Lightroom

[jack Sparrow]

Ok then i have a few questions regarding lightroom.

1, what can lightroom do that DPP carnt?
2, What is lightroom, i know its a PP for raw but whats the difference between this and other PP programmes? Like DPP and Photoshop.
3, can you use Lightroom as a stand alone programme or is it an add on to another programme.

Sorry if these seem very basic question, but im a total novice to PP of pics infact i only started yesterday in DPP and was more than happy with the couple of the first Raw pics i had taken and worked on. They must be good as even our lass commented on them:lol:

Kind Regards
Jack

[eddarr]

Lightroom is first and foremost a cataloging software. It is probably the best software available to organize your pictures. The people who gain the most by it are those that take tens of thousands of pictures a year. If you only take a few pictures you may not gain as much. It is a good RAW converter and does batch processing fairly well.

1. A ton of things. DPP is designed to convert RAW files. It does other things but it doesn't do them as well.
2. The current version of LR doesn't do as much as CS. It is designed so that you have LR for conversion and global adjustments. Then use CS or Elements to do layer work and pixel level work.
3. It is stand alone. But it also recognizes the other software you have. I use LR for as much as possible then it will send a copy of the image right into Elements for more detailed work.

I'm glad I finally bought LR. It is faster for many operations than Elements. But you do still need another PP software so that you can do the detailed processing.

[jack Sparrow]

Thanks for that mate, much aprecaited, ive just been looking through all the stickys in relation to this, god it gets confusing:D

Regards
Jack

[sadowsk2]

From someone who used DPP to convert my RAW images and then edited in Photoshop, Lightroom is a GOD SEND! I Photoshop CS so alot of the tone adjustments aren't found on my version of CS or DPP... Things like "highlight recovery", shadow recovery, the white balance spectrum is much broader with LR, the noise processor is waaaay better, you can adjust vibrancy, clarity, etc.. things you can't do with DPP... I also like being able to work and apply adjustments to multiple images which helps with process work flow.. LR to me is incredible especially compared to DPP and given that you can get it for less than $100 bucks if you can get a student discount through yourself or your kids.

[kevindar]

I think Ed summarized it best. In addition, LR has a nice print module, and slide show module. It has excellent features for streamlining your raw processing, and its much faster than dpp. You can have preset processing (I have my own presets for portraits, having separate ones for natural light, high iso, strobes, and then landscape and so on). It is a powerful image database. its good for about 75% of my processing. Admittedly for my landscapes and large prints, all images inevitably make a visit to photoshop.

[jack Sparrow]

Thanks for the replys, its greatly aprecaited, i think im convinced to go with LR as soon as i can afford it, as looking through this forum i think this will suit me perfect for my own personal needs, and give me a bit more flexabilty than DPP.

Once again thanks for taking the time to reply its greatly apprecaited from a total novice.

Kind Regards
Jack

[René Damkot]

1, what can lightroom do that DPP carnt?
2, What is lightroom, i know its a PP for raw but whats the difference between this and other PP programmes? Like DPP and Photoshop.
3, can you use Lightroom as a stand alone programme or is it an add on to another programme.

1. Highlight recovery, cropping at an angle, LR can be used as DAM software after a fashion, but I still prefer iView for that.
2. DPP is only a Raw converter, LR has some additional functionality. Photoshop is a pixel editor. (You can make local adjustments, transform, work with layers, and a whole bunch of other things)
3. You can use it as stand alone. It will be more limiting then using DPP and Elements for instance though.

Some other points: IMO DPP still is a better raw converter then LR.
I also do not agree with the statement that LR is faster then DPP: In my experience it's opposite.

If I go for max. quality, I use DPP and PSCS2. (IOW: Anything that is printed large)
If I go for fast and easy Raw > Web, I use LR.

*If* you are going to buy LR, wait for LR2 to come out. It's currently in Beta. Advantage: It features local adjustments.

[jack Sparrow]

cheers for that René Damkot, even more confusion:D, wish i had just stuck to using JPEG now:lol:, one thing ive learnt since christmas is this DSLR game is very confusing to say the least. there is just so much to learn and then put into practice, but got to admit its so addictive when you see the results though. I dont think im going to be ready for Photoshop for a long time yet, need to learn and master the basics to start with before im ready to take this to the next level.

Thanks for your input, its greatly aprecaited as is eveyones.

Kind Regards
Jack