Thinking about switching to Lightroom...

[coffee]

I would like to hear from any member that switched from Photoshop to Lightroom. I like PS a lot, but there are things about it that I can do without. Like the computer resources needed, especially when you are switching between PS and Bridge. Deb, I know you have LR and have worked in PS so I would appreciate your thoughts on this. These are the area's of comparison I'm looking to hear about:

1. What doesn't LR have that still makes you go to PS for?

2. What does LR have that PS doesn't?

3. Does LR have the full keywording functionality that Bridge has?

4. Is LR better on computer resources than PS/Bridge?

5. I'm assuming LR has all the same general editings like clone/noise reduction/exposure?

6. Can LR save as .psd files?

7. Does LR use ACR as it's RAW converter?

8. Where to get it at a low cost? Has anyone used ebay to get their copy and save money?

Thanks for any help on this. I'm sure I will have more questions that I will write up later. See ya

One last question: How are people on eBay able to sell LR so cheaply? Here is a link to an add, but my senses tell me this can't be above board, Thanks.

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-ADOBE-PHOTOSHOP-LIGHTROOM-2-5-FULL-VERSION_W0QQitemZ230388306826QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS _Software?hash=item35a436938a

[DoctorJazz]

Try the free trial (30 days) for fun without spending anything and see if you
love it or could do without.....I don't know enough to answer your questions, but
from a beginner's point of view, I am able to do things with Lightroom that I
never thought possible (clone and heal, etc.).

I can also import raw images from my camera which I couldn't do before since the
software for my camera has been on backorder for months. I have
a Fujifilm Finepix S6000.

[jerryph]

I use both LR and PS CS3. It's is just like everyone says:

- once you master the LR interface, especially the keyboard shortcuts, it is much faster than Photoshop, by a factor of 10:1 or more... but only if you really get to know the interface. The number of photos I could process in an hour went from 20 to well over 100. This makes processing my wedding shots a pleasure.

- The above said, LR is more limited in it's capabilities than CS3. There are a ton of things that cannot be done in LR, that are done in CS3... especially things like actions and 3rd party plug-ins.

The perfect solution is to have both. Use LR for 80-90% of your needs, do all the basic editing in LR, and when you need to do something special or extra, call up PS from the LR menus (right click a picture, select "EDIT > EDIT IN PHOTOSHOP CS3". When you close PS, it has made you a high quality TIFF copy of your shot that is further editable in LR or is ready to be exported to JPG, PDF, slideshow or uploaded to your website or printed.

If you get the 30-day trial version and like it, once you get the registered version and learn it well, you will love it. It took me 6 months after purchasing before I really started to exploit the abilities of LR and started to like it... before that, I always returned to Bridge/CS3... today, I am all about LR and really liking it.

To more precisely answer your questions:

1. What doesn't LR have that still makes you go to PS for?
As mentioned, actions and the millions of free and pay plug-ins.

2. What does LR have that PS doesn't?
Ability to open a JPG in ACR. Bridge does this, but it is clunky in comparison.

3. Does LR have the full keywording functionality that Bridge has?
No, it goes about 2 steps better... lol

4. Is LR better on computer resources than PS/Bridge?
Depends on the software version. v.2.1 to v.2.4 were DOGS with resources. v.2.5 is still heavy but much better.

5. I'm assuming LR has all the same general editings like clone/noise reduction/exposure?
Yes, but to different levels. Slightly more NR capabilities (I wish it had a touch more, to be honest). What is nice is that LR imports everything into ACR (Adobe Camera Raw), where as opening a file normally in PS opens it in full edit mode. ACR is so much faster and convenient... and it also means that I can adjust the WB of a JPG as easily as a RAW file (though the results are not 100% the same between a RAW and JPG, obviously).

6. Can LR save as .psd files?
No. *EVERYTHING* that is done in LR is NON-destructive to the original file. This is part of the reason it is heavy on resources at times. The good news is that it is easy to go back to anywhere along the editing path and NEVER lose quality, or time. LR uses a proprietary database (catalog) to save what changes were done and can undo all of this. Since it also has a cataloging system, one can do all kinds of neat things with it like search, rate, keyword and colour tag each photo. It also has vastly superior EXIF data handling capabilities than PS CS3. Upon importing, I can add a ton of things to the EXIF such as copyright info, keywords and so on. Talking about importing... something also neat... I know that my D700 is always a little too high on the saturation scale in the reds. I set it up so that every picture that gets imported has a profile applied to it that lowers the reds to a -3 and that is one thing less to do in post, and my flesh tones are so much nicer to boot. Can LR work wit your CS2-3-4 PSD files? YES. :D

7. Does LR use ACR as it's RAW converter?
Yes, 100% the same one... and more effectively, IMHO. All photos RAW, JPG, TIFF, etc... are opened in ARC, and it is the latest version that doesn't automatically come with PS CS3, but is the same one as in PS CS4.

8. Where to get it at a low cost? Has anyone used ebay to get their copy and save money?
I payed full price for mine, but if you can find an old LR v.1 version somewhere in a garage sale (like I found my CS2), get the lower cost upgrade.

One last question: How are people on eBay able to sell LR so cheaply? Here is a link to an add, but my senses tell me this can't be above board, Thanks.
Most likely they are pirated copies. Beware, and get it direct from Adobe... the support alone is worth it.

BTW, latest version of LR is v.2.5.

[coffee]

Thanks you DoctorJazz, Jerry and Debbie(pm) for time taken to comment. I'm reading everything over and forming a plan. I'm going to DL the demo and have a fast look.

[jonrayner]

Forever on the quest for the perfect workflow, and I thought you had it perfected!!! :D

[coffee]

HI Jon. hehe funny. Ya I know, but I have decided at least for now to save the money I don't have and keep how I'm doing things. I always have an eye out in case I can speed up the workflow.