I currently use Photoshop CS2 to edit sports images. Are there any great advantages to the CS4 version?

Thanks!

There are a lot of advantages of having CS4 but I really can't think of any specifically for sports. I have CS4 but I find I do most of my edits in Lightroom (tonal adjustments and white balance correction)

I know you said sports - but do you shoot Raw? If so the Raw converter alone might be worth the cost

I think the Adjustment Layer features make it worthwhile. As wilrobking said, there are a lot of advantages but it is hard to specify them. I went from CS3 and find it was a good decision.

Since we don't know what your level of expertise is with PS or what features you are using, it is a little tough to answer your question in detail. But, CS3 was a MAJOR improvement over CS2 for photographers and CS4 is a nice step forward again. For RAW processing, it is a no brainer. If you use Bridge, it is a no brainer. In PS, most of my basic workflow is not supported in CS2 (to many features to list). Upgrade, you will be pleased.

Yeah, the more easily accessed adjustment layers!, the 3D tools in the extended version for real-time interactive rotating, zooming, perspective corrections, etc., the new (now actually very useful) version of Bridge, the new CameraRAW (ACR 5.x), tabbed image windows if you're into that, more support for multi-core CPUs (still not enough but it IS more.. ), and there's more too. Check out some of the many review sites for more details on CS2 --> CS3 and CS3 --> CS4.

I went from cs2 to cs4 and love the adjustment brushes in ACR. The hand grab tossing images around on screen is a nice touch for me also.
The content aware is another one.

I tried light room but cs4's bridge now resembles much that is found in lightroom but for adjustment tools in the previews. To each his own there.

PS upgrades for any serious user are always advantageous, but also an additional learning curve.

...And it still has layer selection in the document window too.

Hhehehehe....

For true power users, the Adjustments Panel is a complete abomination, especially for those using dual monitors. It's very big step backwards for a very minor benefit. The new interface design of the adjustment panels, particularly the Curves is unbearable. Luckily you can still use an F-Key action to bring up the Adjustment Layer via the Layers menu, which brings up the old Modal dialog box, which is so much more intuitive than the cryptic icons that you have to hover your cursor over to figure out what they do. Unfortunately, when you have to re-edit that adjustment it pulls up the new panel, and off to the side where you have to divert your attention back and forth from monitoring the image. Yes, you can go off and do other things while in the dialog box now, like change blend modes, but seriously, that's not a big enough deal. Adobe really needs to have an option to fully use the modal dialogs for all aspects of adjustment layers.

On the plus side, you can now use Device Link Profiles if you're part of the 1/2 of one percent who even knows what they are, and the largest brush size in Liquefy is up to 1500 pixels. Unfortunately the regular brush sizes are still limited to 2500 pixels, which becomes increasingly small as files sizes increase with every new camera model.

PhotoMerge is improved and Layer Blending is as well.

If you're on a PC, and don't use many plugins, you can enjoy the benefits of a full 64 bit application, allowing the access of virtually all your ram, assuming you have filled up all your slots. Of course, any plugins you use have to be 64 bit compatible or the whole thing sinks.

All in all, so far, I'd call this upgrade a C or maybe a C+. But then, I'm an extremely critical extremely high end user. Other opinions will undoubtedly vary. If in doubt, download the demo, use it for 30 days and then decide.

Go to PhotoshopInsider.com and look for their 4 part series on the reasons to upgrade to CS4. One major difference is the way adjustment layers work. It is a real plus they are no longer a model form where you have to exit out of it before doing anything else now they're editable anytime even after you have added another adjustment layer. It takes some getting use to but it is a better environment with several new features where they improved existing features so they work as they should not as they have and some new ones to make your life better.

Hi there --

Apart from the stuff other posters have mentioned CS4 has support for new cameras - the latest version of Adobe RAW only works with CS4.

If you don't like some features you might be able to go to CS3 - also an improvement ofver CS2 but without some of the not so much liked features of CS4. You'll have to source CS3 separately as it's no longer available at Adobe but you'll find LEGAL copies at a real low price --could be a nice cheap interm upgrade for you. Definitely an improvement over CS2.

If you do use CS3 rather than CS4 then Bridge really STINKS in CS3 --much better in CS4.

Incidentally newer cameras such as the excellent P&S G10 are also supported (in CS4)

I love CS4 - you can get a 30 day FREE trial anyway --if you don't like it then chuck it after the trial expires.


Cheers

-K