CS5, Lightroom 3.2 or both? Any Suggestions please.


SmutjeUK

Link Posted 17/03/2011 - 10:36
Hi all,

I just received my copy of Photoshop CS5 Extended for the work I did a few weeks back. I had the offer to get paid or to have a copy of CS 5 as the photographer I did the work for had a couple of spare serial numbers (yes they are sound and not generated).
I be just blown away by all the possibility's CS 5 is offering me and I had by now a couple of days 'YouTubing' tutorials, as I find it easier to learn by seeing then with the interactive tutorial DVD.
My question now is do I need Lightroom as well and what would give Lightroom to me that CS 5 is not offering me already?
I have got another job coming up for him and got again the offer of having a licence for Lightroom 3.2 (which I probably can then update to 3.4 I suppose) or getting paid.
Looking as how much a copy of Lightroom is it would make sense to opt for this then Cash but if CS 5 Extended gives me everything already I could put the cash to the side and save up for another lens.
Any suggestions on this one would help.
Kind regards
SmutjeUK

It's nice to be nice!

Pentax K-5 with D-GB4 Grip, to many lenses to mention by now (serious LBA by now), TC's, Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW, Manfrotto 028 & Redsnapper RS-283 with various Heads plus various Camera Clamps (I collect them). Pentax AF 360FGZ, Pentax AF 240FT, several Metz 45 CT-1 & 5 with stands and 'Blow Up' Soft Boxes, Flash Triggers, and various Macro gear.

thoughton

Link Posted 17/03/2011 - 11:02
I would say that to a photographer Lightroom would be more benefit than CS5. I do 95% of my PP in Lightroom. The only time I'll switch to CS5 is if I need to do some extensive cloning of something more complicated than a circle.
Tim
AF - Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20/4-5.6, Tamron 17-50/2.8, Sigma 30/1.4, Sigma 70-200/2.8, Tamron 70-300/4-5.6
MF - Vivitar CF 28/2.8, Tamron AD2 90/2.5, MTO 1000/11
Stuff - Metz 58 AF1, Cactus v4, Nikon SB24, Raynox 150, Sigma 1.4x TC, Sigma 2x TC, Kenko 2x macro TC, Redsnapper 283 tripod, iMac 27”, Macbook Pro 17”, iPad, iPhone 3G
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timd

Link Posted 17/03/2011 - 11:06
Hi

Having just purchased both packages, and progressing from being a PS2 user, my initial comments are that LR3.3 is all I will need to work on individual photos. PSE5 will allow me to merge photos into a collage as well as manipulate photos to morph them or "artistically" modify them (not likely to do that often!). LR3.3 is ideal to correct spots, eaxposure, contrast, sharpness, etc. as you would expect keeping the photo "true" to the original. My artistry is in the photography, not in the post processing.

If you are a graphic designer, wanting to cut out the background, PSE is your bet. If you want an intuitive RAW processor, LR is your bet. LR is designed for taging and filing photos and very suited to a photographer.

What I like best is LR's non-destructive RAW processing. The RAW file is untouched.

Personally, I can see that I will only use LR except when I need to produce a collage.

Hope it helps
Tim

Tyr

Link Posted 17/03/2011 - 11:21
I use Lightroom for most of my work but anything that needs greater changed I used to take into Elements 2 and now Elements 9. Photoshop CS5 is so powerful a package I personally wouldn't use a great deal. Hell, I don't even use a great deal of Elements 9 and can still do wonders with it.
Regards,
Dan

https://www.flickr.com/photos/honourabletyr/

SmutjeUK

Link Posted 17/03/2011 - 11:52
So from what I can see in your comments it really depends on what I need the program for.
I guess that will mean I will need both as about 50% of my work is for event advertising posters (a lot of cut-outs and text and the rest is your normal photography).
I know that CS5 is a massive program and I be looking at all the tutorials and as much as I thought it would be very complicated it is surprisingly straight forward once you see the tutorials.
I hope that the same is with Lightroom.
Many thanks for your comments so far.
Kind regards
SmutjeUK

It's nice to be nice!

Pentax K-5 with D-GB4 Grip, to many lenses to mention by now (serious LBA by now), TC's, Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW, Manfrotto 028 & Redsnapper RS-283 with various Heads plus various Camera Clamps (I collect them). Pentax AF 360FGZ, Pentax AF 240FT, several Metz 45 CT-1 & 5 with stands and 'Blow Up' Soft Boxes, Flash Triggers, and various Macro gear.

Tyr

Link Posted 17/03/2011 - 12:33
They are massively different. One is a photograph database and development tool, the other a full fledged content creation package.
Regards,
Dan

https://www.flickr.com/photos/honourabletyr/

SmutjeUK

Link Posted 17/03/2011 - 12:46
Tyr wrote:
They are massively different. One is a photograph database and development tool, the other a full fledged content creation package.

And I am stuck in the middle as I can do with both.
Guess I work this weekend for the Lightroom as this makes more sense to me. Seeing how much this cost (even on feeBay) I probably get a better deal with that one and it is a certified version and not a 'knock off'.

I am stunned by the possibility's with CS5 and Illustrator. I thought that Corel Draw and Photo Paint X4 where good, but this is certainly in a different world and I am glad I got it as I would not have been able to buy CS5 in a long time. OK, I worked my *** of for that and have to give away the © to the pictures but what I got in return was certainly worth it as I would not have the clients anyway to sell the pictures taken so I have nothing lost here.
Same will be with this weekend, I would not have the clients to sell the pictures on to so it makes more sense to me to work for Lightroom 3.2 instead of cash.
I know he will use me again so cash will be coming in then at a later date plus I still keep then my ©.

Many thanks for your help here as this was really important to me to know if I need Lightroom as well and I can see now that I will.
Kind regards
SmutjeUK

It's nice to be nice!

Pentax K-5 with D-GB4 Grip, to many lenses to mention by now (serious LBA by now), TC's, Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW, Manfrotto 028 & Redsnapper RS-283 with various Heads plus various Camera Clamps (I collect them). Pentax AF 360FGZ, Pentax AF 240FT, several Metz 45 CT-1 & 5 with stands and 'Blow Up' Soft Boxes, Flash Triggers, and various Macro gear.

Mannesty

Link Posted 17/03/2011 - 12:53
You could think of Lightroom as your digital darkroom where most of the work is done. I use Lightroom almost exclusively, and only use PS-CS5 for the really serious stuff, which is not very often.

If I had to choose which one to do without, it would definitely be PS-CS5. I couldn't be without Lightroom. There really isn't much that most photographers need that Lightroom can't deliver.

Lightroom is also a very good photograph management tool with it's keywording and rating/flagging options.
Peter E Smith

My flickr Photostream

Tyr

Link Posted 17/03/2011 - 12:58
Adobe's web store generally price their products well. I've gotten my upgrades from them cheaper than ordering the box elsewhere.

Whare their pricing falls down is their CS packages where is is 1:1 USD:GBP which is silly!

I'd like to be able to buy Photoshop and Premiere. I'll have to stick with elements.

I've managed without for years just using simpler software and not had any problems.
Regards,
Dan

https://www.flickr.com/photos/honourabletyr/

mille19

Link Posted 17/03/2011 - 13:06
As a photographer I only use Lightroom, I have an old copy of Paint Shop Pro that I probably use about twice a year for cloning that I can't achieve in LR.

Tyr

Link Posted 17/03/2011 - 13:26
mille19 wrote:
As a photographer I only use Lightroom, I have an old copy of Paint Shop Pro that I probably use about twice a year for cloning that I can't achieve in LR.

This is what spot removal abuse is for! Very useful as it is easier to control than the clone tool or other heal brushes available in photoshop. I can get exactly what I want using the correct sections of the photo. I can use several hundred spots sometimes to reshape photos. Who needs photoshop then?


Regards,
Dan

https://www.flickr.com/photos/honourabletyr/

mille19

Link Posted 17/03/2011 - 13:34
Tyr wrote:
mille19 wrote:
As a photographer I only use Lightroom, I have an old copy of Paint Shop Pro that I probably use about twice a year for cloning that I can't achieve in LR.

This is what spot removal abuse is for! Very useful as it is easier to control than the clone tool or other heal brushes available in photoshop. I can get exactly what I want using the correct sections of the photo. I can use several hundred spots sometimes to reshape photos. Who needs photoshop then?


We'll have to stop agreeing like this , people will start talking

SmutjeUK

Link Posted 17/03/2011 - 14:00
So at the end I did the wrong choice when I opted for CS5 first as I thought that would have been the main program.
Story of my life. Oh well, at least I got the option to get Lightroom this weekend but I have to say, from what I have played with in CS5 so far it is just mind-blowing.
Guess I will ditch my Corel Draw x4 (an the rest like Zoner etc) quite quickly once I get to grips with CS5, Illustrator and Lightroom.
That will free up quite some space.
Kind regards
SmutjeUK

It's nice to be nice!

Pentax K-5 with D-GB4 Grip, to many lenses to mention by now (serious LBA by now), TC's, Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW, Manfrotto 028 & Redsnapper RS-283 with various Heads plus various Camera Clamps (I collect them). Pentax AF 360FGZ, Pentax AF 240FT, several Metz 45 CT-1 & 5 with stands and 'Blow Up' Soft Boxes, Flash Triggers, and various Macro gear.

Anvh

Link Posted 17/03/2011 - 14:11
If you can only get one program i would go for CS5.
Lightroom is basically a more fluid experience/package off bridge and Adobe Camera RAW and few other things. But the developing module is the same as Adobe Camera RAW that you find in CS5.
So the things you can make with Lightroom you can also make with CS5, you've precisely the same tools but it's less handy and archiving is a bit of a pain.

I can really do without Lightroom but not without Photoshop...
Stefan


K10D, K5
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, D-FA 100 Macro, DA 40 Ltd, DA 18-55
AF-540FGZ
Last Edited by Anvh on 17/03/2011 - 14:13

SmutjeUK

Link Posted 17/03/2011 - 14:16
Anvh wrote:
If you can only get one program i would go for CS5.
Lightroom is basically a more fluid experience/package off bridge and Adobe Camera RAW and few other things. But the developing module is the same as Adobe Camera RAW that you find in CS5.
So the things you can make with Lightroom you can also make with CS5, you've precisely the same tools but it's less handy and archiving is a bit of a pain.

I can really do without Lightroom but not without Photoshop...

I can actually get both as I am offered in return for this weekends work either Cash or Lightroom. A few weeks back I had the choice of either and I opted for CS5 Extended with Illustrator.
So at the end I got the best of both I guess.
Kind regards
SmutjeUK

It's nice to be nice!

Pentax K-5 with D-GB4 Grip, to many lenses to mention by now (serious LBA by now), TC's, Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW, Manfrotto 028 & Redsnapper RS-283 with various Heads plus various Camera Clamps (I collect them). Pentax AF 360FGZ, Pentax AF 240FT, several Metz 45 CT-1 & 5 with stands and 'Blow Up' Soft Boxes, Flash Triggers, and various Macro gear.
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