Adobe Lightroom question

[stunsworth]

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I'm looking at Lightroom at the moment - for about the third time - and I have a question.

 

If I tell Lightroom to open a file in Photoshop it creates a new file in the original directory that the DNG file is in, and then passes that onto Photoshop. Is it possible to have these files created in a different directory from the DNG one?

 

Also while viewing a DNG, is it possible to have the raw conversion done totally in Photoshop rather than Lightroom?

 

Finally, why on earth do Adobe charge more for a download of Lightroom than they do for the physical product? Seems bonkers to me.

 

Thanks in advance.

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[richam]

Steve, I'd like to see answers to the first two questions, myself. But on the ship vs. download price, perhaps it's a VAT issue. I'm struggling myself with another download at this time (I'm also in Europe). For a physical shipment from outside the EU, maybe the shipping carrier or receiving party is responsible for collecting or paying any duties and VAT when delivered. OTOH for downloads, VAT logically has to be collected at the download time and paid to whatever country by Adobe -- probably through a third party that provides the collection service. Just speculation on my part; you are probably more familiar with VAT than I am.

[richam]

Steve, Just checked Adobe UK and note that the download is £6 more than the shipment, although VAT seems inclusive for both. I note the price is the same for the US. Perhaps I touched on the reason before -- they need to hire a separate company or process the VAT payment themselves -- more difficult or costly than a physical shipment.

[hdg]

If have tested Lightroom and I have bought it but I don`t like it.

I do all my works using CS3. So I can do everything the way I prefer.

 

Regards Hans

[stunsworth]

Hans, I'm looking at Lightroom as a digital assets management program. I currently use Microsoft Expression Media - formally iView Media Pro - but Microsoft seem to be going nowhere with it, indeed they want £100 to upgrade from the version 1 that I have to version 2. So it's time to look for an alternative.

 

I still intend to use Photoshop for the 'hardcore' editing.

[spylaw4]

Steve - I quote here from the LR help pages:---

 

You can do additional editing to your photo using Photoshop or Photoshop Elements from within Lightroom. You must have either Photoshop or Photoshop Elements installed on your computer for this feature to be available.

 

In the Library module or Develop module, select the photos you want to edit, and choose Photo > Edit In Adobe Photoshop or Edit in Adobe Photoshop Elements.

In the Edit Photo dialog box, select one of the following:

Edit Original Edits the original file without Lightroom adjustments. (JPEG, TIFF, and PSD only)

Edit A Copy Edits a copy of the original file without Lightroom adjustments. (JPEG, TIFF, and PSD only)

Edit A Copy With Lightroom Adjustments Edits a copy of the original file with Lightroom adjustments visible.

When sending a copy to the external editor, the newly created file is automatically added to the library.

Click Edit.

After making edits in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, you will be prompted to save any changes to the photo sent from Lightroom. Be sure not to do a Save As and rename the photo because the newly-created photo will not be automatically added to the library.

Important: When saving from Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, be sure to turn on the Maximize Compatibility option so that images can be read by Lightroom. Photoshop CS2 automatically saves PSD files from Lightroom with maximum compatibility.

 

It seems to me that after external editing - if you do a "Save As" you can most likely select exactly where you want the shot saved. Of course you still have to deal with the file that's added to LR but if you don't need it, just delete.

 

Whether all this will be the same in LR2 (the beta is available to try) I don't know.

 

Edit - Just seen your later post - it is good at DAM; IMHO much better than Aperture, but the latter seems better at processing, with the exception of available crop ratios (for print sizes) and the lack of a facility to put a border line around prints.

[vanhulsenbeek]

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Hans, I'm looking at Lightroom as a digital assets management program. I currently use Microsoft Expression Media - formally iView Media Pro - but Microsoft seem to be going nowhere with it, indeed they want £100 to upgrade from the version 1 that I have to version 2. So it's time to look for an alternative.

 

I still intend to use Photoshop for the 'hardcore' editing.

 

Steve,

 

I was up against that wall last year. Expression Media did not read DNG/M8. When asking at the only available forum at the time - the nearest way to get any Microsoft info - I was kindly requested to 'give those guys at Microsoft a break. They had been working so hard' Apparently they are still not at it.

 

Anyhow, I demo'ed Lightroom, threw all my Iview investments out, bought LR and never looked back.

 

Iview: a sad story about a good product quashed under the Microsoft juggernaut!

[stunsworth]

Brian, thanks for taking the time to look up the help.

 

Sander, the only way round the M8 DNG problem is to process the files using the Adobe DNG converter selecting a full sized preview. Expression can use those files and provides a full screen preview.

 

I've just downloaded the beta or version 2 of Lightroom and it's looking good - now supports dual monitors which is useful.

 

The beta runs until the end of August. I expect I'll use it until then, or buy the release version of v2 when it's released.

 

Thanks for all the help.

[robsteve]

Brian, thanks for taking the time to look up the help.

 

Sander, the only way round the M8 DNG problem is to process the files using the Adobe DNG converter selecting a full sized preview. Expression can use those files and provides a full screen preview.

 

I've just downloaded the beta or version 2 of Lightroom and it's looking good - now supports dual monitors which is useful.

 

The beta runs until the end of August. I expect I'll use it until then, or buy the release version of v2 when it's released.

 

Thanks for all the help.

 

Steve:

 

If you are running on a Mac, use the getinfo on the Lightroom Beta app and select open in 64bit if your machine is 64bit capable. You will find it is much quicker in that mode.

 

Robert

[roguewave]

"If you are running on a Mac, use the getinfo on the Lightroom Beta app and select open in 64bit if your machine is 64bit capable. You will find it is much quicker in that mode.

 

Robert"

 

Robert, have you had any problems with this Beta? What about managing catalogs?

[stunsworth]

Robert, currently running the beta on an XP machine. I expect to run the release version on a Mac - probably Mac Pro,

[Shootist]

Steve to my knowledge there is no way to open a DNG/RAW file in ACR standalone/PS/Bridge once you double click or right click and select open from within LR.

LR does use ACR to do all it's editing before you pass it to PS but it is built into LR.

No I don't think you can select another folder to store the copy of the edited file in. Which doesn't bother me as I never liked programs that stored exported/developed images in another folder, PO C1. I forget about that other folder and seem to lose them and end up developing them a second time.

[stunsworth]

Thanks. The dual monitor facility in the beta of Lightroom 2 means that I can get a large image on the screen while I'm making my adjustments in the develop module of Lightroom - that was why I wanted to do the conversion in CS3. So being able to open the DNG in CS3 isn't important now.

 

So far I've been impressed with the beta.