Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Lightroom 1.1 Update: Finally!
Posted by Jason Dunn in "SOFTWARE" @ 01:00 PM
I fired up Lightroom today and what I've been waiting for finally appeared:
The official Adobe Lightroom forum has been full of comments asking "When is 1.1 coming out?" for months now, and finally they have an answer. Adobe is well-known for infrequent product updates, and unfortunately Lightroom was no exception. Now, five months after Vista is released, they finally have a product that supports it. Some of the other criticisms of Lightroom have included the poor sharpening process - that seems to have been finally fixed. The update process is clumsy: rather than having an in-place update, you're simply directed to download the 1.1 demo which will presumarly patch the installed version.
According to the update page, the list of feature in 1.1 include:
• Flexible image management for multi-computer workflows
• Improved Noise Reduction and Sharpening technology
• Compatibility with Microsoft® Windows® Vista™
• New camera support
After I installed the update, I was amazed at the number of visual changes, so I dug into the help file after the 1.1 update and found a more comprehensive list. Check it out after the break.
• "Create and open catalogs A catalog is how Lightroom tracks the location of files and remembers information about them. A catalog is called a library or library database in Lightroom 1.0. In Lightroom 1.1, the terminology has been updated and you can easily create and open different catalogs in Lightroom 1.1.
• Import and export catalogs Export a group of selected photos as a new catalog or import photos from another catalog into an existing catalog.
• Synchronize folders Synchronizing folders provides the option of adding files that have been subsequently added to the folder but not imported into the catalog, removing files that have been deleted, and scanning for metadata updates. The photo files in the folder and all subfolders can be synchronized. You can determine which folders, subfolders, and files are imported.
• Enhanced DNG export settings DNG (digital negative) file creations now support the full set of conversion options. You can specify the JPEG preview size, select an image conversion method, specify a lossless compression, and determine whether to embed the original camera raw file. Lightroom lets you update the DNG preview on request.
• Additional metadata fields and presets The Metadata panel includes new options for large captions and location. The panel also includes new options for e-mail, URLs, and more. You can perform many actions, such as resolving metadata conflicts and opening a folder, by clicking the buttons to the right of the metadata fields.
• Hierarchical template folders Template panels now let you create additional folders with parent-child relationships. For photographers with a growing number of develop, print or web presets, this folder structure provides additional options for organizing photos.
You can also store presets with the catalog file for easy mobility.
• Painter tool In Lightroom 1.0, you apply keywords to multiple images in Grid view by using the Keyword Stamper tool. In Lightroom 1.1, the Painter tool replaces the Keyword Stamper tool. Not only can you use the Painter tool to apply keywords to photos, you can also apply labels, flags, ratings, develop settings, metadata, and rotation settings. You can click photos or drag across them as if painting.
• Remove Red Eye and Remove Spot tool enhancements In Lightroom 1.1, the Remove Red Eye tool has been improved to make it easier to detect and remove red eye. The Remove Spot tool has also been improved to make it easier to repair blemishes in photos.
• New develop settings In the Develop module, noise reduction and sharpening tools have been improved, and the Basic panel includes a new clarity control for adding extra “punch” to your images."
Any other Lightroom users out there? What do you think of the update so far?
The official Adobe Lightroom forum has been full of comments asking "When is 1.1 coming out?" for months now, and finally they have an answer. Adobe is well-known for infrequent product updates, and unfortunately Lightroom was no exception. Now, five months after Vista is released, they finally have a product that supports it. Some of the other criticisms of Lightroom have included the poor sharpening process - that seems to have been finally fixed. The update process is clumsy: rather than having an in-place update, you're simply directed to download the 1.1 demo which will presumarly patch the installed version.
According to the update page, the list of feature in 1.1 include:
• Flexible image management for multi-computer workflows
• Improved Noise Reduction and Sharpening technology
• Compatibility with Microsoft® Windows® Vista™
• New camera support
After I installed the update, I was amazed at the number of visual changes, so I dug into the help file after the 1.1 update and found a more comprehensive list. Check it out after the break.
• "Create and open catalogs A catalog is how Lightroom tracks the location of files and remembers information about them. A catalog is called a library or library database in Lightroom 1.0. In Lightroom 1.1, the terminology has been updated and you can easily create and open different catalogs in Lightroom 1.1.
• Import and export catalogs Export a group of selected photos as a new catalog or import photos from another catalog into an existing catalog.
• Synchronize folders Synchronizing folders provides the option of adding files that have been subsequently added to the folder but not imported into the catalog, removing files that have been deleted, and scanning for metadata updates. The photo files in the folder and all subfolders can be synchronized. You can determine which folders, subfolders, and files are imported.
• Enhanced DNG export settings DNG (digital negative) file creations now support the full set of conversion options. You can specify the JPEG preview size, select an image conversion method, specify a lossless compression, and determine whether to embed the original camera raw file. Lightroom lets you update the DNG preview on request.
• Additional metadata fields and presets The Metadata panel includes new options for large captions and location. The panel also includes new options for e-mail, URLs, and more. You can perform many actions, such as resolving metadata conflicts and opening a folder, by clicking the buttons to the right of the metadata fields.
• Hierarchical template folders Template panels now let you create additional folders with parent-child relationships. For photographers with a growing number of develop, print or web presets, this folder structure provides additional options for organizing photos.
You can also store presets with the catalog file for easy mobility.
• Painter tool In Lightroom 1.0, you apply keywords to multiple images in Grid view by using the Keyword Stamper tool. In Lightroom 1.1, the Painter tool replaces the Keyword Stamper tool. Not only can you use the Painter tool to apply keywords to photos, you can also apply labels, flags, ratings, develop settings, metadata, and rotation settings. You can click photos or drag across them as if painting.
• Remove Red Eye and Remove Spot tool enhancements In Lightroom 1.1, the Remove Red Eye tool has been improved to make it easier to detect and remove red eye. The Remove Spot tool has also been improved to make it easier to repair blemishes in photos.
• New develop settings In the Develop module, noise reduction and sharpening tools have been improved, and the Basic panel includes a new clarity control for adding extra “punch” to your images."
Any other Lightroom users out there? What do you think of the update so far?
