Should I buy Lightroom?

[Big Mike]

The best solution IMO, is to have Lightroom, along with something like Elements, Photoshop CS or even Gimp. Because when you find that you want to do something that LR can't do, you can just right click and 'Edit in...' and choose an installed editing program. The image is exported directly into the other software, and if you want, it can be imported back in when you save it.

That's what I do. I do as much as possible in Lightroom, but when I need to do something else, I'll just 'Edit in...' over to Photoshop CS, then bring it back to Lightroom.

 

[Derrel]

I used Photoshop for a long time, then later started using ACR when that was the "hot, new thing". I've also used MacBibble, Bibble, SillkyPIX, Canon's DPP, Nikon Capture versions 1,2,and 4, Fuji EX Converter, and Lightroom 3.6. Out of all of those different raw file converters, I think Lightroom is the fastest at handling large numbers of images, and making reasonably simple global adjustments (exposure adjustments, highlight recovery, contrast, saturation, vignetting, and simple Lightroom pre-set adjustments.

The clone tool in LR 3.6 is poorly suited to portraiture work, but it's good for the occasional sensor dust spot issue. I have read that version 5 has a better cloning tool, which would be very useful. Overall, I think Lightroom is a good piece of software...it's got a lot of years' worth of Adobe experience and some good copycatting from other raw software that came years before in products from other companies.

 

[Ilovemycam]

LR is my main PP software. But I am pretty basic with what I do. Just a tad more than what I did in the wet darkroom.

 

[cbarnard7]

Big Mike- I think your idea is the best solution (having GIMP AND LR). Since GIMP is free, I just went ahead and bought LR 5 last night. So far, so good! I'm really just exploring everything before I "make any moves" and start editing. But, I am going on a roadtrip with the wife in a couple months and we're going to Arches/Canyonlands/Grand Canyon and Mesa Verde (here in southwestern CO). I think the exposure tools will really make the difference in those pictures and I'm glad I have the program to take care of that.

Derrel- I appreciate your analysis and feel that I made a great choice purchasing LR 5. By the way, great portrait work!

Now...time to watch some more youtube videos on LR!

 

[Big Mike]

Congrats, I'm sure you'll come to really love LR.

But again, I really encourage you to put the time in and learn all you can about how to use it. It's not always as intuitive as other programs are.