Is it possible to fade opacity with Masking 2.0? in Lightroom

[digitaldog]

But apparently not an option in ACR. 

[Paul2660]

Good to know. As I was wanting this as much in ACR. Strange it did not carry over.

Paul

[simon.garrett@iee.org]

It appears when you click the small arrow top right on the adjustments panels for the particular mask when it's selected. The panel collapses just leaving the amount slider. It all disappears if you close the Masking options.

Sorry, I'm being very dumb.  I don't see such a "small arrow top right on the adjustments panels for the particular mask when it's selected".  Can you give a screen shot please?

Edit: sorry again, I eventually found it!  Thanks for the explanation.

It appears that collapsing the Effect panel shows the "Amount" slider, which seems to be the same as the "Exposure" slider when the full panel is shown, or have I got that wrong?

[Rhossydd]

It appears that collapsing the Effect panel shows the "Amount" slider, which seems to be the same as the "Exposure" slider when the full panel is shown, or have I got that wrong?

No, a similar place on screen, but a different panel.

[simon.garrett@iee.org]

No, a similar place on screen, but a different panel.

Here's an example.  I created a mask (Color Range in this case):



Then I collapsed the panel to show the "Amount slider" and set it to 1.26:



Then I expanded the panel again:



Now "Exposure" is 1.26.

[Rhossydd]

Here's an example.  I created a mask (Color Range in this case):

Then I collapsed the panel to show the "Amount slider" and set it to 1.26:

Then I expanded the panel again:

Now "Exposure" is 1.26.

Not seeing your images referenced, but playing around here I see what you're getting at. There's something very weird going on with this slider, it doesn't just change the amount of the whole mask settings, but just one option and annoyingly doesn't state which slider it's controlling. All a mess and basically not working properly.

Is this documented anywhere to explain what it's meant to do or how it should be used ?

[simon.garrett@iee.org]

Not seeing your images referenced, but playing around here I see what you're getting at. There's something very weird going on with this slider, it doesn't just change the amount of the whole mask settings, but just one option and annoyingly doesn't state which slider it's controlling. All a mess and basically not working properly.

Is this documented anywhere to explain what it's meant to do or how it should be used ?

On a quick Googling, I couldn't find anything about it. 

[mcbroomf]

What I'm seeing is that if I've changed say 4 sliders on my mask the Amount/Custom slider can be moved and it will change all of those sliders which has the effect the OP was looking for (ie fading a mask).  ie moving all the way to the left resets all of the sliders.    Bear in mind that it will also adjust a colour slider, moving it towards zero.  I guess a mask fade would do the same thing.

[Rhossydd]

What I'm seeing is that if I've changed say 4 sliders on my mask the Amount/Custom slider can be moved and it will change all of those sliders which has the effect the OP was looking for (ie fading a mask). .... I guess a mask fade would do the same thing.

Yes, I can see that now. What still makes little sense is the starting number shown on the slider, sometimes the same as a slider value in the panel, sometimes not.

[Rand47]

I’m surprised that there isn’t a short-cut key to invoke the “Amount” panel.  When I dropped down the shortcuts menu from the masks panel, they have a shortcut for almost everything.

I agree that a “true” opacity adjustment would be nice, and a “better” approach.  And while I’m at it, a curves adjustment for masks would be the cat’s pajamas.

Rand

[simon.garrett@iee.org]

Yes, I can see that now. What still makes little sense is the starting number shown on the slider, sometimes the same as a slider value in the panel, sometimes not.

Yes, that's weird!  I didn't investigate thoroughly, but it appeared to me that the Amount slider starts at the value it was last left at, irrespective of the position of other sliders on the full panel.  If that's true, it sounds like a bug. 

[Rhossydd]

Yes, that's weird!  I didn't investigate thoroughly, but it appeared to me that the Amount slider starts at the value it was last left at, irrespective of the position of other sliders on the full panel.  If that's true, it sounds like a bug.

Also 'sticky' from mask to mask too. I can't see any way that's a 'feature', definitely a bug.

[john beardsworth]

Also 'sticky' from mask to mask too. I can't see any way that's a 'feature', definitely a bug.

If I understand what you're referring to, it's actually similar to before. If you start a local adjustment but move sliders before dragging onto the image, then those initial slider values are saved as a default. What is new is down at the bottom of the sliders - a Reset Sliders Automatically check box. I have this unchecked because I like the behaviour, but you might want it checked.

[Rhossydd]

If I understand what you're referring to, it's actually similar to before.

No, I understand how the effective defaults on sliders could be carried forward.
This is just the amount slider by itself.

Go have a play with multiple masks on an image and see how it behaves. There's something odd and unpredictable going on there.

[john beardsworth]

I've been using them for months.

[Rhossydd]

I've been using them for months.

Doesn't the bizarre way the amount slider works not bother you ?

[fdisilvestro]

No, I understand how the effective defaults on sliders could be carried forward.
This is just the amount slider by itself.

Go have a play with multiple masks on an image and see how it behaves. There's something odd and unpredictable going on there.

If you have multiple brushes in the same mask, then they all will have the same amount in the sliders. If you have different masks, then each will be independent. At least that is my experience.
And no, I don't like the way it has been implemented.

[Rhossydd]

Starting to understand the amount slider better now.
The number on the amount slider is the amount of greatest change on any control in the local adjustment panel for a specific mask. Changing the adjustment slider moves, most*, controls towards or away from zero proportionally, but can’t move them beyond their maximum or go past zero (change from negative to positive, or visa versa).
The amount slider still shows as a positive value, even if all adjustments are negative.

There’s room for confusion here as the exposure slider’s control goes in stops 1-4, rather than 1-100 like most other controls, but is shown in the amount slider on a 100 scale (ie +1 = 25 or -2 = 50).

Even with this understanding I think it could be better implemented and more intuitive.

*Hue adjustments aren’t changed by the amount slider, understandably.