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Author Topic: Lightroom for full-time ameteur use?  (Read 6292 times)

sebpayne

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Lightroom for full-time ameteur use?
« on: March 16, 2006, 02:02:30 pm »

Hi Everyone

First post, long time reader  . Anyway, I'm a student and I love photography. Shooting in RAW allows me so much flexability - it is great! Anyway, I am trying to work out which software to purchase. My Photoshop trial has ended (good while it lasted) but I can't afford CS2 - even with the student's discount. So, my options to start processing RAW without a demo is:

a.) Use Lightroom and hope I can afford it with a student discount (might have more money by then)

b.) Purchase Elements 4 and use Elements 4/Bridge for RAW processing and switch to Lightroom in the future (possibly)

c.) Use Photoshop Elemets 4 for pixel-editing and Lightroom for the majority of stuff.

d.) Another option?

I have used Bibble, ACR and Lightroom but I like Lightroom the best. I don't need heavy weight DAM facilities - just somewhere to stow away from photos and access them with keywords which I can currently do. It isn't lighting fast while importing my library (1,600 images on a Mac Mini/PowerBook) but it is pretty speed when running which I can cope with.

So guys, what would you recommend. I personally didn't feel too at home with Photoshop/Bridge for RAW processing - don't know why but Bridge wasn't my cup of tea. Minolta Viewer is not worth the CD it came on, Bibble Lite is nice but can't export DNG, CaptureONE doesn't support my camera (KM A200) as don't iPhoto or Aperture. So, any opinions are gratefully receieved! Would it be stupid to transfer my library into Lightroom and start using that full time?

Thanks

Seb
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Pelao

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Lightroom for full-time ameteur use?
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2006, 02:34:09 pm »

It seems sensible that you are trying different options. I have read (and tis could be meaningless) that LR is likely to be priced somwhere between Elements and CS2. So if you commit to using LR now, be ready for that investment.
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sebpayne

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Lightroom for full-time ameteur use?
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2006, 02:54:53 pm »

Sorry, it does seem confusing (probally because I am a bit confused!). Anyway, I don't like using ACR/Photoshop for my photos. For the moment, I'll stick with Lightroom Beta and hopefully, build up enough money to afford it. Does anyone have any experience of PSE4 and how it compares with PSCS2.

Thanks Again
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John Camp

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Lightroom for full-time ameteur use?
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2006, 05:35:57 pm »

I haven't tried Photoshop Elements for a while, but the last time I did, it seemed more like a program for fixing up snapshots. However, Michael Reichmann has a friend named Norman Koren (you can Google Koren's website for a lot of information) who highly recommends a Photoshop-like progam called Picture Window Pro; he says it'll do everything you need to do to a photograph, that it's more intuitive and easier to learn. Best of all, you can download a copy for a 30-day free trial, and if you decide to buy, the full price is only about $100. You can look at the website here:

http://www.dl-c.com/Temp/

Also, Koren has a long review/explanation of the program on his site. With the free/downloadable Lightroom beta, and the free downloadable PWP, you could probably put off any money-spending choices for a while...

JC
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61Dynamic

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Lightroom for full-time ameteur use?
« Reply #4 on: March 20, 2006, 12:08:13 am »

I was hired to do some training for a photographer who was just breaking into the world of pro-shooting and digital photography that was using PSE4.

My opinions on the app can be summed up in one word:

Odd.

I'm very familiar with PS/PSE2 and quite adaptable to editing software. PSE4 was like a mix of a slimmed down PSE2 and Google's Picasa program. You can read a review of PSE3 at DPReview and see what the interface is all about. You can turn that junk off though and get a program that is very similar to the full PS and you can find plugins to give PSE curves and channel mixer tools.

PSE4 comes with a image browser/manager which used to be Photoshop Album. I loathe that POS. Again, you can learn more at that DPReview review.

To be frank, you may never even need the full power of Photoshop. PSE and Lightroom can make for powerful allies.

As to using LR full time, I know Michael is and I am on the verge of doing so. I've transfered allot of images there (professionally taken and not). Depending on how the Beta 3 stacks up, I just might make the plunge fully.

John,
PWP is Windows only and Seb is Mac.
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