Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 Software Review

One question we field a lot around here – and I'm sure Adobe's heard more than their share of this one too – is, "Will Lightroom replace Photoshop for what I do?" Entangled in this question is the issue that's always been part of my typical response: "It depends on what you need to do with your images." Lightroom 2, with its more involved Develop module, makes it clear that Adobe is moving toward a single-source solution for raw conversion, process/sort, routine editing tasks, and output control. And improvements in the second iteration clearly address the original Lightroom's weakest area from this list: routine editing. Although it's still no Photoshop (nor is it meant to be), Lightroom's Localized Adjustments tool, improved lens correction and vignetting console, and ever-growing palette of processing controls make version two a substantial step forward for covering the basic functions that both amateur photographers and full-time pros seek in an image editor.

Not surprisingly, the package's workflow tools – especially its keywording functions and new Smart Collections auto sort features – are also appreciably improved. And with more transparent file handling and a synchronization function for checking for changes, serious shooters are less likely to get bent out of shape over how Lightroom incorporates their files.

Although Lightroom 2 is arguably the most consumer-friendly of Adobe's image editing options (with its limited range of controls and many presets, even more so than Photoshop Elements, I'd argue), there's no doubt that at its core, this is not a pure image editor but rather a workflow solution designed for folks who need to manage a lot of images. For advanced work involving masking, gradients, cloning/healing, or raw conversion, hard-core image processors will still fall back on Photoshop and Camera Raw. But Lightroom 2's better integration with Adobe's other imaging products should help it continue to jockey for position at the front of the pack among image workflow tools, and more advanced editing options might just make the latest version of Lightroom the all-in-one organization and editing system some serious amateurs have been waiting for.

Pros:

* Localized Adjustments provides basic, reasonably powerful masking
* Keywording smarter than ever
* New print options will appeal to wedding/portrait shooters
* Camera Profiles provide a nice baseline for raw conversion

Cons:

* Requires a powerful computer for optimal performance
* Dual-screen support still not seamless
* At $299, the price will turn off many casual shooters


David Rasnake

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