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  • Welcome to the new site. Here's a thread about the update where you can post your feedback, ask questions or spot those nasty bugs!

Lightroom 4 has been released

Cem_Usakligil

Well-known member
The eagerly awaited LR4 has been released this morning. I have downloaded it and started to play with it. The installation was very straightforward and it picks up the setting of the previous version installed. It also offers to backup and convert the old catalog to the new version. The IQ is slightly better compared to LR3.6 and the soft proofing is a much welcome addition. However, I also notice a speed decrease compared to 3.6. Early testers have been complaining about the sluggishness on other fora, so unfortunately I have to confirm it. Mind you, I have one of the fastest PCs money can buy so it really is not due to the limitations of my own system. Perhaps the culprit is the converted catalog from version 3.6. I shall create a new LR4 catalog from scratch to verify that this is/isn't the case. To be continued....
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
The eagerly awaited LR4 has been released this morning. I have downloaded it and started to play with it. The installation was very straightforward and it picks up the setting of the previous version installed. It also offers to backup and convert the old catalog to the new version. The IQ is slightly better compared to LR3.6 and the soft proofing is a much welcome addition. However, I also notice a speed decrease compared to 3.6. Early testers have been complaining about the sluggishness on other fora, so unfortunately I have to confirm it. Mind you, I have one of the fastest PCs money can buy so it really is not due to the limitations of my own system. Perhaps the culprit is the converted catalog from version 3.6. I shall create a new LR4 catalog from scratch to verify that this is/isn't the case. To be continued....


Cem,

Could you test the speed so as to see by how much it's decreased. Aslo do you have Media Pro? I'd love to know how they compare for speed.

The other issue is local editing. Do you use just Lightroom tools, switch to Photoshop or else have Nik Viveza Plugins? I don't use Lightroom since lightroom Original because of decreased ability to do local editing. So I'd love to know how it fits in with your own workflow.

Asher
 

John Wolf

New member
Asher,

I started with Lightroom on the first release. With every new version I find I use Photoshop less. Today that use is generally restricted to operations that require overlays, masking, and occasional highly localized dodging/burning.

A lot depends on the nature of your approach to post processing, but LR plus Silver Efex now cover about 95% of my needs (which are mostly B&W). I do light to moderate local editing on almost every photo. Generally, I find LRs local editing tools superior to their counterparts in PS (V4). By design LR's editing tools are less agressive, and sometimes they are not aggressive enough.

I installed version 4 today and am looking forward to exploring its features. I could not imaging life withouth Lightroom.

John
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Asher,

I started with Lightroom on the first release. With every new version I find I use Photoshop less. Today that use is generally restricted to operations that require overlays, masking, and occasional highly localized dodging/burning.

A lot depends on the nature of your approach to post processing, but LR plus Silver Efex now cover about 95% of my needs (which are mostly B&W). I do light to moderate local editing on almost every photo. Generally, I find LRs local editing tools superior to their counterparts in PS (V4). By design LR's editing tools are less agressive, and sometimes they are not aggressive enough.

I installed version 4 today and am looking forward to exploring its features. I could not imaging life withouth Lightroom.

John

John,

Thanks for sharing your experience. Yes, that seems to work nicely with Nik tools. I'm not sure how good the Lightroom local edits are, but I'm impressed with the Viveza interface and control. I'll have to download a trial of Lightroom 4.

I hate keeping so many licenses up to date. It's like a taxation system!! Already I value Capture One but then PS is getting very costly to keep updated honestly. I feel they'd sell more and a lower price for upgrades and they are rather high priced but have a monopoly. I do depend on Photoshop for masking and layers. However, it could be that Lightroom is the key for projects where I can combine the fluidity of working with catalog and classification system like Expression and then an intuitive editing system as in Lightroom for works not requiring work in layers.
Asher
 

John Wolf

New member
Asher, maybe if you give an example of what you do with layers we could tell if it could be done in LR. I used to dodge/burn with layers in PS, but there's no need in LR because ALL edits are non-destructive.

I find LRs model for local edits to be similar but superior to Nik's control point approach.

One other nice feature is all the presets and plug-ins. I just created a new zenfolio site, and there is an LR plug-in for directly exporting to it. Same for Flickr and other popular sites. Pretty handy.

John
 

Don Ferguson Jr.

Well-known member
Lightroom 4 Hot Issues

Point Tone Curve Migration
In Lightroom 3, the Tone Curve panel added a “point curve” adjustment option in addition to the default parametric curve. When a customer upgrades their Lightroom 3 catalog to Lightroom 4, any images with point curve adjustments will lose those specific settings. This is a high severity bug and we are working hard to provide a solution as quickly as possible

http://blogs.adobe.com/lightroomjournal/2012/03/lightroom-4-hot-issues.html
From one of the comments on the forum link I posted :D ,sounds like LR 4 is slow as well .
C’mon Adobe…LR4 has more bugs than a marshmallow roast at Swamp Camp....

Don
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Read the interesting article on tonal adjustments and RAW processing in Lightroom 4 by Charles Cramer here in Luminous Landscape. This report clearly demonstrates how Adobe has progressively manage to advance rescue of both highlights and shadows independently. Also, Charles Cramer is due credit for an excellent article.

Highly recommended reading!

Asher
 

Don Ferguson Jr.

Well-known member
Read the interesting article on tonal adjustments and RAW processing in Lightroom 4 by Charles Cramer here in Luminous Landscape. This report clearly demonstrates how Adobe has progressively manage to advance rescue of both highlights and shadows independently. Also, Charles Cramer is due credit for an excellent article.

Highly recommended reading!

Asher

Nice article and I am still waiting for the 4.1 "official release '' ;) .
Don
 
Highly recommended reading!

Hi Asher,

I agree, for those who are upgrading, Charles clearly demonstrated that the traditional view on that "exposure equals post-capture digital amplification", has to be forgotten in the new Adobe PV2012. From now on (I presume), the different controls, well, control different regions of the histogram, which is quite a paradigm change.

Cheers,
Bart
 
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