by Smith Micro Software Inc.
Platform:
Windows Vista / 7 / XP, Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, Mac OS X 10.6 Snow LeopardDate first available at Amazon.com: May 27, 2011
Buy new:
4 used & new from $139.99
(Visit the Hot New Releases in Graphics list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
Review & Description
Complete Animation for Professional and Digital Artists
Anime Studio Pro 8
Complete Animation for Professionals and Digital Artists
Anime Studio Pro is the efficient alternative to time-consuming, frame-by-frame animation. Ideal for professional animators, digital artists and content creators, Anime Studio is equipped with the powerful features you need to produce film, video and online media. Complete your creative arsenal today with this essential application.
Anime Studio Improves Workflow with New, Comprehensive Tools
Create High-Quality Animations
Make characters, objects and scenes using powerful vector-based drawing tools. Import your scanned drawings and images, including layered Photoshop files.
Automatic Image Tracing
Speed up production by automatically converting existing artwork and sketches to fully editable vector drawings.
Character Wizard
Design fully rigged characters with multiple views, walk cycles, expressions and more. Access dozens of predesigned components or add your own creations and reusable actions.
Real Time Media Connection
Imported media files edited in their native applications are automatically recognized and updated within Anime Studio.
Global Rendering Styles
Quickly change the overall design of your animations by choosing from various fill, stroke and layer presets.
Powerful Production Tools
Robust bone-rigging tools make character creation and animation easier than ever. Save time with Curve Profile, Follow Path and Stroke Exposure tools, along with automatic line-smoothing features.
Utilize an Array of Powerful and Versatile Features
Content Library: Organize your files and quickly preview and access ready-to-use bundled content, both locally and on Content Paradise.
3D Integration: Orient and animate OBJ files from your favorite 3D apps. Poser users can add scenes and characters to combine 2D/3D elements.
Integrated Audio Recording: Record sound clips and adjust pitch to fit your characters; automatic lip-syncing is powered by the AST ProductionSync library.
Video Motion Tracking: Attach animated objects to multiple target points in your video and watch them track accordingly throughout the clip.
Features
New! Automatic Image Tracing
Import your scanned drawings or existing images and photos then convert them to vector drawings with the click of a button. Trace as black and white, color, or edges only and adjust a number of settings to style your vector image. Anime Studio Pro 8 increases production and allows artists to work much faster by automatically converting existing artwork to fully editable vector drawings.
New! Import Photoshop Files
Import your existing Photoshop files complete with layers. Changes made in Photoshop instantly appear in the imported file in Anime Studio, allowing you to continually refine your Photoshop document. Many Photoshop features are supported in the imported PSD files, including blending modes, layer opacity, smart objects and smart filters. Groups are also supported and can be setup in Photoshop to automatically get imported into Anime Studio as switch layers for quick animating.
New! Real Time Media Connection
The new Real Time Media Connection in Anime Studio Pro 8 automatically updates image, movie and audio files in your imported Anime Studio files when edited in an external program. This is a great workflow enhancement for individuals and production studios alike.
New! Global Rendering Styles
Global Rendering Styles allow you to quickly change the overall design of your animations. Choose from various presets such as sketchy, cutout, crayon and more to easily transform the look and feel of your entire animation. Create your own custom combinations by mixing and matching different styles for fills and outlines.
New! Character Wizard
The Character Wizard is the ideal tool for anyone working on concepts or looking for a fast alternative to drawing and rigging each character from scratch. Quickly design your own fully-rigged characters complete with multiple views, walk cycles and more. Select a preset, dial in the body proportions and choose from dozens of predesigned 2D components such as hands, feet, mouths, eyes, noses and heads or load in your own creations to design custom characters. Choose from various clothing choices and custom color combinations, or create a virtually endless amount of unique characters using the Randomize feature. Complete with pre-animated walk, jump, kick and wave cycles. You can also easily create your own animated actions that can be applied to any character created with the Character Wizard.
New! Vector Shape Selector
Quickly find and edit vector layers using the Vector Shape Selector. You no longer have to worry about naming each layer to easily find the one you're looking for. Just click on a shape in your project, and the corresponding layer automatically gets selected for editing. This eliminates tedious searching for the layer you want to edit.
New! Enhanced User Interface
Anime Studio 8 introduces new User Interface colors, allowing you to choose from various preset color schemes or create your own. The new Smart Tool Palette provides a less cluttered interface and a better user experience by hiding irrelevant tools, creating a smoother workflow.
New! Enhanced Drawing Tools
Combine the freehand tool's smart welding feature with the Delete Edge tool to create complex shapes quickly. This eliminates the need for precise drawing, giving you the freedom to sketch as you desire. Additional brush styles have been included and optional rounded end caps have been added to the drawing tools.
New! Patch Layers
Patch Layers were designed for constructing characters and are similar to masks by allowing you to hide certain parts of a layer. Create each body part separately and then hide the overlapping lines. Adjust the size of the patch to perfectly blend the layers to get the desired style.
New! More 3D Video Rendering Options
Output your rendered 3D movies in various 3D formats for Web and TV. Share your 3d rendered movies on Youtube with full support for Youtube's 3D formats.
New! Scripting Enhancements
Anime Studio 8 offers advanced scripting support and includes several new scripts. More functions and data structures of the program have been exposed through the scripting api, allowing advanced technical users to create tools and add-ons for the program.
- Audio recording and automatic lip-syncing
- Simulated Physics gets you animating quickly
- Create 3D objects from 2D vector layers
- Content Library features hundreds of ready-to-use characters, props and more
- Track, zoom, roll, pan and tilt the camera
- Import Poser Scenes into Anime Studio
- Pen tablet support simulates drawing on paper
- Special effects such as motion blur and shadows
- Import Quicktime, AVI or MPEG-4 video and WAV, AIFF and MP3 audio files
- Output to formats including NTSC/PAL D1/DV standard and widescreen; HDV and HDTV 720p and 1080p; AVI, MOV, Flash, Stereoscopic 3D and more
- Upload directly to Facebook and YouTube
Adobe CS5.5 Production Premium Student and Teacher Edition [Mac]
by Adobe
Platform: Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard
Date first available at Amazon.com: April 11, 2011
Buy new:
2 used & new from $439.95
(Visit the Hot New Releases in Graphics list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Sony Creative Software Movie Studio HD Platinum 11
by Sony Creative Software
Platform:
Windows Vista / 7 / XP
(3)Date first available at Amazon.com: May 19, 2011
Buy new:
8 used & new from $78.88
(Visit the Hot New Releases in Graphics list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
Review & Description
Vegas Movie Studio Platinum Edition software has everything needed to produce spectacular HD movies. Powerful tools for video compositing, color correction, and surround sound mixing help you get feature-film results in your home studio. To share, upload movies to YouTube, burn to Blu-ray Disc, or author DVDs with custom menus and graphics.
Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 11
Vegas Movie Studio Platinum Edition software has everything needed to produce spectacular HD movies. You can edit video in nearly any format including HDV and AVCHD. Included are innovative stereoscopic 3D tools, powerful features for video compositing, color correction, and soundtrack creation for feature-film results in your home studio. Use the surround sound mixing tools to create 5.1 soundtracks. Choose from hundreds of professional 2D and 3D video effects, titles, and filters. Upload movies to YouTube, burn to Blu-ray Disc, or author DVDs using beautifully designed themes or create custom menus and graphics. Exclusive Sony Show Me How interactive tutorials help you get started fast.
New Highlights
- New! Stereoscopic 3D Editing: Creating stereoscopic 3D projects is as easy as working with 2D media. With innovative new tools, Vegas Pro 10 provides the ability to import, adjust, edit, preview, and output stereoscopic 3D media in various formats. Delivery formats include single or dual files including side-by-side, top/bottom, or line alternate as well as traditional anaglyphic encoding.
- New! Enhanced Video Plug-In Architecture: The new video effects plug-in architecture, based on the Open Effects Association platform, provides updated and enhanced technology that enables third-party plug-in developers to develop advanced video effect plug-ins more easily and rapidly. Additional plug-ins offer Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 11 users hundreds of new effect and special techniques for creating professional-level projects.
- New! Audio Event FX: Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 11 allows editors to assign audio effects at the master output, bus level, track level, and now the event level for greater flexibility when working with multitrack projects.
- New! Added support for 24p, 50p and 60p file formats: Users now have a solution for editing 24p, 50p or 60p files.
- New! Improved QuickTime AVC Decode: Editors using popular DSLRs that record to QuickTime AVC gain significant improvement in playback performance.
- New! Titles & Text Plug-in: This new tool allows users to spice up their text with animations and fun effects. With an intuitive and practical interface, it is easy to use and understand.
- New! Transport Controls for Trimmer and Video Preview: Transport Controls provide more intuitive and immediate command over editing, as well as improve the overall workflow, productivity, and editing experience.
- New! Improved New Project, Render As, and Make Movie Dialog Boxes: These new and improved dialog boxes make it easier for users of any skill level to create new projects, export completed projects, or burn existing projects to a DVD or Blu-Ray Disc.
Additional Highlights
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- Standard or high definition: Edit video in nearly any format including HDV and Sony AVCHD video. You can even work simultaneously with standard-definition and high-definition video and the same project.
- Create stunning HD movies: Vegas Movie Studio Platinum software has everything you need to produce movies in spectacular high definition. Editing HD is simple; just drop your clips on the timeline and go to work. Its high-performance engine is beyond fast--see your changes happen in real time. When you're done, export your movie in a variety of HD formats for easy sharing.
- Zplane elastique timestretching: With elastique Pro technology, you can perform dramatic time stretches and pitch-shifts while retaining maximum sound quality.
- New Project and Make Movie wizards: The New Project wizard provides a simple approach to ensuring new projects are created correctly from the start. The new Make Movie wizard eliminates the guesswork for delivery and provides optimized for Web, DVD, e-mail, or for publishing movies to YouTube.
- Image Stabilization: Use image stabilization technology to reduce jitter and shaky video footage. Users with shaky video footage, commonly shot from handheld camcorders and inexpensive portable pocket devices, have the ability to quickly salvage this media using several optimized presets.
- Slideshow Creator: This new feature provides users with the ability to quickly create a dynamic slideshow from a set of images with a few simple clicks. It is designed to be simple, easy to use, and can quickly create pan/zoom effects and transitions across a collection of still images.
- Device Explorer: Use the new Device Explorer window to quickly browse the contents of AVCHD, Hard Disk and Memory Stick devices. Users can quickly view media on the device and import the files natively into the software, maximizing workflow speed by only importing the files they need without conversion.
- Secondary Color Corrector: The Secondary Color Corrector tool provides users with a detailed toolset for adjusting differences in video shot with different camera setups or lighting situations; enhance dull, washed-out footage; or make specific color ranges stand out.
- White Balance: White Balance provides users with the ability to quickly make video look great when originally shot with poor white levels. Users can use the eyedropper tool adjust the white levels within a video clip and the entire clip is automatically color adjusted.
- Burn DVD from timeline: User can burn a DVD directly from the timeline. This is a fast method to create a single movie DVD and provides an alternate distribution option in addition to Blu-ray Discs and traditional file-based hard disk and streaming media formats.
- Burn Blu-ray Disc from timeline: Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 11 software provides functionality to burn a single-title Blu-ray Disc directly from the timeline. These discs are burned in BDMV format to BD-R, BD-RE, and DVD recordable media. Projects can be encoded as either MPEG-2 or AVC utilizing Dolby or PCM audio in stereo or 5.1 modes. Blu-ray Discs provide an alternative to streaming and file-based distribution for high-definition content. Beyond support for 25GB and 50GB Blu-ray Discs, Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 11 supports burning BDMV on 4.7GB and 8.5GB standard DVD media, providing a low-cost opportunity for users to distribute high-definition content with traditional DVD burners and media
- Upload movies to YouTube: Users can easily upload movies directly to YouTube for online sharing. The Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 11 publishing feature uses a high-quality encoding process for optimal YouTube quality.
- 360 exclusive music soundtracks: This professionally developed collection of royalty-free production music provides the perfect accent to your project.
- Enhanced Sony AVCHD support: New functionality includes importing files directly from Sony AVCHD camcorders and most other brands. In addition, Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 11 supports editing all types of AVCHD camcorder files, including files from the latest generation of 1920 x1080 AVCHD camcorders. Support for 1920 x 1080 ensures that the footage from the latest 1920 cameras can be edited natively on the timeline.
- Improved native HDV .m2t playback: Improved memory and playback performance allows users to edit HDV footage natively without the time-consuming process of converting to an intermediate file type such as Cineform. Smart rendering provides faster encoding for cuts-only projects or projects with minimal changes while providing less generation loss because video frames pass through the engine unaltered.
- Surround sound mixing and encoding: Import multichannel (5.1) source files from your camcorder including Sony DVD and AVCHD Handycam models. Use the surround sound mixing and panning tools to create surround DVD soundtracks. Encode AC-3 stereo or 5.1 mixes without leaving the software using the included Dolby Digital AC-3 encoding software.
- Enhance video and audio: Advanced color-correction tools enhance washed-out footage, make specific colors stand out, and balance differences in video due to camera setup or lighting.
- Add professional effects: Enhance your video with hundreds of professional 2D and 3D video effects, titles, and filter. Customize your soundtrack with over 20 real-time DirectX audio effects.
- Create Hollywood-style DVDs: It's easy to produce your own professional-quality DVDs with multiple motion menus, buttons, and music beds. Includes 56 themes to get you started. Add your own behind-the-scenes features, director's cuts, outtakes, bloopers, and more.
- Support for FLAC and LPEC files: The FLAC audio format is perfect for archiving and sharing audio at high quality without consuming large amounts of storage space. Users with supported portable digital voice recorders can import LPEC files and edit the audio directly on the Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 11 timeline.
- ATRAC .aa3 format support: Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 11 software includes ATRAC (.aa3) and ATRAC lossless format editing and encoding, surround encoding and decoding support, and the ability to encode up to 512 Kbps, 48 kHz. This feature allows users of Sony devices including MP3 players, NET-MD players, and HI-MD players can natively edit and export ATRAC formats without needing another conversion tool.
- Insert I-frames at markers: The MainConcept MPEG-2 encoder supports I-Frame insertion at timeline markers. (I-Frames are a representation of a complete frame that following frames are derived; more I-frames means a larger file) By providing I-Frames at timeline markers, a rendered file has precise chapter and navigation point placement for DVD Architect Studio software.
- Envelope brush paint tool: Track envelopes such as audio volume and pan, and video composite levels are customized via points over time. The envelope brush tool provides user with the ability to paint an envelope curve over time by holding down the shift key. This provides a quick way to outline the general shape of the envelope without placing and modifying many distinct points. The auto-thinning feature provides a mathematical approximation of the drawn curve with as few points as possible. The resulting points can be further optimized independently.
- Single-monitor full-screen preview: Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 11 enhances the preview experience by providing functionality to view the timeline on both the Preview window and an external device (or secondary display) simultaneously. Additional Preview window enhancements included new scaling options and auto-fit to maximize the preview experience with available window space. Simultaneous preview provides editors with the ability to setup a large scale viewing environment while preserving the editor's on-screen editing environment. In particular, laptop systems can easily switch between editing and full-screen preview modes.
- View media marker names in events: Media used in the timeline may contain markers. This product can enable the display of these media markers directly on the timeline event. Individual media will have individual markers. By displaying the individual media markers on the explicit media event and editor can quickly focus on key points of interest with out cluttering the entire timeline workspace.
- Multithreaded audio engine: The multithreaded audio engine is an optimized system that takes advantage of new multicore and hyperthreading computer systems to fully utilize available hardware resources. By leveraging the full capabilities of the hardware and reducing direct CPU load, users will benefit from a greater number of tracks and audio/video effects for real-time preview, improved performance at lower latencies, and faster audio render times.
- Gracenote MusicID: The Gracenote MusicID media recognition service can be used when ripping content from CDs. Users can automatically view information about a CD track including, title, artist, and song name, and can also submit data.
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What's in the Box
Application DVD includes Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 11 software, DVD Architect Studio 5.0 software, 360 Music Soundtracks, 56 DVD themes, Deluxe Paper 3D Glasses, Free Online Help, Serialized Insert Guide, Sony Creative Software Product Brochure
Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 11 Production Suite Features
Includes
- Sound Forge Audio Studio 10
- Deluxe Paper 3D Glasses
- NewBlueFX Transitions, Effects, and 3D Titling
- Video Tutorials on DVD
- 400 Customer Music Soundtracks
- iZotope Vocal Eraser Plugin for Karaoke
Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 11 Features
General
- New! Transport Control support for Trimmer and Preview Window
- New! Horizontal Window Docking
- Microsoft Windows 7 certified
- Streamlined New Project creation wizard
- Darker color palette
- Customizable windows layouts
- Device Explorer Window
- Slideshow Creator
- Save As dialog with Copy media with project check box
- Media Generator Match Event Length
- Keyboard modifiers
- Time Selection Envelope editing
- Automatically crop still images
- 360 exclusive music soundtracks
- Improved native HDV .m2t playback performance and improved memory handling for HDV long form projects
- Sony AVCHD enhancements
- Freehand envelope drawing on the timeline.
- Display of media marker names in events.
- Color-coded visual snap indicator and the ability to snap to event edges on other tracks
- Multitrack video and audio editing
- Real-time editing of parameters during playback
- Support for any aspect ratio (4:3, 16:9, etc)
- Supports multiple file formats and frame rates
- High-definition editing and output
- Simple drag-and-drop operations
- Built-in Show Me How interactive tutorials
- Explorer view
- Project media bins
- Track markers and regions
- Unlimited undo/redo
Audio Features
- New! Event level audio effect assignment
- Up to 10 audio tracks
- Zplane elastique audio timestretching and pitch shifting
- Place audio without quantizing to frame boundaries
- Improved Audio Waveform drawing
- Multithreaded audio engine maximizes performance
- Gracenote MusicID CD album identification
- Basic surround support
- Support for multichannel (5.1) source files for Sony HDV Handycam camcorders
- 16-bit, 44.1 kHz song quality for exceptional performance
- Volume and pan envelopes
- Audio time stretching
- Event normalization
- CD audio extraction
Video Features
- New! Stereoscopic 3D editing
- New! Added support for 24p, 50p and 60p projects
- New! Enhanced Video Plug-in architecture
- New! Added support for MVC and MPO file formats
- New! Single-Display 3D Support
- Up to 10 video tracks
- Image stabilization
- White Balance video plug-in
- Secondary Color Corrector plug-in
- Subclips in the Trimmer window
- Automatic Video Preview playback optimization
- Adjust source media to automatically match project or render settings
- Gradient Wipe transition
- Full-screen preview to a primary and secondary Windows display
- Real-time playback of effects, processes and transitions to external monitor
- Color-correction tools
- MPEG-1&2 support
- Superior frame rate conversions
- Credit rolls and text animation
- Over 400 video effects and transitions
- External monitor preview
- Ripple editing across tracks
Capture/Export/Hardware Features
- New! Improved Quicktime AVC decode
- New! Improved Render and Make Movie Dialogs
- New! Publish to Pixelcast
- New! File format and template updates
- New! OpenCL AVC Encode through OrangeFrost
- New! Upload 3D projects to YouTube 3D
- Integrated DVD burning from the timeline
- Render As dialog templates display templates matching the project with a “=” symbol
- Custom render template creation
- Improved support for AVC/AAC (MPEG-4) video
- Support for GPU-accelerated AVC rendering using the Sony AVC plug-in
- Burn to Blu-ray Disc from timeline
- Integrated upload to YouTube
- Import and export support for FLAC files
- Import support for LPEC files
- Import support for MJPEG-encoded AVI files
- Sony AVCHD import and edit support
- Import and export ATRAC3, ATRAC3plus, and ATRAC Advanced Lossless files
- Insert I-frames at marker positions when rendering MPEG-2 (works in conjunction with I-frame viewer in DVD Architect Studio 5.0)
- Gracenote MusicID CD album identification
- AC3 stereo and 5.1 encoding
- MainConcept AVC/AAC, read/write (templates only) iPod format
- PSP (PlayStationPortable) integration
- Sony AVC/AAC (templates only)
DVD Architect Studio 5.0 Features
General
- Microsoft Windows 7 certified
- Burning to Blu-ray Disc
- Enhanced window layout management -- save, recall, and share custom window layouts.
- Built-in Show Me How interactive tutorials
- End actions for menus and media
- Project overview window
- Customizable user interface
- DVD theme export
- Project playlists
- Smart reprepare
DVD design and authoring
- Menu-based and single-movie DVD creation
- Picture slide-shows and music compilations
- Easy to use drag-and drop interface
- Unlimited number of undo/redo
- Media Explorer
- Adjustable project and file optimization settings
- Multimonitor support
- Multiprocessor support
- Fully customizable toolbars
- Get Media from the Web
- DVD editing and layout
- Still and motion menu creation
- Support for multiple video titles
- Multiple menus with up to 36 buttons per menu
- Menu object editing, alignment, and sizing tools
- Text editing and shadow effects
- Object snapping
- Slide image rotation
- Add, edit, and move chapter points
- Title and Action safe grid area
- Customizable themes
- Menu looping
Video
- Fit-to-disc compression
- DVD movie creation
- Picture slideshows
- NTSC and PAL in standard (4:3) and widescreen (16:9) formats
- Imports AVI, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MOV, WMV, and a variety of still image formats
Audio
- Music compilations
- Attach audio files to menus
- Media file previewing
- Import WAV, MP3, WMA, PCA, AIF, MPEG audio
Testing and Burning
- Dual-layer drive support
- Real-time project previewing with virtual DVD remote control or to external monitor
- DVD project verification and preparation
- Supports a wide variety of DVD burners
Monday, June 27, 2011
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 Home & Student Edition
by Corel
Platform:
Windows Vista / XP
(14)Buy new:
12 used & new from $35.87
(Visit the Bestsellers in Graphics list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
Review & Description
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 – Home & Student Edition lets you explore your creative ideas and turn them into outstanding results for whatever design or creative project you need to produce. Easy-to-use features make it fun to produce all kinds of projects: from T-shirts, posters, party announcements, school club flyers and banners, to presentations and school reports. With built-in learning tools and tutorials, easy file sharing and a wealth of clipart and fonts, this all-in-one suite has everything you need to tackle design layouts, photo editing, or illustration. *For non-commercial use only. You may install and Use a copy of this Product on up to three (3) computers in your household.CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4--Home & Student Edition lets you explore your creative ideas and turn them into outstanding results. Easy-to-use features make it fun to produce all kinds of projects: from T-shirts and posters, to presentations and school reports. Built-in learning tools and tutorials let you learn as you go, and support for market-leading file formats means you can easily share your ideas. Plus, this all-in-one suite comes with a wealth of clipart and fonts to get you started. Whether you're interested in layout, photo editing or illustration you can do it with CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4.
 The redesigned CorelDRAW X4 user interface--new icons, menus, and controls give the applications a fresh appearance and provide a more intuitive working environment. Click to enlarge. |
 Turn low resolution bitmaps into high-quality vector images with Corel PowerTRACE. Click to enlarge. |
 High-quality thumbnail previews make it easier for users to find their files. Click to enlarge. |
 Users can easily work with images and raw camera files. Click to enlarge. |
 Easily find and select the colors you want in your designs and illustrations. Click to enlarge. |
What's Included with CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4?
Applications
- CorelDRAW X4: CorelDRAW X4 is an intuitive vector-illustration and page-layout application that meets the demands of today's busy design professionals and occasional graphics users.
- Corel PHOTO-PAINT X4: Corel PHOTO-PAINT X4 is a professional image-editing application that lets users quickly and easily retouch and enhance photos.
- Corel PowerTRACE X4: Designers often receive poor-quality bitmap images from clients and face the challenge of turning these bitmaps into high-quality vector images for business cards, brochures, signs, or other promotional items. Corel PowerTRACE X4 solves this problem by letting users quickly and accurately convert bitmaps into editable vector graphics.
- Corel CAPTURE X4: Corel CAPTURE X4 is a one-click screen-capture utility that lets users capture images from their computer screens.
Get inspired and gain knowledge
With CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4, it's never been easier to get started, find inspiration, or gain knowledge. The Welcome screen, expert tutorials, and other learning tools offer invaluable assistance to both new and experienced users.
Welcome screen
With a new Welcome screen, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 provides users with a centralized location to access recently used documents, templates, and learning tools, which include Tips & Tricks and video tutorials. To inspire users, the Welcome screen also includes a gallery that showcases designs created by CorelDRAW Graphics Suite users around the world.
CorelDRAW Handbook
Insights from the Experts: This new book showcases practical, real-world examples of accomplished designs by CorelDRAW experts. By deconstructing designs and sharing their wisdom and best practices, experts from a variety of industries demonstrate the power of CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4.
 The new Table tool makes it easy to create a structured layout with graphic elements embedded in table. Click to enlarge. |
Training videos
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 includes 2 hours of training videos on DVD. Topics include illustration, design, and image-editing fundamentals, industry-specific design principles, and output details for various media, such as print or the Web.
CorelTUTOR
With CorelTUTOR, users can access online, project-based tutorials that help them learn and use the applications. In addition to touring the workspaces of both CorelDRAW X4 and Corel PHOTO-PAINT X4, users can learn how to work with page-layout features, get started with bitmap-to-vector tracing, try the enhanced print-merge functionality, create a logo, an much more.
CorelDRAW community site
Accessible from within the application, the CorelDRAW.com community site gives users a place to get together to share information and learn from other users. Combining forums, blogs, galleries, and other resources, CorelDRAW.com is a valuable information resource for professional designers and occasional graphics users alike. Visit the site today to discover the creations and inspirations of this growing community.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Final Cut Studio Upgrade [OLD VERSION]
by Apple
Platform:
Mac, Mac OS X
(8)Buy new:
2 used & new from $275.99
(Visit the Bestsellers in Graphics list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
Product Images
Review & Description
Edit, animate, mix, grade, and deliver on a Mac with Final Cut Studio. It includes more than 100 powerful new features. Use new versions of the ProRes codec to edit at high quality with reduced file sizes in a wide variety of workflows. Work with clients or colleagues in real time from anywhere in the world using iChat Theater. Add dramatic 3D graphics, repair common audio problems, and automate delivery in just a few clicks. The leading post-production suite now includes significant upgrades to Final Cut Pro, Motion, and Soundtrack Pro and updated versions of Color and Compressor. It also includes DVD Studio Pro, the industry standard for DVD authoring.
Edit, animate, mix, grade, and deliver on a Mac with Final Cut Studio. It includes more than 100 powerful new features. Use new versions of the ProRes codec to edit at high quality with reduced file sizes in a wide variety of workflows. Work with clients or colleagues in real time from anywhere in the world using iChat Theater. Add dramatic 3D graphics, repair common audio problems, and automate delivery in just a few clicks. The leading post-production suite now includes significant upgrades to Final Cut Pro, Motion, and Soundtrack Pro and updated versions of Color and Compressor. It also includes DVD Studio Pro, the industry standard for DVD authoring.
Upgrade Version
Upgrade from previous versions of Final Cut Studio.
The leading post-production suite is even better. The new Final Cut Studio.
Top Features
Expanded ProRes family.
Edit even faster at higher quality across workflows ranging from offline editing to broadcast events to high-fidelity compositing.
Easy export.
Use the new Share window in Final Cut Pro 7 or Motion 4 for single-click delivery to your Apple devices, the web, a Blu-ray disc, or a DVD.
iChat Theater support.
Work with clients or colleagues in real time from anywhere in the world. Just send your Final Cut Pro video to iChat Theater.
New speed change tools.
Change clip speeds with ease from the redesigned Change Speed window in Final Cut Pro 7. You can also create constant or variable speed changes in the Timeline.
3D shadows and reflections.
Motion 4 lets you add dramatic shadows and dazzling reflections that respond naturally as objects and lights move through 3D space.
Voice-level match.
The new Voice Level option in the Soundtrack Pro 3 Lift and Stamp tools lets you instantly match dialogue levels across your project.
Support for 4K files.
Color 1.5 lets you grade and render at maximum quality, with a workflow that supports native 4K files from cameras such as the RED ONE.
Batch templates.
New batch templates in Compressor 3.5 let you automate end-to-end encoding workflows including settings, destinations, and post-encoding delivery.
DVD authoring.
Produce studio-quality DVD titles with drag-and-drop ease using DVD Studio Pro 4.
Related Products
Complete your editing studio with a Mac Pro workstation and an Apple LED Cinema Display. Take a MacBook Pro with you and edit on location. Use Final Cut Server 1.5 to manage your assets and automate your workflow.
AppleCare Support
Offering solutions for businesses of any size, AppleCare provides ongoing product coverage, including the AppleCare Protection Plan for Mac systems and Apple flat-panel displays. To augment your experience with Apple professional software, AppleCare Professional Video Support and AppleCare Professional Audio Support offer direct access to Apple's professional support staff. For more information, visit www.apple.com/support/products.
Read moreWednesday, June 22, 2011
Adobe CS5.5 Design Premium Upgrade from CS5 [Mac]
by Adobe
Platform: Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard
Date first available at Amazon.com: April 11, 2011
Buy new:
11 used & new from $389.00
(Visit the Hot New Releases in Graphics list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Adobe CS5.5 Web Premium Student and Teacher Edition
by Adobe
Platform:
Windows Vista / 7 / XPDate first available at Amazon.com: April 11, 2011
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Friday, June 17, 2011
Adobe CS5.5 Design Premium Student and Teacher Edition [Mac]
by Adobe
Platform: Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard
(1)Date first available at Amazon.com: April 11, 2011
Buy new:
(Visit the Hot New Releases in Graphics list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
Adobe CS5.5 Design Premium Student and Teacher Edition
by Adobe
Platform:
Windows Vista / 7 / XP
(2)Date first available at Amazon.com: April 11, 2011
Buy new:
(Visit the Hot New Releases in Graphics list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
Adobe Photoshop Extended CS5 Student and Teacher Edition [Mac]
by Adobe
Platform:
Mac OS X(26)Buy new:
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Review & Description
Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended software is the ultimate solution for advanced digital imaging, featuring breakthrough tools that let you create and edit 3D and motion-based content. Keep pushing creative boundaries with world-class 2D and 3D design. Use powerful new selection, painting, and warping capabilities to create standout images. Get just the right look for web pages and graphics. Easily select intricate image elements for placing in layout. Create 3D artwork for logos and buttons. Create and enhance 3D and motion-based content and export still images for all your projects. Work fast with cross-platform 64-bit support, and create stunning HDR images for video backdrops.Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended helps you create the ultimate images for print, the web, and video. Enjoy state-of-the-art editing, compositing, and painting capabilities, along with unparalleled integration with other CS5 software, enabling you to work effortlessly in a consistent, unified environment that delivers superior efficiencies.Create 3D extrusions for logos, artwork, and motion graphics. Edit 3D objects with advanced tools. Use powerful new selection, painting, and warping capabilities to create standout images. Create and enhance motion-based content and prepare still images for all your projects. Create stunning HDR images for video backdrops. Design cutting-edge looks for interactive web content and experiences.Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended software helps you create the ultimate images for print, the web, and video. Enjoy all the state-of-the-art editing, compositing, and painting capabilities in industry-standard Photoshop CS5, and experience fast performance thanks to cross-platform 64-bit support. Also create 3D extrusions for logos, artwork, and motion graphics; edit 3D objects with advanced tools; and create and enhance motion-based content.
 Photoshop CS5 and Photoshop CS5 Extended provide unparalleled editing and enhancement control with powerful new selection-refinement tools that produce superior results with complex subjects and state-of-the-art noise removal, sharpening, and raw-image processing with Adobe Camera Raw 6. Click to enlarge. |
Create powerful images with the professional standard
3D extrusions
Easily explore new creative directions: Create 3D logos and artwork with Adobe Repoussé technology. Twist, rotate, extrude, bevel, and inflate these designs, and then apply rich materials like chrome, glass, and cork.
Advanced 3D editing capabilities
Push your creative boundaries with powerful 3D editing tools--even paint directly on 3D objects. Add 3D objects to your designs and create amazing composites. Illuminate your scene with real lighting, and animate your objects.
Motion content editing
Paint, add text, and clone over multiple frames of an imported video sequence using your favorite Photoshop tools.
Easy access to core editing power
Get just the tools you need--exactly when you need them--when performing common editing activities. Adjustments and Masks panels guide you in making precise edits.
Extraordinary creative tools
Achieve realistic painting effects with the ability to mix colors on canvas and create natural brushstrokes. Merge multiple exposures into stunning high dynamic range (HDR) images. Move, remove, warp, or stretch any image element.
State-of-the-art photography
Easily merge multiple exposures to extend the dynamic range with more power, precision, and fidelity than ever before. Convert to black-and-white in new ways. And use Dodge, Burn, and Sponge tools that intelligently preserve color and tone details.
Image analysis
Use measurement and counting tools to extract quantitative information from images. Record and export data for further analysis. Import DICOM files as frames or as a volume to directly analyze and edit your image data.
Industry-leading raw image processing
Enjoy superior results when you convert raw images with the Camera Raw 6 plug-in, which offers support for over 275 camera models plus nondestructive editing so you can experiment without harming your original photo.
Automated compositing tools
Easily create a single image from a series of shots that have different focal points, smoothly blending color and shading and extending your depth of field. And take advantage of accurate, automatic layer alignment.
Efficient media management
Manage your media visually with Adobe Bridge CS5 software. Enjoy more flexible batch renaming plus the ability to access files in the context of your work using the customizable Adobe Mini Bridge panel.
Powerful printing options
Get outstanding prints in less time with automation, scripting, and a print dialog box that's easier to navigate.
Broad file format support
Import and export hundreds of file formats, including PSD, AI, PDF, NEF, CRW, TIFF, BMP, Cineon, JPEG, JPEG2000, FXG, OpenEXR, PNG, Targa, DICOM, OBJ, KMZ, Collada, U3D, 3DS (import only), 3G, FLC, MOV, AVI, DV Stream, Image Sequence, MPEG-4, and FLV.
Extensibility
Personalize Photoshop and extend its capabilities. Use developer-created custom panels to accomplish specific tasks. Visit the Adobe Photoshop Marketplace for third-party plug-ins and resources. And check out Adobe Community Help for tips and tricks.
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom integration
Enjoy tight integration with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom software (sold separately), easily moving files from Lightroom to Photoshop CS5 to create HDR images, panoramas, and multilayered Photoshop documents. Roundtrip your files back to Lightroom.
 The Edge Detection and Decontaminate Colors features help you make highly precise selections of complex subjects quickly and easily, enabling faster, more accurate compositing of multiple images. Click to enlarge. |
 Magically remove unwanted detail in your photographs with Content-Aware Fill. In this example, the boat has been removed from the photo by making a rough selection around the subject (left) and then filling the area with the Content Aware option selected in the Fill dialog box. Click to enlarge. |
 With new tone-mapping and alignment technologies, sophisticated controls, and an updated dialog box, HDR Pro helps you to produce a variety of creative outcomes from a single set of source files. Click to enlarge. |
 Recreate the look of your favorite film with the new Grain feature. Left: Original photo. Right: After grain has been applied. |
 The Adobe Camera Raw 6 plug-in includes new features for better sharpening, adding grain, removing noise, and producing creative vignette effects. Click to enlarge. |
 You can use Puppet Warp to interactively reposition, reshape, and transform key objects in your photos. In this example, rose photos, like the one above, were twisted and layered to form a wreath and the letters in the center of the composition (left). |
Top new features of Photoshop CS5 and Photoshop CS5 Extended
Intelligent selection technology
Photoshop CS5 takes the time and frustration out of making precise image selections and masks, providing you a faster way to extract subjects from their backgrounds and create realistic composites. New intelligent selection technology offers better edge detection and faster, more accurate masking results of complex subjects, like hair. Automatic color decontamination helps you eliminate background color around the edges of a selection, resulting in more seamless compositions when placing extracted subjects on new backgrounds.
Experienced Photoshop users know that the best
selections are created by constantly adapting the selection technique for differences in the subject's edges--one method for hair and another for the edge of a building. With Photoshop CS5, you can produce highly accurate masks and selections faster and more simply than before with a set of new adaptive selection-edge modification controls. Smart Radius automatically matches the best selection approach with the subject's changing edge characteristics, and the extra view modes assist you in previewing the quality of your selections. The Refine Radius and Erase Refinements tools customize your masks and selections as you make them. These tools, in combination with the color decontamination settings, help eliminate any residual background color from around the edges of your selections.
Content‐Aware Fill
One of the most exciting new features in Photoshop CS5 is the remarkable ability to remove an image element and magically replace it with details that match the lighting, tone, and noise of the surrounding area so that it looks like the content never existed. Now, you can make substantial changes to photo composition quickly and easily, as even large complex subjects can be seamlessly erased.
You can use Content-Aware Fill with the Spot Healing Brush or as an option of the Fill feature to replace content in an active selection. Selecting the Content-Aware setting with the Spot Healing brush changes the way the tool fills in the areas you paint. This retouching approach is designed to account more fully for the structure and detail of the image elements that surround the painted area, providing a near-invisible result when removing unwanted objects. Alternatively, you can select the object to be removed, and then replace the area with synthesized details from the area surrounding the selection, simply by using the Content-Aware option in the Fill dialog box.
HDR Pro for creativity and precision with the next generation of high dynamic range imaging
With just a few clicks, you can go beyond the capture capabilities of your camera by combining multiple exposures into a single high dynamic range (HDR) photo that preserves the full tonal range of a scene with high contrast. Photoshop CS5 introduces HDR Pro for more control over the HDR merging process and greater adjustment power over the mapping of tones and the styling of HDR output, resulting in images that range from photorealistic to highly surreal.
HDR Pro offers extended controls, an enhanced dialog box, and improved image processing. New algorithms enable more accurate alignment of source files and automatically deghost any problem areas that occur when trying to merge source photos where subjects have moved during capture. You can even select a source file to be used as the sole reference for any ghosted areas or allow the feature to do this automatically for you.
New tone-mapping tools and adjustment controls give you the power to implement your own HDR vision, producing photos that range in style from fully textured images of high-contrast scenes to wildly hyper-realistic creations. Save your favorite styles as presets and apply them to multiple groups of source files to provide a common look and feel to your HDR photos. And for times when you don't have multiple source files, create the look of an HDR-processed image from a single photo with the new HDR Toning feature that allows you to mimic the tone-mapping results traditionally achieved in high dynamic range photos.
Together with the existing Photomerge feature (which allows for image stitching), the exposure-merging capabilities of HDR Pro can add up to high-bit-depth, 360-degree panoramas ideal for composite photography, video, and beyond.
The Auto Stack Panorama/HDR files option in Adobe Bridge CS5 and the new panelized Mini Bridge groups source files together into stacks for quicker creation of HDR images in Photoshop CS5. You can even start the creation of an HDR file by choosing Tools > Merge To HDR from the Mini Bridge panel inside Photoshop.
State-of-the-art raw-image processing
The Adobe Camera Raw 6 plug-in, which ships with Photoshop CS5, now supports more than 275 camera models as it continues to provide you with the industry-leading conversion of raw files. In addition, the utility provides advanced, nondestructive image editing and enhancement for raw files, as well as for other standard formats, including JPEG and TIFF. Now you can remove noise, achieve better quality sharpening, and creatively apply new styles of vignettes and film-like grain.
You can now shoot at higher ISO settings with confidence, because the updated controls in the Adobe Camera Raw 6 plug-in remove the noise common in such high-ISO images (as well as in photos captured with long exposures and pictures from consumer cameras) while still preserving excellent color and detail.
New controls for adding grain and additional post-crop vignetting settings join many creative options already available in this utility, such as the Adjustment Brush and the Graduated Filter. For the first time, you can add grain-like texture to photos as part of your nondestructive editing workflow. Adjust amount, size, and roughness of grain to easily give composites a more natural, seamless appearance by matching levels of grain across all source images--or simply use the feature to make a digital photo look more organic or film-like.
Updated post-crop vignetting options offer more creative control over the corner darkening and lightening process, and your favorite vignette effects can be saved as presets for quick application across multiple files.
Upgraded sharpening options produce clearer photos with fewer artifacts while providing better control over key details, especially when working with high-resolution pictures produced by multi-megapixel cameras.
Extraordinary painting effects
With a new Mixer Brush, a Bristle Tips feature, and a new mechanism for blending colors, Photoshop CS5 redefines the way you paint. You can take advantage of more natural and realistic painting effects, making it easy to take your imagery and designs in new artistic directions.
The Mixer Brush lets you define multiple colors on a single tip, and then mix and blend them with the underlying hues on your canvas, achieving creative results that rival traditional painting media. When starting with a photo original, you can use a dry, empty brush to blend the existing colors while at the same time adding a painterly effect to the image. Mixer Brush settings provide extensive control over the wetness of the canvas colors, the load rate that determines amount of paint loaded on the brush, the mixing rate between brush and canvas colors, and whether the brush is refilled, cleaned, or both after each painting stroke.
In conjunction with these new mixing features, Photoshop CS5 incorporates unprecedented control over stroke characteristics of its painting tools with Bristle Tips. Bristle Qualities define key bristle properties such as shape, length, stiffness, thickness, angle, and spacing, which affect how the color is laid on the image as you paint.
The Bristle Brush Preview feature provides a visual representation of these changes, and you can save your tip configurations for future use, allowing you to build a customized collection of Bristle Tips to experiment with when using Photoshop brush tools.
Puppet Warp
Puppet Warp gives you more freedom when pushing and pulling elements within an image. The feature lets you recompose an image to make it more appealing, or to fit a specific layout, by allowing the precise repositioning of any element within a Photoshop document, or selection, by simply clicking and dragging. After you reposition an object, Photoshop adjusts the rest of the image to account for the shifted pixels.
After choosing Edit > Puppet Warp, click on your image to drop pins establishing anchor points where you want image parts not to move, and handles that you can use for warping. Then drag any of the pins to reposition the picture elements. Use Puppet Warp to swing a raised arm to a person's side, warp and stretch text to create new effects, or reposition intrusive objects in a photo to create a more pleasing composition.
Automated lens correction
The Lens Correction features in Photoshop CS5 create better quality captures by removing or correcting the three most common lens-based errors: geometric distortion, chromatic aberration, and vignetting. This means you can use a wider range of lenses with the confidence of producing images of the highest quality. With the aid of the Adobe Lens Profile Creator (available separately as a free download from labs.adobe.com) you can produce custom profiles characterizing the optical aberrations of your camera lenses. When installed and selected in the Lens Correction filter in Photoshop CS5, the profile automatically removes or corrects the three types of distortion.
 Use the extrusion settings and controls in the Repoussé dialog box to quickly style your 3D model. Click to enlarge. |
 Quickly add drama and realism to your models with interactive control of scene lighting (right), material selection (left), and the creation of shadows (above) with the new Shadow Catcher feature. Click to enlarge. |
 The controls in the 3D section of the Preferences dialog box (above) allows you to fine-tune the rendering system in Photoshop to achieve the best 3D design experience. |
 The Lens Correction feature located in the Photoshop CS5 Lens Correction filter provides camera- and lens-specific correction for three of the most common lens-related aberrations. |
 Black & White Technique action both converts and tints color photos to produce sophisticated monochrome images. |
The Lens Correction filter in Photoshop CS5 is redesigned to include manual adjustment controls under the Custom tab, and settings for locating and applying custom Lens Correction Profiles (LCP files) under a new Auto Correction tab. Installed profiles that match your camera and lens combination are used to apply precise distortion corrections to your photos. Suitable profiles can be located easily based on the EXIF data automatically recorded with the image, and if a suitable profile is not present in the Lens Correction filter, then with a single click within the dialog box, you can search online for the correct profile to meet your needs.
Individual error types can be selected in the filter's settings, as can options for handling any transparent areas that surround the corrected image.
Easy 3D extrusions with Adobe Repoussé (Photoshop CS5 Extended only)
Repoussé is an ancient metalworking technique for embossing artwork on the surface of metals such as gold, silver, copper, tin, and bronze. Photoshop Extended offers a powerful new feature, inspired by this traditional technique, for creating eye-catching 3D artwork.
Use Adobe Repoussé to easily convert 2D artwork into 3D objects and then create depth by altering the extrusion properties of the 3D model. Easily extrude text to create logos and 3D artwork for use in websites, video frames, or layouts.
Starting with a text layer, a path, a selection, or a layer mask, you can convert the content to 3D with the Create New 3D Object section of the 3D panel. After the conversion is complete, you can alter the look of your 3D model by manipulating its key extrusion properties--depth, scale, bend, shear, inflate, or twist--in the Repoussé dialog box.
In addition to manipulating these properties, you can inflate the front or back of the extrusion and/or apply a custom bevel. Sections of objects (internal subpaths) can also be inflated by creating a selection first and then adjusting the Internal Constraints settings in the Repoussé dialog box. The 3D Axis widget allows on canvas rotation of the of the model
Enhanced 3D realism and rich materials (Photoshop CS5 Extended only)
Bring your 3D creations to life with the materials that ship with Photoshop CS5 Extended. You can select materials from the library of included presets, download additional materials by choosing 3D > Browse 3D Content, create your own, or even edit existing materials to customize them for your needs (in the materials section of the 3D panel). Test a variety of looks for your 3D models and extruded designs by adding different materials or textures to their surfaces. Materials that feature reflection or refraction properties can be rendered with the new Adobe Ray Tracer engine. The Repoussé dialog box, and the Materials section of the 3D panel, both contain options for applying a single material to all surfaces—as well as choosing different treatments--for individual sections and surfaces of your models
Use the 3D Material Drop tool and the Material Load tool to easily load a material and drop it into different meshes, allowing you to sample and apply materials interactively. New overlay controls provide instant feedback about where specific materials and meshes are located in your model, and the updated 3D axis widget now works with lights and cameras as well as 3D objects.
With the Shadow Catcher feature, you can now easily generate a shadow on the ground plane of a scene, and then adjust how the shadow interacts with image content of other layers by altering its opacity and its softness. To further enhance realism, you can use an HDR image to light your scene, or re-create traditional depth-of-field effects in your rendered scene by adjusting the zone of sharpness with the new Distance and Blur controls.
Better 3D performance and workflow (Photoshop CS5 Extended only)
Take advantage of better performance and immediate rendering feedback thanks to the improved Adobe Ray Tracer (ART) engine in Photoshop CS5 Extended. ART 2.0 brings substantial improvements in performance when you interact with and edit 3D models. ART 2.0 progressively renders 3D scenes with an option to re-render after a pause, or even perform selective renderings, all while providing more immediate feedback and dramatically reducing the time it takes to preview key areas in high quality.
You also get faster previews and more responsive interaction thanks to changes made in the OpenGL engine, which now fast-tracks the delivery of complex 3D geometry to the video card. Overall workflow performance has been optimized with improved import, interaction speeds, and better merging of 3D objects into a single scene. To aid with fine-tuning and adjustment of these performance features, there is a new 3D section in Preferences.
User-inspired productivity enhancements
Photoshop CS5 helps boost productivity and creativity throughout the editing workflow with dozens of enhancements inspired by Photoshop users.
Streamlined creative reviews through integration with Adobe CS Review
Collaborate with colleagues and seek client comment quickly and easily with Adobe CS Review, a new CS Live online service* designed to simplify and accelerate the design review process.
With CS Review, you can avoid the hassles of large email attachments, logon problems with FTP servers, and time-consuming next-day air deliveries usually associated with client reviews by instead initiating a secure, shared review. Comments are displayed in near-real time and in context, providing convenient feedback on your images and designs. You can access the CS Review service from within Photoshop CS5.
Faster performance with cross-platform native 64-bit support
Tight deadlines and large file sizes make performance a high priority for many Photoshop users. Photoshop CS5 and Photoshop CS5 Extended deliver cross-platform 64-bit support, allowing you to perform day-to-day imaging tasks up to 10 times faster. Video and photo professionals, especially, benefit from the extra performance, as gains are even greater if you regularly work with very large files, where processing can be up to ten times faster when you take advantage of higher addressable RAM amounts--limited only by what your hardware accommodates.
To help you tweak the performance of your setup, Photoshop CS5 lets you adjust history, tile, and cache controls in combination.
Greater access to key resources via flexible custom panels
Photoshop CS5 offers easy ways to integrate and extend your workspace with customized panels. With the aid of the Configurator 2.0 panel utility (available separately as a download from labs.adobe.com) you can produce your own panels, bringing together your most used tools and menu selections and incorporating your favorite web feeds or video tutorials.
Stay connected to the greater Photoshop community and all facets of your digital life directly from within Photoshop CS5 by using panels you create or those produced and distributed by other users. You can access anything that lives on the web--favorite blogs, video content, even your email--with these integrated panels. You can even expand content beyond a panel's standard viewing area when you need a magnified view.
Easier interface management with Live Workspaces and Workspace Switcher
Creating dedicated, task-specific workspaces that mimic your individual workflow increases productivity and efficiency by hiding the features you don't use and exposing the ones you do. New Live Workspaces auto-save any changes you make to a task-specific workspace, so that if you switch to a different workspace and then back again during an editing session, your panels remain exactly where you left them. The number of entries displayed in the collapsible Workspace Switcher can be altered, and the position of each workspace can be rearranged. This provides quicker navigation between frequently used setups.
Superior black-and-white conversion
Photoshop CS5 continues to support the tradition of producing finely crafted monochrome photos with the inclusion of new ways to explore an endless variety of black-and-white looks. You can use the integrated Lab Black & White Technique action, located in the Default Actions group of the Actions panel, for an easy and interactive way to convert color images. Create gorgeous HDR black-and-whites with greater ease and speed by taking advantage of the new and updated features in HDR Pro. Take your monochrome creations in new directions with conversion presets in the Black & White panel.