Lightroom or photoshop?

[tlitody]

I'm currently using Photoshop CS and I think its time to upgrade. I haven't been paying any attention to what is available for years but now the question:

Is Lightroom good enough for digital image processing or does the latest version of Photoshop give benefits over lightroom that are worth having?

 

[majid]

They are not directly comparable. Lightroom is a tool for managing the forest, Photoshop is for the trees. There is some PS functionality LR does not have, like the spot healing brush, but LR takes care of 95% of what you need, usually with a much better user interface. I hardly ever use PS any more.

 

[dogberryjr]

I am by no means proficient in PS, but I've found that LR does just about everything I need and is much more intuitive. I've only been using LR for a short time (since LR3 beta), but I am really impressed with it.

 

[lawrence]

Tried Lightroom but still prefer the (cheaper) combination of Photoshop Elements and ACDSee.

 

[tlitody]

in my old version of photoshop I play about with layers applying effects to layers created from copying sections from the base layer. Is this something you can do in lightroom?

 

[Belle]

Lightroom!

 

[martin s]

Lightroom + Photoshop.

martin

 

[jsrockit]

Lightroom feels more like a traditional wet darkroom... that is why I like it. Photoshop never did.

 

[barnwulf]

I got Lightroom a couple of months ago and love it. I still use PS CS2 for some things maybe lens distortion for prospective control. You don’t need layers in Lightroom since all the tools are open on one side and you can go back and do any re-adjustment you want at anytime. It’s much faster to use and I really love it. It doesn’t completely replace PS but it does most of the things that I want it to do. It does in fact have a spot removal tool.

 

[tlitody]

I prefer "direct file management" and thus Bridge - and prefer to do my image editing in Photoshop. I've tried to like the Lightroom/Aperture/C1 way of things, but so far I'm sticking to my usual routine. If I have to do quick batches, then by all means. As these tools have nice workflow routines built-in that lend themselves to this.

Are you saying that lightroom just finds image files and then keeps track on them in a database so that if I move files around lightroom folders the physical files don't actually move from where they originally were?

 

[user237428934]

Are you saying that lightroom just finds image files and then keeps track on them in a database so that if I move files around lightroom folders the physical files don't actually move from where they originally were?

If you move your files within lightroom everything is ok. If you move your files outside of lightroom then lightroom looses track of the files.
And lightroom does not store files in a database. It only stores the changes to your original files in a database. It never changes your original files.

 

[RF-Addict]

Lightroom and CS5 are two very different systems. LR is great for managing files and for editing of RAW files - for most of my pictures LR is all I need, but for heavy duty image editing with layers, you will need Photoshop. I couldn't do with just one - I need both.

 

[tlitody]

If you move your files within lightroom everything is ok. If you move your files outside of lightroom then lightroom looses track of the files.
And lightroom does not store files in a database. It only stores the changes to your original files in a database. It never changes your original files.

Can you tell it to apply changes to the physical files?

 

[user237428934]

Can you tell it to apply changes to the physical files?

No. You export from Lightroom and then it generates a new file with all the changes you did in Lightroom. Of course you can write over the original file but this is not the intention of such a system.

 

[DNG]

Tried Lightroom but still prefer the (cheaper) combination of Photoshop Elements and ACDSee.

Agreed
I also use a cheaper combination:
ACDSee Pro 3 + Paint Shop Pro X3. But, I hardly find myself using PSP-X3 much these days.

 

[DNG]

Can you tell it to apply changes to the physical files?

No. You export from Lightroom and then it generates a new file with all the changes you did in Lightroom. Of course you can write over the original file but this is not the intention of such a system.

ACDSee Pro 3 also uses this system. It will move the original to a hidden folder with a XMS data file of changes that are made. When you open the file, you are opening 2 files in reality that shows your editing. Only when you "Export" or "Save As" will it generate a copy with the edits as one "new" file. It's called "Non-Destructive" editing.

 

[tlitody]

OK thanks all. I think I've got a a handle on the major differences. Seems like Lightroom will do pretty much everything I'd need.

 

[Mcary]

Can you tell it to apply changes to the physical files?

Another way to generate a new file with all the changes in LR applied is the "Edit In" command. What this does is generate a PSD, TIFF or JPG copy of the original file and at the same time open it up in the selected editing program IE CS1-5. By choose the "Stack with original" the new file will appear in LR right next to the orginal file. Now when your finished working and saved this file in CS1-5 these change will be applied to the copy you created by using "Edit In"
Note1 If while editing the file your external editor you create or add new layers LR will not show the file has multiple layers but if you reopen the file using the "Edit Original file" option the PSD or TIFF file will open with all its layers in CS1-5.
Note 2: When a file or files aren't where LR expects them to be you'll get a file is missing error. To fix this simple point LR to the correct location and use the Sync command.

 

[majid]

in my old version of photoshop I play about with layers applying effects to layers created from copying sections from the base layer. Is this something you can do in lightroom?

Lightroom has normal effects like contrast adjustments or some film effects, but not some of the more arty (and not photographic) filters like mosaic or Conté pencil.

I got Lightroom a couple of months ago and love it. I still use PS CS2 for some things maybe lens distortion for prospective control. You don’t need layers in Lightroom since all the tools are open on one side and you can go back and do any re-adjustment you want at anytime. It’s much faster to use and I really love it. It doesn’t completely replace PS but it does most of the things that I want it to do. It does in fact have a spot removal tool.

Yes, and LR3 also has perspective correction and lens aberration correction. Lightroom does non-destructive editing, in effect it is as if every operation you do is in its own adjustment layer and saved aqs such in the database, not baked into the original file. You can also create virtual copies, which are basically two different lists of operations to be applied to the same original, to yield different results.

Quite frankly, once you have experienced the Lightroom/Aperture way of doing things, the previous ways of doing things look plain backwards.

 

[gerkshinobi]

in my old version of photoshop I play about with layers applying effects to layers created from copying sections from the base layer. Is this something you can do in lightroom?

if you want to work with layers and masking then photoshop is going to be necessary for proper workflow. lightroom on the other hand is really great for organizing and batch editing many files at a time when you're doing simple tasks like white balance, exposure, curves, etc.