I see a lot on here about Lightroom, but I would love to hear some updated feedback from anyone using the new Photoshop CS3, and especially the new features in Camera Raw.

This is important to me since I am now taking on editing/processing clients through Bellissima Design Solutions, and I don't really want to disturb my workflow unless the upgrade has benefits for my clients (as well as my own photography).

I am especially interested in the Jpeg processing capabilities that supposedly have been incorporated into the new Camera Raw. Anyone know about this?

In my opinion it all depends on your machine. If you're using an Intel Mac you don't even have a choice on whether you'll make the "upgrade" because CS2 is so ridiculously slow through Rosetta.

CS2 is a fine program and you could put off the upgrade until the next version (if you use a PC).

I'm actually using both Mac and PC, and the Mac is a G4 Powerbook, not Intel. I do most of my processing on the Mac, and album design on the PC.

I'd go ahead and get it since you use a different program for album design. $200...

I'm playing with the trial version of CS3 today to explore those added jpeg capabilities in Camera Raw. So far so good and CS3 is definitely quicker on my Intel Mac.

However, I can't figure out how to apply a preset to multiple images to save myself! I figured out how to make Camera Raw the default for jpegs opened from Bridge. But I can't seem to right click an image in Bridge to apply a Camera Raw preset, much less do so to multiple images. (And Adobe help stinks! And it seems like there are several posts from folks on OSP with the same problem. Can anyone help?)

If I can get that little problem figured out, then I'd say go for CS3. At the very least download the trial version and play with it.

ETA: Just figured it out. Apparently you have to do a little work around and open Bridge from PS to get it to work. Gotta say, I love it... And for whatever reason I just never got LR files to look lke I wanted them to. Go CS3.

(BUMP)

Anyone else out there with CS3 experience, feedback, complaints, praise, comparisons?

And Paige, what are your thoughts now that you've been using it for about one week?

I'm not very familiar with Camera Raw - I use LR for all raw processing (as well as importing jpegs the same as you would raw, then tweaking them just the same, then exporting corrected jpegs). LR just seems much faster to do this sort of work as there are no tabs and what not.

If you run a Mac, CS3 is essential as it'll run about 3 times faster than CS2 on intel machines.

Outside of that, the overall interface is a bit cleaner I guess, but if all you're really doing is basic color correction stuff, then I can't say it's really worth it or not. The new B&W filter in CS3 is awesome.

The new Bridge CS3 is also leaps ahead - it's actually fast enough to use smoothly now. Bridge CS2 was too clunky and slow to be of any actual use (IMO).


I guess it's my opinion that professionals should always use the best tools available so in that light, PS is your digital darkroom - why wouldn't you own the best version available? The upgrade on PS alone is only like $150? The entire Creative Suite can be upgraded for only about $500 if I remember right.

There are several reason why an updgrade to CS3 may be worthwhile.... I did because I run on MAC Intel, but I would have any way. These are some of my favorites reasons:

1. The smart filter feature.
2. Runs fatser on intel machines.
3. quick selection tool
4. improve b/w conversion
5. Improve curves.
6. Made to run in 64 bits machines, so when Leopard comes out it will be even faster with larger files in the intel MACs.

Why don't you go over the NAPP website and go through their new features tutorila (it is free) and download the trial CS3 version and try for yourself?

Not sure which one, but if you belong to WPPI or PPA you may get a discount.

If you use an intel MAC or Vista and use the Kodak airbrush plug in a lot, you may want to wait until Kodak updates the plugin. It does not work on that combination

But under PowerPC or Windows XP, the Kodak Airbrush plugin works fine with PS CS3.

CS3 is an excellent upgrade, well worth the price. I've got a quad G5 and a macbook pro, both run CS3 very well. CS3 definitely runs faster than CS2 on an intel mac, but it's also right at home on PPC macs, being as it is a universal program.

my upgrade from CS2 premium suite to CS3 design standard suite was $299 i believe.

I've only been using it for a couple of days now but the quick selection tool has saved me time already. I love the new refine edge option (instead of simply feathering, you have extra options all in one place such as smoothing or contracting & expanding the selection) and I'm certain the recovery option in Camera Raw is going to be very useful. I love to bump up my colors but hate loosing my highlights but I can adjust all that quite easily in camera raw. Definitely worth the upgrade imho!