Software

[PharmD]

So...I am graduating from college in May and want to get some editing software at a decent price before I leave. I can get Photoshop for $169 or Lightroom for $100. Which one would you get and why? I have used Lightroom and like it...but what does Photoshop give me that lightroom doesn't?

 

[MTVision]

Photoshop is a full editing program whereas Lightroom has some basic editing features. You can do photo manipulations an extreme editin with photoshop. Lightroom is good for organizing and batch editing. Photoshop has Camera Raw which is the exact same thing as Lightroom.

 

[MTVision]

For 269.00 get both of them.

 

[KmH]

I found this: http://www.oreillynet.com/digitalmedia/blog/2007/07/photoshop_vs_lightroom_1.html

Photoshop Lightroom cannot do layers, doesn't have the range of selection tools and masking possibilites that CS5 has.

Lightroom cannot edit pixels, it's a parametric Raw converter or rendering engine. Parametric means any edits are actually line commands in an appended .XMP file that affect how the Raw converter algorithms render the Raw data file. Lightroom 2 and Lightroom 3 both allow editing JPEGs with some limitations compared to editing Raw image data files.

Your student discount gets you Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended ($999, retail) not Adobe Photoshop CS5 ($699, retail). CS5 Extended can do even more than the regular CS5. Photoshop CS5 is actually 3 applications - Bridge, Photoshop (a raster graphics editor), and Camera Raw (a parametric Raw converter)

Lightroom's main function is image database management not Raw conversion. Photoshop CS5's Camera Raw, and Lightroom's Develope module, both use Adobe Camera Raw 6 - ACR 6.

Visit Adobe.com and compare.

By the way, CS5 allows Camera Raw to be hosted by both Bridge and Photoshop. That means Bridge can be doing batch edits in Camera Raw while you do other editing in Phptoshop.

 

[WesternGuy]

I would agree - for $269, get them both. Lightroom is your basic photographer's editing package. It comes with a great Library module that lets you track all your images through the use of key words - this is its real strength in my opinion. The Develop module is not exactly the same as Adobe Camera Raw - it has few more bells and whistles and the control panels are laid out a bit differently. For me, it does about 90% of my image processing and development. It has a fairly decent print module and if you are going to do slide presentations and web "stuff" then there is a lot to be said for Lightroom.

Photoshop was originally designed for web designers and graphic artists who need to be able to manipulate images at the pixel level and is a lot more than just an image editing program - it can be used to produce web designs from scratch without ever using a digital image from a camera, for example. So you have functionality for these pixel level activities - masks, layers, various selection tools, etc. It has a longer, steeper learning curve than Lightroom (over 500 menu items alone), but it does have its place in the digital darkroom. I have it (CS5) as well as Lightroom 3, and I find I use it for those situations that Lightroom cannot handle and that is usually when I need to manipulate parts of an image at the pixel level. For example, a recent function that was added to CS4 and is also in CS5 is "Content Aware Fill". This is a dream tool to those of us who get bits and pieces of "crap" stuck in the odd places in our images - it removes them like a magic eraser and works wonders at the same time - you have to see a demo to believe it. Both Photoshop and its cousin Photoshop Elements are used by scrap bookers in the pursuit of their designs.

Both applications have their specific uses - they can be complimentary. See, for example...Lightroom vs. Photoshop . As well, if you Google "Photoshop vs Lightroom" you will find a whole host of web pages to sift through to help you understand the pros and cons of both apps. HTH.

Cheers,

WesternGuy

P.S. I do believe that there are some limitations to the use that these packages can put to - if you are going into the "graphics" or "photographic" industry then you may want to verify that they can be used for commercial purposes - the "student" versions, that is.

 

[KmH]

Both applications have their specific uses - they can be complimentary. .

Exactly. Adobe designed Lightroom to compliment Photoshop, for those photographers that routinely make and need to edit A LOT of photos.

 

[Overread36]

P.S. I do believe that there are some limitations to the use that these packages can put to - if you are going into the "graphics" or "photographic" industry then you may want to verify that they can be used for commercial purposes - the "student" versions, that is.

These limits used to be in place, but US and European (and I assume other area distributions now) have all had this limit removed. Students get the full photoshop licence as normal; that includes being able to upgrade to new photoshop versions at reduced cost (compared to purchasing the software new).l worth owning, its no

 

[chronophotography]

Are you editing several pictures at a time to make them, in general, a little better, or are you trying to get individual images to look perfect? It's down to application.

 

[KmH]

The Photoshop CS5 Extended's EULA in PDF format (various languages) is found here: http://www.adobe.com/products/eulas/pdfs/Gen_WWCombined-20110105_1512.pdf

The Photoshop Lightroom 3 EULA (various languages) is found here: http://www.adobe.com/products/eulas/pdfs/photoshoplightroom_3.pdf

EULA = End User License Agreement.

Adobe only sells use licenses, they don't actually sell the software.

 

[MLeeK]

Photoshop CS5-CS5 has Adobe camera raw which is the exact same editing tool as Lightroom. Same engine. Different hood. Lightroom is easier than Adobe bridge (also part of CS5) for cataloging and that's the biggest draw of lightroom. Adobe Bridge does the exact same thing, it's just easier to learn and do in Lightroom. If you can only purchase one get the one that covers everything. If you can swing both-go for both.

 

[KmH]

Bridge is a browser, Lightroom is a database manager.

They don't work the same way for image retrieval.

While Lightroom could search an entire catalog for any images in the catalog keyworded with any of the following - day, woman, office, business suit, eye glasses, blond, desk - fairly quickly, it would take Bridge very much longer and you would probably not find all your photos that the keywords apply to.

One of the annoying aspects of using Lightroom for database management is it can only open one catalog at a time, so to be used effective all of your images need to be in just one catalog.

 

[MLeeK]

Bridge is a browser, Lightroom is a database manager.

They don't work the same way for image retrieval.

While Lightroom could search an entire catalog for any images in the catalog keyworded with any of the following - day, woman, office, business suit, eye glasses, blond, desk - fairly quickly, it would take Bridge very much longer and you would probably not find all your photos that the keywords apply to.

One of the annoying aspects of using Lightroom for database management is it can only open one catalog at a time, so to be used effective all of your images need to be in just one catalog.

Yes, bridge can do the same thing. Collections and smart collections and keywords are all there. Just not nearly as simple as Lightroom's interface for cataloging.

 

[Marc32]

Ever consider PaintShop Pro x4 by Corel? It's about $80 or so for the box version with color manual. Not Photoshop, but for the price, it will get you off on the right foot. I think it does a lot more than people will give it credit for.

 

[MLeeK]

Ever consider PaintShop Pro x4 by Corel? It's about $80 or so for the box version with color manual. Not Photoshop, but for the price, it will get you off on the right foot. I think it does a lot more than people will give it credit for.

Corel's software is excellent, HOWEVER for the same $ you can be into Photoshop Elements 10. Finding "scripts" for PSP is hard whereas most photoshop actions work in elements as well. Elements also prepares you to step easily into CS when and if you decide to. The raw editor in LR or CS5 is infinitely better than the capabilities of Corel's.

 

[TenaciousTins]

Are you talking about actual Photoshop or are you talking Photoshop Elements?

I have Photoshop Elements 6 and 8, and I just bought Lightroom. I am by no means experienced at photography or editing at all, but I have found Lightroom to be invaluable when editing my photos. I hardly ever use the Elements now for lighting purposes. And while I am still learning about the very basics of lighting, Lightroom helps correct those things that I screw up.