Adobe Photoshop CS3 Beta

**benny** · 23rd Dec 2006, 13:29

http://labs.adobe.com/

The trial version is out. Anybody trying it yet?

Cheers,

**valice** · 23rd Dec 2006, 16:28

Think need to have the copyrighted version of CS2 first before can download the CS3 to try...

I am still using CS...

**hwchoy** · 23rd Dec 2006, 17:37

don't seem to have any documentation on what the new features are.

**CK Yeo** · 24th Dec 2006, 09:47

Resources
Still reading up on the new features. But the autoblend and align seems cool!

ck

**hwchoy** · 24th Dec 2006, 11:01

you know what I'd really like? An "auto targetting" function for specks and spots. Because I use a lot of spot healing function for all the specks and spots in the water and dirty glass, it would be great if the cursor could automatically pinpoint and align iteself to the centre of the next speck, so that with a single button I can execute the healing centre around that speck.

**CK Yeo** · 24th Dec 2006, 13:25

I create a layer and apply dust and scratch filter to it with a layer black mask. After that you can "paint" away the specks quickly and easily with white brush. It is faster, more accurate and more forgiving than healing brush. The best thing is that, I can do this haphazardly with a large brush and it is non-destructive.

ck

Originally Posted by hwchoy

you know what I'd really like? An "auto targetting" function for specks and spots. Because I use a lot of spot healing function for all the specks and spots in the water and dirty glass, it would be great if the cursor could automatically pinpoint and align iteself to the centre of the next speck, so that with a single button I can execute the healing centre around that speck.

**benetay** · 24th Dec 2006, 13:27

Yea a black mask will help greatly and is more forgiving. I've not really mastered CS2 now got CS3!

Still reading on CS2 books.

**CK Yeo** · 24th Dec 2006, 13:33

Oh yes, you can use the same technique to "repair" wrinkles, spots, crow's feet, stubbles etc from a person's face as well.

ck

**hwchoy** · 24th Dec 2006, 14:26

Originally Posted by CK Yeo

I create a layer and apply dust and scratch filter to it with a layer black mask. After that you can "paint" away the specks quickly and easily with white brush. It is faster, more accurate and more forgiving than healing brush. The best thing is that, I can do this haphazardly with a large brush and it is non-destructive.

ck

can do a step-by-step on thsi procedure? or post a sample PSD?
I do my healingon a separate layer so it is not destructive too. I don't really understand why black mask.

**CK Yeo** · 24th Dec 2006, 16:56

It is clearer to show you lah. Anyway, I will try explain it again.

The "Dust and scratches" filter finds a speck/dust/line and blend it into the background. Unfortunately, it will try to do that to your subject as well (unless you deselect it in the first place. Selection is too troublesome and cannot be automated with action files).
So the idea here is to create a new layer and use the filter to blend everything into the background. Then, use a mask to pinpoint the spots that you want/dun want.

A black layer mask hides everything blurred by the "Dust and scratches" filter, so that you can use a white brush to pick the spots you dun want. Of course, you can do it the other way and use a white layer mask and paint in the subject that you want using black. Mask have the added advantage of varying the intensity by changing the opacity of the brush.

"Healing brush" very slow on my system la. And it has the tendency to be not very accurate in areas with edges or bigger areas. Needs TLC for pics that needs lots of editing.

Layer mask is also useful for sharpening. E.g. Sharpening only areas around the eyes/fins, while leaving everything else soft. Again, with the brush opacity, you can control how much sharpening to render to different areas using a single layer.

Lost?

ck

**valice** · 24th Dec 2006, 17:04

CK, how about a workshop on PS?
Think this will be very useful...

**CK Yeo** · 24th Dec 2006, 17:27

Off-topic liao.
No need workshop for this lah. I can show you and it'll probably last 5mins.

PM me to arrange.

I just checked out some of the demos of the new features of CS3... seems that all are not very relevant to fish photography and will not change my workflow. OH! And I like the new black&white adjustment layer! No need multiple layers to adjust B&W liao!!!

ck

**hwchoy** · 24th Dec 2006, 17:55

Originally Posted by CK Yeo

It is clearer to show you lah. Anyway, I will try explain it again.

The "Dust and scratches" filter finds a speck/dust/line and blend it into the background. Unfortunately, it will try to do that to your subject as well (unless you deselect it in the first place. Selection is too troublesome and cannot be automated with action files).
So the idea here is to create a new layer and use the filter to blend everything into the background. Then, use a mask to pinpoint the spots that you want/dun want.

A black layer mask hides everything blurred by the "Dust and scratches" filter, so that you can use a white brush to pick the spots you dun want. Of course, you can do it the other way and use a white layer mask and paint in the subject that you want using black. Mask have the added advantage of varying the intensity by changing the opacity of the brush.

"Healing brush" very slow on my system la. And it has the tendency to be not very accurate in areas with edges or bigger areas. Needs TLC for pics that needs lots of editing.

Layer mask is also useful for sharpening. E.g. Sharpening only areas around the eyes/fins, while leaving everything else soft. Again, with the brush opacity, you can control how much sharpening to render to different areas using a single layer.

Lost?

ck

I will try that. only thing I don't really get is the painting back the subject part. isn't that just as tedious? I can see that for those relaly speckly background yes, but most of the time we only have some specks to take care of.

for specks near to lines and your subject, there is a trick where you find a nearly similar area and use it as the healing source. this is how I get rid of specks on the fish bodies and fins.

I no longer do sharpening in PSCS2, I sharpen the RAW in DPP (for Canon RAW).

**CK Yeo** · 24th Dec 2006, 18:12

I agree. Which is why I paint away the specks with a white brush on a black layer mask, instead of painting back the subject on a white layer mask. If you set all this up as an action file, you can do this (and more, including sharpening) in 1 mouse click.

ck

**CK Yeo** · 29th Dec 2006, 06:21

OH OH OH!!! CS3 have a new "smartfilter" feature that can convert a layer into a smart object. i.e. The filter settings can be changed after they were applied. And, it can apply multiple filters, change the sequence of the filters being applied!
I like!

ck

**aqualover** · 29th Dec 2006, 13:38

Has anyone tried using this open-sourced alternative? Just like PhotoShop, powerful yet free. Do provide feedback on your findings.
http://www.gimp.org