Question about ADOBE LR3

[zapper]

Hi, I'm a newbie in this forum and recently bought a Panasonic FZ100 camera and its able to take raw pictures, unfortunately not familiar with raw pictures as of this moment and have read that LR 3 is a must or a good software for raw, have the following already Adobe P7 and Corel if I am not mistaken.

My question is this should I buy LR3, have tried it but at that time had no use for it at that time.

Thanks

[zapper]

Any one, 18 views yet no response, it should be a no brainer for the Gurus on this forum.

[OldClicker]

There is also a Digital Software and Post Processing forum.

I know nothing about the RAW file from a Panasonic or how it is handled by LR.

The biggest feature of LR is its cataloging and sorting which is excellent.

It is a real good RAW converter for the file types I use (Sony) with many presets and options.

The editing in LR is non-destructive which is the way to go if it does what you want.

They have a 30 day free trial - try it.

Terry

[zapper]

Thanks for the reply.

[Photo-John]

Terry makes a good point about cataloging. Lightroom is bigger than just a RAW processing program. It's a complete "workflow" solution. You using it to manage your photos (and with Lightroom 3, videos too) as well as adjust and convert RAW files. There are other RAW processing programs available. Some of them may even render the Panasonic RAW files better than Lightroom does. However, I love the adjustment controls in Lightroom and hate having to use other programs for my RAW adjustments and conversions.

So here's the question - does Lightroom offer tools that make it worth the $300 it's gonna cost you? I don't think Photoshop 7 or Corel can handle the RAW files from your camera - it's too new. Your camera should have come with Panasonic RAW conversion software that you can use, though. In my experience camera manufacturer software is generally poor, but it gets the job done. And the end image quality is usually about the same as what you'd get from Lightroom. It's just slower and more difficult to get a good conversion. But, if you're thinking you might need Lightroom to shoot RAW with your camera - you don't. The software that came with the camera will work fine. Unless you really want to jump right in and you aren't worried about the money, I would recommend you get started shooting RAW with the software that came with your camera. When and if the software starts to get in the way, then make the switch.

Hope that helps

[zapper]

Yes that help you got to the point will try your suggestion and go from that point on, do have to learn my camera a little more before anything else.''

Thanks for your replies.

[Photo-John]

Yes that help you got to the point will try your suggestion and go from that point on, do have to learn my camera a little more before anything else.''

Thanks for your replies.

Happy to help. Please don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions about your software, shooting strategies or anything else. I am not using the Panasonic software so I can't really answer any questions about it. But I do have a pretty good general feel for manufacturer software compared to Lightroom. And I have a lot of RAW shooting and processing experience - going on ten years, actually!

Since you're just getting started, here's a little article on why you should shoot RAW. You've already made the decision but you should pick up some useful tidbits in the article

Why Shoot RAW?

Post photos, too! There's nothing better for your photography than sharing your work with other, experienced photographers.

[sic0048]

If you can qualify for the student/teacher license, you can get LR3 for $80. I have a son in the 1st grade and that qualifies our family for the student/teacher license.

[Canuck935]

I'd say Lightroom is a must for anyone shooting RAW.

I must say however that I'm a Lightroom fanboy. I absolutely refuse to use or even consider anything else besides Lightroom.

[zerodog]

LR 3 is a killer program if you take a lot of photos. I would put it above any other software I have ever used for photo editing and sorting. The catalog feature is very powerful as well. It is one of those things that if you learn it now, as you progress with photography it will become more and more important.

[zapper]

If you can qualify for the student/teacher license, you can get LR3 for $80. I have a son in the 1st grade and that qualifies our family for the student/teacher license.

Finally received the LR3 thru my daughter since she is in her last year in College and she will also be using the software also received a couple of books about LR3 but have not started using the software besides installing it, etc.

[DaveWilky]

Zapper Lightroom is the best program you could use when working with RAW images, I dont think there is another program that omes close to what you gain in LR.

[SmartWombat]

Hmm, apart from Aperture on the Mac perhaps?

[wipdesigns]

I would go get Lightroom 3 personally, i think after the initial hour or two it takes to get your head round all the sliders and folder layout you will be lost without it.

Photoshop is brilliant if you know where every filter and effect is hidden but Lightroom allows you to change most aspects of an image quickly and none destructively, it allows you to arrange all your images into categories within itself and enables you to arrange files so you can choose whether to keep or delete them.

If you can help it, always shoot in RAW, more data is saved and allows for more tweaking and editing with less boundaries than JPG, Imagine RAW as being a nearly infinitely editable file that you can always return to "how it was shot in camera" if you want, but a JPG file is like getting an image that you cant really do a lot with and once the changes are made you cant go back to how you took it in the camera.