With Adobe's release of Photoshop CS3 we're seeing one of the most important and powerful updates of the software since the release of the first CS version. As part of the CS3 Suite, the software has been re-tooled to function well on the new Intel-based MacPro systems. This has not really been as much of an issue with Photoshop as with other parts of the Suite, notably Illustrator and InDesign, but it will mean that Photoshop will run faster and be more stable on the new machines.
There are some really exciting new features in Photoshop CS3, which you may have seen in the "beta" version Adobe made available online. One of the coolest is the "Smart Filter" feature, which allows you to apply a filter to layers (using "Smart Objects") and, at a later time, adjust the filters effects in a non-destructive way. Smart Objects, introduced with CS2, are a unique way to lay in an image from another type of file... RAW, Illustrator files, etc, and be able to re-edit them with all their original attributes. The Smart Filter takes this remarkable power a step further.
The "Quick Selection" tool allows you to make a general, fast indication of an area to be selected, and allows the program to refine and complete the selection automatically. The "Refine Edge" feature lets you modify the edge of a selection in a number of precise ways.
A really exciting new tool is "Automatic Layer Alignment." Photoshop looks at your layers and tries to turn, move and rotate them to achieve the best alignment, leaving you to select and blend the parts of the layers you want using the usual masking tools.
Adobe has again refined Camera RAW in this version 4.0, given us Advanced Black-and-White conversion, and a remarkable set of refinements for Vanishing Point. The list goes on... as we tear into the actual release, we'll be integrating PS CS3 into both our Color Management and Digital Workflow training, and we'll keep you updated.
Maybe the most significant change is the release of Photoshop in 2 "packages." The first, Photoshop CS3, is what we would consider the basic Photoshop package, the best choice for Photographers, Graphic designers, Web designers and Print service providers. Photoshop CS3 "Extended" will give you a host of 2D-to-3D options, animation features, the ability to probe your images with measurement, analysis, and visualization tools. This package is targeted more to Film, video, and multimedia professionals, Graphic and web designers using 3D and motion, Manufacturing and Medical professionals, Architects, Engineers and Scientific researchers. For detailed comparisons of all the features, check out Adobe's comparison page.
This is very exciting stuff! To quote Deborah Whitman, vice president of product management for Digital Imaging at Adobe, "This is the year in which Photoshop reinvents itself. In this landmark release, we took the professional industry standard and greatly expanded the possibilities for designers and photographers, while challenging it to shine across a whole new set of tasks. We're delivering Photoshop CS3 and Photoshop CS3 Extended to a new breed of cross-media creative professional and stretching the limits of what can be done by architects, scientists and doctors."
