Adobe Systems Photoshop Elements 3.0

Photoshop Elements 3.0, Adobe's latest image editing package for the non-professional, has been given a substantial facelift. Besides the revamped interface, improved tools and new features have transformed Elements 3.0 into a substantial image editing package with widespread appeal.

The opening screen provides quick access to your media collection for general file organising and viewing, with standard edit tools and features made available if you work in edit mode. You can either follow a step-by-step process or work at your own speed, confident in knowing that the undo button will correct any indiscretion.

Red-eye removal, one of the more popular features in any image editing program, has been improved in Elements 3.0, with less need to be so accurate. Just select the red-eye tool and click somewhere around the offending eye and suddenly your baby doesn't look possessed! The Spot Healing Brush, brought over from Adobe's professional Photoshop CS, is a truly useful tool for one-click fixes of small skin blemishes or dust specks.

Professional features include support for 16-bit colour images and high quality uncompressed RAW image files.

Elements 3.0 has also included much of the functionality previously only available in Adobe Photoshop Album.

Elements 3.0 is now a much more com­plete and user-friendly solution than version 2.0 and as good as any consumer-based digital imaging package on the market.