Where is the "Adjust Variations" option in Photoshop CS6?

[Guest]

Hi all,

I often use the Image>Adjust Variations option in Photoshop but do not see the option in Photoshop CS6. I know we are still only in the BETA stage but I am still curious. I hope it is not going to be dropped. I like to use it for quick fixes on small portions of the image every now and again:)

Thank you in advance for your help,

Christine

[Jeff Arola]

It's here on the windows 32 bit version of cs6. (Image>Adjustments>Variations)

What operating system?

Also there's a cs6 forum:

http://forums.adobe.com/community/labs/photoshopcs6?view=discussions

[Guest · Accepted solution]

As the previous post indicates, the Image > Adjustment > Variations menu item and function has been dropped in all 64-bit versions of Photoshop from day one, ever since Photoshop CS4 Windows and CS5 Macintosh (there was no 64-bit version of CS4 for the Mac).

For the time being, at least, there's no Macintosh 32-bit version of the CS6 beta, so the Variations will not be available to you in CS6 beta if you're on a Mac. 

[Guest]

Thanks for your answer everyone:) Much appreciated! I will make sure to post in the CS6 forum if I have any more questions:)

[Jeff Arola]

Actually as far as i know on windows, cs4 and cs5 64 bit had the variations plugin, just was not in the 64 bit cs5 versions of photoshop on macs.

[Guest]

The plug-in was there for CS5 Mac, but you needed to launch Photoshop in 32-bit mode in order for the menu item to appear and the Variations function to be available.  Photoshop is a single binary on the Mac, not two different versions as in Windows.

If I was wrong about Windows, I stand corrected.  But for the Mac, there has never been a 64-bit version [of the Adjustment Variations].

[gadgetpundit_com]

Christine,

I just found this out too.  This is a feature I used in Photoshop ALL THE TIME.  We also lose (of note) Lighting Effects and Pattern Maker.  We need to complain.  This is unacceptable.

Downloadable plug-ins & content | Photoshop

[John Waller]

gadgetpundit.com wrote:

Christine,

I just found this out too.  This is a feature I used in Photoshop ALL THE TIME.  We also lose (of note) Lighting Effects and Pattern Maker.  We need to complain.  This is unacceptable.

Downloadable plug-ins & content | Photoshop

Updated link for CS6

Downloadable plug-ins & content | Photoshop

Plug-ins no longer supported in Photoshop CS6

• Contact Sheet II (now included as part of the default install)
• Variations
• Picture Package (ContactSheetII)
• ExtractPlus
• PatternMaker
• PhotomergeUI
• Web Photo Gallery (WebContactSheetII) plus presets
• Script for Layer Comps to Web Photo Gallery
• Texture presets for Texturizer

[tracymarks]

Lighting effects is my favorite and most-used filter and it won't even install on either of my computers because my video card isn't recent enough. This is so bad that I'm regretting buying CS6 since I have to use CS5 instead. Plus I use variations, and teach many classes of beginning photoshop in which students say THE MOST USEFUL TECHNIQUE THEY LEARN WHEN THEY FIRST LEARN PHOTOSHOP IS VARIATIONS.

[Noel Carboni]

Regarding using Photoshop into the future - get used to it requiring more and more GPU capability.  Do yourself a favor and buy a modern video card.  You don't have to get an expensive one.  A hundred bucks buys a fairly future-proof card with 1 GB VRAM.

Funny thing about the entire discussion above about Variations...  Have you actually TRIED Image - Adjust - Variations in Photoshop CS6?  It's still there for me, in the 64 bit version (I'm running Windows 7 x64).  Have I just shifted in from an alternate reality?

-Noel

[gulfcoastpaddler]

It IS NOT available for a Mac.  Please, please Adobe issue an update or plugin to return Variations  and lighting effects to CS6 for MAC.  I won't recommend it, despite other improvements, because these are great functions and they ARE MISSING!

[sumintrap69232754]

I want plug in -Image - Adjust - Variations in Photoshop CC 2017

[mauovernet]

how fix on mac os sierra OSX please ?

with photoshop version CC 2014 please

.

[Jeff Arola]

Unfortunately, there is no Variations plugin on the mac side the works in anything newer than photoshop cs5.

The Variations plugin in photoshop cs5 is 32 bits, so cs5 had to be run in 32 bit mode and photoshop cs6 and newer are 64 bit apps that can't use the old variations plugin since they no longer support running photoshop in 32 bit mode.

So the answer is there is no fix for photoshop CC 2014 to get the Variations plugin to work.

[mauovernet]

very sad ....  really sad...

thansk for all your help here ...

bless

[pierat1959]

Two weeks ago I switched from Windows7 to Mac OS-X. I eagerly installed Adobe CS6. Can you imagine my disappointed when I found out the Variations command is NOT available under OS-X? So switching from Windows7 to OS-X made me loose an important feature in Photoshop.

ADOBE replies that the Adjustment is only available as a 32bit plugin. But is it really so hard to make a 64bit plugin of the Variations? I can't imagine. Very, very disappointing...

[Jp_Cooper]

This is late in the Discussion.  BUT no one actually pointed out the reality of the VARIATIONS option in PS.

THe very same functionality can be achieved using several different methods.

Curves - Levels - Hue/Saturation all will do the same thing.  PS has always been a tool that can accomplish the same end result using different approaches from the beginning - this is nothing new.

That being said - Variations - was merely another method that PS used - except that it was a visual approach rather than a technical approach.  I admit that I found myself using it much more in recent years than most other methods for color corretion and adjustment - while inthe same breath chastising PS for including way too many Items that catered to Begining Users - Intermediate and Advanced Users alike.  While towing with it titles such as PS LE / Elements and Express to primarily cater to beginning users with way too much overlap.

I'll miss the feature (Variations) but I can accomplish the same results using other options and features in PS - and it's good that they are cleaning house somewhat while trasnitioning to he 64-bit mode.  Many other things I'd wished they'd get rid of those and streamline the primary title for professionals.

[Akelei]

I agree that Variations needs to be brought back.  I use Variations all the time in my artwork.  A lot of times I'll render part of a drawing on a seperate layer and decide that it needs to be a little bit warmer, a little less yellow or a little lighter.  Despite what others have said, Hue/Saturation, Brightness and Contrast and Curves and Levels do not achieve the same results and are no substitute for the subtlty you can get with Variatioins.

[dean.p]

Just FYI, I've been in Pre-press for over 9 years and graphic design for another 10 so been using Photoshop for a while. Variations (being now dropped in CC 2014) was hugely useful as it was a very quick (and had instant visual que) for adjusting your Hi and Low color channel percentages. You would get a visual que that your percentages were in fact 100 or 0 percent when adjusting single color channels (very useful to know especially in preparation for flexo printing).

Yes I can use levels, curves, but adds a few more steps and no real visual que. Then of course there's color variations, which can be done with Photo filter or Select Color, but in some cases with able to select amount, dark, mid-tones and highlights, Variations was again faster and easier to get quick results.

Not having Variations is a pain. Now I have to use levels, magic wand, select adjustment blah blah

[jarosebek]

Removing the Variations option indicates to me that the Adobe software engineers are either ignorant or clueless as to what designers use to do their work. What could have caused them to make such strange updates?

[maestro118]

I agree. I have CS5 on my Win 7 machine and I won't be upgrading now as this is one of the tools I use all the time for color correction. It's a total hassle to now have to go through multiple menus.

[PanicoPaul]

You may want to try Adjustments: Color Lookup Adjustment (sic) and create your own set of variations, or download avilable presets. Select within the Properties in the Adjustment layer panel.

[camerond1]

I just want to keep this thread going, and ask that Adobe please reconsider putting variations back into 64. I use(d) it all the time.

[Sjl74]

i too am horrified that this has been taken off ..i work as an illustrator and sometimes have to make quick fixes this was great for me ...please bring back variations

[jbraatz111]

Pretty much the same thing can be accomplished by going to 'image->adjustments->photo filter' in the latest photoshop release.  It doesn't come with presets but it is a bit more powerful than the old method.