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Author Topic: Lightroom vs. Capture One in 2018  (Read 5791 times)

kpz

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Lightroom vs. Capture One in 2018
« on: October 13, 2018, 06:51:28 pm »

I'm a relatively new photographer with some technical background investigating both Lightroom and Capture One. I have a LR subscription and am about to download the C1 demo. For my purposes, both are probably "good enough," but I am curious about the following issues. I've read a few comparisons that are 2-3 years old and I wonder if they are still valid today. My understanding is despite a small update to the Lightroom process version this year, the underlying algorithms (e.g. sharpening, denoising, demosaicing) in LR are as they were about 6 years ago. On the other hand, C1 has been updated a lot since then, so possibly it has gained ground on LR.

First, it seems clear that C1 produces better images on its default settings than LR does. Less clear to me is whether it has an image quality advantage after basic edits have been performed in each, since some accuse C1 of "juicing" their default settings to appear superior. Also important to me is the level of effort required. Maybe it is possible that LR can produce results as good as C1 after serious work, but if I can do that by default in C1, then that's anadvantage in favor in C1.

So, do you consider C1 to have an image quality, or at least effort, advantage on LR in its 2018 incarnation?

Second, how does C1's current highlight recovery algorithm compare to LR? My focus on comparing these two is mostly on image quality, and this was the only place where I found consistent claims -- backed with visual comparisons -- that LR was superior to C1, at least a few years ago. It seemed that the LR highlights and shadows sliders were just better.  Is this still the case?

Thanks for your help.
« Last Edit: October 13, 2018, 07:13:17 pm by kpz »
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Zen8

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Re: Lightroom vs. Capture One in 2018
« Reply #1 on: October 13, 2018, 08:09:48 pm »

I believe C1 is juiced up little for the out of the box look. I think Adobe's response was adding new colour Profiles, Auto Tone and increasing the sharpening default to 40. I came across a video where C1 was showing how much better it looked at the start. I know the LR example was before export and more than likely Adobe Standard. Export sharpening could have been added to C1, I'm not sure.

I tried C1 and it is good. While their colour is good some say it is a little oversaturated. I liked it but I ignored the colour, worked the rest and it just didn't work for me. I'm a Canon colour person so LR's emulations work for me. If I need to get serious then I'll ColorChecker Passport.   

Try some heavy crops of birds or anything with a lot of detail. Work the detail on both and see what you think.     

With my Default Develop tweaks, Auto Tone and Jeffrey Friedl's Personalized Auto Tone and Bulk Develop plugins (after import) I can export a decent file in about 20 - 30 seconds with no intervention except pressing buttons. That is usually my starting point before serious editing.                                     

Chris Kern

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Re: Lightroom vs. Capture One in 2018
« Reply #2 on: October 13, 2018, 08:14:07 pm »

I'm a relatively new photographer with some technical background investigating both Lightroom and Capture One. . . . do you consider C1 to have an image quality, or at least effort, advantage on LR in its 2018 incarnation?

I can't speak for anyone else, but I would be surprised if anyone here can provide definitive answers to your questions.  My recommendation would be to take a small group of raw files that represent the kinds of images you expect to be working with, and process each of them with both products until you feel you have extracted the best results each product can deliver.  Then compare the image quality and the effort involved to achieve it, and decide which product seems the better fit for your workflow and objectives.

Frankly, I don't think the choice of post-processing software is going to have anywhere near as great an effect on the pictures you make as what happens in the moments leading up to the instant when you snap the shutter.

Zen8

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Re: Lightroom vs. Capture One in 2018
« Reply #3 on: October 13, 2018, 09:10:33 pm »

That is a good point. If course that was just my opinion, I have nothing measurable to add. The initial cost didn't help the decision. That a factor when I was testing it last fall deciding about LR7. Something you should know. If you like the latest, the last 3 version updates  were one year apart almost to the day. I think they are about $100.             

Christopher

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Re: Lightroom vs. Capture One in 2018
« Reply #4 on: October 14, 2018, 01:07:53 pm »

For me the biggest difference isn’t quality. (I prefer c1, but think LR does a decent job.) However, speed wise it’s a different story.

C1 still crushes Lightroom, I can sort, check and edit images so much faster, because I never have to wait for the program. In LR there are often moments where I have to wait for an instance.


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Christopher Hauser
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Alan Klein

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Re: Lightroom vs. Capture One in 2018
« Reply #5 on: October 14, 2018, 03:42:26 pm »

I never find any delay when using LR. (bought version, not CC).  I'm often editing 200mb files of my medium format 120 film shots.  It could be the computer slowing you down. 

Christopher

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Re: Lightroom vs. Capture One in 2018
« Reply #6 on: October 14, 2018, 03:45:56 pm »

Nope certainly not. It’s a 12 core, 128gb ram, SSD only, recent graphic card, workstation.

LR gotten better, but when working with 50 and 100MP files Lightroom is just behind C1. 

The difference is even more obvious when for example doing something like, checking sharpness in 10 images for a panorama. In capture one it is so much faster and easier.


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Christopher Hauser
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faberryman

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Re: Lightroom vs. Capture One in 2018
« Reply #7 on: October 14, 2018, 03:59:29 pm »

I am rarely in a hurry to edit my files, so processing speed is down the list of my priorities. I take whatever time I need to get them right. As you might have guessed, I am not a wedding or events photographer.
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Zen8

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Re: Lightroom vs. Capture One in 2018
« Reply #8 on: October 14, 2018, 10:33:56 pm »

I like getting the basics out of the way quickly and before I get into it. I see no value in adjusting black and white clipping if something can do it for me.     
« Last Edit: October 15, 2018, 01:19:54 am by Zen8 »
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Martin Kristiansen

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Re: Lightroom vs. Capture One in 2018
« Reply #9 on: October 15, 2018, 03:07:51 am »

I find the LR workflow much faster than C1. I think C1 is better out the box than LR but it takes very little time to do the edits in LR.

Thing is I prefer the tools in C1 and Sony is very much better with C1. I struggle with my Sony colour in LR unless I am doing a commercial catalogue shoot where clean literal colour, sharp and with good contrast is what is required. If I am editing work where personal interpretation and feel is the driving motivation then I get much better results in C1.

So I use both. It’s a personal thing.
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DP

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Re: Lightroom vs. Capture One in 2018
« Reply #10 on: October 16, 2018, 07:06:23 am »

My understanding is despite a small update to the Lightroom process version this year, the underlying algorithms (e.g. sharpening, denoising, demosaicing) in LR are as they were about 6 years ago.

Adobe claims that "Process Version 5...photos edited in Camera Raw 11 display better rendering for high ISO images" which might imply some tuning

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Zen8

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Re: Lightroom vs. Capture One in 2018
« Reply #11 on: October 16, 2018, 12:35:35 pm »

Adobe claims that "Process Version 5...photos edited in Camera Raw 11 display better rendering for high ISO images" which might imply some tuning

My understanding is Adobe corrected it for high ISO images while using DeHaze only. Nothing to do with the Detail settings.         

DP

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Re: Lightroom vs. Capture One in 2018
« Reply #12 on: October 16, 2018, 07:11:31 pm »

My understanding is Adobe corrected it for high ISO images while using DeHaze only. Nothing to do with the Detail settings.       

IMHO the line about dehaze is totally separate = "You also have more latitude when you use negative dehaze and easily add haze for creative effect."
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Zen8

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Re: Lightroom vs. Capture One in 2018
« Reply #13 on: October 16, 2018, 07:39:26 pm »

IMHO the line about dehaze is totally separate = "You also have more latitude when you use negative dehaze and easily add haze for creative effect."

I'm finding this confusing. Where did you find that? I thought I had see something about better noise reduction but I found this.

The Process Version has been updated in order to improve Dehaze and purple noise.

Moving Dehaze to the left could have some unexpected results in earlier versions, like the strange yellow shown below, and high ISO photos could turn purple in the shadows in some circumstances, but these issues are fixed in PV5. You don’t need to update your existing photos unless they exhibit one of these issues.
   


https://www.lightroomqueen.com/whats-new-in-lightroom-classic-80/

DP

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Re: Lightroom vs. Capture One in 2018
« Reply #14 on: October 16, 2018, 07:51:28 pm »

I'm finding this confusing. Where did you find that?

https://helpx.adobe.com/camera-raw/using/whats-new.html

Quote
Process Version 5

Adobe Camera Raw features an improved image processing version, by default. All new photos edited in Camera Raw 11 display better rendering for high ISO images. You also have more latitude when you use negative dehaze and easily add haze for creative effect.
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DP

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Re: Lightroom vs. Capture One in 2018
« Reply #15 on: October 16, 2018, 07:55:00 pm »


Moving Dehaze to the left could have some unexpected results in earlier versions, like the strange yellow shown below, and high ISO photos could turn purple in the shadows in some circumstances, but these issues are fixed in PV5. You don’t need to update your existing photos unless they exhibit one of these issues.
   


https://www.lightroomqueen.com/whats-new-in-lightroom-classic-80/

(A) "Moving Dehaze to the left could have some unexpected results in earlier versions, like the strange yellow shown below"

and separately about

(B) "high ISO photos could turn purple in the shadows in some circumstances"

granted this is probably not about noise reduction, but probably about using the right black level(s) for certain camera models @ certain "high" nominal ISO dialed in
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Zen8

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Re: Lightroom vs. Capture One in 2018
« Reply #16 on: October 16, 2018, 08:04:43 pm »

https://helpx.adobe.com/camera-raw/using/whats-new.html

Thanks very much! I like the way this one is explained better. That site is very good but with that explanation I couldn't tell if it was a continuation of the Dehaze explanation or a new topic.     

and high ISO photos could turn purple in the shadows in some circumstances,   

I have to say and I'm not sure if my eyes deceive me but after exporting previously edited files in Version 5 they seem to have a cleaner look to them. Non high ISO shots. Not sure if my brain wants to see that or it's actually happening.             

jrsforums

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Re: Lightroom vs. Capture One in 2018
« Reply #17 on: October 16, 2018, 08:18:48 pm »


http://greylearningblog.com/new-features-in-lightroom-classic-cc-8-0/

New Process Version

The October 2018 release of Lightroom Classic CC includes new Process Version 5. While a new process version has typically involved the addition of significant new features in the Develop module, with this release the updates are a bit more modest.

Noise reduction has been improved to help reduce the appearance of a purple color cast in photos captured at high ISO settings. In addition, the Dehaze adjustment has been improved to help reduce noise when you use a negative value for Dehaze.
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John

Zen8

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Re: Lightroom vs. Capture One in 2018
« Reply #18 on: October 16, 2018, 08:29:06 pm »

Yeah. I was looking at the beak of a bird close up it and I think it looks better. I can't really describe it.
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