The “Big Kielbasa” of image editing software has just released its fourth version — Photoshop CS4 is now shipping. Last April I received a beta version of the program (code named Stonehenge) that has evolved over the last seven months into its current state. This new upgrade is actually the eleventh version of the original Adobe Photoshop.
It looks different, feels different and has some way-cool new features that enhance workflow and extend Photoshop’s already powerful editing capabilities into amazing new realms of image editing. Photoshop CS4 continues to be integrated with the other CS4 software programs that are also available in Creative Suite (CS4) packages.

TWO NEW PHOTOSHOPS
Like CS3, Adobe has released two versions of Photoshop CS4. CS4 Standard and CS4 Extended (see Figure 1). The former version contains features for print and Web publishing used by designers, printers and photographers and includes a redesigned interface plus a variety of workflow enhancements that offer a more fluid user experience. The Extended version has included advanced features that support 3-D graphics including 3D editing and compositing capabilities and improved video controls to create, edit and wrap vector objects and raster images. These features can be used for editing 3D and motion-based content for film, video and multimedia. The extended version also includes tools for scientific imaging and measurement. The Extended version costs around a $1,000 and is about $300 more than the Standard version.

NAVIGATION IMPROVEMENTS
The CS4 program looks different than earlier versions and includes a newly designed interface that is far more interactive than its predecessor. The Mac version’s default workspace, shown in Figure 2, is now contained in a single neutral gray background similar to earlier Windows versions. Both Mac and PC versions have convenient tabs that reveal and conceal currently opened documents making for a more fluid workflow. If you are working on four documents simultaneously, for example compositing from more than one source document, it’s a simple matter of choosing a four-up configuration to tile them on-screen as in Figure 3. Or, you can drag a tab off the workspace to display an image in an independent window.

Figure 2: The interface has been redesigned for better access to a variety of features.

Figure 3: You can choose a multiple “image up” configuration to display several images simultaneously.

New icons have been added to a separate bar above the Options bar (see Figure 4) for swift and convenient toggling from one display mode to another other. All of these little features ultimately save precious time when you incorporate them into a long work session.

Figure 4: New navigation icons above the Options bar toggle from one display mode to another other.

FLUID CANVAS ROTATION AND PANNING
You can perform super-smooth view rotations and panning with the new panning and zooming features in Photoshop CS4. To use these features you need MacOSX 4.11 or higher or Windows Vista and a compatible video card. The Rotate View tool and integrated key commands will rotate and pan the canvas for a better view at any angle, and you can smoothly zoom in and out at any percentage value while preserving image clarity. Close views display the new Pixel Grid that clearly defines individual pixels, a feature that is very helpful for editing large areas of smooth color.

NEW PANELS
Two new context-sensitive panels have been added which are welcome additions to both the Standard and Extend versions. A Mask panel (see Figure 5) offers controls to display and edit currently selected areas. The Refine option quickly displays the Refine Edge dialog box that was introduced in Photoshop CS3. The panel supports both pixel- and vector-based masks, and adjusts mask density and feathering or toggles into the Refine Edge feature to precisely modify the selection edge.

Figure 5: The Mask panel displays and edits selected areas.

The Adjustments panel, shown in Figure 6, lets you pick a color or tonal adjustment from a list of icons. Then, the panel displays the controls of the chosen adjustment, eliminating the necessity of choosing an adjustment from the menu dialog boxes. The panel automatically creates a new Adjustment layer. A new Vibrance adjustment and a variety of new presets are now included in the Adjustments panel.

Figure 6: The Adjustments panel lets you pick a color or tonal adjustment from a list of icons.

CONTENT-AWARE SCALING AND OTHER MAGIC
You can now automatically recompose images as you scale them. With the Content-Aware Scaling command, found in the Edit menu, the size of the important elements is retained as the image is resized to new dimensions, as in Figure 7. With a single function you can now eliminate labor-intensive cropping and retouching. I wonder how Adobe created this magic? I’m sure the genius programmers stayed up very late cooking up algorithms that can intelligently assess what is important in an image and what needs to be transformed.

Figure 7: Content-Aware Scaling retains the size of the important elements as the rest of the image is resized to new dimensions.

Other smart features include the Auto-Blend Layers command to composite a single image from a series that have different focal points. This feature smoothly blends color and shading and extends depth of field. It corrects vignetteing and lens distortion automatically.

Another smart and improved feature is the Auto-alignment Layers command for creating accurate composites. Layer content can be moved, rotated, or warped to align it more accurately. The Spherical alignment option is great for aligning consecutive layers on wide format panoramas.

TOOL IMPROVEMENTS
The Clone Stamp tool now displays the sampled clone source image in the selected brush size as you paint making it easier to anticipate results.

The Dodge, Burn and Sponge tools used to lighten, darken, saturate or de-saturate have been reengineered to eliminate those nasty color shifts that muddied up shadows and highlights. They now intelligently retain color and tone while they alter brightness and intensity.

IMAGE MANAGEMENT
The two software programs linked to Photoshop that help manage images; Adobe Bridge CS4 and Adobe Lightroom CS4 have been enhanced. Adobe Bridge’s performance is improved with a faster start-up and a newly designed more user-friendly interface (see Figure 8). Adobe Lightroom, the photographer’s photo management software which is sold separately, has undergone recent upgrades too. You can choose multiple photos in Lightroom and automatically open them in Adobe Photoshop CS4 to merge them into a panorama, an HDR (High Dynamic Range) photo, or a multilayered Photoshop document.

Figure 8: The performance of Adobe Bridge is improved with faster start-up and a newly designed more user-friendly interface that features an improved zoom tool.

The new Camera Raw plug-in now offers the ability to apply nondestructive adjustments to local areas of an image, as in Figure 9. It also supports vignetting after the image has been cropped and TIFF and JPEG processing. Adobe has also has expanded image support in Camera Raw for an excess of 190 camera models.

Figure 9: The new Camera Raw plug-in now offers the ability to apply nondestructive adjustments to local areas.

BETTER PRINTS
Better integration with leading printer models and the ability to preview out-of-gamut image areas in the new version have made color management easier and more reliable. And for a super-feature, Photoshop CS4 for Mac OS prints 16-bit images so your prints will be clearer and smoother with greater color depth.

3D RENDERING
The center-piece addition to the Photoshop arsenal that has the graphics community’s tongues wagging are the new 3D editing tools that come with the Extended version of the program. These tools are outstanding, especially if you work in the fields of manufacturing, industrial design, architecture, engineering, film, video, multimedia, medicine or science where you need to visualize and render 3D objects.

The 3D features enable you to paint directly onto 3D models generated in vector-based programs like Flash, Maya or Illustrator. For a quick animated demo of this cool feature, visit to httpwww.adobe.comproductsphotoshopphotoshopextendedfeaturesview=topnew.

The 3D rendering tools also let you wrap two-dimensional raster images around 3D generated shapes, as in Figure 10. It converts gradient maps to 3D objects for vector-based carving output. You can enhance the depth of layers and text and produce print-quality output with the new ray-tracing rendering engine. Photoshop also exports 3D objects common 3D formats.

Figure 10: The 3D rendering tools can wrap 2D raster images around 3D generated shapes using 3D Layers.

DO I NEED TO UPGRADE?
Once again, another release of Photoshop raises the question “Do I need to upgrade?” and I think the improvements in CS4 are worth investigating. The only way to tell if the new features will enhance your workflow is to try it out. Adobe offers a free 30-day road test of Photoshop CS4 and all of the Adobe CS4 products. Go to httpwww.adobe.comdownloads to download any of the trial versions.