Sure enough, no sooner had I posted a link to my post from Friday on my Facebook page than someone had to comment that they wouldn’t subscribe to any of Adobe’s plans. Ugh. I didn’t take it up with him there, but for all those still holding out (and “stickin’ it to the man”), there have been hundreds of enhancements added over the years that make both Lightroom and Photohsop work better, much faster, much easier, with much better workflows all around, but beyond all that – here are some of the big features you’ve missed in Lr and Ps by holding out :
LIGHTROOM:
- Smart Previews: Edit RAW images without the originals connected; enables remote and offline editing.
- Upright Tool: Automatic perspective correction.
- Radial Filter: Flexible local adjustments using elliptical masks.
- Advanced Healing Brush: More precise spot removal and cloning.
- Feathering on Radial Filter: Improved control for local adjustments.
- Additional Camera/Lens Support: Expanded compatibility with new hardware.
- Dehaze Slider: Remove or add atmospheric haze.
- Local Whites/Blacks Adjustments: Finer control in local adjustment tools.
- Performance Improvements: Faster Develop module and catalog handling.
- Face Recognition: Automatically tag and search for people in photos.
- Panorama and HDR Merge: Combine multiple images for panoramas or HDR directly in Lightroom.
- Mobile and Cloud Sync: Launch of Lightroom Mobile and cloud-based Lightroom CC, enabling cross-device editing and syncing.
- Masking Panel: Unified and enhanced local adjustment tools (Brush, Linear, Radial, Color/Range Masks).
- AI-powered Select Subject/Sky: One-click selections for subjects and skies using machine learning.
- Denoise (AI): Advanced noise reduction using artificial intelligence.
- Super Resolution: AI-based upscaling of image resolution.
- Raw Details: Improved demosaicing for finer detail in RAW files.
- Point Color Tool: Precise color selection and adjustment by hue, saturation, and luminance, both globally and locally.
- Lens Blur (Early Access): Simulate depth-of-field and creative blur effects using AI-generated depth maps.
- HDR Editing: Direct editing for high dynamic range images, not just merging.
- Content-Aware Remove/Generative Remove: AI-based object removal, including complex backgrounds and improved selection tools.
- Adaptive Presets/Profiles: AI-driven presets that adapt to image content for color, tone, and contrast.
- Distraction Removal Tool: AI-powered removal of reflections (from glass/windows) and unwanted people from photos.
- Reflections Removal: Dedicated AI tool to eliminate window/glass reflections.
- People Removal: Automatically detect and remove distracting or extra people in the background.
- Non-Destructive Enhance Tools: Denoise, Super Resolution, and Raw Details are now integrated into the edit stack—no more extra DNG files.
- Tethered Capture: Expanded support for Fujifilm and new Canon cameras for direct shooting into Lightroom.
- Performance Improvements: Faster develop module navigation, improved folder panel loading, enhanced duplicate detection (even for renamed files), and smoother editing experience.
- PNG Export: Ability to export edits as PNG files, supporting transparency and web workflows.
- Improved Missing Files Workflow: Reconnect missing images by folder, not just individually.
- Enhanced Metadata Filters: New filters for images edited with AI tools (e.g., Denoise, Super Resolution, Reflections/People Removal).
- Precise Capture Time: Millisecond-level precision for burst mode and time-sensitive workflows.
- Smart Previews for Editing: Warnings and improved handling when editing using Smart Previews instead of originals.
- Generative Remove Improvements: Enhanced object detection and selection for more accurate content removal.
- Mobile & Web-Specific Updates
- AI People Removal: Touch-friendly interface for removing people directly on mobile devices.
- Scene Enhance Tool (iPhone): Adaptive quick actions for sky, subject, and background adjustments.
- Enhanced Sharing: Multi-image sharing and streamlined album creation on mobile and web.
- Performance Boosts: Smoother swiping, faster image loading, and improved migration from Classic to cloud-based Lightroom.
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PHOTOSHOP
- Smart Sharpen: Improved sharpening with adaptive technology to minimize noise and halos.
- Intelligent Upsampling: Better image enlargement with less loss of quality.
- Camera Shake Reduction: Reduces blur caused by camera movement.
- Editable Rounded Rectangles: More flexible vector shapes.
- Adobe Generator: Automatically generates image assets from layers using Node.js-based plugins.
- Perspective Warp: Adjust perspective of image elements independently.
- Linked Smart Objects: Link to external files for non-destructive editing.
- 3D Printing Support: Prepare and print 3D models directly from Photoshop.
- Content-Aware Improvements: Enhanced patch and move tools for better object removal and movement.
- Spin Blur & Path Blur: New blur effects for creative motion.
- Focus Mask: Automatically selects in-focus areas of an image.
- Content-Aware Move & Patch Enhancements: Improved algorithms for more seamless edits.
- Select Subject: AI-powered tool for one-click subject selection.
- Curvature Pen Tool: Easier path creation, similar to Illustrator.
- Paint Symmetry Tool: Create symmetrical designs in real time.
- Variable Fonts: Support for OpenType variable fonts, allowing flexible typography.
- Quick Share: Directly share images to social networks from Photoshop.
- Copy/Paste Layers: Copy and paste entire layers between documents.
- Equirectangular Spherical Panorama Editing: Edit 360° images with specialized tools.
- Access Lightroom Photos: Direct import of Lightroom images into Photoshop.
- Remove Background (AI): One-click background removal using machine learning.
- Sky Replacement: Automatically replace skies in photos with AI-driven masking.
- Enhanced Auto Selections: Improved object and subject selection using AI.
- Improved Properties Panel: More intuitive access to layer and document properties.
- Cloud Documents: Save and access PSD files in the cloud, enabling cross-device workflows.
- Animated GIF Support: Direct creation and editing of animated GIFs.
- Customizable Warp: Enhanced warp tool for more complex transformations.
- Lens Blur Updates: Improved realism and control in lens blur effects.
- New Presets: Expanded swatches, gradients, shapes, and font options.
- HEIF Support: Compatibility with Apple’s High Efficiency Image Format.
- Generative Fill (AI): AI-powered content generation to fill, extend, or create new image areas (not explicitly listed in search results, but widely recognized as a major 2023–2024 feature).
- Distraction Removal: AI-based tools for removing unwanted objects or people (inferred from recent trends; not explicitly cited in search results).
- Performance & Usability: Faster workflows, enhanced stability, and improved integration with Adobe’s cloud ecosystem.
- Expanded 3D and Tethering: Improved 3D model handling and broader camera support for tethered shooting (inferred from ongoing feature trends).
- Content-Aware Fill Workspace: Dedicated workspace for more precise content-aware edits.
- Enhanced Camera Raw: New controls for straightening, temperature, tint, and auto adjustments.
- Improved Export Options: Export as PNG with metadata and ICC profiles.
- UI and Accessibility: Narrow options bar, better support for small displays, and improved font handling.
- Enhanced History and Undo: More robust undo/redo and history tracking.
- Integration with Behance: Share work directly to Behance from Photoshop.
Of course, none of this includes all the Camera support updates, or Len Profile updates or like I mentioned, all the myriad of tweaks and enhancements that make Lightroom so, so much better than it was before.
Important to note: As I mentioned on “The Grid,” if we consider only the standard rate of inflation, which Adobe has already taken into account with the perpetual model, today’s perpetual price would be approximately $1,355.00. All at once. Up front. This does not include upgrades. They would be $225 every year to 18 months based on those same inflation rates. Of course, you don’t have to upgrade; you could continue to use outdated software with fewer features and no camera or lens updates, but most users didn’t skip those updates for those very reasons.
To the holdouts: you can use faster, better software with more features, or you can keep “sticking it to the man.” Your call.
Have a kick butt Monday, everybody!
-Scott
P.S. We are just two weeks away from the Travel Photography Conference sponsoed by the awesome folks at On1. I’ll be teaching lots of fun stuff, but so will a host of great photographers who are joining me, for two full days, two full learning tracks (that are archived for an entire year for you to stream on-demand if you want to rewatch a class or catch one you missed). Don’t miss out – sign up today and save $100 at kelbyonelive.com
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