When shopping for cameras, I've always thought that you should get the best you can afford and grow into it. The same is true for imaging software. If you're taking digital pictures, creating images for the Web, or just cleaning up old, faded slides, get the best you can afford. Adobe Photoshop 6 fits the bill; it's simply the best there is.
Photoshop 6's awesome capabilities make for a power-hungry program. You're going to need a fast CPU, a big, quick hard drive, and lots of RAM. I tried the program on machines that would be considered adequate for most applications, only to watch them bog down when running Photoshop. A Windows 2000 system crashed several times, and a Mac OS system that handles Photoshop 5.5 quite well was sluggish running Photoshop 6. While Adobe's suggested RAM requirements are 64MB for Mac OS and Windows, don't even think about running Photoshop 6 with anything less than 128MB.
Version 6 represents the first major upgrade to Photoshop's interface since the program was introduced 10 years ago. Still, existing users will find everything where it should be, plus some functions that have been there for a while, but that were previously tucked out of the way. The manual is well written and well organized, so that even beginning digital artists can get the most out of the program. This is as good as documentation gets.
The program contains dozens of new features (such as integrated vector-graphics capabilities), and is bundled with ImageReady 3, whose interface has been tweaked to mimic changes in Photoshop. The new vector-drawing tools combine with the Styles function for quick creation of buttons and other Web graphics. When exporting files for Web use, weighted optimization lets you use grayscale channels to vary compression settings across the entire image.
The vector-drawing function also lets you add vector clipping paths to each layer in a photo composition, allowing you to combine resolution-independent text and graphics with soft-edged photos in ways that were previously only possible with high-end graphics systems. You can format and output these images as PDF files or print directly to PostScript output devices. Text can now be typed directly onto an image without having to go to a dialog box first. Changes to typeface, color, style, or distortion are now made directly on the image.
Photoshop 6 adds a feature called Extract to the masking tool. Extract lets computer users mask a jagged or fuzzy subject for almost perfect background removal or manipulation. I hardly ever use the Magic Wand anymore. Remember Kai's Super Goo, a fun but vertical program that let you make funny faces with your pictures? Now Photoshop offers "interactive image warping," which has its serious applications, but its greatest comedic potential is in real-time manipulation of portraits.
While the serious digital artist will use advanced features, most of us just want to get rid of the background, change image details, increase sharpness, remove dust, and even fool with a friend's nose or eyebrows. There are many programs that can do all these things, but when the need arises to do more, these simpler programs fall short. If all you need is a light-duty imaging program, consider Adobe's Photoshop LE.
All is not well in Plug-in Land, however. An Adobe representative told me that Photoshop 6 specifications for compatible plug-ins were identical to previous versions, but my copy of the SilverFast Photo CD 5 plug-in wouldn't work in Version 6. The company has promised a fix. My guess is that LaserSoft's registration method, which is designed to prevent pirating, is the culprit. I've noticed that several other plug-ins, such as those from TECHnik, run slower and choppier in Photoshop 6 than in Version 5, but my guess in this case is that the new program simply requires more memory.
The street price for Photoshop 6 is $609, but registered users of earlier versions can upgrade for just $199.
Adobe Photoshop 6 benefits:
Improved user interface, includes context-sensitive tool options bar
Vector shape drawing with resolution-independent output
On-canvas text entry and advanced formatting
Streamlined Web workflow with Adobe's GoLive (a trial version is included)
ImageReady 3 is a bundled freebie once again
