[Lurch]

bit torrent?

*snig-ger* hehe

[Jonathan Mac]

Come christmas, I may have to decide between LR 3 & a new lens. I want both

[jennverr]

On occasion Amazon offers LR at a huge discount (1/2-2/3 off), so stay alert. LR is a great all around program. It does have a learning curve, but once you get in to it, things fall into place quickly. Don't be put off by nay-sayers.

Unless you have a friend who can help you, plan on getting two reference books. I recommend Kelby's very detailed 'LR3 for Digital Photographers' and duChemin's excellent intro to the Develop Module 'Vision and Voice'.

I've not been able to get pleasing results (user error, perhaps) from LR's Print Module, so I utilize QImage, a stand alone print program that's bullet-proof .

You may also want to get a copy of PS Elements. It will introduce you to layers and masks. I got it free as part of an comprehensive graphics software bundle when I bought a Wacom Tablet.

Finally, eventually you'll find yourself working the at the limits of LR and get the urge to take it to the next level. Consider the complete collections for LR from Topaz and/or Nik Software. Both offer trial programs and excellent free live webinars that demo their wares and allow you to ask questions. In return for your participation, they offer a reasonable discount on their products.

Given your 'gush' on LR3, my comments assume you are starting from scratch. If not, well... you got my 2 cents, anyway.

Enjoy...M

Thanks, I have worked with layers and masks before in P-shop. I have a very very old version (version 7), but it freezes up a lot on me, and obviously is not as organizing as lightroom. I currently use Picasa to upload and organize and then do a quick through adjustments on the ones i like, but LR seems to have a lot more to it.

So i do have a bit of experience working on adjustments and what not, but am very interested in the extras that come with it, plus all the organizing features of it!

thnks for the book recommendations, will check those out as well!

i have not tried printing yet from LR, but did check out the print menu, and was not too excited by it, but probably just need to keep exploring it.

thanks again

[emalvick]

You don't have to just be a student. If you know someone who is a teacher, staff, etc. at a school they are often able to get the discounts as well. My wife's job at a local university has paid off well in terms of software more than anything else.

[Chex]

Yes, its called re-installing your PC

Actually, if you know to install using a sandbox or virtual client, you could track in the registry where it counts and tracks days of the 30 day trial period.. find the proper file to delete or edit (uninstalling leaves those files behind still). After deleting the files, re-install the "trial" for another 30 days. Best of all, its not even illegal to do! Unethical, yes.. illegal, no. But the government takes our money and is more than a little unethical, so I wouldn't feel that bad about it.

[falconeye]

anyone know of any places to get a better deal on this?

LR has a relatively moderate upgrade pricing (for Adobe I mean).

So, you may be able to save a bit (about $100) by buying a used LR2 cheap from the bay and upgrade to LR3.

OTOH, you'll find a sealed copy of LR3 for $200 from the bay too...

[bogiesbad]

Thanks, I have worked with layers and masks before in P-shop. I have a very very old version (version 7), but it freezes up a lot on me, and obviously is not as organizing as lightroom. I currently use Picasa to upload and organize and then do a quick through adjustments on the ones i like, but LR seems to have a lot more to it.

So i do have a bit of experience working on adjustments and what not, but am very interested in the extras that come with it, plus all the organizing features of it!

thnks for the book recommendations, will check those out as well!

i have not tried printing yet from LR, but did check out the print menu, and was not too excited by it, but probably just need to keep exploring it.

thanks again

IIRC PS 7 is eligible for upgrade pricing...not for LR though.

[George Lama]

I live and breathe LR. It's certainly my photo processing tool of choice and honestly, I don't know what I'd do without it.

Adobe will send out $50 dollar rebates on LR once in a while. Same rebate is offered via some online outlets so if you couple that with some smart cashback/coupons, you could get it under $250. Just keep your eyes open and start hunting for coupons!

[larryinlc]

I purchased and installed a disk version of Lightroom 3. I like it a lot. However, due to the expensive nature of this software, I'm concerned about what may happen if I need to do a re-install. What if my computer crashes? I will do a back-up of this program, but it's been my experience in the past that once a program is reinstalled, the authorization key will no longer work. Does Adobe allow usage more than once to an authorized user? I used to have Corel Photo Impact and they would allow me to reuse the key couple times after purchase. I had to register online with an account to get this though. How does Adobe handle this situation??

Larry

[civiletti]

I got LR3 from thEbay for around $100. Great program!

[robgo2]

As long as you're spending money, you might check out Capture One. Its output thrashes LR/ACR, which I consider vastly overrated as a raw converter. LR has very good NR but otherwise is rather mediocre, IMO.

Rob

[rawr]

Its output thrashes LR/ACR, which I consider vastly overrated as a raw converter. LR has very good NR but otherwise is rather mediocre, IMO.

Them's fighting words!
Some of your own examples of LR vs Capture One?

[reeftool]

I just bought it for $99 from the Adobe store. They sent the offer around to registered Elements users.

[robgo2]

Them's fighting words!
Some of your own examples of LR vs Capture One?

I knew that my post would elicit such as challenge, but I am not going to spend the time and effort to prove my claim. So just take it as a personal opinion and recommendation. There is a reason why so many high end professional photographers and retouchers use Capture One. Anyone wishing to find out for himself should download free trials of both LR and C1 and perform head-to-head comparisons. It's fun and educational.

A personal anecdote: I was in Samy's Camera in Los Angeles last January, checking out a K-5. (For those who don't know, Samy's caters to the high end professional and amateur enthusiast crowd in LA.) While waiting at the counter, I met a very successful commercial photographer, who was also interested in the K-5 to use in a big advertising campaign, which I loved, as he is normally a top-of-the-line Canon shooter. To make conversation, I asked him what raw converter he uses. He answered that he hates editing his own photos, but when forced to do so, he uses Lightroom, because it is familiar to him. Then he added, with no prompting from me, that most of the top professional retouchers that he knows prefer Capture One. Which is to say that the people who edit his photos for big bucks use C1. It's a true story. Take it any way you want. I am fully aware that there are many professionals who use LR as well.

Rob

[gooberlx]

but it's been my experience in the past that once a program is reinstalled, the authorization key will no longer work. Does Adobe allow usage more than once to an authorized user?

This should be a non-issue. I've crashed and reinstalled LR3 using my license key without issue. Adobe actually allows you to install LR3 on a second machine using the same key. I'm not sure if there's any sort of phone-home activation going on at all.

Adobe Forums: Understanding the Lightroom license