Adobe Lightroom beta released (Aperture competition)

[ray]

Looks like there is competition for Aperture on the horizon. Adobe just released a beta

version of Adobe Lightroom, which attempts to do a fair amount of what Aperture does.

<p>

There is a <a href="http://labs.macromedia.com/technologies/lightroom/video/">20

minute video</a> and a 111MB beta download (for Mac only at the present time) for you

to play with.

<p>

<a href="http://labs.macromedia.com/technologies/lightroom/">http://

labs.macromedia.com/technologies/lightroom/</a>

<p>

Two features jump out:

<ol>

<li>No need to import images into a proprietary database. You can leave your files where

they are.

<li>The demo ran 16Mp Raw images on a Powerbook (laptop).

</ol>

<p>

On the other hand, no apparent means of versioning, no support for XMP (yet), definitely

no ability to quickly loupe through thumbnails (without replacing your current displayed

image), no select/stack ability (where Aperture really shines).

<p>

However, when this product finally comes out in late 2006, it would be nice to have some

competition for Aperture and other tools in this space.

[ray]

correction: the download is 8Mb for the Application (and a small readme file) or 140MB if you

want sample images to play with.

[andrew_rodney1]

The LCH Color Tuning tools are really awesome! The Gray conversions especially with the

Auto button are fantastic.

[Brad_]

Just a note that you need a Mac to run the beta. Looks pretty neat...

[Brad_]

<I>However, when this product finally comes out in late 2006, it would be nice to have some

competition for Aperture and other tools in this space.</I><P>

 

I think I'd turn that around to: It's nice that Aperture came out a few months ago to coax

Adobe away from resting on their laurels and stringing out product development to

incremental $150 upgrades of dubious value.

[ellis_vener_photography]

you can read more about Lightroom at <A HREF = http://www.photoshopnews.com>

photoshopnews.com</A>

[kaiyen]

<p><I>It's nice that Aperture came out a few months ago to coax Adobe away from resting on their laurels</I>

 

<p>Well, it's not like Adobe began development on Lightroom only _after_ Aperture came out...but I get your point. This type of product was on the horizon anyway for both companies.

 

<p>let's see how it goes.<br>

allan

[aeiffel]

Looks nice, perhaps not as shiny as Aperture but it gets the job done. Quality of the processing tools seems very good, and of course the ability to use your own file structure or convert to DNG for imports is a key feature AFAIC.

[jean_marc_liotier]

Luminous Landscape has published a "First Look and Primer" article :<br>

<a href="http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/software/lightroom1.shtml">http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/software/lightroom1.shtml</a>

[squareframe]

Brad,

 

well said .. you've been hanging around those 'marketing' types for too long. and the Adobe folks are masters ... vis-a-via Adobe Acrobat/Reader and .pdf

[Uhooru]

I downloaded it last nite and didn't have time to mess with it. It doesn't seem to have the same kind of free floating image lighttable that Apeture does, and for me, that's a big feature. Maybe its coming? Or did I just read it wrong.

[malcolmdwyer]

<p>Another nice review:</p>

<p><a href="http://dgrin.smugmug.com/gallery/1109600/">http://dgrin.smugmug.com/gallery/1109600/</a></p>

[joeb]

http://photoshopnews.com/2006/01/09/the-shadowlandlightroom-development-story/

 

I notice the early screen shots of lightroom had the random light table view. I have seen other comments mentioning stacking/random layout as a needed feature.

 

It looks good to me. As a PC user, I wish there was a windows version. I have tried the CameraRaw/PS workflow and don't like it as well as the C1 DSLR workflow. Lightroom looks like it could give C1 a run for the money.