Photoshop vs lightroom

pthrift · Aug 23, 2014

Curiosity has the best of me now that I see photoshop is offered with lightroom for $10 a month.....

I currently use photoshop CS5. What if anything does lightroom bring to the table that cs5 does not? Is it worth looking into as another editing option to accompany cs5?

I'm not yet ready to sign up for CC and its monthly fees (my program isn't broken so why fix it) but I am curious enough to ask the hive mind here about additional programs.

Thanks in advance.

Tl; dr:: is lightroom worth buying for someone who already owns photoshop

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4. probably at work.

Browncoat · Aug 23, 2014

I used to be like you. I've been using Photoshop since version 1 and when Lightroom came out, it just seemed like a money grab...some silly new toy that would never measure up to the awesome power of Photoshop. When I had to buy it for a photography class I was taking, my mind was changed forever. These days, 98% of my photo editing takes place in Lightroom, and Photoshop collects dust for the most part.

Lightroom is more than an editing tool, it's archiving power can't be ignored. That alone is worth the price. The multiple avenues to sort, tag, etc. are invaluable. But as a photo editing tool, Lightroom is more intuitive, faster, and easier than Photoshop. Photoshop has evolved into a robust program that is more centered around graphic arts, whereas Lightroom is a dedicated program for digital photography.

astroNikon · Aug 23, 2014

Since you already have PS buy Lightroom for I think it's $80 (student) version and around $140 regular.

I'm not so sure about those monthly fees, and if you require internet connection all the time them it's a mute point for me when I'm in the middle of somewhere wanting to do some quick looking and editing of photos on my laptop.

ann · Aug 23, 2014

Why not try a trial version and see how it works out for your style.

I have tried LR several times, and just don't like it but I wouldn't know that unless I gave it a try.

pthrift · Aug 23, 2014

astroNikon said:
Since you already have PS buy Lightroom for I think it's $80 (student) version and around $140 regular.

I'm not so sure about those monthly fees, and if you require internet connection all the time them it's a mute point for me when I'm in the middle of somewhere wanting to do some quick looking and editing of photos on my laptop.

Wait. I missed something apparently. You have to be connected to the Internet to edit a photo with the new creative cloud software?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4. probably at work.

pthrift · Aug 23, 2014

ann said:
Why not try a trial version and see how it works out for your style.

I have tried LR several times, and just don't like it but I wouldn't know that unless I gave it a try.

I've tried it once before but didn't make it far with it....but in all fairness I didn't make it far in my first 30 days with photoshop either....it was too intensive of a program to catch the curve on in the trial period without previous working knowledge of tbe program.....that's why I asked here thinking someone could give insight into the practical differences or benefits of it

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4. probably at work.

The_Traveler · Aug 23, 2014

No, you don't have to be connected to use CC programs; they must validate every so often and they warn you when needed.

there are numerous discussion threads on this topic already.
a simple search will bring them up.

oldhippy · Aug 23, 2014

Love the PS& LR Cloud. You don't have to be online to edit with it. The way I'm figuring. With 5000.00 in camera gear. Using the latest in photo editing is an essential. Later. Ed

a_auger · Aug 23, 2014

I'm also sold on LR. Just the fact that you can organize and archive thousand of pics makes this worth it. Also, all edits you make are stored in the LR catalogue, so everything is reversible or changeable, no keeping multiple versions of the same photo with different edits in them. Need something? Fire up LR, select photo, make changes if need be and export.

Santa_Claus · Aug 23, 2014

I love both, and thanks to the Photographer's CC bundle I don't have to choose... $10 per month is an easy pill to swallow.

Derrel · Aug 23, 2014

Photoshop CC is slower than Lightoom by far, on opening and on processing and on the actual sharpening of images. Last week I opened a folder of images in Adobe Bridge, on the same computer than has my Lightroom. I was able to open and tediously adjust THREE images over minutes. It was agonizingly slow. I ended up processing the entire 700+ image, 5-hour shoot in LIGHTROOM with minimal hassles in about two hours' time, including cropping hundreds of images, rotating some, and in making two sets of images, a high-resolution, large-dimension, 360ppi inkjet set, and a 1600-pixel, 72ppi set for the web. Photoshop and Bridge together are simply not designed for FAST and efficient processing of hundreds of images in the way Lightroom is. I hear the talk about shared engine, yadda, yadda, yadda, and yet that doesn't seem to mean squat in the real world.

Ido · Aug 23, 2014

Lightroom won't give you anything in terms of photo editing chops that you don't already have with Photoshop CS5. The Develop module in Lightroom, which is where photos are edited in the application, is identical to Adobe Camera Raw that's a part of Photoshop.

Lightroom shines as a workflow application, though. It all starts and ends with Lightroom and, in my case, pretty much everything inbetween is also done in Lightroom. It's my photo management application (very organized once you figure out a good system, which can take a while, so be patient), my raw editor and converter, and my gateway to publish photos to Flickr, 500px, and even Facebook - no saving to the hard drive and uploading through the website required, thanks to the powerful Publish Services.

Watch these videos, even though your wallet may not like them so much: 100 Ways | KelbyOne

Browncoat · Aug 23, 2014

Even if you're only mildly proficient with PS, LR will be a breeze to figure out within the trial period. LR is 10x more user-friendly than PS.

You don't *need* to be connected to the internet to edit photos with the CC (Creative Cloud) $10/mo version...but it's part of the cloud for a reason. You *will* need an internet connection for updates, cloud storage, and software validation. Adobe is assuming that anyone who uses the CC option has a persistent internet connection.

Personally, I don't use the cloud option. I purchased the entire Adobe Creative Suite as a student, and it more than meets my needs. LR receives regular updates anyway, and PS5 is more than enough for what I use it for these days.

D-B-J · Aug 23, 2014

I use lightroom for about 90% of my editing. For the more technical stuff or anything involving layers I use Photoshop. But in reality, most of my photo's are run through LR and never even see PS. And the organizing power of Lightroom is impressive. Definitely a great program.

Jake