CS3 :: Has anyone tried it...

So, has anyone downloaded the CS3 Beta?

And if so what are your thoughts on it? Are there major improvements for you?

Yeah, I've been playing with it for several days now.

improvements/changes?

Hard to say right now I haven't dug in very deep yet, The interface is totally different. Before you cringe in pain, know that the interface can be taken back to the old interface painlessly.

The first thing I noticed was the single column toolbar. It kind of freaked me out at first but then I noticed you can make it the old 2 column toolbar.

The pallets are different in that they aren't floating pallets anymore. (but again you can make them that way if you wish.)

Adobe changed the curves dialog (in a good way) by adding more control along with clipping warnings. GREAT!

Black and white conversion has been vastly improved with a dialog and your changes are applied to an adjustment layer. Woohooo!

Thats about all I have nailed down yet, but I'll keep diggin'.

I love the single column toolbar, because you now have more space for your photos and graphics. Same goes for the docked pallets, they hide when you don't hover them. Great stuff. For me the improvements are mostly in the UI.

Also, the non-destructing filters are really good.
All filters sort of work like adjustment layers now.

*NL* said:

Also, the non-destructing filters are really good.
All filters sort of work like adjustment layers now.

You mean like the layers appearing when you're playing with the curves and levels, etc.?

If so it could be useful in a way, but I guess you'll get lost with all those layers now...

What I mean is that you can apply a filter, and afterwards edit the amount of filter you've applied, so you are able to edit the filter.

No more guessing how much gaussian blur, cmd + z-ing and reapplying with different values! Just apply it, double click the layer and change the values, while watching the preview.

ahhh, sweet yeah that can be handy!

I've been using it for the last month or so and I haven't noticed anything incredibly defent beyond what everyone else has said so far. The interface is a tad different from CS2 (CS2 is the version I hopped on the PS train.) Beyond the free Beta, I don't know if I would find it absolutely necessary to upgrade from CS2 (at least right away.)

I'll be upgrading "A" (probably Mac) machine.... and then if all goes well I'll upgrade the others. I do see several benefits... just haven't used it enough to know what the drawbacks are.... yet.

*NL* said:

What I mean is that you can apply a filter, and afterwards edit the amount of filter you've applied, so you are able to edit the filter.

No more guessing how much gaussian blur, cmd + z-ing and reapplying with different values! Just apply it, double click the layer and change the values, while watching the preview.

man thats pretty sweet.. what other new features are noticeable..