Lightroom 2 Beta

Cloudy Wizzard · 04-02-2008, 02:59 AM

I just saw on the Lightroom Blog at Adobe that they are having a public beta of Lightroom 2.

so people who are interested into beta testing this could have a look here.

be sure to read the release notes (since it's a BETA release).

Also in the same article they annouce Lightroom 1.4.1 and Camera Raw 4.4.1 to be released in the first half of this month (april).

thePiRaTE!! · 04-02-2008, 04:14 AM

Was using 2.0 beta tonight and enjoyed the new features. No problem exporting as I was having with 1.4. Might be me, but it seemed to run smoother than 1.x as well (on my older P4). Nothing strange happening so far, not bad for a beta!

Kelly.

*séamuis* · 04-02-2008, 06:12 AM

I concur. beta or no beta this version runs a lot faster and smoother than 1.4 and a few new features are always great. I'm also really pleased that the layout and interface has not changed. and as a bonus I can still use custom identity plates. overall I'm really impressed with it and will continue to use it.

*Ivan Glisin* · 04-02-2008, 06:29 AM

Originally Posted by thePiRaTE!!

Was using 2.0 beta tonight and enjoyed the new features. No problem exporting as I was having with 1.4.

Is it possible to add borders on export now? Also, I understand they have added low-res sharpening to match exported size. How does that work? Is there a separate sharpening control on the export dialog or automatically reapplied main sharpening control after resizing?

Low-res sharpening and adding borders are currently the only operations I still have to do in Photoshop after exporting from LR. If they allow adding borders I will not need Photoshop for straightforward web exports anymore and that would be great!

kpfeifle · 04-02-2008, 07:26 AM

It will be interesting to see how much the charge to upgrade from 1.X to 2.0!

*Ivan Glisin* · 04-02-2008, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by kpfeifle

It will be interesting to see how much the charge to upgrade from 1.X to 2.0!

Since 1.x looks like some unfinished prototype (and I have spent money buying it!), 2.0 should be free in my opinion. Most of the things are not additions but replacements of obviously poorly implemented functionality.

If they could add something significant, like tool "layers" and selections like those in LightZone I would consider 2.0 an upgrade and gladly pay for it. But in its present form it is just a little bit more than a series of bug and feature fixes and anything more than $30 for 2.0 would be a ripoff!

davemdsn · 04-02-2008, 10:06 AM

I have to agree that v1.x seemed more like a beta you had to pay to participate in. It was cool, but obviously unfinished. V2 seems pretty cool, but I have already jumped ship and the new improvements don't have me at all regretting the jump. I can see Adobe charging at least $99 and if I were still using it I would be really upset. It is a cool program and there are a lot of things I still like about it, but they seem to be rushing it (1.4?). I do hope that they are kind to their users and charge a smaller upgrade price.

*Ivan Glisin* · 04-02-2008, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by davemdsn

It is a cool program and there are a lot of things I still like about it, but they seem to be rushing it (1.4?).

That's how I see it as well: rushed. The best example is the user interface: a panel-based interface that does not show all controls/actions user can access! It requires ALT+clicks and right-clicks to show/access additional options and often even essential options.

Also, there is no clear distinction what is clickable and what is not. I often feel very tense as if I am walking on a minefield when working with LR: I never know if LR will do something when I click on some area I would never ever expect any action to be associated with, but sometimes you have a "bang!" and the thing just surprises you and does something you don't want!

My favorite? "Reset" controls in Develop module: on ALT labels change to clickable labels! Not buttons. Clickable labels! That is unheard of in user interface design. What was wrong with putting little "Reset" buttons? No time to implement and test event on a button, so they reused existing labels and registered "on click" events to them??? I mean that is good for someone learning GUI programming, but shall that come from Adobe in a commercial product? I don't think so.

(For those of you who did not notice: if you want to reset "Presence" for example holding down ALT changes the label to "Reset Presence". Still looks like a label, however you could now click that label and it will reset presence controls! Eh??? Or notice how large main buttons (lover right corner) change in "Print" module upon pressing ALT. Is that where you would normally expect setup options? "Behind" buttons? Ridiculous! It took me some time to find out (stumble upon?) all these "hidden" options, and who knows how many of them I have missed.)

davemdsn · 04-02-2008, 11:24 AM

UI was another beef of mine with Lr. It just takes up to much space and you can't escape it. Even Photoshop, which docked it's pallets in CS3, still allows you to move the pallets anywhere you need them to get to your photo. Photoshop also offers a true full screen mode where the entire desktop goes blank with a borderless image floating on it. With Lr you have no control over the pallets except to close or open them and even in full screen mode you are still confined to a bordered window. Even the new dual monitor support looks to enclose the second monitor image to a window, according to the screenshots I have seen. You just can't escape UI clutter and there is precious little flexibility to customize it.

I am very happy that they finally added some output sharpening. That may have been my biggest issue with it. While Lr is not meant to be a replacement for Photoshop, it does mean that many photos, and even many photographers, don't need Photoshop. However, in order to be an output program you have to have output sharpening.

sjl7678 · 04-17-2008, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by Ivan Glisin

Since 1.x looks like some unfinished prototype (and I have spent money buying it!), 2.0 should be free in my opinion. Most of the things are not additions but replacements of obviously poorly implemented functionality.

If they could add something significant, like tool "layers" and selections like those in LightZone I would consider 2.0 an upgrade and gladly pay for it. But in its present form it is just a little bit more than a series of bug and feature fixes and anything more than $30 for 2.0 would be a ripoff!

Local retouching seems like a pretty significant feature...

Dale · 04-25-2008, 04:41 AM

Anyone out there willing to "invite a friend" to participate in the V2 Beta thru to August? (Existing users can invite a friend to trail the beta for the entire beta period, not just 30 days.)

I'll end up using LR, and am quite happy to use the Beta till V2 comes out. I'm not so keen on buying V1.4 then paying again to upgrade.

pm me if you are willing!

Cloudy Wizzard · 04-25-2008, 08:06 AM

Originally Posted by Dale

Anyone out there willing to "invite a friend" to participate in the V2 Beta thru to August?

just send me your email to send the invite by PM and I'll invite you.

Dale · 04-27-2008, 04:03 AM

And just a public thanks there Cloudy!! I'm a happy beta user now.

*LaRee* · 04-28-2008, 08:47 PM

I have searched through my e-mail folders and it looks like I've lost the invite they sent me to participate in the beta program. Can anyone help me out?
laree photo @ san .rr. com (no spaces) thanks!

Cloudy Wizzard · 04-29-2008, 02:57 AM

Originally Posted by LaRee

I have searched through my e-mail folders and it looks like I've lost the invite they sent me to participate in the beta program. Can anyone help me out?
laree photo @ san .rr. com (no spaces) thanks!

Are you a Lightroom 1 user (registered) ??

In that case you don't need an invite, just use your LR1 serial to extend the trial (if I remember correctly).

if you are not a LR1 user I'll be happy to send you an invite (just let me know).