AV News 180 - May 2010
Photoshop - Considering Upgrading to CS4
K e ith S c o tt FRPS
For those considering upgrading to Photoshop version CS4 several
important issues should be considered, before deciding whether to do so.
First, do you actually 'need' this upgrade to obtain features or functions that
your current version doesn't have, or does your ego simply demand owning
the latest version available. If you can sensibly justify upgrading then that's
fine, but if you just 'want' the latest version you should seriously consider the
very high cost and technical issues involved. You must also determine which
version best suits your particular needs, because it's offered in two distinct
versions i.e. CS4 and CS4 Extended. At the time of writing their respective
price direct from Adobe is £627.45 and £976.42 for the full versions, with
upgrades from older versions at £180.95 and £326.65 respectively inclusive
of VAT. So what does the 'Extended' version offer for the additional money,
and more importantly, does your existing computer meet the technical
requirements to fully utilise those added functions.
You will find an extensive and useful comparison table of the two versions
at http://www.adobe.com/uk/products/photoshop/compare/ you will see
that that CS4 Extended offers extensive 3D editing and compositing
capabilities, motion graphics and image analysis features. CS4 Extended is
a comprehensive professional tool; it contains features beyond the normal
requirements of most regular AV workers. However, if those features are
what you really do need, perhaps for something other than AV, then this is
the version for you; this is also where technical requirements must be
considered.
Most computers will happily run standard CS4 without too much difficulty,
but to enable 3D drawing, editing and rendering including 3D photographic
images your graphics card must support hardware accelerated 3D rendering.
If it doesn't support this
feature after installing the
programme you will
receive
a
message
informing you that your
card does not meet the
requirements and that all
3D will be rendered with software only. This will greatly slow down many
functions and make some impossible. In this case you will need to upgrade
your graphics card. Note that upgrading an integrated graphic card on
laptops is not usually an option. Therefore you should investigate the
capabilities of your graphic card before considering installing CS4 Extended.
All current cards for desktop computers that support hardware accelerated
3D rendering are of the PCI-Express type, therefore your motherboard must
also have the necessary PCI-Express slot to accommodate a suitable card
upgrade. If your current graphics card is a PCI-Express type then it's a simple
case of changing cards. However, if your motherboard does not have this
type of slot you must decide on your most viable way forward. Be prepared
for more expense.
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