With Photoshop CS3, Adobe breathes new life into its flagship image-editing program and fixes a few flaws from the previous version. For Mac users, perhaps the best news is that Photoshop now runs native on Intel-based Macs; Windows users will also notice improved performance.

In addition to performance upgrades, Adobe also has made significant changes to Photoshop's user interface. Palettes, which provide quick access to commonly used tools and features, are now part of docks, which can hold multiple palettes. Docks can expand and collapse palettes, which is a plus for individuals who are short on display real estate or who simply prefer less onscreen clutter.

Some basic tools have been updated to make them even more useful. Photoshop has had object select capabilities since its inception, but CS3's Quick Selection tool is a dramatic improvement over its predecessors. In most cases, the new Quick Selection tool makes it easy to select objects, although it can still be difficult to select objects in low-contrast images.

Camera RAW 4, the newest version of the RAW conversion plug-in, now supports a full-screen editing mode, so photographers can do most of their image editing directly within the plug-in. Camera RAW 4 includes a red-eye reduction tool as well as a basic cloning tool, which you can use for basic retouching. For images that only need a little tweaking, you may never need to use the full Photoshop interface.

Photoshop CS3 Extended Edition adds support for various video and film tools, as well as 3D compositing, texturing and processing. The Standard Edition is the workhorse for photographers and graphic artists, as well as amateur and hobby photographers who are primarily interested in image-editing tools.

Photoshop CS3 provides more than enough refinements, feature improvements and performance enhancements to justify upgrading from earlier versions; it also offers good value for first-time users, although it's not the easiest program to learn.


Pros: Better performance, improved GUI provides more flexibility, includes Camera RAW 4 plug-in
Cons: Selecting objects in low-contrast images can be frustrating, some functions are difficult to use, steep learning curve for new users

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