Lightroom for free - and Darktable

[Glenda]

Apparently Adobe is offering an abridged version of Lightroom free at present.
https://www.adobe.com/au/products/photoshop-lightroom.html?red=a

[ameerat42]

Ta, Glenda. I'm installing the free version now. It's a de-featured version of the paid one, and you can see below
what you get/don't get. What a tremendous adjunct to my FREE CS2 Photoshop :eek: (I mean, I want to just be
able to convert various raw formats w/o getting the prop s/w.)

Free "Features"
https://www.adobe.com/au/products/photoshop-lightroom.html?red=a

[bitsnpieces]

Thank you
I need more of this free stuff lol

[Dazz1]

If you find you miss the things the free version of Lightroom leaves out, you might want to try Darktable. It started as a Linux program but there is a Windows version now. Being a bit newer, it might have, as they say, some "rough edges" but it is VERY capable.

http://www.darktable.org/

[Renzo]

If you find you miss the things the free version of Lightroom leaves out, you might want to try Darktable. It started as a Linux program but there is a Windows version now. Being a bit newer, it might have, as they say, some "rough edges" but it is VERY capable.

http://www.darktable.org/


Must confess I've entered this thread to reactivate my :o suspended account but, being a pretty regular user of Linux Ubuntu and other open source products, I've found your post very interesting. Are you still using it? Some pros and cons to be warned of?

[ameerat42]

Hi Renzo.

I must say that when I tried it to convert some raw files (Canon/Nikon/Can't remember)
I could do NOthing but open them (via import I think). So now my much-lauded Free LR
is much lacking from my computer.

Mm-mm-maybe I'll give it another try :confused013

[Renzo]

Hi Renzo.

I must say that when I tried it to convert some raw files (Canon/Nikon/Can't remember)
I could do NOthing but open them (via import I think). So now my much-lauded Free LR
is much lacking from my computer.

Mm-mm-maybe I'll give it another try :confused013


Ave Ham, I've tried, instead, to give Darktable a try ; in effect, I've found it pretty tricky to use but I'm sure I got to spend more time to understand it... anyway, to convert my Nikon raw files, I'm still using, with my great satisfaction, Capture NX2 from Nikon, which I bought years ago...

[ameerat42]

^Yep, that's the way to go for Nikon, which makes me think now I do recall I tried
Canon because they were .CR2 files.

I might give this another go, and see what all their touting is about... - as if we
don't know :cool:

[Renzo]

I agree with returning to Canon; time ago I discovered that certain data in .nef files were lost not using a Nikon converter, so... :confused013

[ameerat42]

Looking for some sample files NEFs, CRx to try again...

Will report...

[Renzo]

Yeah, the proper link seems to be disappeared...

[ameerat42]

I still had my version "installed" - ie, I could log in and use it.

To my surprise:oops: I managed to edit and save (export) an edited sample NEF.

Next time - you get sick of driving a truck whilst underneath it and doing repairs - I will
will try to open the edited file in Photoshop, as the save options were patently UNclear
in LR.

- - - Updated - - -

Renzo, if you did install this free version before, you need to run it and log in using
your (registered) email address and password. If you use WIN 10, type in "lightroom"
in the search box/Cortana pane to find and launch it.

(Bit of luck for me because I REALLY THOUGHT I had uninstalled it :confused013 )

[Dazz1]

Ave Ham, I've tried, instead, to give Darktable a try ; in effect, I've found it pretty tricky to use but I'm sure I got to spend more time to understand it...


To answer your earlier question, I am using it every day. Many complicated programs for photography are confronting at first, and yes, you have to invest some time to get to know them. I set up Darktable with the default minimum tweaks that I find myself doing to every photo, then PP on the average new photo is almost automatic. Just have to tweak up the odd thing, crop and frame it.

[bazz]

wouldnt go back to lightroom after useing darktable its so mutch more powerfull yes it different to use than lightroom but dosent take long to work out , youtube for tutiols to get you going ,cheers bazz

[ameerat42]

^ I might have to give this DARKTABLE a whirl. What raw files do you convert with it, Bazz?

[Dazz1]

wouldnt go back to lightroom after useing darktable its so mutch more powerfull yes it different to use than lightroom but dosent take long to work out , youtube for tutiols to get you going ,cheers bazz

That's interesting to know. Have not used Lightroom for so long, and never was a big user. Made it hard to compare for me. I love Darkroom though

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^ I might have to give this DARKTABLE a whirl. What raw files do you convert with it, Bazz?

Mine converts my Canon .CR2 files of course. i think most linux software all uses the same libraries.

[Dazz1]

Maybe if a few people are trying it, we could start a help thread about it and share tips.


Like this one on how to use a highpass filter blended with the original for sharpening

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50889780966_24b7533166_n.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2kwXqUE)highpass (https://flic.kr/p/2kwXqUE) by Wide Pixels (https://www.flickr.com/photos/144481667@N06/), on Flickr

[Renzo]

To answer your earlier question, I am using it every day. Many complicated programs for photography are confronting at first, and yes, you have to invest some time to get to know them. I set up Darktable with the default minimum tweaks that I find myself doing to every photo, then PP on the average new photo is almost automatic. Just have to tweak up the odd thing, crop and frame it.


Thanks, Dazz1, I've just tried to open a raw file of mine, a Nikon .nef, and figure the whole tool's design at first glance; obviously, as you wrote to Ameerat42, it's pretty hard to learn to exploit this tool's functionalities in few minutes; the idea of producing a user's guide based on different experiences looks good, and I'll try to contribute with my practice too.

[Dazz1]

Thanks, Dazz1, I've just tried to open a raw file of mine, a Nikon .nef, and figure the whole tool's design at first glance; obviously, as you wrote to Ameerat42, it's pretty hard to learn to exploit this tool's functionalities in few minutes; the idea of producing a user's guide based on different experiences looks good, and I'll try to contribute with my practice too.



Basic workflow for me


In lightable mode, import the folder where the new photos are. This gives you a "film role" on the table for viewing and culling.
Use ctrl-scrollwheel to zoom in and inspect each photo. They all start at one star. Promote the good ones.
Set the view filter to one star - thus showing all the rejects, and delete them using the Selected images group on the right.
Double click on an image I want to edit (or select it and choose 'darkroom' at the top right menu), and adjust it as desired.
Exit darkroom back to lighttable, select image and export it using 'export selected' group on right.


Each time you do this, it builds up a "collection" like in a digital photo manager that you can go back to and find this or other folders from other sessions.

- - - Updated - - -

Learn to use the custom presets, especially those you want automatically applied

In darkroom mode, every module has a little 3-line edit icon on the far right. This lets you save a new preset, or edit and old one, or choose one to apply.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50892381047_741e0b44b9_n.jpg

This is the edit dialog (from my custom denoise). Notice the 'Auto apply' option at the top, and how flexible the filters are.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50892265746_037796acaf_w.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2kxbaxG)

[ameerat42]

The thread is tending a fair bit towards Darktable now, WHICH ISN'T a bad thing.
I'll change the title to include that name, and move the thread to Gear Talk - Software,
to keep Dazz1's last thread on Darktable (http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?163511-Darktable-3-0-0-released) company :D

Hints and tips on usage are always handy to share.

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OK, so after a lot of arm-twisting and other enticements, I have
downloaded the 64-bit installer for Windows, which is available,
inter alia, from here:
https://www.darktable.org/install/#windows

If you have a 32-bit OS, you might have to look somewhere else :(

[Dazz1]

The thread is tending a fair bit towards Darktable now, WHICH ISN'T a bad thing.
I'll change the title to include that name, and move the thread to Gear Talk - Software,
to keep Dazz1's last thread on Darktable (http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?163511-Darktable-3-0-0-released) company :D

Hints and tips on usage are always handy to share.

- - - Updated - - -

OK, so after a lot of arm-twisting and other enticements, I have
downloaded the 64-bit installer for Windows, which is available,
inter alia, from here:
https://www.darktable.org/install/#windows

If you have a 32-bit OS, you might have to look somewhere else :(


Thanks for all that. 32 bit has largely been forgotten I know. Not just by software, but even by most linux distros. I think most older 32 bit systems might struggle with heavy photo editing anyway.

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On the subject of speed, one lengthy task is thumbnail generation, particularly if you want real ones, not just the embedded jpg. See this info https://darktable.gitlab.io/doc/en/overview_chapter.html#darktable_generate_cache_commandline_parameters on how to generate thumbnails for a big collection in the background.

- - - Updated - - -

Here's some of my most used tools while editing



haze removal - fantastic tool, also useful for clarifying shots through water.
shadows and highlights
local contrast - great combined with sharpness tools
velvia - I just love the tone
spot removal
perspective correction
vignette


Also a couple of things I didn't discover at first.


right-click on sliders and practice using the great fine tune mode
try out the drawn and parametric masks
use the multiple instance facility for any module. Combined with masks it is very powerful.

[Renzo]

Thanks, Dazz1, I'll give it a try ASAP...

[ameerat42]

Thanks, Dazz1, I'll give it a try ASAP...

For me, a little less of the S in ASAP because I'm shifting a lot of pictures out of
C: drive, making two back-ups on separate drives. I have previously just made
back-ups of these elsewhere and left them on C...:cool:

[Dazz1]

For me, a little less of the S in ASAP because I'm shifting a lot of pictures out of
C: drive, making two back-ups on separate drives. I have previously just made
back-ups of these elsewhere and left them on C...:cool:

Do you have a NAS? I use one, plus an external hard drive. Then there's the copies of subsets that accumulate on various computers and laptops. Plenty of backups :)

[ameerat42]

A NAS? - Nah, not chet :D

I was thinking of setting that up some time ago but have not got round to it - ie, researching it, etc.

I've got a number of external HDDs that have so far sufficed /Fingerscrossed

Anyway, just this morning I've recovered 21GB on C, so Darktable is... on the table for later today.