Canon DPP v3.6.1 versus Lightroom 2 for batch processing

[chad_hoelzel1]

<p>I was wondering if there is anyone that has honestly gone through and learned how to use DPP and decided to switch over to Lightroom 2 instead for batch processing? (I shoot in RAW format)</p>

<p>Features I use in DPP for my wedding photo batch processing:<br>

*Check mark 1-3 photo rating (1>keep 2>needs lots of work 3>discard)<br>

*Main image adjustment (contrast, brightness, white balance, color tone, sharpness, saturation, highlight, and shadow)<br>

*Lens aberration correction<br>

*Noise reduction<br>

*Batch adjust (recipe copy and paste)<br>

*Cropping (Trimming in DPP)<br>

*Batch rename and Save to 8bit Tiff and JPG</p>

<p>I went to the Adobe web site but it doesn't really help when it comes to real world batch processing info. I of course do my major editing in CS2.<br>

Is there any features that are useful that DPP doesn't have? Any particular tasks that just run that much smoother and faster that would make it worth getting Lightroom 2?</p>

<p>Thanks for your help</p>

[lynn_weathers]

<p>Strange! I answered this post last night, but it didn't save.<br>

I just made the switch from DPP to LR last year and I haven't looked back! It does all the tasks that you mention and then some! You can remove minor spots right in LR, you can add vingettes, convert to B&W, sepia or create your own effects/actions. I use it to run a slideshow during the reception too, then when I get home I can pull from the same files to do the slideshow for my blog. LR2 also has a dodge/burn tool. I find that I only use Photoshop for serious retouoching now. Another really awesome tool is the highlight recovery. I don't use it often, but with a click on the histogram you can use a slider to adjust any areas that may have been a little blown out. If you shoot RAW (which I do for formals), it can make a test shot a useable one in about 2 seconds!<br>

Adobe had a free 30 day trial when I was first looking into it. Check that out before you make the leap. <br>

Good Luck!</p>

[glenn_wasserman]

<p>Lightroom looks GREAT - and I really want it - but it is expensive, relatively speaking. DPP is free - but not NEARLY as convenient. I had stability problems with DPP so I gave up on it, never really got to learn it.<br>

A compromise is Capture One (<a href="http://www.phaseone.com">www.phaseone.com</a>). You can download a trial of it at <a href="http://www.phaseone.com/Content/Downloads/CO4.aspx">http://www.phaseone.com/Content/Downloads/CO4.aspx</a>. There is a regular version and a Pro version. The standard version is (I think) about $120. Pro is $300. I use it and I like it, but I miss the vignette features of Lightroom, and the ability to do local editing (spot removal etc.). The latest version can process JPEGs which was a big relief for me, it was a pain using two different tools. Not an issue anymore. The other thing I miss is the ability to print from Capture One.<br>

Lightroom is much more polished, a more complete product - however it is also priced that way.</p>