Photoshop has long been the industry standard professional digital image manipulation program. It fact it would be hard to get a job as a graphic designer if you didn’t have experience using Photoshop.

So lets explore the new features in Photoshop CS4 and then decide whether for $199 it’s worth upgrading from CS3 to CS4. If you are still working on an older version of Photoshop such as CS2 or CS then I would definitely recommend upgrading. This article is going to focus on the top 5 new features in Photoshop CS4.

1. Smoother panning and zooming and fluid canvas rotation

Working with bitmap images often involves editing pixel by pixel. The smoother zooming feature will give you much more control as you zoom in and out of your bitmaps. Plus the new rotation feature is very cool and is a huge improvement on the somewhat clumsy rotate image handles. I give these new features 9 out of 10.

2. New Adjustments Panel

This panel contains some of the most commonly used color and tone correction tools. Tools, which Photoshop users use every day such as Levels, Curves and Hue & Saturation are now all located on this single panel. Photoshop allows you to edit in a non-destructive mode using an Adjustments layer. Even though this feature is not new per se, this new Adjustment panel makes it easier to work with many of these stable Photoshop tools. I give this new feature 5 out of 10.

3. New Masks Panel

This is a very cool new feature. The new Masks Panel is really powerful and it gives you full control over both pixels and vector masks. You can adjust mask density and feathering, easily select non contiguous objects, and much more.

You can still create layer masks in the old fashioned way but this new panel is much more powerful and will make learning masking easier for new users of Photoshop. I give this new feature 8 out of 10.

4. Content-Aware Scaling

This is my favorite new feature in Photoshop CS4. This new and revolutionary Content-Aware Scaling feature is used when re-sizing images. Users can select an area of an image that you do not want to lose when resizing and Photoshop will protect it, by removing other areas first.

Content-Aware Scaling automatically recognizes skin tones to keep people from being squeezed when you resize an image. So as you resize an image, people in the picture may move closer together or further apart, but they will remain properly proportioned whilst the background changes. I would have to give this feature a 10 out of 10.

5. Many enhancements

My final new feature is really just a whole bunch of cool improvements to existing features in Photoshop CS3. These include:
1. Improved color correction with re-engineered Dodge, Burn, and Sponge tools
2. Improved auto-blending of images.
3. New preview feature on the Clone Tool.
4. Better raw image processing. I give these new features a 7 out of 10.

So in conclusion, Photoshop CS4 introduces some very new and exciting features such as fluid canvas rotation and content-aware scaling, a few new panels such as Mask Panel and Adjustments panel which help to improve your workflow, and a whole bunch of enhancements to existing features.

Overall I would have to say that $199 investment to upgrade is a no-brainer. Enjoy!

About the Author:

Billy Gee is a director for Training Connection, an Adobe Certified Training Center based in Chicago and Los Angeles. “We specialize in providing hands on Real World Photoshop training classes.”

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Top 5 New Features in Photoshop CS4

The Nikon D3000 has now been released, and it is already making its presence known in the camera market. There have been major upgrades from the D40, most notably from a 6.1 megapixel sensor in the D40 to 10.2 megapixels in the D3000. There have also been technology upgrades in the LCD, the image processing engine, and auto focus modes. Overall, cameras are getting “smarter” with each release. So it is becoming easier to take flawless photos when selecting the right scene mode. At the time of this article, the user rating at Amazon.com is perfect. Not one reviewer has listed a negative about their new D3000.

Canon’s direct competition to the D3000 is the Canon Rebel XSi (aka 450D). They have very similar specifications and features, but the Rebel XSi has been on the market for a year and a half already.

Here is an interesting observation. Canon and Nikon have gone head to head for as long as digital cameras have been around. Both companies came out with sub-$1000 DSLR cameras at almost exactly the same time. Both companies have similar cameras at every level in the DSLR market. There is not a clear winner at any level between Canon and Nikon. The winner is whoever the camera buyer deems to be the winner. If the buyer is a Nikon buyer, normally they will stick with Nikon, and vise versa for Canon. A few photographers have crossed the line one way or the other, but it is fairly uncommon.

So, today, if you are buying a DSLR for the first time, which one do you choose?

The writer was in this very predicament when the D40 and the Canon Rebel 300D came out. Ready to buy the first DSLR. Read all the forum posts. Got confused by the Canon-Nikon mud slinging and name calling (I read the forum posts now just for amusement).

Yours truly came down on the Canon side back then. Now, with the same decision, considering the Nikon D3000 and the Canon Rebel XSi 450D, the decision would be in favor of Nikon… for only one reason. It is not because I have been dissatisfied with my Canon gear.. not at all. The decision would be based solely on the age of the cameras; the Nikon is newer and actually costs a few dollars less. But either one will be excellent choices. And either one will give you awesome pictures. And both will be replaced by newer models in the very near future.

Go ahead and read the forum posts. But be prepared to be spammed by some very adamant fans of either Canon or Nikon. It’s kind of like going to a football game in the New York Giants stadium if they are playing the Jets. It will be difficult to get an unbiased opinion because they are cross-town rivals.
There are some unbiased facts and real statistics at http://www.digital-photographic-resources.com about the Nikon D3000 and the Canon Rebel XSi. It is the best place to find out about cheap DSLR cameras.

Ease of use
The Nikon N50 was designed specifically to be easy to use. You can manually change settings to get the exact photo you want, or you can hand it to a kid, allowing it to focus and set itself. The N50 makes taking digitals easy.

Durability
The N50 has been selling for almost ten years with minimal changes. This fact tells all, Nikon made a long lasting winner when they designed the N50. The camera is rugged and continues to perform over time.

Picture Quality
The camera continues to take great shots! If you take a look in some digital camera forums, you will quickly see that many have ten year old N50s. They continue to praise the quality of photos that they have been able to take. Shots are properly focused every time using the auto focus, the feature is finely tuned and performs exceptionally.

Shutter Speed
The N50 is a basic camera. There are cameras out there with a much higher shutter speed, and so if you need a really fast shutter, this might not be the camera for you. Nikon has an upgraded model that will take care of you there, the Nikon D200. The speed of this shutter is plenty for most.

Overall
Since the N50 won’t be on the market for too much longer, the internet has been flooded with people selling new and used N50 models. I recommend it to all beginning photo amateurs. Although the N50 is functional and takes great shots, I wouldn’t recommend it to camera professionals. The lack of features and slow shutter speed impose limitations I can’t deal with.
If you’re a beginner, it’s all you’ll need.

About the Author:

Courtney Tuttle

nikon cameras

nikon digital cameras

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Review of the Nikon N50

The HC3’s 1/3″ ClearVid CMOS sensor provides stunning detail and clarity for both video and still images.

2.1-Megapixel (Gross) ClearVid CMOS Sensor

1/3″ ClearVid CMOS sensor provides stunning detail and clarity with exceptional video (1080 lines of resolution in HD Mode or 530 lines of horizontal resolution in SD Mode) and still-image performance (4.0 megapixels). Unlike traditional CCD imagers, CMOS sensors require less power, providing better battery performance.

HDV Recording Format

From the innovators in camcorder technology, Sony’s HDR-HC3 camcorder is the industry’s smallest and lightest HDV1080i consumer-level camcorder and player (as of February 1, 2006). Now you can conveniently record all your memories in true high-definition video.

Switchable HDV/DV Format Recording

The HDR-HC3 is capable of recording and playing back both High Definition (HD) and Standard Definition (SD) video recorded on a standard MiniDV cassette.

Real-Time HD Codec Engine

Sony developed a Real Time MPEG Encode/Decode system with reduced energy consumption and compact size to fit inside a personal camcorder. This engine provides efficient MPEG2 compression, and recording and playback of clear HD images at the same bit rate of the DV format, so that High Definition video can be recorded on the same MiniDV cassettes as are used for SD recording.

10x Optical/80x Digital Zoom

The optical zoom helps to bring the action close up from far away. In addition, the Digital Zoom Interpolation means that extreme digital zooming is clearer, with less distortion than previous types of digital zoom.

A professional-quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens reduces

glare and flare and increases color saturation.

Professional-Quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* Lens

Carl Zeiss lenses have an advanced optical multi-layer coating that offers less glare and flare with increased contrast. This results in vivid image brilliance, true-to-life color saturation, and perfect renditions of subtle tones. The additional T* coating on the lens further reduces unwanted glare and flare.

A 2.7-inch vari-angle touch-panel LCD makes

framing and filming a snap.

2.7-Inch Wide (16:9) Hybrid Touch Panel Clear Photo LCD plus Display (211K Pixels)

The 2.7-inch wide (16:9) LCD screen provides excellent viewing clarity with imporoved resolution. The 211K pixel LCD screen rotates up to 270 degrees for multiple viewing angles providing sharp, detailed images for monitoring or playback, and the widescreen format makes shooting in 16:9 mode and composing shots even easier.

Digital Still Memory Mode with Memory Stick Duo Media

Capture still images up to 2304 x 1728 resolution directly onto Memory Stick Duo Media for easy trasfer to PCs for e-mailing, printing, or sharing with other compatible Memory Stick devices.

Dual Record

While recording video in high definition, you have the ability to capture a 2.3-megapixel still image directly to Memory Stick Duo media.

Assignable Dial

Built into the lens body of the camera, the assignable dial can be used not only for focus or exposure, but may also be customized by the user to control Auto Exposure (AE) Shift, Exposure, Focus, and White Balance (WB) Shift. In playback mode it allows you to control the volume.

Super SteadyShot Image Stabilization System

Picture stabilization system that uses motion sensors to detect and compensate for camera “shake” without compromising picture quality like some other digital stabilization systems.

Cinematic Mode

Perfect for creating your own movie masterpieces, the HDR-HC3 Cinematic mode lends 24-frame film-like effect to your recordings.

i.LINK Interface (IEEE1394)

A high speed bi-directional digital video-audio communication between two compatible devices equipped with an IEEE1394 interface, including camcorders, digital VCRs, and PCs.

Tele Macro Function

Useful for shooting close up shots, but without having the camcorder casting a shadow on the subject. Images shot in the Tele Macro Mode will have the subject properly focused with the background unfocused so that the subject stands out.

Active Interface Shoe

Provides a location directly on the camcorder on which to add optional accessories while providing power and two-way communication to those accessories.

Built-In Intelligent Flash

For added clarity and detail when taking pictures in low-light situations, the built-in flash improves pictures and reduces shadows.

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