Tuesday 27 Mar 2007 - 05:09
The beta version of Photoshop CS3 has been available since November, but Creative Suite 3 introduces an expanded version of the application called Photoshop CS3 Extended. This includes all of the features of the standard version, but adds tools for 3D artists, video editors and motion graphics artists (and architects and medical pros).
Both versions see a performance improvement over Photoshop CS2, especially if you’re using an Intel-based Mac. Starting the application was over twice as fast on our Mac Pro, as was opening large images and many filters and tasks. We also saw an overall speed boost running CS3 under Windows Vista over CS2, though to a much smaller degree.
Hanging out with models*
The new 3D tools in Photoshop CS3 Extended are of interest to both 2D creatives such as designers and illustrators, and 3D artists. They allow models to be imported into a 3D layer within the Layers palette, where they can be worked on or used as part of 2D project.
3D artists have access to the model’s textures, essentially allowing them to use the model as a preview window while editing the texture in another window as you would in the previous version. Designers and illustrators can add 3D models to their work without having to render, with a basic set of placement and cross-section tools, and display options from wireframe to fully rendered output.
In our beta version, Photoshop could only render preview-quality versions of files, but expect to see output options to grown-up rendering engines such as mental ray by the final release.
Rotoscope up*
Photoshop CS3 can now work with video files properly through the overhauled Animation palette, which provides a timeline for scrubbing through video (or Flash files). Users can add layers and static elements such as text and graphics.
The most interesting video function is the ability use Photoshop’s extensive painting tools, including the new Clone Source palette (see below) which can clone from different frames, and an Onion Skinning control to see previous and next frames as you work.
These additions massively improve Photoshop’s usefulness as a rotoscoping tool, though specialists will still benefit from a focussed application with multi-frame painting tools such as Bauhaus Software’s Mirage.
Eve of destruction
Another feature taken from Adobe’s video products is the ability to modify filters after they’ve been applied – so you can change easily an effect based on its interactive with another applied later, or based on client feedback, or after you’ve re-opened an image the next day.
Smart filters sit in a stack under each layer in the Layers Palette, where you can double-click to adjust them or drag them to the Trash. However, adjusting two filters based on the feedback of each other isn’t as easy as with After Effects’ Effects window.
A select few
The new Quick Selection tool enables you to create an selection area by ‘painting’ areas to keep and ignore, with Photoshop selecting surrounding blocks of similar colours automatically. It’s a massive improvement on the old Magic Wand, but it’s not as accurate as plug-ins such as OnOne Mask Pro or Vertus Fluid Mask – and lacks those tools fine-tuning controls for dealing with tricky areas such as hair.
Combine and control
Designers often have multiple photos of the same scene that they want to composite, whether to combine the best parts of different shots or remove elements such as bystanders. To make the process as swift and painless as possible, Photoshop CS3 can analyze a series of images and automatically align them to each other.
Users can then either mask out areas to let better elements show through, or let Photoshop merge the photos keeping only elements that stay the same in all shots. Merging for panoramas has also been improved.
Here, to create a shot where everyone is looking at the cameras and smiling from the top two photos, we used the auto align feature to match the position of both photos as layers in a single Photoshop document -- and then painted a mask to let elements from the lower layer show through, creating the lower image.
Clone home
The new Clone Source palette is designed to makes tools that allow users to paint from one area to another – such as the Clone tool, Healing Brush and Spot Healing Brush – more efficient. It allows up to five sources to be stored and applied as you wish. An overlay option allows you to see an opaque version of the source pixels under your cursor for precise positioning.
Neil Bennett
For more information see the Adobe Web site.
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