Serif Photoplus 9

It's tempting to describe Serif's Photoplus as a kind of poor-man's Photoshop, but that's a bit unfair. A more accurate comparison is with Photoshop Elements, the low-cost cut-down version of Photoshop, which also costs just less than £80.

Judged on that basis, Photoplus 9 doesn't look at all bad. One of the first new features that Serif highlights is the ability to import and export Photoshop.psd files, complete with layers, so you can more easily transfer files between the two programs. Serif has also beefed up the program's support for Adobe's pdf format, allowing you to export files as pdfs and to include options such as cropmarks, colour bars and security passwords within them.

The Photoshop comparisons don't end there. Among the new image correction and editing tools, there are features such as Auto Levels and Auto Contrast, which are clearly influenced by similar features in Photoshop Elements. Then there's the Scratch Remover, which allows you to tidy up scratched photographs by picking up information from nearby pixels in order to paint over scratch marks. Don't forget the Lighten, Darken and Sponge tools, which have long been Photoshop standards. It's also a bit surprising to see something as basic as 'red-eye removal' listed as a new feature, as it makes you wonder why it wasn't included before.

Still, Photoplus 9 seems determined to make up for lost time with an extensive list of new features. There's a new set of special effects filters, such as Stained Glass and the neon pop-art Glowing Edges. Distortion effects include Sphere and Cylinder, which make your image look as though it has been wrapped around a spherical or cylindrical surface. There are more brush types to choose from as well. These are arranged into categories such as sci-fi and calligraphic, so more adventurous users really do have lots of creative and stylistic tools to play around with. The brushes and effects filters all work well and are easy to use, so beginners can have plenty of fun experimenting with their digital photos.

There are also some quite powerful features for more advanced users. The program has improved colour management features so you can more easily match your on-screen graphics with printed output. We were also impressed by some of the blending tools, such as the Behind mode that allows you to paint through transparent areas within a layer so you apply the paint to the layer below.

The improved printing options are also handy, especially if you're using expensive glossy photo-paper. Select the new Print multiple command and a new window appears, which can be used to display previews of any number of pictures. You can then drag and drop the preview images onto a blank page, creating a custom layout, so you can print multiple pictures on a single sheet of paper. This is one feature that actually outdoes Photoshop Elements, rather than just following in its footsteps.

Our only real criticism is that some of the program's tools aren't always clearly explained. Both the printed manual and the online help files have a tendency to simply list features without giving a clear idea of how they work. It took a little while to work out how to use some of the new tools, such as the Scratch Remover. The program does include some online tutorials, but something like the Hints palette from Photoshop Elements would come in handy for new users.

In terms of sheer power and features, Photoplus 9 can go head-to-head with Photoshop Elements any day of the week. Some of its more powerful tools even bear comparison with the full version of Photoshop. However, Photoshop Elements' task-orientated approach, which concentrates on quickly performing common editing tasks, is a little more user-friendly for complete beginners. Photoplus 9 scores well on features, but there's still room for improving documentation and ease of use for beginners.

Contact: Serif 0115 914 2000
www.serif.com

System requirements:

• Pentium PC
• Windows 98 or later
• 64MB of Ram