Question for Photoshop users

I'm about to start to try to learn a little something about Photoshop. I have an old version (5.5) on my computer right now. I could buy an upgrade to CS2 for $115. Is it worth it for me to buy the upgrade, or should I just stick with what I have (I'm not a total novice, but pretty close). Thanks for your help.

I have used 7 and CS2 is better if you know what you are doing with it, but unless you need photoshop for something more advanced, it isn't worth the cost. The upgrade however is around the same as you would pay for PS7 (check with them as usually the upgrades wont work from a version more than one or two lower) so I would pay the upgrade rather than a newer but not overly new version

Thanks icklemiss21. I was looking at the box for the CS2 upgrade in the store over the weekend, and it claims you can upgrade from 5.5. I have CS at work, which is one reason I thought I might be better upgrading to CS2 at home, so I don't get too confused switching back and forth. I've also looked at taking a class in Photoshop, and the ones available to me are CS3. I guess I'll have to weigh the pros and cons

There isn't that much of a difference between CS, CS2 and CS3, obviously the newer ones have extras etc and a slightly different layout.

If you are using CS at work I would go with the upgrade as they are very similar so you will become more comfortable working with them and not changing how you do things each time

The differences between CS and CS2 aren't too bad. CS3 is a whole different animal. Very different than the previous versions. Well, not totally different - you can upgrade without much issue, but taking a class in CS3 and then going back to CS or CS2 would be very confusing, I would think.

Thanks! I think I've decided to upgrade to CS2 and skip the class, unless I can find something specific to CS or CS2.

There are tons on online tutorials. Not to mention Eithne's Challenges that really do teach you a lot, whether a beginner or experienced.

I have used tutorials for CS3 and still found them easy enough to find in CS / CS2, but I know my way around the options fairly well too.

I am proud to say I learnt something new from the cat eye challenge though

Originally Posted by valanhb

There are tons on online tutorials.

Not to mention Eithne's Challenges that really do teach you a lot, whether a beginner or experienced.

Click to expand...

I tried one of the challenges. I didn't do a great job, but it was a lot of fun That's actually what got me interested again. I used it Photoshop a bit at work, but haven't had anything in ages. One of the guys I work for thinks he will have lots of stuff for me if I can learn it. I do have the tutorial from the CS version, if I can figure out how to watch it and try it at the same time

Originally Posted by icklemiss21

I have used tutorials for CS3 and still found them easy enough to find in CS / CS2, but I know my way around the options fairly well too.

I am proud to say I learnt something new from the cat eye challenge though

Click to expand...

I was looking at the cat eye challenge, amazing. I'm going to try some of the challenges this weekend, see how I do. What I can't figure out is why when I do something to one of the layers, it applies the same thing to all the layers.