PaintShop Pro X5 Ultimate SP1 - is HERE (September 5, 2012)

[LeviFiction]

The one DaveQ showed was once called Color Balance just last version and at one point replaced "Adjust Color Balance" which is now in the Unused commands section of the customize dialog. The third one is also in "unused commands" called Automatic Color Balance which is the one used for the color balance adjustment layer. Now all named "White Balance." Why? I haven't a clue.

[LindaSue]

The one DaveQ showed was once called Color Balance just last version and at one point replaced "Adjust Color Balance" which is now in the Unused commands section of the customize dialog. The third one is also in "unused commands" called Automatic Color Balance which is the one used for the color balance adjustment layer. Now all named "White Balance." Why? I haven't a clue.

It looks like there's a fourth one. In X4 it was called Grey World Color Balance and in X5 it's now called Grey World White Balance.

[LeviFiction]

Ooh, good catch. I noticed Grey World White Balance but did not make the connection. Yeah...weird.

[Robolovsky]

I cannot believe that Corel have gone ahead and released PSP X5 without first fixing the huge number of bugs in X4. What are these guys thinking of? They've released a couple of service packs which sorted a couple of problems but, seriously guys, there are still so many issues. It is completely unfair on your customers to ignore the problems and continue to churn out new versions costing more bucks. Let's have a response from someone at Corel explaining how the release of X5 can be justified when X4 users are still crying out for a product that works the way it is meant to.

[df]

I cannot believe that Corel have gone ahead and released PSP X5 without first fixing the huge number of bugs in X4. What are these guys thinking of? They've released a couple of service packs which sorted a couple of problems but, seriously guys, there are still so many issues. It is completely unfair on your customers to ignore the problems and continue to churn out new versions costing more bucks. Let's have a response from someone at Corel explaining how the release of X5 can be justified when X4 users are still crying out for a product that works the way it is meant to.

Why would you think that Corel cares at all about what we think? When the jpeg compression bug came to light we were just told that they did their own tests and we'll all be fine, no fix offered, no debate. That's the attitude they have, works fine for them so there's nothing to fix. There's also people willing to buy the next version, even if it doesn't really add anything, so long as it fixes the bugs the current (older) version has. So far I've yet to see anyone posting about a few bugs I have in mind saying that it's now fixed. So Corel will continue to release new versions, it'll be far more affordable than the competition, and most will just grin and bear it due to that.

[OldRadioGuy]

The one DaveQ showed was once called Color Balance just last version and at one point replaced "Adjust Color Balance" which is now in the Unused commands section of the customize dialog. The third one is also in "unused commands" called Automatic Color Balance which is the one used for the color balance adjustment layer. Now all named "White Balance." Why? I haven't a clue.

I think the change to "White Balance" brings PSP in line with the term used by most of the other major photo editing applications.

Bob

[Radim]

KPT plugins are now free?
Or there is some *basic* edition (for free) and "extended" edition comming with Ultimate PSP X5?

[LeviFiction]

They all came free with X4 as well. X3 was the only one to separate them into a basic and complete versions.

[OldRadioGuy]

I still have some issues, but after working with the trial download for several days now, I have come to the conclusion Corel PaintShop Pro X5 may be the best PaintShop Pro since version 9 from the days when Jasc owned it. When I got my offer to purchase the download of PSPX5 Ultimate for just under $60 USD, I took it.

Several features have already been mentioned here; other improvements I like:

• In the Edit module, moving the close button (the X) from the right side of the image frame to the title tab on the left. The repositioning avoids any confusion that could occur with the nearby close button on the Materials palette;
• Also in Edit, the addition of a styles button in the layer palette. From here you can apply Drop Shadow, Outer Glow, Bevel, Emboss and Inner Glow. (The engineers left the Drop Shadow in the effects menu, but it and the other effects there first require reduction of the image to 8-bits.)
• The addition of a Run Multiple Scripts button to the Scripts toolbar. This allows you to easily run more than one script on an image. This feature suggests to me Corel is finally recognizing the marketing merit of PSP's scripting power. In PaintShop, you can record and run script macros, thus automating some operations. Photoshop Elements can only run scripts (actions) that were recorded in Photoshop.
• The Instant Effects palette in the Manage and Adjust modules, variations of which are found in other photo editors and in some raw developers.

I do wish PSP had "smart" brushes like Elements, which combine an intelligent quick selection tool with other operations. They would save a lot of time.

My biggest disappointment in X5 was a bug that was also in X4 -- the inability to correctly run some external plugins in a script.

In my tests, Alien Skin's Eye Candy Textures ran correctly within a script. However when I recorded a script with Topaz Adjust and played it back, PaintShop Pro X5 crashed. This same problem occurred in PSPX4. Topaz plugins run in recorded scripts (actions) in both Adobe Photoshop and the German photo editor, PhotoLine. The Corel software engineers should fix this problem.

But version X5 has convinced me to return PaintShop Pro to the status of my primary photo editor. Overall, I'm well pleased with its operation.
More, including some illustrations at http://alongwayfromcallahancounty.wordp ... -reviewed/.

Bob

[Kathy_9]

Bob - I just tried creating and running a script with Topaz Adjust 5 and as you indicated X5 crashed immediately. However, when I created a script with Topaz Adjust 4 there was no issue. There must be something about Adjust 5 that it doesn't like. I've submitted a ticket.

I don't know if you use Photoshop brushes but if you do you can now easily import the .abr file without first converting it to a .png. I am loving that!!!

[OldRadioGuy]

Bob - I just tried creating and running a script with Topaz Adjust 5 and as you indicated X5 crashed immediately. However, when I created a script with Topaz Adjust 4 there was no issue. There must be something about Adjust 5 that it doesn't like. I've submitted a ticket.

I don't know if you use Photoshop brushes but if you do you can now easily import the .abr file without first converting it to a .png. I am loving that!!!

Thanks for that confirmation, Kathy.

I upgraded to a new computer about six weeks ago and did not reinstall Topaz Adjust 4, so couldn't test with it.

Bob

[Hooterville]

I have X4 and was wondering if the $59.99 upgrade to X5 Ultimate is worth it?
What you think. Thanks.

[LeviFiction]

Download the trial and see for yourself. You'll get lots of opinions, some do some don't, the question is "is it worth it to you?" Read the list of improvements and changes. Download the trial, and experiment using the new stuff and with how you prefer to work with PSP. They may have changed something you don't like or given you that one thing that you really really wanted.

So in short, see for yourself.

[Hooterville]

Thanks, Levi
Will X5 install separate from X4?

[LeviFiction]

Yes