I’m going back to basics with this one since the question keeps coming up. Since Adobe has released a few really nice “beta” features (also called Technology Previews) in to Adobe Camera Raw, a lot of people have been asking if they should be using that instead of Lightroom. Or which one is better over the other. The answer is pretty simple, but hopefully this video helps clear it up for those of you wondering. Enjoy!

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I love Bridge and Camera and Photoshop because I want to keep it simple. I don’t need collections, tagging etc. I like to see my edits right away. I get harassed in my club because they consider me a dinosaur because I have no switched to Lightroom. As long as Adobe keeps these choices, I am sticking with what I know
Next time they harass you ask them if anyone can tell if the photo was edited in Lightroom or ACR? 🙂
This is an informative talk for ACR and Lightroom/Lightroom Classic workflow. Using LrC for basic-edits or final edits where no heavy editing is planned is where you can get a lot done. It is super efficient and you can always come back and make changes, especially if it is mostly basic edits. It’s a real workflow work-horse!
However, I really love the ACR workspace! It is best for separate, detailed photo work or that I plan to finish in Photoshop. To me, it is like using a ‘light-table’ where you only have an image (or two) to focus on to execute the detailed or more precise work. But those types of files can end up being rather large and are more to manage back-and-forth to LrC.
Looks like that is where Bridge comes into the workflow – so I might have to buy your course and see if that convinces me to re-introduce Bridge to my own workflow.
Thank-you for the great information video!
Next question in my mind would be the difference between camera raw and the camera raw filter in Photoshop.
Hi. One is raw and non-destructive and the other is just a filter on a layer. You can’t edit a raw photo with it because by the time you ever open it you’re already in PS with a non-raw photo open.
Thanks Matt!
Very clear explanation for when to use ACR vs. LightRoom.
Do you think there will be some tech previews that Adobe DOESN’T move into LightRoom? In other words, once the preview has passed the test and Adobe moves it out of preview mode, will they always (strong word there I know) move them into Lr?
Any idea on how long the wait will be between passing the test and arrival in Lr? I know it might differ for different previews, but do you think it will be a short period of time (1-2 months) or can you foresee it being 6 months to a year before they will show up in Lr?
Hi Scott. If it makes it past the “tech review” stage my guess would be it will also make it in to LRC and LR. As for how long, Adobe isn’t publicly giving a timeline. Thanks!
Thank you for clearing up my understanding of the ! and three lines. I’ve wondered about that and the answer is helpful
Thanks for clearing this up – looks like we should choose one or the other!
You’re welcome but I had hoped this shows that there’s a case for both workflows from time to time. I can’t think of anyone that uses LR that actually uses it 100% of the time, so be flexible is the main idea here 🙂
I use photoshop exclusively am I missing anything by not using Lightroom?
Are they not practically the same except for DAM database?
This video was helpful in answering questions I had about LRC versus ACR. I’m a LRC user so this resolves any thoughts I might have about using ACR at this point in time.
Thanks for the clear discussion.
Thank you so much Matt
Thank you for a good explanation.
I’m a Lightroom user and have been wondering if I miss something as I don’t have Bridge or Camera Raw.
I am very content with just using Lightroom.
Hi Matt. I started editing in Photoshop at V7(?) using just exposure and object removal tools at first, then moved to LR with V1 introduction but still using PS as needed. Now in latest version of LR Classic I still use the Dev Module for most of my edits, except for some functions where I believe the PS tools are superior, or non-existant in LR; specifically GEO straightening, Remove Tool, all the GenAI tools and Sky Replacement. I move the image to PS as a copy saving LR edits, and when I finish PS editing I “save as” a new file name with my shorthand convention for what I did in PS. For example _A12345.ps+Geo+Sky+GenEx. I note that this multiplies my files but storage space is not a concern. Should say I also use PS for access to third party programs, On1 Effects and Topaz PhotoAI; their inclusion is also recorded within my “save as” file name.
I am not appreciating the scratch disk becoming full in the midst of an edit, thus saving is not possible. I don’t recall this problem in the past. Can the ‘fill’ be placed in an area we can easily clean rather than be constantly reminded we need to purchase more ‘cloud’ space? Thank you!
Hi Matt,
Great video. I presume that the Remove tool is not available in CameraRaw, neither the access to Masks as in LrC. Or is it?
Hi Matt! Your recent article on Bridge opened my eyes and now Bridge is a major element of my work flow – including LR & PS. One advantage I have found in LR and not in ACR is that there are more options for vignetting (unless , of course, there is something I have missed!)
Hi Martin. They’re exactly the same. Poke around but the same settings are there.
Thank you for that – found them!! That’s going to be a great help. Thnks again
Very cool. Especially the XMP file calrification
camera raw, but some time is lightroom.
Question. Several years ago, my computer crashed and I lost all of my photos. Only a few could be recovered. No worries about the RAW files because I had back up copies; however, I had not backed up the edited versions. I was using LR for RAW edits and was both surprised and relieved when I opened back up copies in LR (on the repaired computer) and discovered the edits were all in place! Does ACR also save RAW edits?
Hi Dave. Yes, it saves them in that XMP file that I showed you which is along side of the original raw.
Thank you for the clarification. You are spot on when you say it depends upon a person’s workflow. I use both but mainly ACR because I started using Bridge a few years ago. Put simply, Bridge and ACR work very well together with the way I organise my photos and for my workflow.
Hi Matt, I have been a long time user of Lightroom Classic and never been unhappy with the programme, however over the past six months I have started using Bridge, ACR and Photoshop in my workflow. I find the programme runs faster, especially when the edit becomes a bit more complex. Thanks for another great video, always clear and concise. John.
Hi Matt, thanks for the video and explanation. I have a question about profiles. In this video and others I have noticed that you often use the Adobe Color profile. Personally, I use the one of the camera specific profiles. Is there a particular reason you choose Adobe Color profile more often?
Thanks,
Pat
Hi Pat. Not really. I just like the way it looks. Profiles just change your start point and for me, Adobe Color meets my eye and what I expect the photo to look like before I edit. Choosing another profile just means you get a different starting place, and you may do more or less of an edit depending on which one you choose. It’s one of those things there is no right answer – whatever looks good to you. Thanks!
Thank you for your insights Matt – a good overview of the Camara Raw feature used in LR and PS.
It’s worth mentioning Photo Mechanic is another image browser that’s excellent for ingesting large numbers of image files, organizing them etc and then importing an image in PS-ACR or Lightroom for editing. In the preferences section of PM, you can select and define which image processor you want toimport images by pressing the letter E. The software will automatically bring one image or several – into the image editing software of choice.
I know at one time Matt used PM for ingesting, sorting, keywording images etc, but then said he dropped it in favour of LR.
I rarely use LR, preferring to use PM and Photoshop for all my image processing and editing.
Thanks as always for your outstanding videos! 🙂
Hi Matt, just saw your video.
I used LRC until last year where I switched to LR (and PS in case of having to use layers etc.). Catalogues are a hassle.
I always thought that LR, LRC and PS ALL use ACR in the backgroud, one version, which makes sense from a software developer standpoint instead of having different ‘ACR’ versions.
I also ‘see’ the same presets (also my personal presets) in LRC, LR and ACR (Photoshop) and side car files.
LRC,LR and PS are in my opinion just different roads to the same tools namely ACR.
But correct me if I’m wrong.
Cheers, Dries.
As a hobbyist I shoot jpeg instead of raw. I understand raw might be better but because of all the photos I shoot I do not have the time to edit every photo. I try to get the right ( or should I say the best I can) photo as I take them so I do not have to do as much editing. I always like to look for improvement. For my easier/simplest method to edit I found both LRC and Luminar apps to be helpful.
Thanks Dave. I actually have never met anyone that doesn’t “try to get the right photo” as they take them 🙂 Anyway, If you use either version of LR the tools to edit raw are the same as JPG. But your camera is already doing some editing on the JPG photo (contrast, sharpening and color saturation) so you may not need as much. Best!
One possible reason the “experimental” features don’t show up in LRC is that there are still some poor saps like me whose computers are too old to support the latest versions of PS, CR, and Br. OTOH, I can still operate the latest version of LRC.
Hi. The features I mentioned are not available in LRC to anyone, regardless of computer age.
If you are not using PS then LR you is the most obvious as you have direct access to your photo library and other applications. However if you are using PS for editing than ACR is more practical.
Hi. Not really. Just because some one uses Photoshop doesn’t mean they should use the Bridge/ACR workflow.
To me:
Camera Raw/Bridge advantages:
I don’t need to import images.
While in Bridge I can see all images in other subfolders
While in Bridge I can have multiple tabs
Camera Raw/Bridge disadvantages:
Lightroom’s slideshow is much better. I use that when presenting to clients in IPS session in the studio
Lightroom oval mask shows 2 circles, the 0% and the 100%. Bridge just shows a vague gradient in the overlay
Hi Matt,
Trying to read your ACR-Lr tutorial, but the system asks me to sign in to verify I’m not a bot.
As you can see from this screen scrape, below, I’m already logged in. Please help
Thanks… Frank Napoli
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This video jumped from topic to topic and left me more confused than before. I do all my organizing and basic editing in Lightroom Classic. I jump over to Photoshop, Topaz and ON1 for more specialized edits. I don’t know why I would ever use Adobe Camera Raw or Bridge.
Thank you for these informational videos. I enjoy your editing style and your videos are easy to understand.
Two comments. First, you seem to imply that the .xmp file is only created in ACR, but Lightroom can also create the .xmp file. Second, you didn’t mention that you can right click on a file in Lightroom and “open as smart object in Photoshop” to open it with all of the Lightroom edits in ACR as a smart object.
Hi Richard. LR doesn’t create XMP by default and was never intended to be used that way. Dealing with XMPs between LRC and ACR is a disaster and I’d never mention, nor recommend it to anyone but the most advanced of advanced people (definitely not who this “back to basics” video was aimed at). Next, Smart Objects have nothing to do with the topic of this back to basics video of “ACR or LR?” You could probably run down a list of 100 things I didn’t talk about in the video… To me, the success of any training video is not what you talk about… but instead what you don’t talk about. Thanks! 🙂
I appreciate this video Matt. I only use CR if I happen to be in Photoshop. That is, I make my adjustments in LR (Classic) and sometimes do some finishing touches in PS. If, when I’m in PS, I decide to do some additional changes (tone, color, etc.), I’ll open the file in CR and make the changes there. When finished, I save my file back to LR. Is this a problem, or is this an OK workflow?
Hi Linda. It sounds good to me. The only question I have back is… how does the photo look. That’s all that counts. If it looks good to you and the workflow makes sense to you, that’s all that matters. But everything you wrote makes sense. Thanks!
Yes, I follow this approach. If I have brought an image(s) across from lightroom to PS I will use CR for further edits.
great video