Digital Photographer's Software Guide - Bertemes - Net

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The Digital Photographer's Software Guide
ProShow Producer
Vendor: Photodex Corporation
Purpose: Professional slide show creation software
Description
ProShow Producer is a professional-grade package for making slide shows. Unlike simpler,
consumer-grade software, it offers a very full feature set and handles over a hundred
file types, including video formats. It lets you add any number of layers to any slide, with
full masking capability so that you can reveal underlying layers. There is a full range of
transition effects between layers and between slides. You can also use interactive slide
actions to launch PDFs, spreadsheets, and Web pages at any point in the presentation.
Editing and captioning features are equally extensive. You can adjust the color and opacity
of a shadow on any layer, and crop and rotate the images (and indeed the videos)
with precision. A new feature in the latest version lets you animate captions and create
multiple caption motion effects on a single slide. The soundtrack has not been neglected,
either, as it often is in less sophisticated slide show software. ProShow Producer
provides an Audio Trimmer to crop the audio and set fades, and there is now a built-in
soundtrack waveform in the slide list.
Besides ProShow Producer there is also ProShow Gold (“for enthusiasts”) and ProShow
Standard (“for beginners”), but these versions have reduced functionality.
Comments
The average middle manager with a busy job may find ProShow Producer a challenge
after using PowerPoint, but this is a professional tool aimed at those who have the time,
knowledge, and skill to create great presentations. However, there are very extensive
training materials available, including videos, “how-to” guides, and a tips library, all of
which make it possible for anyone to learn to use it. Slide show templates get you up
and running quickly and boost productivity. Finally, there is a whole gallery of other
people’s work that you can eyeball enviously. Make no mistake—this is the top slide
show creation package. In 2008, it won its second “Hot One” award from the
Professional Photographers of America, in the Presentation Software category.
Version: ProShow Producer 3.2 (2008)
OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista
RAM: 1GB
Supported file formats: More than 100 file types, including RAW
Price level: Producer edition approx. $250, Gold edition approx. $70, Standard edition approx.
$30
Address: Photodex Corporation, 925 Westbank Drive, Austin, TX 78746, United States
www.photodex.com