Would like to know strong reason to switch to Capture One from Lr/PS

[IanSeward]

Very very informative. It is eye opening. Thank you.

Yes, I found it interesting.  I wonder if this part is the reason peopel say they prefer the "look" of C1 images?

 "I  would  describe Capture One’s contrast setting as producing a more film-like look. When Capture One encounters high-contrast subjects, however, it adaptively applies a  softer  contrast  curve." 

Ian

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

How do they differ from layers in Photoshop?

Although similar results can be achieved in both, C1 doesn't require Photoshop (!) and (unlike earlier incarnations of Photoshop) therefore the adjustments are part of the Raw conversion process. That's significant because C1 doesn't use a fixed workingspace. The adjustments can also be applied to several very powerful tools like the Advanced Color Editor with a specific mask, either one tool alone on in concert with several other tools at the same time per adjustment layer. That also makes it easy to create several adjustment layers with different tools, at different settings, for different purposes, that can be switched on/off as required for those purposes.

Cheers,
Bart

[digitaldog]

What DNG issues?  C1 works fine with DNG.

Ian

Oh it 'works' but not fully unless things have changed since I last tried to use custom .DCP profile:

https://forum.luminous-landscape.com/index.php?topic=97957.0[/size]

Other 'oddities":

http://www.markgaler.com/top-10-reasons-i-wont-be-switching-to-capture-one-pro[/font]

https://fstoppers.com/education/confessions-lightroom-user-trying-capture-one-pro-workflow-153879

[Kiwi Paul]

I made the switch to C1 years ago and have never looked back.  There are many advantages I could cite, but one of the biggest is C1's layer model - and being able to give the layers descriptive names.  Layers let me keep track of my edits, see their individual masks, turn them on or off individually, and I can go back anytime later and easily retrace my steps and make improvements.   It's huge.

I agree the layers functionality is excellent for the reasons you described, the adjustment brush in LR can achieve similar results but doesn't have the full range of adjustments available and if you have several different adjustments it can be tricky going back to edit them trying to locate the correct "pin".

[fdisilvestro]

How do they differ from layers in Photoshop?

Layers in C1 are adjustment layers only and you are still in a parametric editor. The way to localize edits is by drawing masks (analogous to layer masks) for the region where you want the apply the edit. Layers in photoshop can be adjustment layers or bitmap layers, which increase the size of the file.

If Adobe put the effort, they could make the adjustment brushes in LR work like the layers in C1.

What is missing in LR adjustment brushes?
- No way to assign a name or a label
- There is no way to select an adjustment brush that is just below another adjusment brush
- There is only a limited set of adjustments that you can use (HSL panel for instance)

[David Grover / Capture One]

Layers in C1 are adjustment layers only and you are still in a parametric editor. The way to localize edits is by drawing masks (analogous to layer masks) for the region where you want the apply the edit. Layers in photoshop can be adjustment layers or bitmap layers, which increase the size of the file.

If Adobe put the effort, they could make the adjustment brushes in LR work like the layers in C1.

What is missing in LR adjustment brushes?
- No way to assign a name or a label
- There is no way to select an adjustment brush that is just below another adjusmebt brush
- There is only a limited set of adjustments that you can use (HSL panel for instance)

I'll add the ability to adjust Layer opacity at any point. 

Also, what I like is adding filled Layers in Capture One, so you can fine tune an edit and then brush in / or erase where needed.

Oh, and Styles as a Layer with variable opacity is also a good feature.

Finally, Filled Layers with a Color Grade from the Color Balance tool.

[David Grover / Capture One]

Oh it 'works' but not fully unless things have changed since I last tried to use custom .DCP profile:

https://forum.luminous-landscape.com/index.php?topic=97957.0[/size]

Other 'oddities":

http://www.markgaler.com/top-10-reasons-i-wont-be-switching-to-capture-one-pro[/font]

https://fstoppers.com/education/confessions-lightroom-user-trying-capture-one-pro-workflow-153879

The last article is from Capture One 9, we are now on V11.

I agree if you are sold on a DNG workflow, then Adobe products will handle it better, which is no surprise as it is an Adobe format after all.

One man's oddity is another's delight I am sure. 

[elliot_n]

A strong case in being made for Capture One. I currently use ACR + Photoshop. If I downloaded Capture One, and some video tutorials, how long would it take for me to become a proficient user? Could I learn it in a weekend?

[fdisilvestro]

Oh, and Styles as a Layer with variable opacity is also a good feature.

That’s the icing on the cake! 

[Martin Kristiansen]

A strong case in being made for Capture One. I currently use ACR + Photoshop. If I downloaded Capture One, and some video tutorials, how long would it take for me to become a proficient user? Could I learn it in a weekend?

Tough to say. First how smart are you and what do you consider proficient? I think I am of average intelligence but quite experienced. Took me about a day of fiddling and watching youtube to be able to produce results I was happy with and to create a rudimentary workflow.

I enjoy working in C1. The tools match the way I think and see. It kind of reminds me a little of a weird old program called Live Picture from the mid 1990s that I really loved working with.

There are some things I would like to see improved such as luminosity masking as someone has already said on this thread. The lack of a history palette is meaningless to me. Never used it in LR. I dont see the point. I generally know what I want and will edit until I have it. If the image is too dark I brighten it, if later I think its now too bright I go and darken it a bit. I just dont go back to a history state. I thought that might be a way to work but I never got into it. It was only when someone mentioned the lack of a history in C1 that I actually realised it wasn't there.

[digitaldog]

The last article is from Capture One 9, we are now on V11.

I agree if you are sold on a DNG workflow, then Adobe products will handle it better, which is no surprise as it is an Adobe format after all.

As is TIFF (owned and controlled by Adobe); do they handle that correctly? Either fully and correctly follow the spec or don’t support it at all! Does newer versions of C1 do this for DNG or not?

[David Grover / Capture One]

A strong case in being made for Capture One. I currently use ACR + Photoshop. If I downloaded Capture One, and some video tutorials, how long would it take for me to become a proficient user? Could I learn it in a weekend?

Take a look at learn.phaseone.com and use the filters to go by experience level or subject.  Enjoy!

[digitaldog]

The last article is from Capture One 9, we are now on V11.

Since you appear to represent Phase One, perhaps you can provide the software change logs that indicate DNG support (so to speak), from V9 to current has been addressed? IF SO, I'd revisit the software again. IF NOT, well, maybe you guys should fix or stop with DNG?

[UnfamiliarLight]

A strong case in being made for Capture One. I currently use ACR + Photoshop. If I downloaded Capture One, and some video tutorials, how long would it take for me to become a proficient user? Could I learn it in a weekend?

As was said it does depend a bit on how proficient you want to be after the weekend. I was making basic edits that I was (am still) happy with after a couple of days. I used to use Photoshop for everything (in my scanned film days) so I didn't need to learn how to use layers and masks - just the controls in C1. After a few months on C1 I am still learning but I would be still learning LR too I am sure.
One of the things that I have really enjoyed in C1 is the colour editing capabilities - still got a lot to learn to get better but it is something that I am sure I can get better results easier in C1 than LR once I have some more experience.

[UnfamiliarLight]

I used LR since V1 but never found the history function of any interest for three reasons:
<reasons snipped>

What I used to use it for was when revisiting an image that I thought could be better I would embark on a course of action and if it didn't work out I used the history to return to where I started in one step. Yes, undo would get me the same thing - just after a lot of clicking. Yes, a virtual copy would have also worked - and possibly better too. I'm not saying history is needed just how I used it. Now in C1 I use a second variant to accomplish the same thing. Frankly, it's a better way to go.

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

Now in C1 I use a second variant to accomplish the same thing. Frankly, it's a better way to go.

I also do not use history, but I do use Variants. I see no need for a record of every little tweak I do while honing in on a setting. But for testing different approaches, Variants are much more useful. CaptureOne additionally offers to (temporarily) roll back changes per slider or per tool with a single (ALT-) mouse-click, which makes it easy to isolate the contribution of that control or tool to the final image.

And that is one of the pitfalls for new users. They attempt to replicate a prior workflow they taught themselves while circumnavigating peculiarities  (or a specific MO) in a given program. No need to try and do the same in a program that offers 'better' ways of achieving things.

Cheers,
Bart

[jimh]

I agree, besides the top-notch Raw conversion quality, the adjustment layers for all tools is a significant feature.
Hopefully, the next version of C1 will expand on it with some kind of intelligent Luminosity Masking.

Cheers,
Bart

Can you elaborate a bit on what "intelligent Luminosity Masking" would be and do?

[john beardsworth]

What I used to use it for was when revisiting an image that I thought could be better I would embark on a course of action and if it didn't work out I used the history to return to where I started in one step. Yes, undo would get me the same thing - just after a lot of clicking. Yes, a virtual copy would have also worked - and possibly better too. I'm not saying history is needed just how I used it. Now in C1 I use a second variant to accomplish the same thing. Frankly, it's a better way to go.

That's just a superficial use of LR's History log. It has two main roles:

• An Undo that works even if you've closed LR numerous times
• A way of setting the Before side of the Before / After view for fine tuning - hit Y, drag any previous editing step into the Before side

Variants aren't equivalent to LR's History. LR has variants too, called virtual copies, and you can also use them as a workaround for whatever History-like activity you choose. But in its History panel LR simply has a valuable feature that C1 lacks.

[Mike Dale]

If you will please tell me the advantage of Capture One over Adobe only from the point of processing capacities excluding the cost aspect. How about black and white aspect?

Download it, watch a few of the excellent tutorials and despite what the rabid Adobe fanboys tell you it's great program.

[faberryman]

Download it, watch a few of the excellent tutorials and despite what the rabid Adobe fanboys tell you it's great program.

And I thought the C1 users were the rabid ones. It kind of depends on which forums you visit.