In a very uncanny circumstance of timing, Adobe just updated Lightroom Classic on exactly the day that I needed it. I literally went out this morning for my first shoot with my new Sony A7Riii, and it just so happens that Adobe updated Lightroom Classic today to now support that camera (as well as a few other updates).
I have Capture 1, but I don’t use it much other than to see what’s new every now and then. But I haven’t used/installed it on my latest computer. On my way home, I was thinking that I’d have to, since they had already released an update for the new Sony. But then I came home and saw there was an update to Lightroom. BOOM! I’m in business!
Anyway, it’s not a huge update. Like most (dot) updates it just contains some camera/lens support and a few bug fixes. But there are two small new features.
1. The Auto setting works better – I was pretty skeptical, but I gave it a try. I saved a photo that had “Auto” applied to it before I updated to the new version. Then I installed the new version and tried the auto setting and it definitely is better. Apparently it’s now smart enough to use your existing White Balance, Crop settings, or Camera Profiles when doing it’s “thing”. I’m not sure I’ll use it. I don’t really buy software, and spend the time learning it, just to have the software edit for me. But hey… maybe it’ll give me a head start 🙂
2. In the new Range Mask feature (from October), if you had a color dropper on the image, you couldn’t delete it. Well, now you can Option/Alt click on a color sample point and it’ll remove it.
To update, just go to the top menu and choose HELP > UPDATES.
As I mentioned earlier, there’s some new camera and lens support there too:
– For a list of supported cameras click here.
– For a list of supported lenses click here.
Have a good one!
I love teaching and photography... In that order. I feel that enjoying photography, and photo editing can get WAY too complicated. So my personal mission (and favorite thing to do), is to create education that simplifies the process of taking great photos, and how to edit them to get the results you’ve always wanted.
Hi Matt,
I upgraded to Lightroom Classic, and it works fine, except that the module headings, Library, Develop, etc. appear as hieroglyphics instead of words. When you click on the string of hieroglyphics the module functions normally. Its just a weird appearance, and I am wondering how I can get it back to normal. Can you help?
Hey Gerry – go to your Identity Plate setup (under the Lightroom menu on a Mac) and choose “Personalized”. You can change the font in there. I usually show people how to change it as a gag… maybe some one played a trick on you 😉
Hi Matt,
I’m glad to see you shoot Sony, my camera is a Sony DSC-HX400v and I love it! Since I now have this info, your site will be the first I visit when it comes to photography…Julian Gang
Merry Christmas Matt to you and your family:
I tried the updated Auto settings and found that it worked pretty well, but still found that i liked to make some adjustments to the what Lightroom gave me. .
Thanks and You too! Everyone is different. As I mentioned in the post, I really don’t ever use Auto, but it can be a good starting place if that’s the way you edit.
It seems to make a big difference if I apply camera calibration first especially in exposure. If I apply auto first and the image gets a +1 exposure for example. Then if I reset and apply camera calibration first, then auto, the image will not get the same exposure adjustment.
I’ve found with the latest update that auto settings work differently if you apply a camera calibration before you apply auto settings than if you do it auto settings first. Which would be the preferred order.
Hi Bill. I don’t know that there’s a preferred order. A camera profile makes your photo look different in a way that Auto doesn’t, since Auto is really only adjustment the Basic panel stuff. So I’d say go with whatever looks better 🙂
Hi Matt, when I opened LR that came bundled with PS for $10 monthly contract and went to help and clicked on LR Classic to update, I got a duplicated LR logo in my icon space and I have to open it separately to get to the new LR CC with the new lrcat 2. And my photos catalog lrcat 1 did NOT populate into the new LR Classic. lrcat 2. Am I doing something wrong? thanks Skip Wilson
Unfortunately, it looks like they still have not added support for Apple’s new HEIC format, which is in LR CC but not in Classic ;-(
The range mask does not exist on my updated version and I’ve never received a response from Adobe. It’s not like it’s grayed out, it does not exist. I have the latest updates, color version, and specs on my computer are good. Why do I not have this feature? Does anyone know?
Hi Brian – the only reason I can think is that you don’t have the CC version of Lightroom. When you look up in the top left corner you should see “Adobe Lightroom Classic CC”. If you don’t then you don’t have the version that has Range Mask. Aside from that, I won’t be much help on the tech support side of things.
This fixed this weird glitch I had where my library had this weird “layered” look when switching between folders. (Images from one folder would appear behind the new folder). New heard of anyone else having this problem so…thanks Adobe?
I found that Lightroom animations while working in survey mode leave a trail. The image borders fail to repaint, leaving a illusion like effect.
Wondering if anyone faced this problem and the new update fixed this issue.
I just tried the new Auto myself. Amazing. The old Auto almost never produced a useful result. I just got a 10-for-10 in actually improving the image. Not necessarily final, but always better. I’ll be using this a lot.
Do the updates come automatically? I don’t see “check updates” when I toggle over LR. Also, I find LR Classic very slow at times. I couldn’t figure it out the other day – it was terrible! Is it me?
Matt, are you finding that LR Classic is really slow?
Matt was just on the No Name Photography Show were he said, in fact, he saw a good burst of speed from the update to Classic, but he knows a lot of people have also seen the opposite.
For me personally, I haven’t seen any speed increase.
I agree with you Randy. I am new to Lightroom as I have been using Bridge and Camera Raw for the last ten years. I was very surprise by the difference in speed. Lightroom Classic is much slower then Camera Raw and it is using the same code. Hopefully Adobe will improve it.
Hi Lynn. For me it’s the fastest it’s been in years. I have heard from others saying it’s not but I don’t know what to say. It’s been working great on my computer.
AR73…… So your thoughts, I look forward hearing what you think about it and the files. You all have a great Christmas.