Add your LR 7 feature requests

[ButchM]

My request was to add more value to LR through adding other feature that are not part of ACR. 

This a "relative" issue. Adding extra functionality outside of the Develop module in Lr isn't an issue. Since ACR is the Develop module, you are going to have a severe uphill battle lobbying for features to appear in Lr/Develop module that are not in ACR. Not necessarily for a lack of support for such an idea ... but that Mr. Noll or the ACR team would be unlikely to provide such, because as mentioned earlier, it is ACR development that is then ported/rewrapped in a different UI for Lightroom. ACR and the Develop module are not really separate entities in the truest sense. They are exactly the same toolset in a different visual presentation. Identical twins with a different fashion sense, if you will ... splitting up this family is not going to be open for discussion, nor is it likely a sensible option at this point in time.

I find it curious why one would want to add features to Lr, yet not desire to see those features in ACR. From a purely functionality aspect of course. I don't see how having identical capabilities for RAW development in ACR and the Lr Develop module would be a problem.

[mlewis]

Having used both extensively, I'm struggling to think of a single positive thing about ACR over LR.

One feature of ACR that is better than LR is when using the ruler to straghten an image.  In LR the image is zoomed out to fit into the work area.  This is often not useful when trying to use the ruler as you can't see the edge you want to use so easily.  In ACR you can be zoomed in and use the straighten ruler making it a lot easier to use the tool.

I really wish LR would get this feature.  Often when trying to straighten an image I have to zoom in to see how far off it is, change the rotation angle a bit, zoom in again to see if it is now straight or not and repeat until I am happy.  In ACR this would be a quick one step operation.

[john beardsworth]

I find it curious why one would want to add features to Lr, yet not desire to see those features in ACR. From a purely functionality aspect of course. I don't see how having identical capabilities for RAW development in ACR and the Lr Develop module would be a problem.

Because the LR user gets little value from every Develop feature being duplicated in ACR, and would gain more benefit if Adobe's efforts were redirected from feature parity. I'm being slightly provocative, because Adobe no doubt believes that enough people do use Bridge/Finder/Explorer as the jumping off point for raw conversion, but a good example is HDR/panorama. If I do those merges in LR, I just don't need that functionality to be in ACR too. And if I don't use LR for merges, I'm using PS's existing HDR/panorama features or a 3rd party tool - would I want ACR to do it too? In a CC world, shouldn't the ACR dialog be allowed to fade away?

[ButchM]

In a CC world, shouldn't the ACR dialog be allowed to fade away?

While I personally see no issue with this viewpoint in a theorhetical sense ... it overlooks two important factors.

1. Even in a CC world, not all the inhabitants actually utilize Lr CC. They consider Lr a necessary evil to get Ps for $9.99 a month. Taking away ACR from that segment will not be a battle easily won.

2. Convincing Mr. Knoll  your idea has merit. Not saying he wouldn't consider it plausible, but whether he and his team would consider it praftical at this point in time.

[Manoli]

Having used both extensively, I'm struggling to think of a single positive thing about ACR over LR.

Don't struggle - there isn't one ... 
But on a more serious note - there used to be a limitation on file size in Lr which was not the case in ACR. That was some time ago - just wondering if that limitation still exists ?

Because the LR user gets little value from every Develop feature being duplicated in ACR, and would gain more benefit if Adobe's efforts were redirected from feature parity.

Very much so. I can't think of any reason why Lr-Ps combo shouldn't replace ACR other than legacy requirements and those are fading as we move into a CC world, and anyway legacy Photoshop CSx is no longer affording compatibility other than with DNG so again that's hardly a reason not to move on.

Perpetual licence merchants get Lr, subscription gets Photoshop with Lr thrown in for free.
Other than the potential file size limitation is there another ?

[john beardsworth]

While I personally see no issue with this viewpoint in a theorhetical sense ... it overlooks two important factors.

1. Even in a CC world, not all the inhabitants actually utilize Lr CC. They consider Lr a necessary evil to get Ps for $9.99 a month. Taking away ACR from that segment will not be a battle easily won.

2. Convincing Mr. Knoll  your idea has merit. Not saying he wouldn't consider it plausible, but whether he and his team would consider it praftical at this point in time.

It deliberately does ignore those points. But since Adobe hasn't been afraid to inflict that "necessary evil", would they really worry about making people launch Lr instead of the ACR dialog?

[ButchM]

It deliberately does ignore those points. But since Adobe hasn't been afraid to inflict that "necessary evil", would they really worry about making people launch Lr instead of the ACR dialog?

Hey ... It matters little what I think ... you (and Adobe) have to convince the very vocal group of loyal ACR users that are dead set against using Lr ... I guarantee if Adobe would actually flip such a switch any time soon ... there will be a more than exuberant outcry ... there are some very staunch and steadfast users of ACR that will not disappear quietly or without making themselves heard.

For myself ... I can't remember the last time I actually opened ACR on purpose ... except to help someone else work through a problem or try to replicate a problem other users are experiencing. I rarely if every utilize ACR in my daily tasks.

[smahn]

If nothing else, ACR is nice for those wishing to work on files without cataloging them.

[PeterAit]

I would like to see a feature that prevents people from asking for new features for at least a month after the software is released.

[Denis de Gannes]

Hey ... It matters little what I think ... you (and Adobe) have to convince the very vocal group of loyal ACR users that are dead set against using Lr ... I guarantee if Adobe would actually flip such a switch any time soon ... there will be a more than exuberant outcry ... there are some very staunch and steadfast users of ACR that will not disappear quietly or without making themselves heard.

For myself ... I can't remember the last time I actually opened ACR on purpose ... except to help someone else work through a problem or try to replicate a problem other users are experiencing. I rarely if every utilize ACR in my daily tasks.

Agreed, I have not used ACR since version 2.4!
I have always been of the opinion that with the advent of Lightroom, Adobe should have provided purchasers of Photoshop CS with a free license of Lightroom and put Bridge/ACR to pasture. However the staunch  hard core of Photoshop would have none of it. Now they are supplying Lightroom free with the Creative Cloud Photographers Package. 

[jjj]

One feature of ACR that is better than LR is when using the ruler to straghten an image.  In LR the image is zoomed out to fit into the work area.  This is often not useful when trying to use the ruler as you can't see the edge you want to use so easily.  In ACR you can be zoomed in and use the straighten ruler making it a lot easier to use the tool.

I really wish LR would get this feature.  Often when trying to straighten an image I have to zoom in to see how far off it is, change the rotation angle a bit, zoom in again to see if it is now straight or not and repeat until I am happy.  In ACR this would be a quick one step operation.

Being able to zoom in for that would indeed be handy. It's frustrated me on a number of occasions.
So that's one uptick for ACR. Any more?

[jjj]

Agreed, I have not used ACR since version 2.4!
I have always been of the opinion that with the advent of Lightroom, Adobe should have provided purchasers of Photoshop CS with a free license of Lightroom and put Bridge/ACR to pasture. However the staunch  hard core of Photoshop would have none of it. Now they are supplying Lightroom free with the Creative Cloud Photographers Package. 

You do realise photographers are in a very small minority of PS users. It was less than 10% some years back before LR/ACR updates made PS even less necessary.
However making LR a proper DAM app rather than the half baked solution it currently is would be necessary to replace Bridge, as Bridge because an asset manager for all kinds of files that get opened in a variety of programmes.

[jjj]

If nothing else, ACR is nice for those wishing to work on files without cataloging them.

Except you won't know where they are to open.   

[Peter McLennan]

Add Photoshop's focus stacking functionality to Photo|Merge

[graeme]

You do realise photographers are in a very small minority of PS users. It was less than 10% some years back before LR/ACR updates made PS even less necessary.
However making LR a proper DAM app rather than the half baked solution it currently is would be necessary to replace Bridge, as Bridge because an asset manager for all kinds of files that get opened in a variety of programmes.

Yes. Lightroom is great for photographic work but Bridge is what you need if you have a project which involves Illustrator / Indesign files & none photographic PS work.

Graeme

[john beardsworth]

And

Yes. Lightroom is great for photographic work but Bridge is what you need if you have a project which involves Illustrator / Indesign files & none photographic PS work.

And that's always been one of my top LR requests - let me catalogue whatever types of files I want.

[ButchM]

Yes. Lightroom is great for photographic work but Bridge is what you need if you have a project which involves Illustrator / Indesign files & none photographic PS work.

Graeme

Bridge may work well with all types of files, but it is only a browser ... not a DAM solution bay any stretch of the imagination.

When it comes to Bridge, it is the one item I can agree with Kelby on 100%, there is a reason it is free. 

[ButchM]

And
And that's always been one of my top LR requests - let me catalogue whatever types of files I want.

Well, we see just how much influence you have.  ... they did open up Library and allow us the priveledge to catalog .png files, finally. Is that a sign they are "listening"? ...

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

Add Photoshop's focus stacking functionality to Photo|Merge

Hi Peter,

I thought focus-stacking was already implemented in Photoshop's Photomerge since quite a while. Is it missing in LR6?

Cheers,
Bart

[Nick Walker]

Preference option - leave keyword order as imported - don't reorganise into alphabetical order.