Lightroom 3 — released last weekafter a public genus Beta — is the latest version of Adobe ’s pop photo direction software . Sometimes refer to as a “ digital darkroom ” program , Lightroom gives lensman the tools they demand to move large amount of double from the camera to last files , including process raw photos and organizing images . In addition to advance like increased velocity , revamped importee features , and a tweaked bare-ass processing engine , Adobe has added some completely young feature to Lightroom 3 . Here ’s a look at some of Lightroom 3 ’s estimable raw features .
Tethering
Lightroom users have been clamoring for a simple mode to photograph tethered , and with Lightroom 3 , Adobe has delivered . Its tethered seizure feature provide you to link up a camera directly to a Mac and save the images to the hard drive instead of ( or , for some photographic camera , in addition to ) your camera ’s storage bill . image show up right away on the computer ’s screen for clamant , full - sized previews that put your camera ’s three - inch liquid crystal display cover to shame .
So far , Lightroom 3 officially only affirm tether for 17 Canon and nine Nikon DLSR cameras ( a utter list with caveat for sure modeling canbe establish here ) . Adobe contrive on adding extra cameras to the approved list as they are tested .
shot tethered is as well-fixed as attaching your camera to your computing machine with a USB cable ( some models command a FireWire connection ) , and starting a tethered capture session ( File - > Tethered Capture - > Start Tethered Capture ) . From the go down - up screen , choose any destination for the image on your Mac or internet — you could even fraction the shoot into subfolders call in “ barb ” as you go .
While you ’re shooting tether , a floating window appear on your Mac exhibit your tv camera ’s ISO , shutter speeding , aperture , and white balance options . A free fall - down menu allows you to prefer different educate presets , and a full-grown grey-headed button let you trigger the camera from your computer .
Lens corrections
A fresh addition for users of the Lightroom 3 genus Beta is Lens Correction — a feature article that was wave out a week earlier in Adobe ’s Camera Raw 6.1 update . Lens Correction uses profile of specific crystalline lens to automatically compensate for known distortion , chromatic aberration , and vignetting characteristics of that especial lens . Since many photographer turn over these “ imperfections ” part of the character of a exposure , Lightroom give users a slider for fine restraint over each of the correction .
Lightroom 3 will attempt to obtain the visibility for your electron lens automatically , but if it does n’t you’re able to manually pick out from its ( ontogeny ) database of Canon , Nikon , Sigma , Sony , and Tamron lenses . If your lens is n’t included , you’re able to still make manual tweak with sliders for lens distortions , vignetting , and chromatic deviance .
Video
For the many photographer who also capture video with their DSLRs , Lightroom 3 has added television import and direction capacity . From the Import cover , you could convey in television data file along with your still image . thumbnail of Imported video are marked by a small video ikon and prison term stamp and displayed alongside even thumbnails in the Library segment .
All of your regular search and filter characteristic will put on to video . However , you could not preview or delete telecasting files in Lightroom 3 — snap on the Play release that appears when you hoover over a video thumbnail will open up that file in your default picture viewer .
More presentation options
The process for getting your pic into Lightroom 3 is improved with this release , and so are your alternative for getting them out . Some of the welcome raw features for present your picture let in export slideshows as video files , creating custom print , tally watermarks , and uploading photos to Flickr .
The slideshow tool allows you to create photo slideshows , complete with a sync soundtrack and deed screens , and then export them as video files . The exportation preferences offer a mixed bag of file sizes , all the manner up to 1080p .
The Print CRT screen has take in an pick that permit exploiter to make and save usance photographic print layouts . After selecting Custom Package as the layout style , you’re able to drag , drop curtain , resize , and arrange images on the page any way you need . That impost layout can even be carry through as a guide for future consumption .
Lightroom 3 has a Modern feature article yell Publish Services that supports plug - Indiana for share images directly with international sites . While in the Library screen , user will be able-bodied to drag and drop images they want to partake online and instantly see information from those situation fed back into Lightroom . The broadcast ship with a Flickr wad - in and more will be available before long .
watermark are an import step in protecting your trope once you take them outside of your photograph direction program and into the world , whether it ’s as a slideshow , forcible photographic print , or WWW gallery . Lightroom 3 has a pumped - up watermark tool for make original graphic or text watermarks and adjust shadows , opaqueness , size and position .
We ’ll have a full critical review of Lightroom 3 in the very near futurity .
[ Heather Kelly is a aged associate editor for Macworld . ]
Photoshop Lightroom 3
