Wondering how the new features of Photoshop compare to the old versions? Here is a comparison chart of the features in Adobe Photoshop versions CS6 CS5 CS4 CS3 Extended.
It’s useful to compare the new features in recent versions of Photoshop when deciding of the upgrade is worth it to you, and your workflow.
PhotographyUNcapped has collected information from several Adobe sources to compile this chart.
Note: Below this big chart is a breakdown of the new features, in each new version, going back through all the Photoshop CS incarnations: CS6, CS5, CS4, CS3, CS2, CS
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Compare Photoshop Features + Versions | Photoshop CS5 Extended | Photoshop CS4 Extended | Photoshop CS3 Extended | |
——————————- Imaging Magic – Maximum creative impact ——————————- | ||||
| Content-Aware Patching | yes | - | - | - |
| Advanced Crop Tool | yes | - | - | - |
| Skintone-Aware Selections + Masking | yes | - | - | - |
| Updated Auto-Correction Settings | yes | - | - | - |
| Advanced Lens Correction | yes | - | - | - |
| Truer Edge selection technology | yes | yes | - | - |
| Color decontamination for selections | yes | yes | - | - |
| Selection and mask refinement tools | yes | yes | - | - |
| Content-Aware Fill | yes | yes | - | - |
| Mixer Brush | yes | yes | - | - |
| Bristle Tips | yes | yes | - | - |
| Puppet Warp | yes | yes | - | - |
| Additive grain in Adobe Camera Raw | yes | yes | - | - |
| Automatic lens correction | yes | yes | - | - |
| Straighten Image tool | yes | yes | - | - |
| GPU-accelerated features enhanced | yes | yes | yes | - |
| Content-Aware Scaling | yes | yes | yes | - |
| Extended depth of field | yes | yes | yes | - |
| Post-crop vignetting enhanced | yes | yes | yes | - |
| -ise removal in Adobe Camera Raw enhanced | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| HDR imaging enhanced | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| B&W conversion enhanced | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Creative content (shapes, styles, swatches) enhanced | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Motion-based content editing | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Industry-leading color correction | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Auto-alignment of layers | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Auto-blending of images | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Quick Selection tool | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| | | | | |
Compare Photoshop Features + Versions | Photoshop CS5 Extended | Photoshop CS4 Extended | Photoshop CS3 Extended | |
——————————- Creativity Production Improvements + New Tools ——————————- | ||||
| Adobe Camera Raw ACR 7 | yes | - | - | - |
| Oil Painting Filter Set | yes | - | - | - |
| Layer Search | yes | - | - | - |
| Blur Gallery | yes | - | - | - |
| Video Editing + Creation within Photoshop | yes | - | - | - |
| Newly Modified Design Tools | yes | - | - | - |
| Brushes which Erode | yes | - | - | - |
| Painting Presets Additions | yes | - | - | - |
| Pattern Scripts | yes | - | - | - |
| 64bit Lighting Effects Gallery | yes | - | - | - |
| OpenEXR Transparency Support | yes | - | - | - |
| Selection Tools Improved | yes | - | - | - |
| Photoshop Apps Support | yes | yes | - | - |
| | | | |
Compare Photoshop Features + Versions | Photoshop CS5 Extended | Photoshop CS4 Extended | Photoshop CS3 Extended | |
——————————- Performance Improvements ——————————- | ||||
| Save in Background | yes | - | - | - |
| Mercury Graphics Engine | yes | - | - | - |
| Presets Saving – Sharing – Migration | yes | - | - | - |
| | | | | |
Compare Photoshop Features + Versions | Photoshop CS5 Extended | Photoshop CS4 Extended | Photoshop CS3 Extended | |
——————————- Productivity boosts ——————————- | ||||
| Adobe Mini Bridge new | yes | yes | - | - |
| Adobe CS Review, Adobe CS Live online services | yes | yes | - | - |
| Paste in place new | yes | yes | - | - |
| 64-bit support | yes | Mac OS and Windows® | Windows only | - |
| Multitouch support | yes | Mac OS only | Mac OS only | - |
| Custom panels enhanced | yes | yes | yes | - |
| Adobe Photoshop Lightroom® integration enhanced | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Powerful printing options enhanced | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Broad file format support enhanced | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Mobile device support | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| High-resolution web display | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Powerful extensibility enhanced | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| | | | | |
Compare Photoshop Features + Versions | Photoshop CS5 Extended | Photoshop CS4 Extended | Photoshop CS3 Extended | |
——————————- Simplified 3D Design – 3D creation and editing ——————————- | ||||
| In-context, 3D Controls | yes | - | - | - |
| Reflections + Draggable Shadows | yes | - | - | - |
| Easy Alignment + Distribution of 3D Objects | yes | - | - | - |
| 3D Performance Boost | yes | - | - | - |
| Enhanced 3D Animation | yes | - | - | - |
| 3D Stereo Viewing + Printing | yes | - | - | - |
| Adobe Flash Professional 3D Export | yes | - | - | - |
| 3D Sketch + cartoon Presets | yes | - | - | - |
| Adobe Repoussé | yes | yes | - | - |
| 3D materials library and picker | yes | yes | - | - |
| Depth of field for 3D | yes | yes | - | - |
| Easy-to-use shadow catcher | yes | yes | - | - |
| Image-based lighting | yes | yes | - | - |
| 3D object painting enhanced | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Adobe 3D Forge engine enhanced | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| 2D and 3D compositing enhanced | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| | | | | |
Compare Photoshop Features + Versions | Photoshop CS5 Extended | Photoshop CS4 Extended | Photoshop CS3 Extended | |
——————————- Advanced image analysis ——————————- | ||||
| Dicom Directory Support | yes | - | - | - |
| Quantitative data extraction | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Scale markers | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Count tool | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Edit tracking | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| DICOM volume rendering and file support | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| MATLAB support | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Image Stacks | yes | yes | yes | yes |
We hope you find this helpful.
Adobe Photoshop CS6 (version 13)
- Video creation + editing
- Smart Cursors HUD (Heads up display) - one of our faves
- Layer Search
- ACR 7 – Adobe Camera Raw 7 - one of our faves
- Lens Correction New Lens Profiles + Improved Features
- Blur Gallery
- Brushes which erode
- Airbrush brush tips
- New Painting presets
- Oil Painting filter
- Scripts for Pattern making
- Content-Aware Patch – one of our faves
- Auto-correction enhancements
- Skin tone masking and selections
- Mercury Graphics Engine
- 3D cartoon presets
- Background Saving - one of our faves
Adobe Photoshop CS5 (version 12)
- Improved workflow features
- 64-bit support
- Enhanced ACR 6 RAW processing
- Lens Correction Lens Profiles (one of my fave new features)
- Content-Aware Fill
- Painting + Brush improvements
- HDR Pro
- GPU Graphics processor improvements
- Refine Edge revisions
- Improved Performance
Adobe Photoshop CS4 (version 11)
- OpenGL display GPU acceleration in Photoshop
- Improved RAW processing with Adobe Camera RAW CR 5
- Canvas rotation with OGL
- Panels for Adjustment and Masks
- Extended Depth of Field (one of my fave new features)
- Layer Auto-Alignment
- Tabbed Document Windows
- Adobe Bridge CS4 with improved file management
- Support for 64-bit in Windows Vista x64
- Auto-blend
Adobe Photoshop CS3 (version 10)
- New User Interface (UI)
- Adobe Camera RAW (ACR) improvements
- Quick Select tool (one of my fave new features)
- Black and White Adjustment (one of my fave new features)
- New Curves Adjustment Layer dialog
- Smart Filters (non-destructive)
- Save for Web and Mobile Devices improvements
- Cloning and Healing with preview
- HDR new support in 32-bit with Layers
Adobe Photoshop CS2 (version 9)
- Adobe Camera RAW ACR 3
- Deeper Layer nesting structure
- Red eye tool (finally)
- Lens Correction (one of my fave new features)
- Image warp
- Spot Healing Brush tool (one of my fave new features)
- Smart Sharpen
- Vanishing Point
- Selection of multiple Layers
Adobe Photoshop CS (version 8 ) [this is when 'Creative Suite' was added to the names]
- Shadow/Highlight image adjustment (one of my fave new features)
- Adobe Camera RAW 2
- Match Color
- Lens Blur Filter
- Histogram with real time updating
- Scripting capabilities
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