Deliberate1 Posted October 7, 2011 Share #1 Posted October 7, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Friends, I will be dipping my toe into Lightroom now that I have an M9. I have been working with Photoshop for many years and currently use CS5. For those of you who use both what do you think are the best features of each, and do you tend to process in one before the other. Many thanks, David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 7, 2011 Posted October 7, 2011 Hi Deliberate1, Take a look here Lightroom vs. CS5. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
peterbengtson Posted October 7, 2011 Share #2 Posted October 7, 2011 I have used Photoshop from v1. for the past 2-3 years I have barely touched it since switching to Lightroom. Now I only use Photoshop for scanning and retouching negatives and old photos or for the more complex compositing jobs that Lightroom is not designed to do. Once you learn Lightroom you will be amazed at the time you save and the generally superior results that you achieve. Even for an experienced long term user Photoshop always seemed to fight you to some extent, Lightroom is a pleasure to use in comparison. The totally non destructive proxy nature of the program allows you to make adjustments in any order without the order of application affecting the others. The accurate print preview is a joy after having to play with margins in Photoshop. Buy one of the good books and enjoy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke_Miller Posted October 7, 2011 Share #3 Posted October 7, 2011 If you are processing DNG files from your M9 in Photoshop CS5 you are essentially already using the Lightroom Develop Module. Adobe Camera Raw is functionally the same with a different graphical interface. The Lightroom Library Module is a much more powerful and easier to use browser than Bridge and provides a good digital asset management capability. I find that I don't need to go to Photoshop very often as Lightroom handles most tasks very effectively. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeinzX Posted October 8, 2011 Share #4 Posted October 8, 2011 I prefer CS 5, but maybe one reason is, that I have used different versions and PSE before for a long time. Second reason is, that I often use functions of Photoshop, which are not available in LR and so I can do everything in one program. And the third reason is, that I use often a 1 D IV for which converting the RAWs I prefer DPP against LR, which can not be used for DNGs. So after converting the RAWs or DNGs I have the same workflow with CS 5. But of course this is only my personal point of view and the workflow I prefer and I am used to do. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
delander † Posted October 8, 2011 Share #5 Posted October 8, 2011 I prefer Bridge/PSCS5/ACR over Lightroom. It is probably due to the way I work. 1. As an amateur I dont shoot that many photographs during any one session. So I copy them all from the card to a folder on the computer Raw/Camera/Location/Date and then look at them in Bridge where I rate them and delete about 90% of them. This might leave only 10 or so images. 2. The images that have made the cut I open in ACR, make adjustments to the raw file. I might choose four or five to take into Photoshop for further tweaks in 16bit mode. 3. The images that have been tweaked in Photoshop I save in a folder Output/Camera/Location/Date with titles in the filenames as 16bit tif files. 4 The images that I choose to print have 'for printing' added to the filename. I don't feel the need for the complications introduced by the Library part of Lightroom and prefer the control that Photoshop gives me when printing. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted October 8, 2011 Share #6 Posted October 8, 2011 I process the RAW files in Lightroom, and then tend to finish them off in Photoshop. I find it easier to to anything involving masks or selection in Photoshop. Also, if I'm processing a scanned negative Photoshop has better tools for spotting. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marquinius Posted October 8, 2011 Share #7 Posted October 8, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Lightroom as front end, CS for small deeper changes. But 90% I stay in LR. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Posted October 8, 2011 Share #8 Posted October 8, 2011 LR most of the time, CS5 occasionally. Best features in LR: organisation, workflow, purely focused on photography, all in one (as opposed to separate Bridge/ACR). Best features in CS5: selections, masks, filters, layers, Lab support, deformation/correction, defect removal, filling, and the list goes on really. For working on single images the power of CS5 is hard to beat. But even with a few images a day LR will take a lot of work out of your hands and will save you frustration as your collection grows. The two apps together are a great combination. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iduna Posted October 12, 2011 Share #9 Posted October 12, 2011 Processing in LR is easy and brings up best results in WB, colormangement, contrast etc at a size of 16 bit files. Since it is working on a database management your original DNGs are not affected and you can anytime you like return to your file for recreating your image. But still PS has some features like clone stamp and sharpener tools which I preferably use for a finishing touch. For some reasons it is also nice to make use of the layer work, because the effects can be handled very accurately Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted October 12, 2011 Share #10 Posted October 12, 2011 I prefer the Bridge/ACR/PS route - sort of, but not exactly, for the reasons Jeff mentions. 1) I have an established filing system dating back 10 years, so I find LR's separate library system unhelpful. 2) I use PS anyway to create original graphics and artwork. I need the layers and other features. Since I'm going to be running it anyway, LR just offers me no benefits. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted October 13, 2011 Share #11 Posted October 13, 2011 I never understood the idea that Lightroom is easier than Photoshop, its not like you need to use all of Photoshop every time you open it up. I use a fraction of its abilities and find it fast and easy. But then I never understood the organisational structure of Lightroom either, for me Bridge>ACR>CS5 is much clearer and because deeper editing tools are right there in front of you there is no swapping between programmes just to do a simple job. Lightroom is for large throughput, like if people want to process all their RAW images, or want to send large collections of images off to clients etc. Lightroom is a sledge hammer to crack a nut if you only select relatively few images to work with, while CS5/Photoshop is the careful gardener that will make your nuts grow (so to speak:D). Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidbaddley Posted October 14, 2011 Share #12 Posted October 14, 2011 Total Photoshop, you can do everything there. You can keep it light, or go as deep under the hood as you like. I didn't even bother with installing Lightroom. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1JB Posted October 18, 2011 Share #13 Posted October 18, 2011 I prefer Bridge/CS5 and NIK filters. I've used Photoshop for years and didn't give LR a chance mainly because the NIK filters and Silvereffects are just so essential to my work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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