T
he updated features in Photoshop CS6 are
divided more or less equally between
image editing, text and graphics functions for
designers, and new ‘Extended’ 3D
functionality. This article presents the ones
that are directly aimed at photographers and
image editors in easily digestible, themed
sections.
‘Just Do It’ Features
Adobe’s developers have been adding new
JDI (‘Just Do It’) features to the last couple of
releases. These improvements to the user
interface or individual tools aren’t necessarily
game-changing new features, but were either
simply long overdue or have been made on
the strength of user requests.
Photoshop CS6 includes a number of new
JDIs and some overall performance
improvements that we will go into later.
The first and most obvious new JDI asks if
you would like to migrate the presets from
earlier Photoshopversions when you start the
program for the first time. These include all
the presets that you have stored in the Preset
Manager, such as custom brush tips or colors,
thus enabling you to carry on working inCS6
just as you did with CS5.
Many established tools have been
enhanced, and tool size can now be set
universally at up to 5,000 pixels. The brush
preview displays the currently selected
opacity setting and Transform values are
shown in real time at the tool’s tip.
Other enhancements include functionality
that enables you to use the Patch, Eyedropper
and Quick Selection tools on multiple layers.
The Patch tool has also been given
Content-Aware functionality. A new Bicubic
Automatic interpolation method has been
added, which automatically selects the
optimum method for the task at hand,
depending on whether you are enlarging or
reducing the size of an image. Actions are no
longer limited to recording just menu
commands and are, at long last, capable of
recording individual tool movements
alongside other parameters.
The Contact Sheet functionality that was
scrapped with CS4 due to the lack of 64-bit
support has been reinstated in the latest
release. This feature was sorely missed by
many users in spite of the alternative PDF
contact sheet function provided by Bridge.
Now it’s back in its all-new 64-bit guise and
with a whole bunch of new options, including
separate image and text layers and the ability
to sort image folders by pages.
The new file-saving options are not
immediately obvious. 32-bit images can now
be background saved as TIFFs, which keeps
the workflow running smoothly when you are
working with large image files. There is also an
Auto Save option, which saves all the
necessary recovery information at a preset,
user-defined interval.Mercury Graphics Engine
The new Mercury Graphics Engine works away
in the background and directly accesses
graphics memory during complex processing
steps. This type of graphics support
accelerates preview image display and
transformation actions, especially when you
are dealing with very large files. Older tools,
such as Liquify, also benefit from this
architecture, and there is no visible delay
during image refresh or when applying an
effect. The Liquify tool now has an increased
size range that extends all the way up to
15,000 pixels.Photoshop CS6 | Highlights◗Camera Raw 7 with Process Version
2012 , which develops critical shadows
and highlights more evenly and allows
local color temperature adjustments.◗The Blur Gallerywith its new Field Blur,
Iris Blur and Tilt-Shift effects.◗The astonishing Adaptive Wide Angle
filter, which can custom straighten and
align distorted lines independently of
lens profiles.◗TheContent-Aware Patch tool, which
now works on multiple layers and
functions in tandem with the
Content-Aware Move tool.◗Layer filtering, which helps you to
quickly find key layers in complex
documents using a range of parameters.◗The Video Timeline Panel, which has
been redesigned to enable video novices
to get to grips with editing, transitions,
key frames, audio tracks, adjustment
layers and animated text effects.Our CS6 Top Six
The CS6 on-image ‘rich
cursor’ display includes the
current opacity setting and
real-time transform values,
if applicable