Lightroom 2.0 Beta !!!! - DPChallenge Forums

04/02/2008 08:27:25 AM · #1

OMG, this is *no* April Fools: The Lightroom 2.0 Beta is out.

Enhancements that can be found in the Lightroom 2.0 beta include the following:
Download and Discuss

* Localized corrections � Enhance specific areas of an image for unsurpassed nondestructive flexibility and control reminiscent of the traditional darkroom dodge and burn experience.
* Improved organizational tools � Find the images you need quickly and easily.
* Multiple monitor support � Add an additional monitor to efficiently manage photographic workflow and presentation.
* Flexible print package functionality � Create custom layouts containing multiple sizes of a photograph on a single page.
* 64-bit support � Lightroom 2.0 now takes advantage of the latest hardware architectures with improved memory handling and performance.

The Localized Corrections feature, alone, makes this upgrade worthy of your consideration! Check it out....

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

04/02/2008 08:28:18 AM · #2

Quoting from another user:

First, the top 10 list1) Localized Corrections (AKA: Dodge and Burn) - If Lightroom 2 came out and this was the only new feature I�d upgrade in a heartbeat. Localized Corrections is the non-destructive dodging and burning that we�ve all wanted for so long. But I have to say this - it�s so much more. It goes WAY beyond what I expected from dodging and burning in Lightroom (which is why it�s called Localize corrections and not just dodge and burn) and I think you�re going to love it.
2) Better Photoshop Integration - Now you can open your files as Smart Objects, Merge to Panorama or even export straight to Photoshop�s HDR from Lightroom.
3) Post-crop vignetting - if you�ve ever tried to darken the edges of a cropped photo with the lens vignetting slider you�ll know it doesn�t really work. That�s where the post-crop vignette comes in.
4) Multiple Monitor support - can you say �Finally!�?
5) Picture Packages in the print module.
6) Output Sharpening in the print module and it really works this time around. I�ve seen tests compared to Lightroom 1 and the print sharpening is noticeably better.
7) Smart Collections - Collections were great in LR 1 but smart collections make using collections a lot easier.
8.) Printing directly to a JPEG file in the Print module. So if you send your photos off to a lab now you can save the files right from within Lightroom�s Print module.
9) Suggested Keywords - Get this� Lightroom will start suggesting keywords to you once you start keywording your photos. It�s weird to explain so make sure you stop by NAPP�s learning center to see it in action.
10) OK, I�m going to give you two here. First there�s a new filter panel in the Library module that makes getting to your photos easier and faster because it�s right there with your photos (instead of tucked away on the left side panels). Next, the Slideshow and Web modules both have Content panels as well as Collection panels. So now you can very quickly switch slideshows without having to jump back to the Library module and choose different photos.

04/02/2008 09:32:26 AM · #3

it seemed pretty good - quicker and the retouch seems quite well done.

The multiple monitor support is disappointing though. Hopefully they'll work out how to move the panels around and make it more useful (or I'm not using it correctly)

worth the download to try it out

Simms

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

04/02/2008 09:54:49 AM · #4

Originally posted by Gordon:

This looks fantastic!!!

Whats the prob so far with the multiple monitor support Gordon? Not well implemented 0or not very configurable? I haven't downloaded it yet but will check it out when I get home..

Thanks for the heads up on this... I love LR 1.3 so much, a V2 is like xmas come early!!

robs

Canon EOS R6 Mk II

04/02/2008 10:07:47 AM · #5

Yeah but what about the IMPORTANT stuff... Does the pig run faster???

Edit: I had hoped they would build a real output module (multi queues, with the pre-defined output parms tied to the queue)... printing to JPG is all well and good but not really what I was looking for.

Message edited by author 2008-04-02 10:16:36.

04/02/2008 10:09:58 AM · #6

How's the stability - good enough to use everyday in place of 1.3?

Steve

04/02/2008 10:25:14 AM · #7

Originally posted by Simms:

Originally posted by Gordon:
it seemed pretty good - quicker and the retouch seems quite well done.

The multiple monitor support is disappointing though. Hopefully they'll work out how to move the panels around and make it more useful (or I'm not using it correctly)

worth the download to try it out

This looks fantastic!!!

Whats the prob so far with the multiple monitor support Gordon? Not well implemented 0or not very configurable? I haven't downloaded it yet but will check it out when I get home..

Thanks for the heads up on this... I love LR 1.3 so much, a V2 is like xmas come early!!

I like using dual monitors in Photoshop, with the working image full screen on my good, calibrated screen and all the tools, junk, finders etc over on the other screen. That way I can work on the image as big as possible, without a load of clutter.

Lightroom doesn't really seem to let you do that now. You can have a full screen preview or compare view, or a stack of thumbnails on the other screen, but you can't get the working version on one with the tool panels on the other - which would be my preference. (or it could well be that I just haven't worked out how to do that)

In general in Lightroom I like 'working on the image' directly, so would prefer that to be the active, big screen version. Maybe this doesn't make sense :) It just seems half done for now.

As for performance, it seems faster - but it never seemed that slow. Import of 300+ images took a few seconds.

04/02/2008 10:25:27 AM · #8

Originally posted by socalsteve:

How's the stability - good enough to use everyday in place of 1.3?

Steve

Not according to Adobe, certainly.

04/02/2008 11:31:01 AM · #9

Originally posted by Gordon:

As for performance, it seems faster - but it never seemed that slow. Import of 300+ images took a few seconds.

Few seconds??? What kind of images, how big, and what computer are you on? (that seems very fast)

Message edited by author 2008-04-02 11:31:11.

04/02/2008 12:08:18 PM · #10

Originally posted by socalsteve:

Originally posted by Gordon:
As for performance, it seems faster - but it never seemed that slow. Import of 300+ images took a few seconds.

Few seconds??? What kind of images, how big, and what computer are you on? (that seems very fast)

1dMkII raw files (8Mp) a couple of year old dual core AMD thing with a few gig of memory. Nothing special.

Was maybe 10 to 15 seconds to import the images and be able to start working on them - the previews take longer. I've never timed it because its never taken long enough that I was sitting around twiddling my thumbs (!). I'm also not using Lightroom as a card reader or image ingestor. That takes maybe 5 minutes with Downloader Pro to do the network backups, renaming, GPS twiddling and stuff before I import the images in to Lightroom, but that's all pretty much a background thing too.

I don't let lightroom move my RAW files around, I don't convert them to DNG, I just import them from where they are and create previews.
It's never taken long to get enough images in to start ranking/rating making selections.

Message edited by author 2008-04-02 12:10:26.

04/02/2008 12:13:14 PM · #11

Originally posted by Gordon:

Originally posted by socalsteve:

Originally posted by Gordon:
As for performance, it seems faster - but it never seemed that slow. Import of 300+ images took a few seconds.

Few seconds??? What kind of images, how big, and what computer are you on? (that seems very fast)

1dMkII raw files (8Mp) a couple of year old dual core AMD thing with a few gig of memory. Nothing special.

Was maybe 10 to 15 seconds to import the images and be able to start working on them - the previews take longer. I've never timed it because its never taken long enough that I was sitting around twiddling my thumbs (!). I'm also not using Lightroom as a card reader or image ingestor. That takes maybe 5 minutes with Downloader Pro to do the network backups, renaming, GPS twiddling and stuff before I import the images in to Lightroom, but that's all pretty much a background thing too.

I don't let lightroom move my RAW files around, I don't convert them to DNG, I just import them from where they are and create previews.
It's never taken long to get enough images in to start ranking/rating making selections.

That explains it: I'm using it to do everything starting with importing directly off the card and transferring to a network drive. Thanks for the response.

04/02/2008 12:14:09 PM · #12

Lightroom 2 won't let me use or import my existing 1.x catalog, so this will definitely NOT be replacing my workflow for the time being.

04/02/2008 12:19:38 PM · #13

Originally posted by socalsteve:

Lightroom 2 won't let me use or import my existing 1.x catalog, so this will definitely NOT be replacing my workflow for the time being.

Yup, the release notes quite strongly recommend against using it for 'serious' work which is why it won't let you update old catalogs.

more info about what's changed

04/02/2008 12:34:03 PM · #14

robs

Canon EOS R6 Mk II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

04/02/2008 12:39:35 PM · #15

It's not the drag off cards e.t.c. that is slow it's the whole thing. It's getting faster with each release but it's still far from acceptable for those of us on older machines (I only have 1.5Gb and a 2.6 single Mhz proc :-/

04/02/2008 02:09:59 PM · #16

Originally posted by Gordon:

Originally posted by socalsteve:
Lightroom 2 won't let me use or import my existing 1.x catalog, so this will definitely NOT be replacing my workflow for the time being.

Yup, the release notes quite strongly recommend against using it for 'serious' work which is why it won't let you update old catalogs.

This kills me - I'm one of those people who actually do read the manual, cover to cover usually, but never, for some reason, do I read the release notes. Guess that's why I know what an app SHOULD do, but have to go searching to find out WHY it's not doing it. :-)

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

04/02/2008 02:13:50 PM · #17

Originally posted by socalsteve:

Originally posted by Gordon:

Originally posted by socalsteve:
Lightroom 2 won't let me use or import my existing 1.x catalog, so this will definitely NOT be replacing my workflow for the time being.

Yup, the release notes quite strongly recommend against using it for 'serious' work which is why it won't let you update old catalogs.

This kills me - I'm one of those people who actually do read the manual, cover to cover usually, but never, for some reason, do I read the release notes. Guess that's why I know what an app SHOULD do, but have to go searching to find out WHY it's not doing it. :-)

In this case, its probably worth looking at the release notes. about 2 pages of stuff that doesn't work in the Known Problems section.

option

Nikon D200

04/02/2008 03:38:10 PM · #18

Wooo this is so sick! I can't wait for the final release of this bad boy!

Message edited by author 2008-04-02 15:38:21.

pawdrix

Nikon D700

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF

04/02/2008 04:35:47 PM · #19

I tried using the brushes, D&B...the Clone tool and had I'm not sure what the hell happened.

The clone tool...if that's what I used didn't work...or make sense. Anyone else have a problem with it or understand how it functioned?

04/02/2008 05:07:09 PM · #20

Originally posted by pawdrix:

The clone tool is a bit different to the photoshop one - basically in Lightroom, click on a spot to clone/heal it. Adjust the brush size to cover the thing you want to clone/heal and click on it. Lightroom will try to automatically find a good source for the patch/clone - but you can also drag that around.

So you always click on the spot to fix, and there will be an attached 'source' circle that you can move to change the clone or heal source pixels.

codys

Canon EOS-20D