So after using Photoshop CS5 for a week or two I thought I would post my thoughts on it to date. Unleash the hounds! This app just makes Steve Job right in bashing the living crap out of Flash on his mobile devices. And yes it is going to be one of those ripping Adobe a new asshole posts. Skip it now if you want. This app is once again another buggy release from Adobe.
CS5 crashes on quitting. CS5 Droplets do not work. Liquify so slow it's unusable. The spacebar switch to the hand tool does not always work. The cursor will flicker like crazy at times. Command + option + 0 does not take you to 100% in Liquify. It does very strange system hangs to my system where it pins one processor to max and will not let it go for a minute or so. Slow motion typing till it finally works it free. The Content Aware Fill bullshit they hyped the crap out of is simply randomly running the healing patch tool. No shit, test it out. If you want LESS control then you get with the healing patch tool, use that instead. The same bruising and blotches happen of course. So well, don't use that either if you take any pride in your work. Content Aware Scale has been useless too, but that was a CS4 wonder tool (try it on dirt or grass and look at 100%).
Why do I use CS5 then? Well, Adobe stops updating Adobe Camera Raw to new cameras unless you upgrade to the newest version of Photoshop. So if a client sends one of these files no dice on using Photoshop to process it. While annoying and I could easily use Capture One to process it it shows a evil side in Adobe IMO.
On the plus side, there is one believe it or not. Yes, it is dim and fading into the night waving with a latern, but a bright side can be found. The new HDR is going to kill Photomatrix. It's very nice actually once you learn to work in tiny, tiny amounts. They equipped this thing with enough power to destroy a fully operational battle station if you get my drift. The new (yet evil as stated above) camera raw engine does do a better job with noise and sharpening. The new Lens Correction tools and Puppet Warp are awesome. Puppet warp has a lot of potential and I feel like I have barely uncovered it's uses as of yet.
Some backstory, I use Photoshop every day all day as my main source of income at danklife. I live and sleep with this tool so when something bothers me, it bothers me all day long and I am a picky son of a bitch. Because of this I am subject to be a raving maniac about these issues more so then others. So take my opinions with that in mind. Does it make me a expert in the program and validate my opinion or make me into a crank shouting at the kids to get off the lawn? I'll leave that up to the reader.
Update 6-9-10: Just installed a new SSD (solid state drive) and did a clean install of everything and I have not had a hitch as of yet. I think the SSD speed is a key factor. I hope to do a write up on the new SSD soon...