Leaving the Open-source Software Bandwagon ...

I've been debating for a while about changing my software tools for photo editing and manipulation. For years now I've been a big proponent of the open-source tools available, my primary tool being GIMP, the GNU Image Manipulation Program, but also including QTPFSGUI (Luminance HDR), a HDR creation tool, and UfRAW for RAW file processing. However, the biggest reason behind my shift has been failure to deliver, bugs, and lack of features in the open-source software, the biggest being a lack or difficulty in dealing with higher bit-depths on image files.

The first big jump I made was in my HDR processing software - I ponied up the money and switched to Photomatix Pro, which is really the industry standard for HDR image processing. Why? For the longest time I had been quite happy using Luminance HDR and got comparable results when compared to Photomatix. Recent releases, however, were a bit buggy and I was not able to get the results I wanted, no matter what work-arounds I tried.

And thus the slide down the slippery slope began ...

I saw that Adobe is offering a free, fully-functional beta download of their Lightroom 4 and figured I would give it a shot. It will work until LR4 is officially released, but that gives me about two months to give it a trial run. Well, their ploy has worked, for me at least. I plan on purchasing the full copy when it is released.

Not having delved into the Photoshop/Lightroom world (scorned it, actually, for the longest time), I have to say I am very impressed with LR4, even in Beta. First, it handles the higher bit depths of RAW files. For a brief discussion on this and the importance of working at a higher bit depth, go here. GIMP works at the 8-bit level while my Canon 7D RAW images are at 14 bits. Secondly, the interface is great - the basic workflow you take an image through is essentially top to bottom in the Develop module. Third, features. This follows on a bit from the interface and workflow setup. LR4 beta has great features and they are easy to find and use. You don't have to go hunting through a series of drop-down menus or get a third-party plugin (that you hope works) to do many basic functions. Fourth, available training. Adobe has great training videos on their web site that walk you through the features of a product and how to use it. This is a company that wants you to learn and enjoy and the tools they have created - and pony up the big money for them - their existence depends on that.

The one hook is that, while LR4 can do many things, it can't do them all. One feature that is lacking in LR which I use often is layers and layer masks. Photoshop does this, plus so much more.