Photo Credit: © Jon Canfield

Now that Lightroom 2 has shipped, should you be considering a switch to Lightroom, or an upgrade from version 1.0? Adobe clearly listened to photographers when compiling the new feature list for Lightroom 2. Lightroom 2 is on the way to being one-stop solution for digital photography.

NEW ITEMS IN LIGHTROOM 2:
The library module has received the most visible changes to the user interface of all the modules. Some of this consists of re-arranging the panels to make working with features easier, while others are major enhancements to existing tools. The library filter bar is a new addition that replaces the old find section. You can now select text, attribute or metadata to filter. There is a new keyword suggestion option that will offer intelligent choices for your image based on the captured date and time.

Additionally Lightroom 2 included localized correction tools. It is now less likely that you'll need to make a trip to Photoshop for many of your edits—you have the advantage of doing all of these adjustments non-destructively—just like the other tools in Lightroom 2. The spot removal/healing tool now has an opacity adjustment to make blending more natural. However, the major change is the addition of a graduated filter and adjustment brush. Another new addition to Lightroom 2 is the enhanced vignettes control—now you have the option to adjust the roundness and feather. You can also choose to apply the vignette to the post-cropped image unlike Lightroom 1.0 where the vignette was applied to the full image regardless of your crop.

There are some very useful additions to the print module. First is the addition of picture packages, which gives you multiple copies of the same image on a page. The other major change to the print module is in output sharpening options. You now have three choices: low, standard and high, as well as two different media types: matte and glossy.

The web module gains the output sharpening options seen in the print module and adds a new preview in place rather than having to build a temporary version of the website and launching a browser to preview.

OTHER NEW ITEMS:
Lightroom 2 now supports dual monitors and images can be sent to Photoshop CS2 or later as smart objects and layers, as well as much larger images making panoramas a real option now.

If you're on a Mac with OS X 10.5, you can run Lightroom 2 in 64 bit mode, giving you access to all the memory in your system for better performance. In addition to the features built into Lightroom 2, you can also download export plug-ins for a number of different sites such as Flickr, Zenfolio, iStockPhoto and others.

CONCLUSION:
Lightroom 2 is a solid upgrade to this popular workflow program. The addition of localized adjustments in particular will keep many people from needing to make a trip to Photoshop. Other enhancements are more subtle, however the combination of all the changes make Lightroom 2 worth the upgrade. There are still some things missing, like soft proofing, but the new version is a clear statement by Adobe that they intend to make Lightroom into a complete tool for digital photographers.

To see examples of how this product works and to read the article in its entirety go to www.photographyblog.com.
This review was excerpted from www.photographyblog.com, a comprehensive blog about photography.

Jon Canfield, writer and photographer, is a regular contributor for the PhotographyBLOG specializing in Raw image processing, color management and printmaking.

Along with writing for the PhotographyBLOG, Canfield is a contributing editor at Shutterbug and Digital Journalist, and a frequent contributor to PC Photo, Outdoor Photographer and Digital Photo Pro.

He is the author of several books on digital imaging and fine-art printing, including Raw 101: Better Images with Photoshop Elements and Photoshop, Print Like a Pro: A Digital Photographer’s Guide, and Photo Finish: The Digital Photographer’s Guide to Printing, Showing, and Selling Images.

Canfield also consults on printing and color management for companies like HP, Canon, Pantone and Inkpress Paper as well as teaching workshops around the country. To view some of his work visit www.joncanfield.com