A capable photo editor can optimise your image automatically, or gives you full control over brightness, contrast, sharpness, saturation, temperature and more. There are strong core features (crop, resize, fix red-eye, shadow/ highlights adjustments), many advanced tools (content aware zooming, photo healing, bitmap > vector conversion), 60+ built-in Live Effects and Photoshop plugin support, while professional options like layer blending, feathering and vector masking help ensure you get precisely the results you need.

The program's illustration abilities start with a host of shape, line and freehand drawing tools. 3D extrusion means you can drag any shape to create a properly lit and rendered 3D version. You're able to customise the results further with transparency, feathering, shadow, bevel and contour tools, or use the blend tool to blend from one shape to another (just drag and drop). There's a lot to learn, but fortunately editing is easy - even freehand work can be tweaked later.

Text features are impressive. You can position and rotate text as you'd like, make it follow a curved path, apply any of the other effects as required. The desktop publishing-type feel continues in the Designs Gallery, where you'll find templates for calendars, greetings cards, invitations, CD/ DVD covers, more. A bundled clipart library also helps, and powerful print and various export options (including PDF and PSD) make it easy to share your creations with others.

Version 10 adds PhotoLooks 2, a powerful plugin (once sold separately for $199) which offers 100+ preset lighting and colour effects.

Finer editing controls mean you're now able to adjust highlights, shadows, or a particular colour in your image, without affecting anything else.

There are new tools for drawing and editing commonly-used shapes: text panels, speech bubbles, arrows and more. The Content Catalog makes it easier to browse available content, photos are automatically rotated on opening (as required), and there’s improved Word and PDF import.

Finally, you get two bonus extras from the MAGIX range. MAGIX Photo Manager helps you sort and search your photo collection. And 12 months free access to MAGIX Online Album Premium gives you 100GB online storage space, and your own domain, ready to share your finished creations with the world.