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Adobe Photoshop CS3
Adobe Photoshop CS3
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Adobe Photoshop CS3

From Sue Chastain,
Your Guide to Graphics Software.
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The Bottom Line

As the industry-standard, Photoshop skills are a necessity if you want to be employable in the graphic design field. Priced in the hundreds and with a learning curve to match, it's not for everyone, but the investment can pay off in increased productivity and the ultimate in flexibility. Photoshop CS3 now comes in a Standard version as well as an Extended version with specialized tools and features for the video, engineering, architecture, manufacturing, science, and medical fields.
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Pros
  • The industry standard for professional photo editing, graphic design, and digital imaging.
  • Offers ultimate flexibility and more non-destructive editing features with every version.
  • Photoshop CS3 includes many productivity enhancements and unparalleled features.
  • Non-destructive Camera Raw editing is now available for JPEG and TIFF images.
  • Most Web-oriented features are now integrated into Photoshop, eliminating the need for ImageReady.
Cons
  • Steep learning curve.
  • Price may be prohibitive for some.
  • Buyers must choose between giving up features or paying more for the costly Extended version.
  • More restrictive requirements for upgrade pricing in this version.
  • No support for Windows Vista Home Basic Edition.

Description

  • The industry standard for professional photo editing, graphic design, and digital imaging.

  • Preview, organize, search, and manage image files with the Adobe Bridge File Browser.

  • Combines tools for painting, drawing, retouching, adding notes, and working with type.

  • Edit images non-destructively with layer styles, adjustment layers, masks, smart objects, smart filters, and history.

  • Automate tasks and speed up production with actions, batch processing, history tracking, and scripts.

  • Adobe Camera Raw offers non-destructive preprocessing of Raw files from most digital cameras, plus JPEG and TIFF files.

  • Includes tools for graphic design, Web design, video production, and photography.

  • Extended version offers tools for film & TV, medical, science, engineering, architecture, and manufacturing fields.

  • Besides new tools and features, this version has many user interface and efficiency improvements.

  • Requires at least Mac OS X 10.4.8, Windows XP SP2, or Vista (excl. Home Basic) and DVD-ROM drive.

Guide Review - Adobe Photoshop CS3

For the ultimate in graphics power and flexibility, Photoshop can't be beat. Photoshop offers more non-destructive ways of working than any other photo editor, and Adobe is always adding enhancements to help get the job done faster and with less frustration. Now, with Standard and Extended versions, Photoshop CS3's power expands to even more industries than previously.

Photoshop CS3 comes with an interface overhaul and, as usual, a number of new productivity enhancing features and tools. For Macintosh users, Photoshop CS3 is the first version to run natively on Intel Macs.

Version CS3 includes some wonderful new features such as smart filters for non-destructive effects, a cloning palette for transforming and previewing results as you clone and heal, and automatic alignment and blending tools which will save you tons of time when working on composite photos. There is a new quick selection tool which matches the simplicity of the magic wand tool, but with much more power. And Bridge, the file browser bundled with all Adobe Creative Suite applications, is really beginning to feel like a mature application now. I've summarized the new features in a separate document along with screen shots, so check that out for the full details.

One thing you won't see in Photoshop CS3 is ImageReady, the Web optimization tool which was previously bundled with Photoshop. For some, this is a welcome change; for others, an inconvenient loss. Personally, I am not sad to see it go. Adobe has published a document to help users with the transition away from ImageReady.

Although the cost of Photoshop may be prohibitive for some, the investment can pay off in increased productivity and maximum flexibility. Students and educators can take advantage of academic pricing.

Summary and Screen Shots of New Features in Photoshop CS3

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