An easy to use slideshow maker

There are a lot of uses for slideshows. They are a quick and easy way to create videos that can commemorate special events by showing photos with accompanying music. Suffice to say, there are tons of software out there that try to accommodate the need for beautifully made slideshows. We have the industry giants and mainstays like Windows Movie Maker and Animoto, but looking for new and better software is always a good idea. SmartSHOW 3D developed by AMS Software is a slideshow maker that includes 3D effects. Is it a good enough replacement for the industry staples?

First Impression Opinions

The SmartSHOW 3D definitely leaves a good first impression. The installation process was standard. Users won’t get lost since all it takes is a quick download of the installer file and running the program. The program had no noticeable mistakes and typographical errors. It also experienced little to no performance issues. It does slow down sometimes when you’re previewing animation. 

The interface does seem a bit juvenile and unprofessional, however. Usually, for programs such as these, you’d like to look sleek and modern. This program, however, doesn’t follow that aesthetic. Instead, it looks a bit childish with its rounded buttons and large animations. I will grant the program this: The large icons are extremely useful. The large font size and readable text also make the program easy and convenient to use.

Slideshow Maker

All those technical elements aside, the SmartSHOW 3D does perform well in its advertised function. It has a lot of features that slideshow makers will greatly appreciate. For example, the program has both a Storyboard and a Timeline. This may not be a big deal to most people, but for people who plan to make professional slideshows, having both a timeline and a storyboard will be really great.

You can also add animation effects and transitions. There’s a wide variety of options to choose from such as falling snow, sunbeams, clouds, spring blossoms, snowfall, butterflies, heart effects, blur effects, and more. One negative aspect about the program, though, is that whenever you need to preview effects and animation, you’ll be taken to a pop-up dialogue box instead of playing directly when on the gallery. Additionally, you can’t customize the effects that the SmartSHOW 3D came with. You’re going to have to work with these effects on an as-is basis. That said, there are a lot of these effects, so its lack of customization features are offset by the fact that it has a lot of them.

Pretty Good Once You’ve Learned How to Use It

There’s a lot of things to love about the SmartSHOW 3D. It’s not perfect, but if you’re just looking for a program that you can use to make quick slideshows then this program is for you. It may be a bit difficult to use at the beginning, but if you give it a little bit of time and just practice with it, there’s no doubt that you’ll be making awesome slideshows in no time.

SmartSHOW 3D slideshow maker lets everyone create professional photo movies with music, 100 transitions, 80+ unique effects.

SmartSHOW 3D provides ample tools for creating animated slideshows with photos, music and voiceovers, transitions and subtitles. A huge collection of animated templates and 3D-effects lets both professional and amateur photographers make brilliant photo movies.

The program allows creating animated slides with multiple layers that can contain up to 10 photos, text captions, various shapes and clipart. The user can fine-tune animation settings for every layer, and use the 3D camera effect for spectacular motion. 100 original transitions and 80+ slide effects and animated collages can be combined to create hundreds of original slideshow projects. Slideshows created with SmartSHOW 3D can be burned to DVD menu or exported to 30+ video formats.

The software has large collections of slide templates with integrated animation effects, including slide templates for multiple photos (“animated collages”).

The convenient slide editor enables the user to put multiple layers on a single slide – up to 10 photos, text captions, shapes and clipart. Every layer can have its own mask, border or shadow. The user can fine-tune the layers’ motion with precise keyframe animation, and use the unique 3D camera effect for spectacular panoramic motion.

The app combines pro-level tools with the ease of use. Non-tech savvy users can easily create a superb project with ready-made slide templates integrated in the software. Advanced users will discover endless features for making a unique slideshow.