Photoshop CS2?!

Yesterday, Adobe accidentally posted a press release announcing the next version of Photoshop! It looks like they planned to make the announcement on April 4th since that's the date of on the press release. Adobe has since removed the document from their web site, but you can still read it by simply reading the rest of this post!

For immediate release

Adobe Pushes the Boundaries of Digital Photography and Imaging with Debut of Photoshop CS2

New Vanishing Point Feature, Dramatic Camera Raw Workflow Enhancements, Customizable Menus and Smart Objects Headline Milestone Photoshop Upgrade

SAN JOSE, Calif. — April 4, 2005  — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced Adobe® Photoshop® CS2, a major upgrade to the professional industry standard for digital image editing and creation. Available as a stand-alone software application or as a key component of Adobe Creative Suite® 2, also announced today (see separate press release), Photoshop CS2 software brings a new level of power, precision and control to the digital photography experience and to the overall creative process.

"Photoshop CS2 pushes the envelope with powerful features and simplified workflows that provide photographers and creative professionals the freedom to deliver stunning images," said Bryan Lamkin, senior vice president of Digital Imaging and Digital Video Products at Adobe. "In light of the four million digital SLRs expected to ship this year, more photographers than ever will be making Photoshop CS2 their digital darkroom of choice."

Advanced Tools for Digital Photographers, Graphics and Video Professionals

Photoshop CS2 integrates a new set of intuitive tools, including an enhanced Spot Healing Brush, for handling common photographic problems such as blemishes, red-eye, noise, blurring and lens distortion. Smart Objects allow users to scale and transform images and vector illustrations without losing image quality — as well as create linked duplicates of embedded graphics — so that a single edit updates across multiple iterations.

Responding to requests from film, broadcast and video professionals, Photoshop CS2 now allows non-destructive editing and the creation and editing of 32-Bit High Dynamic Range (HDR) images, ideal for 3D rendering and advanced compositing. FireWire Previews can also be viewed on a television monitor through a new direct export feature.

Photoshop CS2 users will test the limits of creativity with new tools like Vanishing Point and Image Warping. Vanishing Point cuts tedious graphic and photo retouching tasks by allowing users to clone, paint and transform image objects while retaining visual perspective. Reinventing workflows such as product packaging development, Image Warping makes it easy to fold, stretch, pull, twist and wrap an image into shape by selecting an on-demand preset or dragging custom control points.

Adobe Bridge and New Camera Raw Features Speed Imaging Workflows

With Photoshop CS2 software, finding and working with digital photos and images has never been easier. The popular File Browser has been upgraded to Adobe Bridge, which functions as a hub for productivity, imagery and creativity, providing multi-view file browsing and smooth cross-product integration across Adobe Creative Suite 2 software. Adobe Bridge also provides access to Adobe Stock Photos, a new stock photography service that offers users one-stop shopping — across five elite stock image providers — to deliver high-quality, royalty-free images for layout and design (see separate press release).

The new Camera Raw 3.0 workflow allows settings for multiple raw files to be simultaneously modified. In addition batch processing of raw files, to JPEG, TIFF, DNG or PSD formats, can now be done in the background without launching the main Photoshop executable. Integrated, non-destructive cropping and straightening controls allow raw files to be easily prepared for final output.

Simplifying Photoshop's rich interface, task-based menu presets make it easier to find the features needed for specific work. Users can create their own custom presets, highlighting favorite items and now have the ability to define event-based scripts and time-saving operations that execute automatically when triggered by actions, such as saving or printing a file. Multiple Layer Controls speeds editing, enabling the simultaneous selection and manipulation of numerous layers within a file.

Pricing and Availability

Adobe Photoshop CS2 for Mac OS X version 10.2.8 through 10.3.8, Microsoft® Windows® 2000 with Service Pack 4 or Windows XP with Service Pack 1 or 2, will begin shipping in May to customers in the United States and Canada, and will be available through Adobe Authorized Resellers and the Adobe Store at www.adobe.com/store . International versions are expected to begin shipping in late May and early June.  Adobe Photoshop CS2 will be available for an estimated street price of US$599 and licensed users of any previous version of Photoshop can upgrade for US$149. For more detailed information about new features, upgrade policies and pricing, please visit: www.adobe.com/photoshop . Adobe Photoshop CS2 is also available as part of Adobe Creative Suite 2.

About Adobe Systems Incorporated

Adobe is the world's leading provider of software solutions to create, manage and deliver high-impact, reliable digital content. For more information, visit www.adobe.com .

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© 2005 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved. Adobe, the Adobe logo and Photoshop are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. Apple and Macintosh are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the United States and other countries. Windows and Windows XP are either a registered trademark or a trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Comments

[Jules]

Ben! I'm a little late, but congrats on the blog! I look forward to reading it and becoming higly addicted!

(:3

[Max]

can't wait :)

[Rick Harper]

Dear Ben,
You were by far the best teacher at the Las Vegas Summit! Thank you so much for demonstrating in such a clear, concise way.

I study your Studio Techniques book, but having you explain some things in person made a world of difference. I didn't even have to take notes since your way of explaining things makes perfect sense immediately.

My images are coming out so much better and my clients are very pleased. It was also great to see your Dad attending your seminars. You are blessed.
I can't wait to take your one day course when you visit New York's Javits Convention Center in April.

All the best,
Rick Harper
917.579.1320

[Justine]

Hi Ben,

Thanks for posting this info, as its great to find out in advance so I can save my money for it.

Great Blog by the way.

I hope you plan on comming back to Australia soon, as I thoroughly enjoyed it, and learnt soooo much last time.

Regards
Justine

[Robert Buchholz]

Ben,

Now that the news is out about CS2, how about letting the cat out of the bag re your new book re "What's new in CS2?" When can we get our orders placed?

I was in a George Lepp seminar recently and of course he didn't say there was a new version of PS coming out in April, but did mention that you were writing a book which summarizes the differences between CS and CS2.

Exactly what is needed!!! I'm sure it's destined to be a best seller.

Rob

p.s. Looking forward to seeing you in late July at your Lepp seminar.

[Ben Willmore]

Sorry Rob, I can't reveal anything yet. I should be able to tell you more next month.

Right now I can only reveal what is public information.

-Ben

[Shirley Kehr]

One of my strongest wishes is that CS2 puts the Shadow/Highlight feature on the adjustment layer menu.

Shirley

[Ben Willmore]

Adjustment layers have certain limitations that make it so only certain adjustments can be applied as adjustment layers. Adobe would have to completely re-work how adjustment layers work to make Shadow/Highlight available as an adjustment layer. It would take a lot of time/resources to make this type of change, so I'm not sure if and when it will happen.

Just know that there are good reasons they it's not offer it as an adjustment layer and that it would take a lot of work to make it work as one.

Also, be very careful when using Shadow/Highlight and look close for halos around the edges of high contrast areas... I prefer to use curves in most cases even though it takes more effort than moving a few sliders.

-Ben

[Uwe Steinmueller]

>Also, be very careful when using Shadow/Highlight and look close for halos around the edges of high contrast areas... I prefer to use curves in most cases even though it takes more effort than moving a few sliders.

The halos are a major issue for me too. But Curves only can compte if you also use masks.

Uwe

[Ben Willmore]

Uwe, a carefully crafted curve is often enough... but if masks are needed, then dupe the layer, use the Background eraser or Extract filter and then command-click on the layer to get a selection out of it.

-Ben

[Uwe Steinmueller]

>Uwe, a carefully crafted curve is often enough...

I know but find curves not very photographer friendly (even with your excellent expanations).

> but if masks are needed, then dupe the layer, use the Background eraser or Extract filter and then command-click on the layer to get a selection out of it.

I hope to learn soon more about this.

Uwe

[Ben Willmore]

Uwe,

Then I have to figure out how to create better explanations because curves should be the photographers best friend. It's the adjustment that I apply to 95% of all images I work with and allows me to get a higher quality result than any other feature I've experimented with (and believe me, I've tried them all).

-Ben

[Diane Jacky]

Hi Ben, hope you can help. I have a RAID hard drive array in mirror orientation, and a major irritation in CS is that the new activation scheme causes CS to crash about every hour because it is incompatable with a RAID configuration. Adobe suggested some unfamiliar techno-geek fixes I could try, but I'm hoping that CS2 will simply have the fix built-in. Please advise?

[Andrew]

Ben, Thanks for publishing the info. I can't wait to see what the RAW workflow is like and get to play with the new features.

[Jay]

Ben
Thanks for all the info

I had a student ask about replicating the Shadow Highlight function in Photoshop7? Do you have an image with adjustment layers in which one could explain the SH function?

Is there a method to limit the number of drives and folders in which File Browser (PSCS)keeps track?

[Pard]

Dude, our taxes are due. Your blog is kicking ass. Cool!

[Ammar Midani]

Hi Ben,
It seems that Adobe is so excited about the new release. But we for sure know it wouldn't be an April lie.
Ok i wouldn't ask what version of PS are you using?:)

Thanks for the inspiration.

[theo barten]

Ben,
This must be the simplest question you ever had:
Is there another way to delete layers from the layer palette other than drag them to the icon below? Especially when I want to remove more than one layer I have to go through this routine many times. I use 7.1 on Panther

[Ben Willmore]

Please send Photoshop questions to the Photoshop Question Clinic at www.digitalmastery.com/questions

The comments section of each post is really designed to comment on that specific post.

-Ben

[john]

Is the new CS2 going to support 64bit winsows operating system or do I have to wait for another upgrade to be able to use my 64 bit processor?

[john]

Is the new CS2 going to support 64bit windows operating system or do I have to wait for another upgrade to be able to use my 64 bit processor?

[Ben Willmore]

I can't comment on products that have not been officially announced yet.

-Ben

[Danny]

Ben:

re: Changes to actions in CS2

From a post by Martin Evening in the PixelGenius forum on this topic:

"Some [actions] will [need to be changed;] some won't. I had to rewrite all the contact sheet actions because the layer selection process and linking is different in Photoshop CS2. The Merge Visible command will now merge to a new layer above the current selected layer (instead of into the selected layer) and the type layer steps in actions recorded for Photoshop 7 & CS are not recognised in CS2. There are a few other issues you may encounter. But otherwise, you'll find most will work just fine still."

Now that CS2 "is official," I'm looking for (and have yet to find) a concise summary of command and/or functional changes. Not a list of new features, bells & whistles, but changes like the ones to which Martin referred. Then I can research what actions need to be retrofitted.

Do you know where one might find information such as this?

Note: I don't have access to this forum, or I would ask there. I got the Evening quote from another venue. :-)

Thanks...

~Danny~