Cs4?

[Shawn Nelson]

I am thinking of quickly purchasing CS3 suite so I can practice before NAB (to get more out of some of the courses I'll be taking).

But...I'd hate to buy CS3 two weeks before CS4 comes out. Is CS4 expected any time soon?

[Andrew Madu]

But...I'd hate to buy CS3 two weeks before CS4 comes out. Is CS4 expected any time soon?

You could always upgrade when it does become available.

[Dj Joofa]

I am thinking of quickly purchasing CS3 suite so I can practice before NAB (to get more out of some of the courses I'll be taking).


You mentioned courses; you might be eligible for an academic discount. At the University of Texas at Austin they are selling full Production Suite CS3 from Adobe for about $339, which includes AE Professional, Premiere, Photoshop extended (the more powerful version with new video handling), Flash Professional, Encore, Soundbooth, Illustrator, Onlocation, and Ultra, among others. I think that is just a more than throw away price.

In addition, I think CS2 came out in 2005, and CS3 in 2007, so going by that logic I would think CS4 might come out in 2009.

[Rudi Herbert]

Shawn,

I've been a user of the Adobe suite since 2001, and upgraded ever since. It's probably best to just get going and become profficient with the interface rather than waiting. The main features never change much and those are the ones you'll use the most anyway. Another thing I like about going the upgrade route is that you receive a list of new features which makes it easier to isolate the new or changed features and learn them separately, rather than jump into the whole new thing. For what is worth...

[Steve Freebairn]

If you're a student, check out your school's volume licensing on the Master Collection, it's way handy and has all the video programs and web programs (and Acrobat), so it's perfect to fill a ton of needs. I think I paid like 590 for it, and it's been worth every penny. Although even at the retail price, if you do enough, then it's worth every penny.

Also, Adobe gives you a free upgrade if you buy it within a certain time frame of when they release the new software. If they do announce CS4 at NAB, then it won't come out for several months, like usual.

Adobe has 30 day trials too, so just download one of those and wait and see what NAB holds.

[Brent J. Craig]

If you're only waiting until NAB, download a 30-day demo from the Adobe site!

[Corey Culp]

I don't want to put any words in Shawn's "mouth", but I think he was referring to taking some classes AT NAB.

The man already has a RED and is working. I'm sure he is buying CS3 for professional use.

Of course, I could be totally wrong. :)

[Shawn Nelson]

I don't want to put any words in Shawn's "mouth", but I think he was referring to taking some classes AT NAB.

The man already has a RED and is working. I'm sure he is buying CS3 for professional use.

Of course, I could be totally wrong. :)

But I'm about to sign up for a credited volley ball class at my local community college...it get's me the same student ID with all the priviledges therein :-)

[jbeale]

You may not NEED to upgrade... I'm still using Photoshop CS2. I use it professionally every day. It does everything I need it to do.

[Bill Goehring]

I and several of my colleagues have found that the improvement in Adobe RAW in CS3 is worth the price of an upgrade from CS2 alone, so I'd go right to CS3.

[laguun]

Adobe CS3 is -really- impressive, even for studios as ours who have several $$$.$$$ systems.

Premiere Pro also has grown to be a solid NLE.

What we particulary like is that it supports 4K and 16bit RGB color, a feature we are missing dearly in our FCS when working with RED camera footage.

[Maz Mawlawi]

Lagun, are you able to import 16bit Tiffs in Premiere Pro CS3?....

[Joe Carney]

The AE classes I signed up for at NAB 2006 were not worth the money. The teachers weren't very good and seemed ill prepared. I felt like I wasted several hundred dollars.
Various web sites and the book 'After Effects CS3 Studio Techniques' by Mark Christianson are a better investment.

The only class I attended that was worth the time and money was Jeffrey Fishers' audio class. I didn't get to any of Douglas Spotted Eagles' classes.

Joe C.