LR 3 Beta

[Hinfrance]

No idea why, but Adobe sent me the link for this. So I downloaded it. Alas it crashed at 73% of building the initial catalogue - which I presume is an identical module to the older version as it is not mentioned in the improvements and changes list.

Still I get to play with it (if I can get it running) for 3 months instead of 30 days for the previous trials, so it's got to be worth a go, hasn't it?

[picsfor]

I've tried it and it trashed my Mac.
I had to rebuild it to over come the effects it had on my Mac. It is the only thing to have caused any problems with the Mac in over a year!
I did enjoy some of the features whilst the new import dialogue box annoyed the hell out of me.

I pop into the forum to see what's going on and I've thought of downloading it again - but I'm still a bit fearful of what happened last time.
Working in B&W is a dream compared with LR2 and the demosaic process really is an improvement over the current process.

As i have previously said, i have as yet to see anything that really jumps out at me and say "open your wallet" for the upgrade.
Let's see how i get when i've finished this DAM book that Forseti recommended.

[Forseti]

Let's see how i get when i've finished this DAM book that Forseti recommended.

Ah, so you got it then.   First impressions?

[picsfor]

I'm on Chapter 2 at the moment.
It's a very good book from what i've read it.

It is at the dry point - explaining the 'technology' before explaining the practice.
To be fair - the explanations are quite interesting and already show a few misconceptions on my part and also explain some of your comments.
The interesting point he has made thus far is the one about hanging on to all pictures except the absolute duffers (like kept lens cap on etc) because as software technology evolves so does the ability to fix pictures that were considered duffers at the time.

In that i can have an understanding. I've been shooting RAW since 2004 on my Nikon 5700 and RAW handling then was atrocious - but now it is a whole new world - and some of those old 5700 pictures are looking useful.
History rarely repeats itself so pictures of the past tend to acquire a value after a while - because they are the only record of that past. So long as you still know you have that picture!

[Forseti]

It's a very good book from what i've read it.

I thought you'd like it. 

It is at the dry point - explaining the 'technology' before explaining the practice.

I think the problem with a lot of us is that we tend to scratch the surface of so many things, get entrenched in our ways and convince ourselves that this is the only and best way - closing our minds to anything alternative. We then reach a point of no return and simply plod on with the shambles that we've gotten ourselves into.

The interesting point he has made thus far is the one about hanging on to all pictures except the absolute duffers (like kept lens cap on etc)

Bit difficult to achieve with an SLR I would have thought - after all you won't be able to see through the lens in which case it's the tog whose a duffer not the image. 



Oh well, won't keep you - chapter 3 awaits. 

[skellum]

I was sent the link from Adobe yesterday and it download first time no problem. Not had much of a play with it but like Andrew said that import dialoge box is annoying. I have never used Lightroom before so stand by for a few questions.............

[Hinfrance]

I can't get the catalogue up and running. It stopped at 11800 images and won't synchronise or add any more. It just stops.

Still at least Windows is not as fragile as a Mac, eh Andrew - everything else still works

[Forseti]

I can't get the catalogue up and running. It stopped at 11800 images and won't synchronise or add any more. It just stops.

In the Import dialogue you haven't by any chance got build 1:1 previews selected have you? If so, then Standard or even better Minimal should be selected as this only effects the thumbnail image in the Library and LR will import much quicker without this extra burden.

[Hinfrance]

Hi Forseti - can't see a preview size choice box in the new import dialogue. Ive got previews set to the default 1440 in preferences. Later : It does not build previews until the images are selected, hence its previous speed advantage over  version 2 - but it can take up to 12 seconds to render a preview when a picture is selected.

It WAS running really significantly faster than the last version I tried right up until it this wall. I seem to be able to import more images but only in much smaller chunks. If I select my 'pictures' folder and try to import the missing odd 5000 it adds them to the dialogue (eventually, after checking for duplicates) and then imports exactly one (1) image before seizing up.

And lights out now puts a white border around the centred image - what's the point in that?

[Forseti]

It does not build previews until the images are selected, hence its previous speed advantage over  version 2

Ah, ok then. I haven't tried version 3 so wasn't aware that they had changed this aspect of things.

[Hinfrance]

Maybe this is one of the reasons why the new dialogue annoys Andrew so much?

[Forseti]

Out of interest I've just watched Episode 1 of 3 videos on LR3. There IS the option to select Preview quality upon Import - see screenshot. (now deleted) Ensure you have 'Add' to catalogue selected (top just right of centre). Remember this is preview quality not size and until you go to the Develop module to edit (at which stage an 1:1 preview is built automatically) you don't need them in the library grid view particularly.


These videos can be found here: http://tv.adobe.com/product/lightroom

[picsfor]

I can't get the catalogue up and running. It stopped at 11800 images and won't synchronise or add any more. It just stops.

Still at least Windows is not as fragile as a Mac, eh Andrew - everything else still works

But you see, my Mac didn't stop at 11800 images - it plundered on to 30586. It displayed everything in glorious full size and in excellent clarity (oh those wonderful Mac screens  )
However, i accepted this was a beta and backed everything up prior to testing and then my rebuild took a whole 15 minutes when i asked it to restore from the moment before i installed the beta 
Microsoft are still struggling to match Time Machine!!!

I was able to configure it to back up at the end of the session (almost worth an upgrade) not like the beginning with LR2.

As i said, i gave it a fairly good testing - but it just made the Mac go slower and slower - and i put this down to maybe the upgrade to Snow Leopard in conjunction with this being Beta software.
I'm due for another testing session shortly - so i'll let you know how i get on.

[Hinfrance]

I knew you'd find an answer Forseti.

Alas my broadband is not fast enough for video streaming, and I didn't bother even looking there because the intro said editing and output improvements on V2 and everything worked the same. Clearly it doesn't. When I select 'import' I get this:



After a while I found the more options button, and eventually I found the file handling menu, which wasn't displayed when the main window opened (I had to scroll to find it). And it was set to 'minimal'. So that's not the answer.

So far I haven't found anything that makes me revise my almost pathological dislike for this piece of software - it remains counter intuitive, obscure, uncommunicative to the user and just plain awkward. The fact that it doesn't work is just the icing on the cake  

Now Andrew calm down.

We all know that Macs have nasty shiny screens. Because I am not constantly taking mind altering drugs the world I live in is not entirely covered in highly reflective glistening surfaces, so alas I find Mac screens (and the wanabe PC copies thereof) a big no-no. I'm more than happy with my matt 24 inch high res calibrated HP monitor thank you.

I pretty much feel the same way about high gloss photographs too.

[Forseti]

After a while I found the more options button, and eventually I found the file handling menu, which wasn't displayed when the main window opened (I had to scroll to find it). And it was set to 'minimal'. So that's not the answer.

It's set to mini because you won't be using it all the time - only when you've set something specifically as a preset.

So far I haven't found anything that makes me revise my almost pathological dislike for this piece of software - it remains counter intuitive, obscure, uncommunicative to the user and just plain awkward. The fact that it doesn't work is just the icing on the cake

I pretty much held the same view although perhaps not so extreme   when version 1 was released. Now I've got the hang of it, and here *patience* is your best friend, I feel completely at home with it.

Edit: I echo your sentiments regarding those glossy screens. I wouldn't have one if you gave it to me.

I'll delete the screenshot from my gallery now as it's served it's purpose so as not to block up the front page.