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Lightroom 4 - Free beta!

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TijmenDal
Posts: 4849 - Karma: 1,295
The LR 4 beta just dropped, and I gotta say: it's fucking amazing.
A lot of bullshit features I wouldn't use, like Soft proofing, video support (although some of you might use this), maps, books and all that kinda shit.

There's been some other changes though that are friggin' awesome.
Personally I'm super stoked on RGB curves (yeaaaah!!!) and the new 'Basic panel', which has been revamped and has some new, less confusing, super powerful features.
Instead of the traditional recovery, fill light we now have: highlights, shadows, whites and blacks, which give you much more control and they're super powerful tools as well.


See for yourself here:

http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom4/
Jan 10 2012 5:40AM
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hollygrove
Posts: 7845 - Karma: 93
Really? I suggest putting some effort into figuring out. For the most part I find it easier to stay organized while not sacrificing and features coming from photoshop. Just downloaded the beta, will fiddle with it later! Excited.
Jan 10 2012 8:23AM
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Bmo.
Posts: 4907 - Karma: 2,667
just DL it thanks for the heads up!
Jan 10 2012 10:41AM
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blatt
Posts: 5584 - Karma: 3,097
It is literally a dumbed down version of photoshop. All you can do is basic image correction and color grading
Jan 10 2012 10:55AM
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Keyjibbs
Posts: 1542 - Karma: 96
I wouldn't call it a "dumbed down version of photoshop" at all. They are both different tools for getting things done. Lightroom is a organization and photo editing software. Photoshop, on the other hand is a photo manipulation software that allows for basic image editing. Both are very useful for photographers (and most likely video as well) but they definitely aren't the same.

New upgrades look cool but I've had issues with beta versions of Lightroom so I'll probably wait until the final version is released to move over everything.
Jan 10 2012 11:17AM
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TijmenDal
Posts: 4849 - Karma: 1,295
Not true at all, like the guy below me said. LR isn't anything like PS. LR is genius. I do 75% of my work in LR, and that might even get more with LR 4.
Jan 10 2012 11:27AM
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hollygrove
Posts: 7845 - Karma: 93
Bridge and Photohop are joined together really well - their integration is pretty flawless. The thing that I really like about Lightroom is having sort of a database of all your images in one place, without saving/resaving copies in folders all over the place. Everything's there, and you dont need to resave and open files to get different specs from the original. It's quicker and easier to edit with ACR too, and for the sake of the speed and quality that you can process images, I use it way more. I like to spend as little time in front of the computer as possible - I'd rather be shooting, so if theres a quicker way to get the same results in post, im all over it. But if Bridge/Photoshop works for ya, no reason to switch if you don't like Lightroom, all preference.
Jan 10 2012 12:44PM
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blatt
Posts: 5584 - Karma: 3,097
My bad. That came out wrong. The guy above you said what I was trying to say. It's more editing than manipulation
Jan 10 2012 12:50PM
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zbphoto
Posts: 7789 - Karma: 12,037
Lightroom is awesome for photo editing, physical manipulation I usually save for PS, but I would say 80% of my work is done in LR. This new version looks awesome, super stoked on the new curves/basic panel. I'm also really stoked on the better video integration. I don't really shoot video, other than single clips I send to other people to put in edits or for FB, so being able to process them in my photo software will be useful since I don't have any video software other than iMovie.
Jan 10 2012 2:36PM
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Justin.B
Posts: 2257 - Karma: 721
Was about to ask that same question.
Great answer and it makes sense, I love bridge's integration with photoshop and when I learned photog that was the way I learned to I guess to me its just easiest that way
Jan 10 2012 2:40PM
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EC-Skier
Posts: 3899 - Karma: 668
my threads for when im on my editing computer
Jan 10 2012 2:43PM
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TWoods
Posts: 10014 - Karma: 8,385
going to start playing with it tonight. Really stoked.

They re-built the RAW translation code, supposedly you are able to pull more information out of your RAW files than before, which seems cool. I wonder if it has any downfalls or oversights? Guess that's why it's beta!

Jan 10 2012 3:50PM
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Ben.
Posts: 21463 - Karma: 683
Threads. Anyone know if they will offer a cheaper upgrade option for those of us with LR3?
Jan 11 2012 12:18AM
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TijmenDal
Posts: 4849 - Karma: 1,295
Most likely. That's what they always do with PS so I reckon they'll do the same for LR.
Jan 11 2012 4:49AM
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CliffyByro
Posts: 5678 - Karma: 3,903
okay really sorry for the noob question, but i have cs5 on my computer, is there anything you can do in lightroom that you can't do in cs5?
Jan 11 2012 7:30AM
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TWoods
Posts: 10014 - Karma: 8,385
The CS5 RAW editing is based on the LR 2010 RAW processing engine, but it's not as well developed, and the LR interface is much better and more precise. I used to process in PS, switched over to LR about 3 months ago and I'm really disappointed I didn't do it sooner. So much easier and faster to use.

The new LR processing will be built into the next version of PS probably, but I'm sure it still won't be as good, or as easy to process photos anyways.
Jan 11 2012 1:44PM
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CliffyByro
Posts: 5678 - Karma: 3,903
right cos on this beta i tried editing one of my RAW images and i didn't find it much different from the cs5 raw editor, i think it even had fewer features than cs5. that might be just the beta though. not arguing or anything haha
Jan 11 2012 1:57PM
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TWoods
Posts: 10014 - Karma: 8,385
Unless they took out 50% of the features, you're just not looking in the right places. There's a bunch of drop down modules on the side in "develop" mode. I haven't downloaded the beta yet though.
Jan 11 2012 2:03PM
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CliffyByro
Posts: 5678 - Karma: 3,903
hmm yeah thats probably it tbh haha. this is a screenshot of what i'm seeing:

Click for larger image

am i doing it wrong?
Jan 11 2012 2:12PM
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TWoods
Posts: 10014 - Karma: 8,385
no, that's right, expand the drop downs on the right, and use the icons up top.
Jan 11 2012 2:45PM
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TijmenDal
Posts: 4849 - Karma: 1,295
Yes, you're using Windows...

But on a serious note, just use the dropdown menus on the right: basic, tone curve, HSL, split toning, effects. And the gradient tool and adjustment brush are also very powerful tools!
Jan 11 2012 5:45PM
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CliffyByro
Posts: 5678 - Karma: 3,903
cool thanks guys, i was doing it right haha. +k anyway though :)
Jan 12 2012 10:16AM
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Stose
Posts: 7109 - Karma: 4,123
Click for larger image
Made this my first time ever touching liteworks. It's pretty easy and intuitive and I have never used a photo editing program before so i don't understand how people don't get it
Jan 13 2012 12:31AM
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bakedpow
Posts: 8770 - Karma: 10,462
I actually really like it, i have been using bridge and photoshop for a while and just tried out the beta.

I like its layout a lot, like all the raw features, i think i will be making this my primary photo editing program.

Now just gota find a dl for 4...
Jan 13 2012 1:54AM
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Balto
Posts: 25985 - Karma: 4,398
i find LR confusing, probably just because im so accustomed to PS. I find it far slower for my workflow then doing everything in PS
Jan 13 2012 1:59AM
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TijmenDal
Posts: 4849 - Karma: 1,295
Good luck (it's not out yet...)

Will probably take another 2-3 months before it's released.
Jan 13 2012 4:37AM
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canterbury
Posts: 2382 - Karma: 55
threads for when i get home from work
Jan 13 2012 5:59AM
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the.cheat
Posts: 2859 - Karma: 171
sweet, i love lightroom, i'll have to upgrade. unless i'm doing serious manipulation, it makes everything so much easier and quicker.
Jan 13 2012 10:32AM
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Keyjibbs
Posts: 1542 - Karma: 96
I had a hard time adjusting to Lightroom after using Photoshop for so long but I honestly find it necessary now. They're both different tools and I still use both but Lightroom is my organization and editing program and if anything further is needed to be done I export to Photoshop. Hell, I'd use Lightroom solely for the organization it gives me. I can catalog groups of photos, use metadate to search for photos if I can't find them easily, and even rate my photos so I don't have to dig through thousands of photos if I'm putting together a portfolio.
Jan 13 2012 11:16AM
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Ben.
Posts: 21463 - Karma: 683
This. Basically the only things I use Photoshop for now are major edits. Stitching panoramas because I have yet to find a way to do it in LR. And if I'm doing any major clone stamping I still use PS because its a lot better than LR's imo
Jan 13 2012 5:41PM
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RileySnyderPhoto
Posts: 688 - Karma: 1,451
I love LR been using it for about 2 years now and I use it for 90% of editing. I try not to use PS unless I have to because most magazines prefer DNG files from LR so they can see what you did to it. They are different tools but I feel LR keeps photography more real and less editing and manipulating. Can't wait for the full LR4 release
Jan 13 2012 8:07PM
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Balto
Posts: 25985 - Karma: 4,398
i feel like if someone wants a dng file, they can probably take a psd as well
Jan 13 2012 8:10PM
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zbphoto
Posts: 7789 - Karma: 12,037
.
Jan 13 2012 9:11PM
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TWoods
Posts: 10014 - Karma: 8,385
Most (80%) magazines only accept uncropped, unsharpened DNG files. When you send files for advertisements you send .TIFs to their graphic artists unless they pay you extra for the RAW files, so that they can't alter your artwork as much.
Jan 14 2012 1:06AM
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RileySnyderPhoto
Posts: 688 - Karma: 1,451
Teaching these kids valuable info, one post at a time
Jan 14 2012 5:18PM
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Bmo.
Posts: 4907 - Karma: 2,667
Always appreciated :)
Jan 14 2012 5:56PM
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