PS Levels equals ?? in LR

[canon shooter]

I am making the conversion to do almost all the editing (except things like clone, retouching etc) in LR2 (including the sharpening in LR).

One of my favorite tools in PS is the Levels. I find it easy to move towards the ends of the curves to get good contrast and add punch. And this method is a very easy starting point.

What can I use in LR to get the same effect and what would be the benchmark?

First attempt to use just LR and I had to make a few adjustments after I looked at them online to get the Blacks right. I used the Levels in PS.

Some times I find that when I open the Levels box and they are off it shows them something I did not see. And it has more pop after adjustment. It s easy to open of Levels and see if we are close on both ends of the curve.

Hope this makes sense.

[eddarr]

I believe I remember reading somewhere that it's not exactly the same. But using the exposure, recovery, fill light and blacks sliders does close to the same thing. It allows you to move, compress or expand the histogram. Very close to what you would do with Levels in PS.

[canon shooter]

And I do that some times but the Levels box in PS tells (at a glance) that its a little off, even if your eye doesn't catch it at 1st glance

[René Damkot]

Moving the ends of the levels adjustments clips blacks and whites. Be very carefull with that kind of adjustment.

You can do the same in LR using the exposure and blacks sliders.

I'd prefer the use of an "S" curve. Both in PS and LR.

[figmented]

the curve bar has levels at the bottom, just adjust the arrows.

[René Damkot]

Only in CS3, not in CS2 ;)