If you are not a content creator, the move to Poser9 will bring.

A lot better preview (HUGE preview improvement)
Faster rendering times (by about 25-33 %)
SSS = Subsurface scattering renders = a HUGE improvement in realism when used correctly.

Poser9 can USE weightmapped figures and props.

But?
Only PP2012 can create weightmaps. That is the main difference.
And only PP2012 has Gamma correction.
And only PP2012 is 64 bit, Poser9 is still a 32 bit application limiting its RAM use to OS limits.

You can compare the different Poser versions here :-)
http://poser.smithmicro.com/comparison.html

And here a lot of Smith Micro's tutorials
http://poser.smithmicro.com/tutorials.html

And here you can download the free SR3 for Poser8 to version 8.0.3.11793
http://poser.smithmicro.com/updates.html

Poser 8 Service Release 3 (SR3) 8.0.3

This critical Service Release for Poser 8 will update any previous English version of Poser 8, including the hotfix, SR1 versions and SR2/SR2.1. Simply download SR3 and launch the installer to update to Poser 8.0.3.11793. For full details on what the updater includes, please refer to the Read Me file linked below. Mac users will need to re-enter their original Poser 8 serial number after updating to SR3. - This update will only work on an installed copy of Poser 8.0.x. Macintosh Download the SR3 for Poser 8 - (63 MB .dmg)
Download the SR3 Read Me - (.rtf) Windows Download the SR3 for Poser 8 - (20.1 MB .zip)
Download the SR3 Read Me - (.rtf)

Happy Posering

Poser 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, P8 and PPro2010, P9 and PP2012, P10 and PP2014 Game Dev
"Do not drive faster then your angel can fly"!