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Hands On with Photoshop CS3 Extended
A preliminary report on new features, performance, and workflow enhancements
3/27/2007
(Click for larger image.)
These include:
- Support for multiple layers of video;
- Traditional keyframing of position and opacity (to create dissolves and the like); and
- Support for keyframing of layer styles (such as Drop Shadow, Pattern Overlay, etc.).
Also for the first time in any incarnation of Photoshop, the Extended version allows users to export video as video by rendering it to any number of supported file types and codecs. These include: Windows Media, QuickTime, FLC, 3G, iPod video, AVI, DV stream, image sequence, MPEG-4, and--bum bum bum--Flash Video (FLV).
Video is exported through a new command at File > Export > Render Video. This command calls up a settings dialog that allows users to choose the format, set a frame range, apply cropping or fitting, and select a codec (for audio and video) along with the codec's settings (data rate, quality, bit depth, etc.).
(Click for larger image.)
The Flash Video export support MP3 for audio and both Sorenson Spark and On2 VP6 for video.
And finally, in addition to al that, the Photoshop file format now natively supports video layers. In other words, not only is video imported as a single layer and behaves just like any other layer, but video layers (plural) can also be stored in the document itself.
This, of course, saves on render times, but it's particularly useful in that both After Effects and Premiere Pro will, in their upcoming releases, support this new file format natively. So Photoshop documents that contain video can be opened natively, and no further conversion is required.
It's worth noting in the context of After Effects that Photoshop C3 Extended does support multiple bit-depths on video layers, including 8-, 16-, and 32-bit HDR, along with multiple color modes (RGB, CMYK, Lab, and grayscale). And it supports color management for video.
3D features
Now, you've also no doubt herd about Photoshop CS3 Extended's 3D capabilities. But what does that mean? Is Photoshop trying to compete with Maya, 3DS Max and the rest of the 3D modeling and animation programs out there? No indeed. In fact, it's trying to work with them.
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