p.2 #2 · Other Editors Vrs. LightRoom 2 (Default Preview)
I went back and forth between C1 and LR2 these past two days but finally settled for LR2. C1's sharpening introduced white pixels in the black parts of most of my high-ISO shots. In order to process the images I would have had to revert to zero sharpening, outputting to TIFF, running them as a batch through PS to resize and sharpen a bit for output to the client. LR2 saved me the hassle of PS and I managed to circumvent most problems I had with the highlights introduced by colored light beams in the party hall (a 1930's building converted to a club for one night). Still, C1 beats LR in that department. Overall, with presets for camera profile and contrast curve I get similar results in LR2 as I get with C1. Tweaking a bit here and there did the rest. Good exercise though as I got to learn a few new things in the process.
p.2 #3 · Other Editors Vrs. LightRoom 2 (Default Preview)
Emile,
Are you able to recover the extreme highlights using the Highlights slider down in the Tone Curve panel? I've found this to be a huge help, and the power of the Tone Curve panel is phenomenal in terms of the flexibility it affords. Not only the 4 separate sliders, but also the ability to adjust the curve quadrants to narrow or broaden a tonal range within the curve window.
p.2 #4 · Other Editors Vrs. LightRoom 2 (Default Preview)
I downloaded the trial version of C1 last night and first impressions are quite good. I think I will look close at it as did Emile. The work flow is a big concern. DPP looks good to me also with it's first view of an image but the work flow is too long to get the images back into LR.
Yes, first view of an image in C1 is nice, good processing engine there but it has to be doing something more then meets the eye. The images look too good. With all presets off, I believe in LR we see more of a raw RAW image when the image is first opened.
p.2 #5 · Other Editors Vrs. LightRoom 2 (Default Preview)
Thanks for the heads-up, Mark! Yes, I managed to get good results by fiddling with exposure, brightness and minimal highlight recovery (between -5 and -10) but it's absolutely more difficult to achieve a smooth transition from (blown-out) highlight to dark areas than it's with C1. In LR I get sudden color jumps, like red light turning to blown-out yellow or orange within a few pixels. I don't have those problems with C1.
Then again: how often do I shoot at clubs (well, twice last month; before that: never). I've actually never seen this problem until last Fridays event.
p.2 #6 · Other Editors Vrs. LightRoom 2 (Default Preview)
Emile Gregoire wrote:
Thanks for the heads-up, Mark! Yes, I managed to get good results by fiddling with exposure, brightness and minimal highlight recovery (between -5 and -10) but it's absolutely more difficult to achieve a smooth transition from (blown-out) highlight to dark areas than it's with C1. In LR I get sudden color jumps, like red light turning to blown-out yellow or orange within a few pixels. I don't have those problems with C1.
Then again: how often do I shoot at clubs (well, twice last month; before that: never). I've actually never seen this problem until last Fridays event.
I do a lot of shots in the woods in early morning and evening when there are very dark shadows mixed with bright sunlight so I know what you mean. Normally I can get a shot that is not blown out but it is quite bright with detail still present and detail present in the dark shadows.
p.2 #7 · Other Editors Vrs. LightRoom 2 (Default Preview)
Interesting thread. Just wandering if people are using C1 for the whole workflow or if you still use Photoshop.
How does C1 compare to Nikon Capture NX2?
p.2 #8 · Other Editors Vrs. LightRoom 2 (Default Preview)
Bifurcator wrote:
Yes, I've always used the profiles. Currently it's at Beta 2 with camera specific profiles. Gone already are the days of the ACR profiles. No more updates on that one. At least so says Adobe. I thin it's 4.4 was the last one. Now they're called AS for Adobe Standard. (Currently ASb2)
Edit:
BTW, the camera maker engine specific profiles also means that if you didn't shoot it with a camera that contains that specific engine then you get NOTHING but a little different ACR-like profile. None of the cool options (which try to mimic the camera's engine presets) are available. So even tho I have a Vivid setting and 4 or 5 others in-camera all I have in the Adobe menus is ASb2 plain. :p
In order to have the mfg-like profiles (Canon's neutral, faithful, portrait, etc.) you have to download and install in LR and ACR. They are quite different from the old Adobe profiles. I set 'neutral' as my default profile but made presets (LR 2.1) so I could see the difference in the Navigator in LR of each of the profiles as I 'roll over' them--and occasionally I find that another profile is a better jumping off point for RAW conversion.
p.2 #9 · Other Editors Vrs. LightRoom 2 (Default Preview)
Yup, Thanks Picnic!
I went thru all that.
I see you have a Canon 5D so you will get the manufacturer specific options.
Download a RAW file from one of Minolta's, Leica's, Toshiba's, Contax's, Samsung's, Kodak's, Panasonic's, Sony's, Olymups's, Pentax's, etc. etc. cameras tho and all you get is one option: "Adobe Standard Beta 2" and that is only very slightly different than the ACR 4.4 (which was the final version under that name). I dunno exactly which camera engines are supported and not but from what I understand it's ONLY canon and nikon at this point. It may also be that older canons and nikons are not supported either. And I think that the RAW files from nikon and canon's point and shoot and bridge type cameras are also not supported at this time.
p.2 #11 · Other Editors Vrs. LightRoom 2 (Default Preview)
Do those other camera mfg. have things like the Canon Picture Styles or whatever Nikon's similar profiles are? I guess those that would be included in the mfg. RAW conversion software like Canon's DPP and Nikon's NEF? If they don't, then there wouldn't be anything to replicate I guess. Eric Chan had a great deal to do with these--he'd be the person to ask about it.
Oh, just noticed--no, the Canon's P & S aren't included--because they were never supported in DPP--so never had 'Picture Styles'--which is what the new profiles mimic. I'm guessing that maybe the G10 may in the next version since its now supported by DPP.
p.2 #13 · Other Editors Vrs. LightRoom 2 (Default Preview)
picnic wrote:
Do those other camera mfg. have things like the Canon Picture Styles or whatever Nikon's similar profiles are?
Hi Diane,
Yes, "styles" are pretty common across all camera models. I can't think of any that don't have them. My 5-year-old Minolta A2 (bridge type) camera has: Vivid (sRGB)
Nature (sRGB)
Adobe RGB (ie. Neutral)
Embedded Adobe RGB
B&W
Solorization
It may also be that older canons and nikons are not supported either. And I think that the RAW files from nikon and canon's point and shoot and bridge type cameras are also not supported at this time.