Photoshop CS4's new features

[The View]

Here's a link to the list of new or improved features of Photoshop CS4.

I guess we'll need a bit more details than this list can provide.

http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/compare/?sdid=DOQHR

Some items sound interesting like the better handling of the canvas area, or the enhanced retouching features (but what are they?).

Also the "adjustments panel for live, nondestructive adjustment".

If you have a link that gives  more detail to this list of features in the link, please post it here.

[Nick Rains]

Also the "adjustments panel for live, nondestructive adjustment".

If you have a link that gives  more detail to this list of features in the link, please post it here.
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The adjustments panel is basically a quick way to add adjustment layers. Choose Levels (for example), adjust the sliders and you will see an adjustment layer added and no 'OK' button. It bypasses the modal nature of many of PS's dialog boxes.

It's not an earth shattering feature but it's a neat and somewhat more intuitive way to work. In fact CS4 has few 'showcase' features like previous versions but overall it's a lot more refined. Using the GPU makes the screen draw much more speedily making the app feel more responsive.

[David Sutton]

Thanks for the link. But what is a "fluid user experience"?  
I'm not sure I'd like that, even in the privacy of my own home.

[Czornyj]

I hope that trial version will be available for download soon... I'm already dying of curiosity...

[Dale_Cotton]

Video walk-throughs of new features here: CS4 in Action

It looks as though they've taken a leaf from Lightroom as to screen layout. Does anyone who's worked with the beta know whether the right-hand panel can be minimized or toggled on/off? In Lightroom there's that little triangle on the right edge to hide/show the edit panes. Call me old-fashioned but I have a 4:3 aspect ratio display and don't have any particularly desire to switch to something wider.

[bob mccarthy]

Appears to be a Mac version of Photoshop, looking at the store

I thought the Mac version wasn't to be part of the release from what I remember a few months ago.

bob

[dogear]

Appears to be a Mac version of Photoshop, looking at the store

I thought the Mac version wasn't to be part of the release from what I remember a few months ago.

bob
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It's just that the Mac version is 32 bit, not 64 bit like the Windows Vista version (not sure about XP). Mac users have to wait for CS5 for 64 bit. At least that's my understanding.

[Paul2660]

Adobe's answer to me on XP 64 bit was that CS4 should work, but will not be supported, only Vista 64 bit.

If it installs like lightroom 2.0 64 bit, it was only a matter of finding the 64 bit installer and running it.  

So far I have not had any issues with Lightroom 2.0 with XP 64 bit,  but my use has been limited.

Paul C

[DarkPenguin]

Was layer alignment in the base version of CS3?

Looks like pano stitching should be even better with this version.

[John.Murray]

64bit support + 360 degree panos (anyone remember ipix???  i'm sitting on nearly $1500 of unused keys  ) . . . I'm in!

[DarkPenguin]

Oh, hell.  If I upgrade it really needs to be to a new 64bit setup with oodles of memory.

Grumble.

[rdonson]

Are you planning to upgrade?

I haven't seen a compelling reason yet.  I'll keep looking though.

I'm a PS CS3 and Lightroom 2 user and right now I'm more looking forward to them fixing the bugs in LR2.  I know RC for 2.1 is available but that doesn't address everything.  

Sure hope PS CS4 has fewer bugs than LR2.

[BernardLanguillier]

I will need to look more in details, but as a Mac user I see no compelling reason to upgrade to Photoshop CS4 as of now.

On the other hand Dreamwaver of InDesign might include some interesting new stuff that might justify a global upgrade to CS4 suite.

Cheers,
Bernard

[teddillard]

I got one word.  Camera RAW Adjustment Brush.

OK, how bout  CameraRAWAdjustmentBrush.

http://www.teddillard.com/2008/09/cs4-came...ment-brush.html

[jjj]

It looks as though they've taken a leaf from Lightroom as to screen layout. Does anyone who's worked with the beta know whether the right-hand panel can be minimized or toggled on/off? In Lightroom there's that little triangle on the right edge to hide/show the edit panes. Call me old-fashioned but I have a 4:3 aspect ratio display and don't have any particularly desire to switch to something wider.
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I've been testing CS4 and it never ocured to me that CS4 was like LR in that respect. Probably as I use a second monitor and with laptop I prefer to have panels displayed or tabbed out of sight altogether. No little triangles.
How the interface works is quite subtle and also changes depending on screen mode and how you place your panels/pallettes against the sides. You can set it up to work how you like.
It's much better than CS3, especially on the Mac as you don't see through to desktop anymore [optional if you want old faffy interface], but the new interface is implemented slightly better on PC, as it is more coherent and uses less vertical real estate.
Therte have been a lot of moans about new interface, from those who haven't used it, but it is
Is it worth upgrading? All a matter of priorities, if new features help your workflow then cough up. Though as many of the improvements are not so in your face, it's not until you use the older version you realise how much better it is. I've not used CS3 for work since June.
Bridge CS4 is worth upgrade money on its own, it's sooooo much better. I've barely used LR of late. Not to mention how good ACR5 is.

[jjj]

I will need to look more in details, but as a Mac user I see no compelling reason to upgrade to Photoshop CS4 as of now.
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Why as a Mac user is it less compelling? The 64 bit difference [the only fundamental difference between platforms] will be relevent to very few people .

[jjj]

I haven't seen a compelling reason yet.  I'll keep looking though.

I'm a PS CS3 and Lightroom 2 user and right now I'm more looking forward to them fixing the bugs in LR2.  I know RC for 2.1 is available but that doesn't address everything. 
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Bridge CS4!  

[kaelaria]

For those of us already using Lightroom 2.x as our main editor - there is not a whole lot to offer, as most of the changes were already given to us in LR.  However, there are some neat things that were included such as content aware resizing.  I saw videos of this years ago, and thought it would be really fun to try on some shots.  Now I'll get to check it out!

[rdonson]

I'm still thinking the cost of the PS CS4 upgrade will go towards the 5D Mark II.  

Once the bugs are out of LR 2 I think CS3 may suffice for when I need to do pixel tweaking.  The CS4 improvements may be nice but I didn't see much yet that improves my pixel manipulation.  

Time will tell though.  I am a tech junkie.

[The View]

It doesn't have to be a load of new features.

A really well thought-out improvement in terms of maturity is also good.

But, honestly, I haven't found so much wrong with CS3 so far.

Except probably the navigation through the image using the track ball is impossible with larger files: too much delay (I have a modern system with enough RAM, so there may be some advantages in that CS4 promise of improved navigation).

jjj's hint regarding Bridge CS4 is worth taking into account. I use Bridge, and I like it.


Test driving CS4 is surely a good thing, but if I remember right, I always read about problems when people tried to install the purchased version after using the trial. Cannot  tell, though, if they committed pilot error, or if the fault was in the trial version.