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Who's using PS CS4

Shootist

By Shootist
in Digital Post Processing Forum

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Rolo

Rolo

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Right where it should be! ;)

 

Wish you were paying $7 per US gallon for fuel, on top of the highest housing costs in the world. LOL :D

 

Biggest shock I've ever had was the difference cost for a Nikon 8000 glass scanner tray. Was 5x the US price. The scanner is twice the price here. Bought it from B&H. :)

 

Rolo

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Shootist

Shootist

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So I figured I'd give it a try.

Cleaned my system, Temp files and the like.

Created a image of my main hard drive just so I could go back to a state before the CS4 install.

Go to the Adobe website to download a trial version, which can be turned into a full version with a proper serial number.

Get to the Download page, and even the Trial DL page, and all that is listed is the Extended version.

So I say OK I'll give it a try.

Click on the link and get a page that says Notify me when available.

So I figure maybe at some point when going to the BUY it page they give you a chance to download a trial version.

I get a POP UP for a chat with Adobe support and I ask my question. Is there a trial version of Photoshop CS4 standard version. The guy, Roy (Like that's his real name), types did you mean Photoshop CS4 Extended.

I type back NO the standard version.

He responds with CS3 was available before the launch of CS4. NO SHIT SHERLOCK.

He then says do you want to buy it.

I say I might IF I can try it first.

Totally useless.

I then go to the FAQ's and it says it is available but there is no way to actually get it.

Funny though you can buy it and download. You just can't try it before you buy.

No thanks.

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Philinflash

Philinflash

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I have been using PsCs 4 for a few days now. Pluses and minuses.

 

Photomerge has been improved. You can read what Adobe says about it but there seems to be some substance to the hype. For one thing, you can have Bridge automatically figure out which image files in a folder should be stacked together (pano or HDR). It seems to to do that at a rate of about 10 per minute. In other words, a folder of 100 images should take about 10 minutes.

 

Once that is done, you can have Bridge go through the stacks and Photomerge each stack. You may want to look at the stacks to see if you agree with what has been done in stacking before undertaking that for the following reason. It can take a while. For instance, one folder of about 100 images (not all in stacks) took over two hours of grinding. Once started, there is no (good) way of stopping or pausing. Therefore, you might as well go out for dinner or do it when you go to bed because it pretty well takes over the whole computer. At least, it doesn't require any user interaction once it is started.

 

The Photomerge seems to be better in two major areas: it adjusts for vignetting (if you select that option) and it balances color from sub-frame to sub-frame very well. This means that the user does not have to prepare each sub-frame image in Camera RAW before doing a Photomerge. Nice. There is now an "Adjustments" sub-window above the Layers. However, a lot of space is taken up with Adjustment Presets that I don't like and can't see how to get rid of. Also, there is an option to correct geometric aberations in Photomerge. My early observation is that if your base images have no distortion, this option will definitely add some and that if your base images have distortion, it will take it out. In other words, use judiciously.

 

The PS layers adjustments are more user-friendly. I haven't fully explored this but initial impressions are favorable.

 

Having said that, it does a pretty good job.

 

I like the way PS now handles open image windows.

 

BR seems faster and better.

 

Pattern Maker has just plain disappeared. I didn't use it so I shall not be mourning it but maybe you were.

 

Finally, "Help" is no longer part of the application!!!! If you want Help (I used to think it was one of the better Help functionalities in Softwaredom) and you click on F1, it goes to your browser and then to Adobe and then to support. I have not timed it, but it seems to be two or more minutes until you can start actually getting some help. By then, I have forgotten the question. I have complained about this and was basically told to go sit in the corner until recess.

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tashley

tashley

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Not quite yet.

 

Went to the download page yesterday and discovered that Adobe want the same number as GBP as USD for the same download. :confused: :confused:

 

Then I stepped back. :D

 

Rolo

 

My feeling exactly. When Nik introduced Viveza I used the trial enthusiastically until it ran out then reached for my wallet until I saw the exchange rate. I never bought it, and have been nowhere near a NIK product again nor will I. I'm not their cow!

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Philinflash

Philinflash

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The decision to upgrade to CS4 certainly is a personal one that should hinge on what it can do for you. It is not a "paradyme shift" in the technology but rather an evolutionary one. But some of the changes might make it valuable for you.

 

Today, I spoke to Matt Kloskowski who has written an excellent and best-selling book on the Layers feature of Photoshop, simply called "Layers." Take a peek at it on Amazon.com. I asked him if he was going to do a CS4 version of "Layers" and he said no, there weren't enough changes to justify re-doing his book.

 

On the other hand, I just bought a book entitled "Up to Speed/Photoshop CS4, the only book focused exclusively on the new features of Photoshop CS4" and it seems to have quite a bit of detailed changes that I look forward to reading about.

 

For me personally, I am already happy that I up-graded because it is pretty clear that it does things I need better and quicker. But that's just me.

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Rolo

Rolo

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I just checked and B&H has the CS4 upgrade and it is $198, though not in stock yet. Why not just order it from B&H and save some money.?

 

Robert

 

Rob,

 

Thanks for that.

 

Early this year, I did tried to buy software from a US retailer and they wouldn't ship it because of their 'agreement'. I don't know that B&H would either.

 

This is serious stuff, In January, I asked Marc W to take delivery of a Hasselblad CFV back for me to make a substantial saving, but his Hass dealer wouldn't play. In the end I flew to Detroit/Franklin to sort it. :)

 

Rolo

:D

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oronet commander

oronet commander

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I just checked and B&H has the CS4 upgrade and it is $198, though not in stock yet. Why not just order it from B&H and save some money.?

 

 

Robert

 

Robert and Rolo,

 

The price difference exists for Spain as well (Photoshop costs approximately x2 here). I managed to buy CS2 from USA (form an eBay Powerseller) under the promise that "no problem could arise for upgrading". Well, this year I sold my camera and gave my CS2 copy to the buyer as enticement, since he wanted to upgrade to CS3. Well, he never could... Adobe refused on the fact that "the CS2 copy was bought in the USA". Imagine how outraged were my buyer and I...

 

Be careful then when buying Adobe from the States....

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lkfosterl

lkfosterl

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Went to the download page yesterday and discovered that Adobe want the same number as GBP as USD for the same download. :confused: :confused:

Rolo

 

After having lived in Dublin for 6 months currently and for a year five years ago that's the way it is for seemingly everything. Food, drink, cameras, bikes, cars and whatnot are all about the same in euros or pound sterling as they are in usd. It's no surprise to me that many co-workers hop over to the states with empty suitcases.

 

When I downloaded LR 1.0 while out of the states a few years ago the Adobe page defaulted to the country that I was in with a roughly 2X higher price. When I toggled the country to USA the price came down to normal and the order was processed nromally. I suppose that it helped that I had a US credit card and address as well as was going through my work server in the states, but you can always try.....

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magd0328

magd0328

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Also balked at the FX rate. Otherwise would have taken the plunge already. Was planning to buy one of the suites, which are seriously expensive. I'm actually running CS, am perfectly happy with it, but am planning to move to an Intel based machine soon, so want a version that will run native.

 

Presumably it won't let you download the software and pay in USD if you are based in Europe. But does anyone know if you just buy the box in the US and install it over here, would it work? Would you get support?

 

Can't see how this benefits Adobe... a lot of customers procrastinating and turned off over the unfairness of it all. I would buy the Master collection if it were less than £1500. I need to create a website, so Dreamweaver and Flash would come in handy for that. And (die-hard fans look away now) I notice that certain other camera manufacturers are starting to release products which record video. So sign me up for Premier. But at £2400 I just can't bring myself to do it. At least not yet.

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