When using Photoshop for 3D model UV unwrapping and opacity, the built-in UV Editing workspace and integration with tools like Blender or Adobe Substance 3D Painter are the best options for most workflows.
Photoshop’s UV Editing tools let you align UV maps for precise texture placement, while opacity is controlled via layer masks or alpha channels—these are non-destructive, so you can adjust transparency without damaging original files.
Many artists refine UVs in Blender first (its tools are faster for complex models) then use Photoshop to tweak textures and opacity, combining both for efficiency.
If you’re new, start with Photoshop’s 3D panel to access UV settings and use layer masks to test opacity—this is easy to adjust and avoids permanent changes as you learn.