Adobe CS3 or Lightroom 2???

[petertalke]

I'm sure it has been asked before, but I woudl like to get some new software...what woudl be best for photo processing? Getting Lightroom or CS3? Or both? Whats a quick pro-con for each? THANKS!!

 

[usayit]

Completely different products/tools... that's why adobe sells both as a single package.

CS3 is a complete photo and graphic artists tool for editing and creating images. Lightroom is a raw developer focused on photographers' workflow with library, cataloging, presenting, and limited imaging editing capabilities.

Put them together and you have a complete digital darkroom.


photoshop competitors would be GIMP, paintshop, etc..
lightroom's competitors would be aperture, capture one pro, etc...

 

[petertalke]

If you were to use one to process and finalize photos...woudl it be CS3 or Lightroom? Lightroom seems to be for catalogs and presenting?

 

[Alpha]

Think of Lightroom as workflow software, and PS as serious editing software. If all you're ever going to be doing is applying the same basic filters or actions to sets of photos, and you need to work fast through a lot of images, then LR is for you. If you have a compelling need to do more advanced editing and processing of individual images, then go with PS. Generally speaking, they complement each other rather than replace each other.