To continue my vendetta against Aperture 3, Lightroom 5 announced.

Razeus said:

http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom5/

Welcome to the Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 5 public beta. We're excited about the new features and advancements in the new Lightroom 5 beta and we hope you will be, too. This page includes information about Lightroom, details about the beta release of Lightroom 5, and access to Lightroom 5 beta software.

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Again, better support, community and desire to keep improving the software in the Adobe camp. Aperture 3 is abandonware with updates for iOS related code.

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Think I'll stick with 4 for now. Offline editing is really the only feature I'd like and I don't even have a laptop anymore to utilise it. Unless they want to bring out a Lightroom for iPad.

Surprised this is out so soon. Must be less than18 months since the LR 4 beta.

Overall not too much to get excited about. This is not as major a step up as LR 4 was. Mainly adds some functions that reduce the need to step out into photoshop. Greater customisation of the book module is the main draw for me although not sure that's enough to persuade me to buy: will very much depend on how attractive the upgrade price is.

It does feel like Aperture was abandoned. May have to move to Lightroom soon.

I installed Lr 5 today, but haven't tried it out yet. I'm looking forward to seeing how the radial gradient and the "straighten" feature work. Especially the "straighten" feature. I like the way that Capture One works when you need to fix the perspective.

I'm being very careful to make sure that Lr 5 stays far away from my catalogue though! I'll pull a few images into it and play around.

Joe King said:

Surprised this is out so soon. Must be less than18 months since the LR 4 beta.

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That's about normal. LR4 was released in Mar 2012, typically the replacement is out around 18 months later.

lightroom 5

Don't see much here worth paying for. Healing brush looks like all. With all they could add this is nothing.

Razeus said:

What would you like to see in LR 5?

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Agreed, I would like to know what people perceive as the next innovation in a software like Lightroom.

I think something like adding layers would bloat the system too much and cause a redundancy for photoshop.

In my mind I would like to see the integration of something like Nik software/Topaz labs. But of course this is not likely. But somehow enabling more creative manipulation without having to round trip to another software and create a couple of files in the process.

Razeus said:

I'd like to see a real time preview of a preset in the main window instead of the thumbnail. Really, when LR 4 adding GPS, I was thrilled since I wanted all my photos to be geo tagged without buying a $500 add on. I really can't see what more they can do without cannibalizing Photoshop sales.

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It already cannibalizes photoshop sales to a degree. In a lot of ways it's better aligned with the cheaper end of that market than elements. I would personally like to see more extensive raw tools make their way into photoshop. It would be nice to have a more complete layer functionality working directly with raws like a full array of masking tools that operate quickly. The floating windows are also better than having to navigate through many tabs. Mainly it's that I would like to see better access to the full scope of raw data rather than clamped and gamma baked values.

jessica. said:

It does feel like Aperture was abandoned. May have to move to Lightroom soon.

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I understand what you're sayng about Aperture, but I do think you are wrong. The real issue for you to consider is changing to Lightroom going to improve your images, your workflow and save time? If you do decide to switch to Lightroom, I'd recommend starting with version 5 so you're not paying for 4 then 5 a few months later. Right now I don't think I'd get any real improvement from switching to Lightroom and I'm not ready to deal with switching to a new library management system. I guess we'll see what happens in the next few months with Aperture.

rick d said:

Don't see much here worth paying for. Healing brush looks like all. With all they could add this is nothing.

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New version means upgrade fees from customers. And if you buy a new camera, you need to have a version that supports that camera.

rick d said:

Don't see much here worth paying for. Healing brush looks like all. With all they could add this is nothing.

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There's also the radial gradient tool. I've played with the healing brush, and it's OK. Haven't worked with the radial gradient tool much yet.

I think I will wait and see what the upgrade price will be. These two new features may be worth upgrading for, if the price is right.

snberk103 said:

I installed Lr 5 today, but haven't tried it out yet. I'm looking forward to seeing how the radial gradient and the "straighten" feature work. Especially the "straighten" feature. I like the way that Capture One works when you need to fix the perspective.

I'm being very careful to make sure that Lr 5 stays far away from my catalogue though! I'll pull a few images into it and play around.

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Isn't it just an automated version of the perspective control feature located under lens correction in Lightroom already?

And right now I'm giving C1 a go for a while. It works fantastically and renders images better than Lightroom, but only when it isn't so darn slow...

Prodo123 said:

Isn't it just an automated version of the perspective control feature located under lens correction in Lightroom already?

And right now I'm giving C1 a go for a while. It works fantastically and renders images better than Lightroom, but only when it isn't so darn slow...

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I have to admit - I haven't gotten there yet. I'm doing a big project, that involves the new healing brush. Not yet ready for prime time, btw... though close.

Lightroom 5 Beta

As a Lightroom user from V. 1.0 I can say that 5.0 is the best version to date, and that's as a beta! I've been using this 5.0 beta since it became available, I've read as many tutorials as I could find, and I've tried all the new features. In short...WOW. This thing runs like a final release. I'm impressed.

@Razeus

Many of the added features in LR5 should have been in LR4:

• Video support in Slideshow - Aperture has had this since 2008
• Custom book templates - this should have been inclued in LR4 (Aperture has had it since 2008). Add in that LR has only one publisher option (Blurb). Aperture has Apple plus four others
• Spot healing brush - Aperture has had this since 2008.
• Full Screen - in Aperture, pressing H brings up the Adjustment Hud - allowing you make needed edits. LR full screen doesn't allow any adjustment .

LR has no integration with other Mac app's or iOS (it doesn't even integrate with any other Adobe app's beyond PS), whereas Aperture integrates with FCPX,. iLife, iWork and even Office for Mac.

FYI, I've used both. While I do like what LR's Develop module can do, the lack of integration with other app's and iOS devices doesn't cut it (for me or others).

If you dislike Aperture and Apple so much, why not switch to Windows 8?

Bending Pixels said:

@Razeus

• Full Screen - in Aperture, pressing H brings up the Adjustment Hud - allowing you make needed edits. LR full screen doesn't allow any adjustment .

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Huh? You can always edit in the develop module, regardless of screen mode. Just move your mouse to a side of the screen and the panel on that side will slide into view.

Bending Pixels said:

@Razeus

Many of the added features in LR5 should have been in LR4:....

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Why not version Lr1?

Bending Pixels said:

LR has no integration with other Mac app's or iOS (it doesn't even integrate with any other Adobe app's beyond PS),...

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It integrates just fine with Finder, so you can navigate and add folders during an export. It integrates just fine with Mail, so you can email directly from Export. It integrates just fine with the OS drivers needed to burn a CD, so you can burn a CD directly from Export. I haven't needed more than that, so can't comment on what else it does or doesn't integrate with.

It's a different application.... that's all. I don't care which application you prefer... that is a personal choice people make based on their own judgement of their own circumstances.

throttlemeister said:

Huh? You can always edit in the develop module, regardless of screen mode. Just move your mouse to a side of the screen and the panel on that side will slide into view.

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Unfortunately not in the new LR5 "true full screen" mode. Yes, all of the previous full screen modes are still available in LR5, but it would be nice if there was a floating HUD in this mode as there is in Aperture.

I'm glad to see LR will finally have a true full screen preview, but it would be ideal if you could edit while using it.

fivedots said:

Unfortunately not in the new LR5 "true full screen" mode. Yes, all of the previous full screen modes are still available in LR5, but it would be nice if there was a floating HUD in this mode as there is in Aperture.

I'm glad to see LR will finally have a true full screen preview, but it would be ideal if you could edit while using it.

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I'm not sure I follow. There are now two Full Screen modes... one of which includes the ability to use the Develop module, and one of which doesn't. And you think that it would be better if the second Full Screen view was like the first one? This is what I'm reading into the comment... have I got this right? Why would you not just use the original Full Screen view if you wanted to Develop?

This new Full Screen view is kinda nice. If you select multiple images in the Grid view and then pop into Full Screen Preview you can use the arrow keys to navigate from one image to the next. I can see the benefit of locking the panels out of sight. If I'm showing a client their photos, and I don't want the restrictions of a slide show (set order) I can Full Screen Preview and and not worry about scaring the client with the scary panels.

snberk103 said:

I'm not sure I follow. There are now two Full Screen modes... one of which includes the ability to use the Develop module, and one of which doesn't. And you think that it would be better if the second Full Screen view was like the first one? This is what I'm reading into the comment... have I got this right? Why would you not just use the original Full Screen view if you wanted to Develop?

This new Full Screen view is kinda nice. If you select multiple images in the Grid view and then pop into Full Screen Preview you can use the arrow keys to navigate from one image to the next. I can see the benefit of locking the panels out of sight. If I'm showing a client their photos, and I don't want the restrictions of a slide show (set order) I can Full Screen Preview and and not worry about scaring the client with the scary panels.

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I agree the new view is quite nice. To answer your question: because the new full screen is "more" full screen than the other options, and on a smaller screen that is crucial. It removes all of the padding, arrows to expand palettes, etc. I also don't want to think about which full screen view I'm in and have to switch between them. If I notice something I'd like to edit while in true full screen, I've got to fumble with keys and make my way to a slightly less full screen view to make the change, and then likely back to true full screen again. Just seems unnecessary.

I would love an edge-to-edge full screen view that also allowed me to access the develop controls in some fashion. In Aperture (if you're not familiar), you can hit F to go to true full screen and H to turn on/off a floating HUD that you can move around the screen. Once you begin to drag a slider left or right, the HUD fades out so all you can see is the image while adjusting.

I think the best solution would be a combination of both options. F to go true full screen and H (or any key) to turn the develop panel on and off, with the image adjusting its size as necessary to fit the panel on the screen. Saves the cycles between different views.

To me, it's an immersive feeling with just me and my photo. I struggle to achieve that with Lightroom.