Adobe Lightroom Beta 3

Sw1tchFX · Oct 22, 2009

Is now available for download!

Many things different about LR3 in the image quality area, i'm not sure if it's for the better, but this is what i saw mostly at ISO 6400, and these examples pretty much sum it up.

I think the sharpening algorithm in LR3 is MUCH improved.
Profiles seem to work the same.
It's FASTER, for sure, and i think it uses less RAM too.

But i'm not sure about the noise handling.

I can see noise at Lo 1 and ISO200 on my D700 NEFs through LR3. There should be NO noise at all at those settings, ESPECIALLY Lo1. They're super clean in LR 2.5 and in the Jpegs, but still have a fine grain in LR3.

I'm going to have to experiment with it more, but i'm still undecided. I LOVE the new sharpening, LOVE the speed, still need to check out the grayscale mixer, but I think I like the OVERALL image quality out of LR 2.5 simply because low ISO's are cleaner.

Nikon D700, 50mm f/1.4G @ f/5.6, ISO 6400.

Jpeg Out of Camera (with my funky D2x picture control [i like it])

NEF through LIGHTROOM 2.5 (import, than export at total defaults)

NEF through LIGHTROOM 3 (import, than export at total defaults)

Honestly, i'm not exactly sure what to think of it. I like how LR 2.5 doesn't have the white speckles, but it's chunkier.

low ISO's i'll take a look at tomorrow if I decide to take my camera with me for the day. (saving up for a GF1, D700's too big to take it with me on a daily basis)

Hope this helps!

musicaleCA · Oct 22, 2009

Until LR3 supports inline updates of the old LR2 catalogues, I'm not interested. *sigh* It's kinda annoying, because that publish to Flickr service sounds mighty handy.

Garbz · Oct 22, 2009

Interesting but related possibly.

The sharpening looks finer and more controlled. Is it possible that the sharpening is then causing the noise?

Two theories here:
a) you're sharpening the noise and thus making it more prevalent.
b) you're perceiving sharpness because of the texture of the noise. Sharpness is perceived through micro fine contrast. The addition of a grain can make an image that has no added detail actually seem sharper to the eye.

I agree though there should be none of that at ISO200 on a D700. But I'm raising the point as does this added noise cause the perceived sharpness, and thus the sharpness may not be there in the final LR3?

FrankLamont · Oct 22, 2009

I do think that the LR 3 export does look a bit more like film grain... albeit a bit harsher. True that the 2.5 version is quite blocky.

It offers:

With a newly designed logo, version 3 features improved noise reduction facilities, as well as enhanced slideshows and intuitive importing. It also has direct online publishing to sites like Flickr.

Doesn't seem that worth an upgrade UNLESS the ISO handling is major. Maybe if the slideshows can be exported as slideshows, and are like ProShow slideshow, maybe then.