You're not getting it: The combination of the two is destructive to your work, unless of course you're perfect and never re-consider or learn anything. When you work between two apps the gap between those apps is destructive. You can't return to app ONE and decide to make a change and have that change magically update the work you did in app TWO. Try this: Convert a raw file in RT and then finish editing the image in GIMP. Then later re-consider that you should make a change to the WB value in RT. Make that change. Either your software is magical or that WB change in RT is going to force you back to work in GIMP. That's work-destructive and prevents your workflow from being non-linearly re-editable. Re-considering and/or improving your work happens enough times, it should if you're any good at this, and the time lost re-doing your work is worth a whole lot more than some software -- that's the cost.
Joe
Of course that's not possible, but both your RT and Gimp file can be non-destructive.
Yes, but that's not 100% non-destructive. If we can achieve 100% non-destructive it would be better. Better is good.
Anyway, if you only want to use lightroom or RT, you'll lose the functionality of the editors.
Yes, which is why the engineers designing the parametric raw converters have been consistently expanding their feature sets to replace what the pixel editors provide.
Tell me how to use complex layers, masks and blend modes in LR?
Well specifically how differs one editor to the next but your question here seems to suggest that they're not available in LR et al. Where have you been? I would use them like this:
Camera JPEG for reference:
Final processed image:
All processing which required 10 layers and includes cloning out rock lower right corner, cloning out rock across lake, cloning out reflections in water, cloning out utility cart, changing color of bridge and lots more was completed parametrically in Capture One. All that "complex layers, masks and blend modes" type stuff is now likewise available in LR but C1 is my preferred choice.
That's the whole point! Where have you been?
The two app solution (RT + GIMP or DX0 + PS, etc.) was a necessity of the past when RT (still can't) or DX0 or PN etc. couldn't do all that "complex layers, masks and blend modes" stuff and you had to move on, destructively, to the second app to get the job finished. I believe the image above is evidence that things have changed.
And now the processing of the above image is
100% non-destructive and non-linearly re-editable and that is better.
Tell me how to use more complex self scripted actions/macros, that are maybe not possible to use, well I don't know how to, but maybe you know a way to use it in LR.
They're called presets but basically it's the same idea. Again where have you been?
I'm wondering that Adobe would make a LR with all editor functionality inside like PS has, ... so PS would become unnecessary.
There are still things that only a pixel editor can do and so pixel editors like PS, Affinity, and GIMP will remain necessary tools. LR, C1, DarkTable can't copy the open eyes of someone from group shot B and paste them into group shot A because in group shot A the bride was smiling. We're going to still need PS, Affinity, GIMP to do that. But how often do we do that? I process a hundred photos in C1 and get the job done for every one photo where I have to do the kind of editing that requires a pixel editor. And when I do complete an edit in C1 it's better than doing it between two apps because 100% non-destructive is better.
What editing program should I be using?
Joe
