Photodex Photodex ProShow Gold 3.0

I tried a shipping version of the latest iteration, the $70 ProShow Gold 3.0. It adds a host of enhancements over the last version I reviewed (2.6), beginning with the startup screen, which walks newcomers through setting up projects. Given the complexity of the program, I applaud anything that makes it easier to use; however, I would have preferred to see an optional project-oriented wizard to help me on the right workflow path. Beyond this addition, the interface has changed little.

ProShow Gold gives you the tools to craft professional-looking slide shows, going beyond the comparatively rudimentary controls of applications that do not focus exclusively on the task. You're in the driver's seat, creatively: You can drill down to adjust minutiae such as captions and transitions for individual photographs, for example, and you can seamlessly intermix images with video clips in a single slide show by using a drag-and-drop timeline. Among the slew of new features are enhanced editing tools (including image and video cropping and red-eye removal for photos), animated caption effects, motion effects (such as panning through, zooming in, or rotating a given image) that you can apply to a specific image or video, and improved tools for synchronizing audio with images.