Adobe Photoshop CS4
© 2008 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.

I get my goodies at Adorama, Amazon or Ritz. It helps me keep adding this site when you get yours from these links, thanks! Ken.

September 2008      

Introduction

Adobe announced CS4 on 23 September 2008 at Photokina. It will run on Intel and PowerPC Macs, and Windows XP and Vista, too. Look for it in October 2008 for $699, or $999 for the 3D "Extended" version. As always, you usually can upgrade from earlier versions.

Photoshop CS4 and Photoshop CS4 Extended will be available by themselves, or as part of the Creative Suite.

Unlike CS3, which never got me excited enough to update from CS2, I plan to get a copy of CS4 to review. When I do, you'll get the whole scoop, but for now, here's what Adobe has to say about it.

If I simply copied and pasted the press release, it reads the same as every other Photoshop press release over the decades. Here's an edited-for-clarity version of Adobe's press release to tide us over.

Photoshop CS4

"Content-Aware Scaling" allows us to size and scale images with a drag of the mouse.

New Auto-align and Auto-blend modes let us do great panoramic stitching, as did CS3, and now allow us to process a stack of images shot at different focus distances into a single image with everything in focus.

The new Canvas Rotation tool makes rotation simple.

Photoshop CS4 has a tab-based interface and self-adjusting panels.

Adobe Bridge CS4 is fast. New path-bar navigation and workspace selection buttons across the top of the Bridge window let us instantly go to just the right display for every task. Also included are new Camera Import controls, visual folder navigation, and a Carousel View for larger image-group selections.

Photoshop CS4 Extended

The "Extended" version adds motion graphics functions and expanded 3D visualization.

Photoshop CS4 Extended adds 3D manipulation. We can can paint directly on 3D models and surfaces, merge 2-D files onto 3D images and animate 3D objects. We can edit properties like light and the ability to create more realistic renderings with a new high-quality ray-tracer.

We can turn any 3D object into a video display zone and can animate 3D objects and properties. There are more single-key shortcuts.

“The 3D painting enhancements in Adobe Photoshop CS4 Extended save us valuable time by enabling artists to paint directly on our 3D flight simulator models in Photoshop instead of using a separate 3D paint program,” says Luis Barcena, executive vice president of databases and modeling for Aechelon Technology, Inc., a leader in real time computer graphics applications for training, simulation and entertainment markets. “Additionally, the ability to perform localized color correction in Photoshop CS4 Extended lets us easily color correct and balance simulated environments and terrain databases using images taken in different climates to achieve a more realistic and compelling user experience.”

Photoshop CS4 Extended lets radiologists render DICOM image stacks into a volume that can be viewed from all angles.

Recommendations   back to top

I'm not hearing anything earth-shattering for photographers, but since I'm curious, I'm going to give CS4 a spin and see what's new.

There is always a ton inside that doesn't fit into a press release. I'll be looking for better performance and more tweaks in the Lens Distortion filter, but that's just me.

PLUG

I support my growing family through this website.

If you find this as helpful as a book you might have had to buy or a workshop you may have had to take, feel free to help me continue helping everyone.

If you've gotten your gear through one of my links or helped otherwise, you're family. It's great people like you who allow me to keep adding to this site full-time. Thanks!

If you haven't helped yet, please do, and consider helping me with a gift of $5.00.

The biggest help is to use these links to Adorama, Amazon, B&H, Ritz, J&R and when you get your goodies. It costs you nothing and is a huge help to me. These places have the best prices and service, which is why I've used them since before this website existed. I recommend them all personally.

Thanks for reading!