Ben,
You're right!
I don't apply by default. I apply manually, as in, I tick Enable Lens Profile Corrections and make the relevant selections.
I've just tried working on a file without the lens corrections in place and it's a smooth as glass!
So, the solution seems to be to apply the lens corrections at the very end of the workflow, just before saving out the file.
Thanks!
D.
Just processed a full wedding in ACR 6.1 so I have more of an idea. It seems, at least for me, that the sharpening of the preview (at all zooms) is what is really slowing ACR down. Using the Local Adjustment Brush I'm having to wait for a couple of seconds to see the effect of what I've just painted which is annoying as heck as it's no longer real time. Makes it very very hard to do. I can see ACR apply the brush then apply the sharpening and it's just taking too long.
Does anyone know if there is any way to switch off the sharpening except at 100% like in the old ACR? I know it makes for a more accurate preview which I enjoy but it's making using some tools almost unworkeable.
I also have the dreaded semi circle brush. In CS4 this problem disappeared by disabling GPU, it's disabled in CS5 but I still have the problem.
Few other niggles, you can't save '2003 processing' as a default, it's significantly slower to open RAW files from ACR to PS, etc.
Sigh..
That said, Lens correction tools are very very nice to have, having the automatic vignetting correction as well as distortion was a real treat! The colour even with my old profiles is a lot better especially in the faces and mixed lighting, adobe's weak point in the past IMO. I don't want to go back but I do want it to work as well as CS4 without the problems such as lag and half circles.