MySoftwareOutlet: Software: Adobe Photoshop CS3 [OLD VERSION]

From: Adobe
Category: Software

List Price: ~~$649.00~~
Buy New: $615.00
You Save: $34.00 (5%)

New (3) from $615.00

Avg. Customer Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

29 reviews
Sales Rank: 690

Format: Dvd-rom
Platforms: Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, Windows Vista Ultimate, Windows Xp
Media: DVD-ROM
Edition: Standard
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3
Dimensions (in): 0 x 0.1 x 0.1

MPN: L90551
Model: 23102480
UPC: 883919080222
EAN: 0883919080222
ASIN: B000NDIBYG

Release Date: April 20, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: BRAND NEW!!! FULL VERSION, not academic or upgrade. FREE PRIORITY MAIL SHIPPING UPGRADE

Customer Reviews:

Showing reviews 26-29 of 29

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Wait for CS4 May 30, 2007
69 out of 75 found this review helpful

I guess the folks at Adobe paid their staff to write some Amazon reviews....

I've been using Photoshop since version 2 and have been teaching Photoshop classes for over 10 years, and this is the worst upgrade ever (two stars since, well, it IS Photoshop afterall).

Photoshop's most touted new feature--non-destructive filters--is implemented very poorly. Rather than working like adjustment layers currently work, SmartFilters, as they are known, convert the underlying Photoshop layer into a SmartObject and places the SmartFilter on top. You CS2 users know that you can't edit a SmartObject in Photoshop--you have to go to the object's native application. So to edit the image under a SmartFilter, Photoshop opens it in a new document window (meaning you can't see its interaction with layers underneath as you edit it, and can't see how the various SmartFilters make the changed composition look until you save and return to the original document, and you can't see the effect of the SmartFilter as you edit the underlying art.

Adobe quietly retired ImageReady, so there is now NO way to open an animated GIF and edit its multiple frames in Photoshop CS3!

I've summarized the dissapointing bugs in a review of the whole Creative Suite (type "cs3" in the search field).

1 out of 5 stars

PhotoShop CS3 May 18, 2007
57 out of 111 found this review helpful

I am quite sure that the newly added features of Adobe PhotoShop CS3 deserve five stars; however, the legacy features that worked perfectly in earlier PhotoShop versions but no longer work (are now broken) in version CS3 reduce the number of stars to one. I have been forced to use an earlier version of PhotoShop in order to utilize features that worked perfectly in earlier versions of PhotoShop but are now broken in PhotoShop CS3.

When Adobe corrects the quality defects (program bugs) that Adobe itself introduced into the features of PhotoShop CS3, features that worked perfectly in earlier versions but no longer work in CS3, I will increase my rating well above one star, possibly even to five stars. I will know when this has occurred as I will no longer have to use earlier versions of PhotoShop to utilize features that are now broken (no longer work) in PhotoShop CS3. Right now Adobe PhotoShop CS3 in its current state with defects deserves no more than one star.

Right now, I only use PhotoShop CS3 for features that are not available in the earlier PhotoShop versions that I own. I will use CS3 then save my work and return to an earlier PhotoShop version for real production work, a version where legacy features still work properly. This procedure is totally unacceptable for production flow; however, it is what one must do to make things work. Hopefully I can continue to work with two versions of PhotoShop until the defects in CS3 are corrected by Adobe, but I am not holding my breath for Adobe to fix anything.

5 out of 5 stars

Review of CS3 software May 17, 2007
15 out of 32 found this review helpful

This product is great. Easy to use for the beginner and full featured enough for the professional. Comparing Bridge CS3 to MS Explorer is like comparing a bicycle to a BMW, there is no comparison. Other software companies should use this software as an example of how to create great software.

5 out of 5 stars

The biggest and best... as long as that's what you need May 1, 2007
290 out of 298 found this review helpful

If you're looking at the full version of Photoshop, I assume that you have not yet taken the plunge into the big leagues of editing programs. Maybe you've tried Elements or a program frpm a competitor of Adobe but either the price or the sheer overwhelming complexity of Photoshop (or both) have kept you from pulling the trigger. In my enthusiasm for this program, I could tell you to buy without reservation, but that isn't necessarily good advice.

The question, then, is whether Photoshop CS3 makes more sense than competing products. Ironically, Adobe itself makes what is probably the biggest competition in Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0. Elements is quite a competent photo editor for roughly one fourth the price of Photoshop. If editing photos is an occasional venture for you then you may well be better served to stick to Elements. It isn't the best but it is good and the tools available can give you outstanding results. For the majority of photos, I doubt anyone could tell the difference which program produced the results assuming a competent user was at the controls. The two main drawbacks to Elements are that it lacks some of the more powerful tools unique to CS3 and that some methods of achieving the same results will take more time. That's a key point, so I'll repeat it. For most of your photos, you can achieve virtually identical results in Elements... but it will take more time to do it.

Beyond the cost of your time, let's consider the problem photos that you may not be able to fix properly in Elements. Most of the time, if a shot didn't turn out well I just ignore it and move on. I'm not a big fan of spending hours on every photo and a well-shot image requires very little editing. But some of those duds represent something that I particularly wanted or needed a print of. Perhaps a key landmark from my last vacation, or a visiting relative who you photographed and promised you'd send a copy to. Whatever it is, when these shots come out poorly, you have to do whatever possible to salvage it and this is where Photoshop CS3 starts to earn its pay. For example, you open the file in Camera Raw and take advantage of a new feature that allows you to reclaim blown highlights even while increasing the exposure meter to bring in shadowed highlights. Right out of the gate, you're starting with an easy and powerful tool to fix one of the most common (and most destructive) image problems. And there is a whole laundry list of features after that... just read the lengthy product description that Amazon has posted from Adobe. Compare this feature set to Elements or any other program and you'll realize that the others simply can't compete.

Quite simply, if you are serious about editing and printing top-notch photos, then you need to use Photoshop CS3. If you don't, you're spending more time than you should be and leaving unfulfilled potential in your images. If you are a casual or occasional shooter, than you should probably stick with the less extensive products like Elements. It's cheaper, at least somewhat easier to use, and capable of generating quality work. Just remember that the photos that you most need to improve are the very ones where Elements may fail you. When you're really desperate to save a photo that you failed to capture well in-camera, that's when you need all the tricks and tools that only Photoshop has to offer.

Finally, for those who can't get past the hefty price, here is a little tip. If you buy an older version of Photoshop, it can often be had for a fraction of the current version. In turn, this will allow you to buy the upgrade version of Photoshop for one-third the price of the full version. This is legal and does not violate the Adobe license agreement in any way. All you need is a valid license for a full version of Photoshop 7.0, CS, or CS2 and you can purchase the upgrade with a combined cost well under the full version of CS3. If you attempt this, I would strongly recommend buying from a reputable dealer to make sure you get a valid license. For example, if you buy at a certain well-known auction site, make sure the seller has a high feedback rating.