PP - which?

[Rob MacKillop]

I have Photoshop CS3 Extended and the soon-to-run-out beta version of Lightroom 4. I don't know enough about all this pp malarkey, so I'm wondering if I need LR4 if I have PS CS3? There seems to be a lot of crossover between them, and LR4 is set up for creating books, etc (which I don't require...yet). How good or useful is PS CS3? Any good books on how to use it well?

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Dummies book? Photoshop CS3 for Dummies (For Dummies): Amazon.co.uk: Peter Bauer: Books

 

[Pete Askew]

PS3 is perfectly capable of satisfying your needs but the work-flow and cataloguing capabilities are not as good as LR. My preferred workflow is to import raw files into LR. Then sort and rate them. Then do much of the basic adjustments / look and then only use PS for 'heavy-duty' work and adding borders etc (maybe LR4 has decent borders at last - I'll find out soon when I upgrade). The great thing is the ability to create collections and manage a large(ish) number of images in one place. You can then export and upload directly from LR, create web pages, print and, as you note, create books. But the power is in the cataloguing and basic image editing either using the sliders or pre-built / own presets. You can go straight to PS (and other programmes, such as Nik Filters) directly from LR and the edited version will end up back in the catalogue (as a copy). You can also create multiple virtual copies of an image and try different edits to them with minimal use of space.

My advice would be to use both. LR as the main tool and PS when you need it from 'inside' LR.

 

[Davie Hudson]

i've always found the best way to learn anything computer based is to play with it, but i think that works for me because i'm a programmer in the daytime. i've always just wanted an effect then learned how to do it

 

[Chris Dodkin]

I would say that Photoshop can do anything, but it's not pre set-up for the photographer.

LR looks like it was designed by photographers, to give them familiar controls to get the effects they want to see.

I still use Photoshop, as that's what I grew up with.

I have added photographic add-ons from Topaz Labs, which work in Photoshop, and give me more photographer friendly controls for things like B&W conversion, or image enhancement.

I recently upgraded to Photoshop 5, so that I could shoot RAW images on the X100, then use Photoshop to convert these RAW files to work on.

Earlier Photoshop versions cannot read the RAW file from the X100, just the JPEG.

Horses for courses - you end up investing time and effort learning how to get the results you want, then usually stick with that software for ever more!

 

[Kev Pugh]

One of the big down sides to PS3 and Fuji RAW, I use the Fuji software to download from camera, save as Tiff then load into PS for treatment. am thinking the LR is needed now though..

 

[Ralph Thornton]

Since I'm a Canon shooter I use Canon's DPP software that comes free with the camera to organize and process my RAW files. From the RAW I create tif files which I then post process in PhotoShop CS2. As soon as I can upgrade my computer system (wife's had priority ;( ), I'll update my PhotoShop to a more recent version. This should provide all the horsepower I need for work on my photos.

There are more than a few books and many workshops on using PhotoShop. I continually find better ways to work on my photos.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Thanks for your comments, guys. Much to ponder. Might have to wait a month or so to purchase LR4, so will explore CS3 in the meantime.

Rob

 

[Pete Askew]

You can use Adobe DNG converter to covert the X100 raw files into a format you can work with I think.

Adobe - Adobe Camera Raw and DNG Converter : For Windows : Adobe DNG Converter 6.4 update

 

[Allan Batchelor]

LR4 Beta handles RAF's from the Fuji so Im sorted till end of March till I get paid again and buy full version

Rob I know where your coming from I have been using PS for a wee while but as mention Bridge is ok but not as powerful as LR in its organization of your pictures

 

[Rob MacKillop]

OK. LR4 it is - soonish.

 

[Aleks Isachenko]

I download RAWs from camera to LR4, then sort them, mark them, delete defected files or miss focused. Than do some adjustments in Develop Module and only after that export files to hard disc as jpegs or psds. Photoshop is used for detailed retouching.

OK. LR4 it is - soonish.

By the way, did you already purchase LR4 or still use beta?

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Hi Aleks. I had the Beta version, but still have no money to by L4, even though the price seems very good. I teach guitar for a living, and students are coming once every three or four weeks instead of every week, so that means a big drop in income. Need to get more students, but times are hard. Anybody want a guitar lesson?