LR2 vs. ACR

[canon shooter]

OK LR2 was released today!!

Will ACR be updated to include some of the features in LR2??

I now use LR1 and played with LR2. But now wondering if I will purchase LR2, continue to use LR1, or if ACR is updated with some of LR2 features go back to using ACR.

What are thoughts on using LR2 vs. ACR. What are the real advantages of doing so.

There is some ease of use in ACR by being able to click a group of images and "Open in ACR".

Those of you that are using LR what do you see as real advantage / disadvantage vs. just using ACR

[Familiaphoto]

what that is in LR2 do you want in ACR. Some of the functionality is ACR based and some LR based. What you want will give you the answer.

[canon shooter]

what that is in LR2 do you want in ACR. Some of the functionality is ACR based and some LR based. What you want will give you the answer.Will the localized adjustments be in a new release of ACR?

What are the real advantages of using LR vs. just doing everythingn in CS3 (ACR).

[nutsnbolts]

Here we go...the battle starts.

[-Douglas-]

check out the links in Victoria's post here (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=544277&page=2), they will explain a lot about the new version of ACR.:)

[partsman]

The newest version of ACR for CS3 will see the local adjustments,gradients, etc. but wont allow you to change them. If I was a betting man I'd bet a CS4 beta will be out shortly and that version will have the same tools as Lightroom, for the price of an upgrade of course.

[Familiaphoto]

Here we go...the battle starts.

LOL

I agree with the above, I expect a CS4 to be out soon. We will then see some of the tools like localized adjustments in CS. Personally, I use CS3 very infrequently. Other than some batch sharpening and the occasional cloning and masking I have little need of it. With localized adjustments I see my use of CS3 decreasing even more. I love having one tool where I can manage my catalogues, do adjustments, etc. all in one place.

[René Damkot]

What are the real advantages of using LR vs. just doing everythingn in CS3 (ACR).

The "added functionality" of LR.
DAM, output from Raw straight to print / slideshow / web.

In short: "workflow".

[canon shooter]

The "added functionality" of LR.
DAM, output from Raw straight to print / slideshow / web.

In short: "workflow".I really need to streamline my workflow to spend less time behind the computer, and trying to figure out if LR is really for me or if I am missing the advantages to using LR.

I always do my sharpening and printing (if not sent out) in CS3. I like working in Layers and being able to throw out the layer and start over if need be.

I do white balance, exposure, some curves, clarity etc in Lr and save sharpening, B&W, levels (to name a few) in CS3.

In most cases in good lighting situation I don't have to do much with WB or exposures, so in LR would be doing mainly clarity, sat., and sending on to CS3 for sharpening a little tweak in levels if off.

And of course in I use LR to select the images to finalize.

But know I could do all of that in ACR as well.

Guess bottom line if I don't print or use slideshow in LR what am I getting that I can't get in ACR?

I do like the side by side comparison on LR, not sure if that is available in ACR or not

[René Damkot]

I always do my sharpening and printing (if not sent out) in CS3. I like working in Layers and being able to throw out the layer and start over if need be.
LR2 doesn't do layers, but it does do output sharpening and printing (but not softproofing).

I do white balance, exposure, some curves, clarity etc in Lr and save sharpening, B&W, levels (to name a few) in CS3.
B&W can be done in LR.
Levels I never use anyhow. I prefer curves.
And unless it's a local adjustment, it can likely be done in LR.

In most cases in good lighting situation I don't have to do much with WB or exposures, so in LR would be doing mainly clarity, sat., and sending on to CS3 for sharpening a little tweak in levels if off.

And of course in I use LR to select the images to finalize.

But know I could do all of that in ACR as well.
Yep.

Guess bottom line if I don't print or use slideshow in LR what am I getting that I can't get in ACR?

Nothing, except the DAM (cataloguing).
If you don't use LR, you'll have to use some other program for that (like iView). Searching for 10 images in 10000 gets pretty old, pretty fast, if you cannot search by keyword for instance ;)
You can use Bridge for searching, but only if the images are online.

I do like the side by side comparison on LR, not sure if that is available in ACR or not
Not that I know of. It is in Bridge.

Bottom line: There is nothing that you can do to the image in LR that you cannot do to an image in ACR/PSCS3. (user interface might differ a bit though). The reverse isn't true.

LR does offer some "additional features" not found in ACR / PSCS3.


If you tweak each and every image in PS, then IMO, you could use iView + DPP + PSCS3 just as well. I did for quite a while.
If you don't need to go into Photoshop, then LR will be quite a bit faster.