Lightroom vs Adobe Photoshop

I have photoshop. Is it worth getting Lightroom? What are the differences?

Which version of Photoshop?

If I had to choose between PS and LR, I'd take LR in a heartbeat.

CS2

Best option is both. primary adjustments in LR and then export to PS to complete. Both programs complement each other.

Frodge wrote in post #15920953
CS2

Lightroom is a powerful feature rich photo editing program. Needs a decent computer to run smoothly and if there's anything in particular your doing in PS2 you can save the file from LR and it will automatically open in CS2 for finish editing.

I use LR4 with CS5.

2slo wrote in post #15920956
Best option is both. primary adjustments in LR and then export to PS to complete. Both programs complement each other.

+1
I use LR3.6 and CS3.
To be honest, if I had to give up one I'd stick with LR. 85% of my work happens there and just the remaining 15% in PS.

Frodge wrote in post #15920924
I have photoshop. Is it worth getting Lightroom? What are the differences?

I'd say yes. LR is more of an image management app; which can be unbelievably useful if you shoot a lot of images. I've found it great for helping to sort through a large shoot and pick the shots worth keeping/using (and to find them later).

The recent versions have also become very good for doing a number of basic edits - from colour balance, shadows, highlights, cropping, and a minor spot removal. Only when you need to do more complex cloning, layers, or blending of images do you really have to jump to PS.

I'd recommend taking a read of Scott Kelby's LR4 book, as that will give you a really good idea of what you can do with it, and whether it's worth buying: http://www.amazon.co.u​k …hers-Voices/dp/0321819586

Cs2 is several versions back. Lightroom is a must. Then you can consider Photoshop Elements 11 ($60) which has 85-90% of the functionality of Photoshop cs6 for photographers.

PS CS2 is indeed several versions back, but that doesn't mean it's bad tool, and it certainly doesn't mean it's any worse then CS6 if you don't need few new functions CS6 brings (ok finally somehow managing more then one CPU is huge plus of CS6), CS2 is not any worse then CS6. Especially when you say that PS Elements can do. If this what PS Elements can give you is all you need, then CS2 is just as good.
LR is must, if you do work where LR comes handy. For me personally it's totally useless tool, which is much worse (read: slower) then PS. But that's me. And that's why it's pretty arrogant to say LR is must and you have to use it, PS is something you don't need... or vice versa.

Does Lightroom contain anything that isn't in ACR and Bridge?
I have Lightroom and PSE but hardly ever use PSE because I do everything in Lightroom. Of course I do almost no cloning or anything that requires layers. I love Lightroom but if you already have Photoshop then Lightroom may not be needed.

IM using LR for the majority of my work & CS6 for detail work. In my opinion, you really need both. But with Adobes announcement about creative cloud as being subscription based...You really have tho think things through. As long as i can Access CS6 with Lightroom and as i update my cameras the information can work in CS6,, i dont see a need to do anything else but to update my Lightroom programs.

This really all depends on what Adobe is going to do with Lightroom continuing to be a stand alone product and Future updates remaining compatible with the last CS6 version

This is not over yet folks..... Adobe hold the ball in their court right now. Next 2 yrs will be interesting for sure. I think they will force us to do what they want because No One has built a better Mouse trap yet. Things will get interesting for sure in the next couple of years.

I would not make any hard or fast decisions yet.

Dan Marchant wrote in post #15921296
Does Lightroom contain anything that isn't in ACR and Bridge?

I would like to know this too. I bought the first version of lightroom and uninstalled it after a few months since I never used it.

I get that the organization and inline editing abilities would be great if you are starting out with nothing. But I already have a self made rube-goldberg of a file structure/workflow with well over a hundred thousand pre-existing photos which I would have to organize in Lightroom just for starters. My system certainly isn't ideal but it works for me.

Is there something that newer versions of lightroom do that isn't accomplishable with ACR and Bridge beyond the aformentioned streamlined editing and organization?

I don' t use either but our local camera club just announced that one of them is moving to a subscription style service. Exactly what that means I can't say but it apparently had quite a few people concerned about future costs.

Dan Marchant wrote in post #15921296
Does Lightroom contain anything that isn't in ACR and Bridge?
I have Lightroom and PSE but hardly ever use PSE because I do everything in Lightroom. Of course I do almost no cloning or anything that requires layers. I love Lightroom but if you already have Photoshop then Lightroom may not be needed.

Lightroom has more image library management tools.

I personally find it faster and easier to use than the Bridge/ACR combination for processing RAW. But that is a highly subjective thing.