Lightroom 4 Final Version Is Available!

Adobe released the final version of Lightroom 4, yesterday. It caught me by surprise but I downloaded and installed it immediately and then spent the rest of the day messing around with it. The biggest part of the new software is they chopped the price in half. That's huge!

Anyway, I wrote a fat article with an overview of the changes, with a bunch of Adobe demo videos. And I also added a bunch of my own first impressions. I am really happy with Lightroom 4. It's a very worthy upgrade - especially with the $79 ($20 lower) upgrade price :)

Adobe Lightroom 4 First Impressions >>

Has anyone else downloaded it? What do you think?

Wow I just saw today this was released. So I see the full version is $150 (and this is the version I will need). Is that just an intro price since it was about $300 for the 3.x version? Basically I need to figure out if I need to jump on this now or if I can wait.

I think $150 is *the* price. There's no suggestion that it's an introductory price. It looks like Adobe just decided to get really aggressive about bringing in new Lightroom users.

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Originally Posted by Photo-John

I think $150 is *the* price. There's no suggestion that it's an introductory price. It looks like Adobe just decided to get really aggressive about bringing in new Lightroom users.

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Thanks, after I posted I read elsewhere speculation that they did it in response to a new version of an Apple product that also cut its price and they did say it's permanent. Works for me :D

I'm very happy with 3. I've created a bunch of pre-sets and continue to do so. Unless it process and export images quicker, I don't see the need to upgrade.

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Originally Posted by chuckdee

I'm very happy with 3. I've created a bunch of pre-sets and continue to do so. Unless it process and export images quicker, I don't see the need to upgrade.

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It's not faster, but the quality and control is better. Lots better. But if you're happy with LR3, then saving cash is always a good idea. To some extent it also depends on what cameras you use and what kinds of conditions you shoot in. If you use point-and-shoots and / or shoot a lot in low light, then you might really benefit from the improved processing, selective controls and noise control. I sure do.

And a TOTAL disappointment.
Completely useless, I ah happily running Windows XP SP3.
Now Lightroom requires Vista minimum (and I would only put Vista on an enemy's PC) I am cut off from new versions.
OR now for every computer I have to pay the troll under the bridge (Microsoft) to upgrade to Windows 7. Which is about to be replaced by Windows 8 anyway.

Maybe I should just get a Mac, apparently you're not stuffed (in the same way) with Apple.

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Originally Posted by SmartWombat

And a TOTAL disappointment.
Completely useless, I ah happily running Windows XP SP3.
Now Lightroom requires Vista minimum (and I would only put Vista on an enemy's PC) I am cut off from new versions.
OR now for every computer I have to pay the troll under the bridge (Microsoft) to upgrade to Windows 7. Which is about to be replaced by Windows 8 anyway.

Maybe I should just get a Mac, apparently you're not stuffed (in the same way) with Apple.

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Windows 8 would have to be REALLY REALLY good to get me to switch from Win7. I suspect Win7 is going to be the next WinXP as far as people using it for a looooong time. If your hardware can handle it, I highly recommend it. Unfortunately I think Win8 is going to have too much emphasis on touch screen and mobile type stuff and not enough desktop user stuff, but then admittedly I have read a lot about the changes from 7 either.

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Originally Posted by SmartWombat

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Completely useless, I ah happily running Windows XP SP3.
...

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If you're happy running without an SSD. Strange that nobody talks about SSD's. My ultraportable system has an SSD system drive. It boots Windows 7 in 12 seconds. It reacts immediately - when I go back to a system with a classic hard drive it seems terribly slow at first.

If 3GB is enough RAM for your needs (I assume you're running the 32 bit version of XP). If you just work on photos then 3GB of RAM is enough I think. (I test mail servers under VMWARE and 8GB is the minimum).

If you have some older material - none of my scanners work on Windows 7 64-bit.

If you don't have the latest cameras. The D800 and 5DMk3 are only supported by Lightroom 4.

Because XP works, I can leave my system powered on for months.
As long as a Windows update doesn't force a reboot.
That is the main thing that causes me trouble, and forces me to have a coffee break.

I was wondering how Windows 8 server would work ...
Windows 8 in the PC edition supports the "legacy" interface of windows with menus and title bars and status bars. So real applications will still work on a traditional desktop.
But if you have an ARM tablet, then Windows RT locks you into the Metro UI.