Do I really NEED Photoshop CS?

[raven302]

LOL, after running through lightroom I use GIMP for pixel editing... works great for me and will run various PS plugins if needed (but I dont).

[kdog]

Originally Posted by Design7

I updated from Photoshop 7 to CS2 only because I was forced to by a dead hard drive and lost original disks. Otherwise, I would still be quite happy on version 7. And I earn my living using Photoshop as a web designer. The truth is that they have added more bells and whistles but nothing you cannot live quite well without. Your money is better spent on a good raw converter like Lightroom or Capture One. Even cheaper raw converters like Lightzone or Bibble Light will do an excellent job and are quite flexible and powerful. I do most of my post processing in raw converters and final resizing and sharpening in Photoshop. Other than not being compatible with a few of the newer plugins there is nothing I miss by not upgrading any further.

Since you haven't kept up with recent versions of Photoshop, you must have missed the fact that Photoshop and LightRoom use the same raw converter (ACR) now.

[Design7]

Originally Posted by kdog

Since you haven't kept up with recent versions of Photoshop, you must have missed the fact that Photoshop and LightRoom use the same raw converter (ACR) now.

I consider Lightroom a better investment than a Photoshop upgrade for my personal need as a digital photographer. In addition to a far better cataloging feature, it has a greater range of tools expressly for image editing. I don't do alot of photo compositing. I simply try to extract the best color and detail from my images. For that Lightroom is perfectly suited at a much lower price.But then again, I tend to be a bargain hunter anyway

[kdog]

Originally Posted by Design7

I consider Lightroom a better investment than a Photoshop upgrade for my personal need as a digital photographer. In addition to a far better cataloging feature, it has a greater range of tools expressly for image editing. I don't do alot of photo compositing. I simply try to extract the best color and detail from my images. For that Lightroom is perfectly suited at a much lower price.But then again, I tend to be a bargain hunter anyway

That's fine. I just didn't want folks to get the wrong idea that the RAW converter in Lightroom is in any way better than the one in Photoshop. It's not, because it's the same one.

As for myself, I prefer using a single tool that meets all of my needs, namely Photoshop.

[kdog]

Originally Posted by Design7

I consider Lightroom a better investment than a Photoshop upgrade for my personal need as a digital photographer. In addition to a far better cataloging feature, it has a greater range of tools expressly for image editing.

BTW, please elaborate on what LightRoom has in the way of "a greater range of tools expressly for image editing" than Photoshop.

[Brill]

Originally Posted by kdog

BTW, please elaborate on what LightRoom has in the way of "a greater range of tools expressly for image editing" than Photoshop.

None that I am aware of. I use both and the only thing I find LR can do better than CS5 is the organizer and RAW processing of multiple photos. Shooting sports, that is a pretty big selling point for me. But when it comes to editing I've yet to find anything that LR3 can do that CS5 can't.

[mathjak107]

lightroom is good for quick edits but i find it very limited in use with software filters like topaz labs and nik software which i like to use. the fact you can layer and remove skies or places you dont want the software effects makes lightroom a weak editor for me.

[kdog]

Originally Posted by Brill

None that I am aware of. I use both and the only thing I find LR can do better than CS5 is the organizer and RAW processing of multiple photos. Shooting sports, that is a pretty big selling point for me. But when it comes to editing I've yet to find anything that LR3 can do that CS5 can't.

Thanks Brill. I don't use LR, but that was my impression. There are a couple of ways to do batch RAW in Photoshop which I use, probably not as convenient as LR, but they do work for me. I'll have to demo LR sometime to see what all the hoopla is about.

[bc_scr]

You can generally do everything in CS5 from PS7. However, where CS5 has made improvements, you can do those same tasks a LOT FASTER in CS5 than in PS7.

I'm also a big fan of Lightroom.

[raven302]

I have lightroom 2.7, but I JUST got PS5 yesterday! Now I'm going to have to retrain myself to translate my GIMP processes around it... happy fun time *yikes*