CD. The chapters are "What's New in Adobe Photoshop CS2" and "Color management in Adobe Photoshop CS2."
Also see: Adobe Announces Creative Suite 2
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