Mar 14, 2001 04:08 PM
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At over 34,000 Rupees (UK equalvalent price) this heavyweight program is out of reach for most home users, most people don't pay that much for a 'hi fi' system. But in the Pro arena, nothing can touch it, and perhaps that's why it's so expensive...or maybe it's just the downside of people using illegal copies jacking up the price for legal purchasers?
Anyway Photoshop 6 is packed with features and is too much to go through in one opinion as Adobe themselves need a thick manual to explain the functions! No matter what sort of pro you are, you will never use ALL the functions only a subset which is fundamental to your job.
The most useful and powerful feature in Photoshop 6 over other budget packages is the 'vector' layers (resolution independant) which you can apply certain special effects to. It retains all attributes which are only pixelised when you flatten the image into your desired graphics file format. - If you need to change any thing you simply open up your original .psd document and alter your drop shadow or whatever slightly. Also it is the control over these layers which puts it ahead of other packages, opacity, blending etc. and allows you to use layers very effectively and to the maximum advantage to translate the image in your head onto the screen.
It also has a more precise bezier pen tool than other packages and works in a similar way to Adobe Illustrator's pen (the best in the business I think). Colour system support is more extensive and the much used PMS system which is essential to graphic designers has always been supported which is missing from budget packages. Colour conversion is more accurate between RGB to CMYK or different systems than for budget packages too.
Another powerful tool I think for a paint package is Photoshop's ability to handle type with much precision and ease, the text appears where you want it on screen and is only rasterised when you export the image into your end file format. (so you can always change the text e.g. typos or size in the original .psd document whenever you like - in other packages you have to recreate the text again AND remember how you applied the drop shadow, the colour of the text, the kerning you used etc etc)
Compatibility with Adobe's other packages is almost transparent as you can cut and copy illustrator images straight into Photoshop which you can't with budget packages, and it ties very nicely with Adobe Golive. Update the image in Golive and the image updates itself in Photoshop via 'Smart Objects'.
Masking and selection controls are also superior to budget packages, and the package which perhaps comes closest to challanging Photoshop's crown is Corel Paint 10, but lacks the graphic industry's general support and software developer support for plug-ins which Photoshop has many!
Photoshop has bolted on ImageReady a graphics optimisation and slicing package for web designers but is not particularly integrated more a stand alone package (perhaps for the better as non web designers would find the interface more cluttered).
One downside is the standard filters which are included which haven't changed much since version 4! It would have been refreshing to see a new batch of filters and not rely on third party plug-ins.
However 6 does have a new Liquify filter which does all sorts of distortion though is of limited use to myself.
The user interface has been tidied up too, and on the whole the functions particulary the layer control works well.
Photoshop is King in the pro arena, but for home users, perhaps another cheaper package will suffice.
