New features in Photoshop Elements 12 ?.

Report · Jun 17, 2013

Photoshop Elements has come a long way since it replaced Photoshop 5 LE back in 2001. It however still lacks many of the more professional features of Photoshop Creative Cloud such as 16 Bit Editing, CMYK color mode and soft-proofing. It also has a number of watered down or simplified features like the slider depended Adjust Color Curves and Photomerge Exposure rather than HDR editing. With Photoshop Elements 12 expected to be released in September what new features or functionally would you most like to be added to the new version ?.

Report · Sep 27, 2013

What i meant was the windows version of the download only includes the plugin for the 64 bit version of photoshop.

The 32 bit version of the plugin is smaller in size.

It seems adobe is insistent not to allow that 32 bit plugin to be available without having the creative cloud and photoshop.

Report · Sep 28, 2013

Hi Bill,

Thanks. Kindly review below links for more detailed info on release and review please.

Adobe Elements 12 is now available. Find out more:

http://www.adobe.com/products/elements-family.html?promoid=JOLIV

Visit the Help Hub page for documentation, tutorials, and more on using Photoshop Elements 12: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop-elements.html

Visit Adobe TV for tutorials for information on using the new features.

http://tv.adobe.com/show/learn-photoshop-elements-12/

Thanks,

Garry

Report · Sep 28, 2013

ukgaurav wrote:
Hi Bill,
Thanks. Kindly review below links for more detailed info on release and review please.
Adobe Elements 12 is now available. Find out more:
http://www.adobe.com/products/elements-family.html?promoid=JOLIV

Visit the Help Hub page for documentation, tutorials, and more on using Photoshop Elements 12: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop-elements.html
Visit Adobe TV for tutorials for information on using the new features.
http://tv.adobe.com/show/learn-photoshop-elements-12/
Thanks,
Garry

Gary,

Last Tuesday (release day for 12), I more than "reviewed" those links. I studied them all day looking for tools that would enhance my photo and video production experience. I wanted to find at least one single compelling reason to send Adobe $120 to upgrade from version 11. (Note that I did find compelling reasons from 9 to 10 and 10 to 11.)

I found none in either Photoshop or Premier Elements 12.

Please don't misunderstand. If a friend or relative asked me how to improve the photos and videos that come from a new camera. camcorder or smartphone, I would tell them to buy the latest versions of Photoshop Elements, Premier Elements and Lightroom. Then I would tell them to give up TV, reading and any other hobbies for a couple months and study the courses at Lynda.com and Adobe TV.

Please do understand that if a friend or relative asked if they should upgrade from 11 to 12, I would tell them not to waste their money and time. There are no compelling reasons to even bother with the upgrade process.

The single exception might be ACR. If I (or a friend) buys a new enough camera model to require ACR 8.x, I would include the $120 for Adobe in the cost analysis of that new camera.

I remain an Adobe fanboy. I love the synergistic combination of Lightroom and (both) Elements. They provide all that I need without shoveling money into the CC. Maybe next year's version 13 will add a few cool tools. (Think Windows 64 bit, "smart" or "lossless" video editing or better video stabilization.)

For now, I will probably use the $120 I had budgeted for Adobe and spend it at Topaz, Nik or NewBlueFX. Those three companies rock!

Bill

Report · Sep 28, 2013

whsprague wrote:
ukgaurav wrote:
Hi Bill,
Thanks. Kindly review below links for more detailed info on release and review please.
Adobe Elements 12 is now available. Find out more:
http://www.adobe.com/products/elements-family.html?promoid=JOLIV

Visit the Help Hub page for documentation, tutorials, and more on using Photoshop Elements 12: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop-elements.html
Visit Adobe TV for tutorials for information on using the new features.
http://tv.adobe.com/show/learn-photoshop-elements-12/
Thanks,
Garry
Gary,
Last Tuesday (release day for 12), I more than "reviewed" those links. I studied them all day looking for tools that would enhance my photo and video production experience. I wanted to find at least one single compelling reason to send Adobe $120 to upgrade from version 11. (Note that I did find compelling reasons from 9 to 10 and 10 to 11.)
I found none in either Photoshop or Premier Elements 12.
Please don't misunderstand. If a friend or relative asked me how to improve the photos and videos that come from a new camera. camcorder or smartphone, I would tell them to buy the latest versions of Photoshop Elements, Premier Elements and Lightroom. Then I would tell them to give up TV, reading and any other hobbies for a couple months and study the courses at Lynda.com and Adobe TV.
Please do understand that if a friend or relative asked if they should upgrade from 11 to 12, I would tell them not to waste their money and time. There are no compelling reasons to even bother with the upgrade process.
The single exception might be ACR. If I (or a friend) buys a new enough camera model to require ACR 8.x, I would include the $120 for Adobe in the cost analysis of that new camera.
I remain an Adobe fanboy. I love the synergistic combination of Lightroom and (both) Elements. They provide all that I need without shoveling money into the CC. Maybe next year's version 13 will add a few cool tools. (Think Windows 64 bit, "smart" or "lossless" video editing or better video stabilization.)
For now, I will probably use the $120 I had budgeted for Adobe and spend it at Topaz, Nik or NewBlueFX. Those three companies rock!
Bill

My sentiments exactly. I would recommend PSE to new enthusiasts in a heartbeat since it works on the now-famous Photoshop layers paradigm. (Always imiitated but never duplicated.) Those that are already using PSE (especially later versions)? Not so much. The only compelling new feature (for me) versus earlier versions is context-aware move (which is great but I was definitely hoping for more).

Report · Nov 01, 2013

I recently received got a computer upgrade at work. Went from WinXP to Win7 (64-bit), and thought it would be a great opportunity to upgrade from PSE 8 to PSE 12 (on our corporate license).

Transferred all of my accumulated pics under the 'Adobe' folder to the "My Pictures" library, keeping the same folders (yes, I prefer organizing my stuff in folders), then installed PSE 12. (Didn't transfer the catalogue.)

Does Adobe actually test these releases with actual users before dropping them on its customers to guage what they think of the interface design? So far, I'm just finding the organizer application has continued its downward trend in useability since version 8 (I upgraded PSE each release up to ver. 11 at home), and this is the worst so far.

Adobe's FAQ and Knowledge Base are useless on this topic.

1. Remembering user's choices

Folders and file management: Would it be too hard for Adobe to have this application remember a user's previous choices and not make the user have to constantly reselect the folder view (Show All Subfolders) instead of it reverting back to the flat view, which is a mess if a folder with photos has a subfolder with other folders e.g. storing the .RAW or .DNG originals.

2. Importing

Failed imports with no expanation of why? My experience was this:

Once installed, set it to watch the 'Adobe' folder under My Pictures, expecting it to identify and ask to import the found pics. Nope.

Tried to import the folders directly. Again, nope. Got an 'import failed' message', with no explanation whatsoever or even which folder the failure occurred.

Cleared out the entire folder and imported my collection from another folder (Get Photos and Videos / From Files and Folders). Got another import failed message, again, no explanation.

Manually importing each directory ends up showing the imported folder under the 'My Folders' list, but only that one directory. Could not add the parent folder. The only way to bring individual folders into view is to import each one, one at at time.

So far, the most recent version of this application hasn't been impressive at all.

Report · Nov 01, 2013

Phlebas's review is along the lines of other reviews I've seen (most notably those on Amazon) for PSE 12.

Like many others, I've been a loyal user and have dutifully upgraded to each new version as it's come out for many, many years. Based on tall the reviews I've read, it just doens't seem like it pays go to version 12 (especially at $79). I may start treating PSE like I do Microsoft Office and Quicken....only upgrade 'every other' release.

Report · Nov 01, 2013

brian11375 wrote:
.... it just doens't seem like it pays go to version 12 (especially at $79). I may start treating PSE like I do Microsoft Office and Quicken....only upgrade 'every other' release.

I'll skip more than 'every other' if they don't put in something that makes a useful difference! IMO Adobe added NOTHING useful this year.

Report · Nov 01, 2013

IMO Adobe added NOTHING useful this year.

I agree with you here. At least they should have made it 64 bit for

windows to make it worthwhile for people buying powerful machines with

8GB (or more) memory this Christmas. With all that memory and we can't

make use of it is plain "waste of money".

Report · Nov 02, 2013

Hi,

It really depends on the features you use and your workflow - it is a personal choice which is why the trial version is provided.

I think that the organizer search facility was improved in the upgrade from version 10 to 11. The removal of alphabetical sorting in version 11 was rectified and improved in version 12.

The lack of 64-bit support on Windows doesn't affect me as I do not create large panoramas - if anything, I am usually reducing the sizes of the images by cropping. The fact that I have 8GB of ram means that I can allow the editor to use plenty of memory (full 3255 MB) without impacting on the system performance.

Brian

Report · Nov 02, 2013

I too am disappointed in the continued lack of 64 bit in PSE.

So I went another way. I bought Light Room 5 as my organiser, use PSE11 as my editor and Microsoft ICE 64 bit (freebie) for stitching panoramas. ICE is actually VERY good at panorama work

Report · Nov 02, 2013

Not impressed either; still haven't brought back dual monitor support for the organiser that PSE 9 had and full screen preview still not as sharp as they used to be. Recent updates have been a case of 1 step forward, 2 steps back. I too use Lightroom mainly as organiser & Photoshop CC for editing.

Report · Nov 02, 2013

Paul & Les,

If the reason for Adobe not providing a 64 bit version of elements on windows was a marketing one (i.e. to get people onto other products) then in your cases it has worked. You have both bought Lightroom.

Brian

Report · Nov 02, 2013

Well only partly a success. LR is arguably a better organiser and PSE 11 has all the basic editing I need. I have taken my stitching needs to another vendor. In fact I am going to be good to go for a long while now so that's hardly a great marketimg success is it?

Report · Nov 02, 2013

PaulFBarrett a écrit:
Well only partly a success. LR is arguably a better organiser and PSE 11 has all the basic editing I need. I have taken my stitching needs to another vendor. In fact I am going to be good to go for a long while now so that's hardly a great marketimg success is it?

Think dollars.

From what I seen, CS and cloud users as well as Lightroom ones update regularly. Less so with PSE users. How much does as Cloud user or Lightroom user bring to Adobe every year ? How much for a PSE user ? As I said, the main risk with the migration to the Cloud is to see CS users simply go to Elements, especially in the present period where the Cloud acceptance is not clear. On the other hand, if Adobe can get more PSE users to jump to Lightroom, that's all profit.

Report · Nov 02, 2013

Well from a personal point of view the dollares issue is a npon issue. I would have had to pay for the PSE upgrade. Instead I paid for LR (at a discount). ASs broad as it's long. And I am never going cloud.

Report · Nov 02, 2013

PaulFBarrett a écrit:
Well from a personal point of view the dollares issue is a npon issue. I would have had to pay for the PSE upgrade. Instead I paid for LR (at a discount). *** broad as it's long. And I am never going cloud.

So, from your personal point of view, you have now a superior deal for the same price from Adobe. That does not seem to make you happy ?

And from Adobe point of view ? As a PSE user, what is your weight compared to CS users ? Anyhow, you are still in their hands. The question is still : will regular CS users downgrade to Elements ? Avoiding one CS user to downgrade maybe worth losing a few PSE users ?

Report · Nov 02, 2013

I'm happy

Report · Sep 28, 2013

mrslbez wrote:
It seems odd that Mac's get 64 bit support but Windows users don't.

I agree especially there are likely to be more Windows users than Mac users. Corel released their 64 bit version (and 32 bit version) for windows but Adobe decided not to. this is bizarre IMO.

It could be that there were some technical difficulties to release 64 bit version but we shall never know this.

Report · Sep 28, 2013

I don't know, but I would expect it was just more compicated to do the windows version as 64 bit and so they did the easy one first.

Report · Sep 28, 2013

Barbara B. wrote:
I don't know, but I would expect it was just more compicated to do the windows version as 64 bit and so they did the easy one first.

I wonder.

On the contrary, I would have thought that maintaining the 32 bits version would create more problems. The Premiere version was already 64 bits, I think the Organizer part is already ready.

But I was pretty sure they would not do it now on marketing grounds.

1 - Adobe is in a strategical change phase : migration from CS to CC, changing PSE for a more amateur market together with the starting of Adobe Revel. They don't want PSE to be a competitor to CC or LR. That should be stabilized next year.

2 - Windows XP and Vista : There is still a significant share of the market with those old OS. Microsoft is dropping the support for XP : next year the move to 64 bits will be easier.

Report · Sep 29, 2013

MichelBParis wrote:
Barbara B. wrote:
I don't know, but I would expect it was just more compicated to do the windows version as 64 bit and so they did the easy one first.
I wonder.
On the contrary, I would have thought that maintaining the 32 bits version would create more problems. The Premiere version was already 64 bits, I think the Organizer part is already ready.
But I was pretty sure they would not do it now on marketing grounds.
1 - Adobe is in a strategical change phase : migration from CS to CC, changing PSE for a more amateur market together with the starting of Adobe Revel. They don't want PSE to be a competitor to CC or LR. That should be stabilized next year.
2 - Windows XP and Vista : There is still a significant share of the market with those old OS. Microsoft is dropping the support for XP : next year the move to 64 bits will be easier.

If number 1 indeed be the case, this user of Creative Cloud, Photoshop Elements and PS Touch would like to know why I can't even use those with each other (at least in the same way Photoshop CC can). I don't want to subscribe...

Sometimes I just throw my hands up in the air...

Report · Sep 24, 2013

Thanks I appreciate your quick reply..

Report · Sep 28, 2013

Is there is "Bugs fixed" list (from PSE11)?

PSE11 Organiser (under W7 64) has many, many smallish bugs ranging from losing focus, loss of some keyboard commands from time to time (they come back after switching around) (and no, I don't have software that is intercepting the missing commands), inconsistent exports, inconsistent UI (eg people v other tags) and non-compliant interaction with the OS. Why is the drop down on a tag missing 'search on this tag' (having to move the mouse way over to the right to the arrow is clumsy), why oh why doesn't the people section have the same drop downs and search functions, comments and everything else the other tags have? Why, when the list is closed, doesn't the people list roll up in the same way as other tags roll up? Why does Adobe seem to think that my experience of their software is improved by taking ever more of the screen for their commands, menus and buttons?

However, the list of functions missing or removed from previous versions has somehow omitted the loss of proper calendar function. See http://forums.adobe.com/message/4742299#4742299 for a description of this and Adobe's apparent failure to address even a support tool to extract the Calendar entries of previous versions to allow an alternative to be used.

The other major loss is dual monitor support, again, not listed in the 'removed functions' FAQ.

Perhaps Adobe should rename the 'removed functions' FAQ as 'Removed from PSE11', it doesn't cover earlier versions properly?