According to a leak captured by 9to5mac Adobe will soon launch a subscription based and mobile version of Adobe Lightroom. This is one of the most used (if not the most used) photo editing software. And it may be that in a couple of years from now tablets will be the main tool we use for our post production.
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Very nice for ‘road warriors’ and when targeting electronic displays, but providing a properly calibrated display on a tablet for doing pp for printing will be kinda difficult as this rather depends on ambient light.
iPad screens are some of the best out there for photo processing. High density, deep blacks, bright whites and factory calibrated. The storage issues are what eventually pushed me onto the PC, but I still love reviewing pictures on the iPad. 🙂 It’s by far the best screen I own.
No true at all, “pretty” and saturated is not good for photo editing. An accurate and broad color gamut is what any serious photographer would want, something not available on an iPad.
False. Really, what more can I say? 😉
Apple uses SAMSUNG components, such as screens and processors. What more can I say?
Does that mean they are as good as each other, or as bad as each other?????????
Please show me even a laptop screen that does >90% of the AdobeRGB color space, let alone a tablet, I believe that the iPad approaches the SRGB color space which is great if your a consumer posting selfies to facebook. If you are a professional photographer chances are your stuff will be printed and the SRGB color space is just plain not suitable for print.
A lot of people confuse high resolution (which Apple fanbois now call ‘retina’)with quality whereas color reproduction is what matters most when processing digital photographs.
Several million years ago apple had better graphics than the PC. They used a motorola chip with graphics built in. PC used a lot of junk. Then came the Taxan kif and other boards and apple lost its advantage, only some months in real time. It has NEVER got it back. Funny how and old story can be relived over and over and still treated as if its true.
I used to work for Apple back in those days, Apple once made professional systems for graphics work and as you point out the move to Intel was a move to commodity ‘good enough’ parts that made them no better than a PC, just a different OS which at the time was a differentiator, but now is less secure, more complex and nowhere near as consistent in its UI as it used to be.
The niche pro market that kept Apple alive during its years of struggle are not even a real consideration for Apple anymore, the recent Mac Pro being more of a Jony Ive special edition than a strategic product. Evidence how long pro’s had to wait since the last major update to the pro line.
The funny thing all these fanbois probably only started to think Apple was cool with the iPod and will spurt all this shit about how pro Mac is without ever having used a Mac pro. There is no way that all these long time mac users who profess their loyalty were really users back then, a Sydney Mac users group was lucky to attract 20 people in the 90’s whereas a Linux user group can attract an auditorium of 200 in the same city today.
Very far from the truth…
The screen are very different between ipad models. I loved my iPad2 display, ordered an iPad Air in order to benefit of the higher resolution and was deeply deceived : the pictures all had a strong yellow cast, the skies are turning to magenta and the reds are tamed. The added resolution doesn’t make any difference for pictures, only the text becomes easier to read. So for pictures it was a big disappointment. I think that the algorithm used to display pictures was already extremely performant on the first generation iPads; i tried to create bigger pictures corresponding to the iPad Air resolution, but that doesn’t make a real difference. To sum up : i could have spared me the update !
I cannot comment on previous iPads as never used one before but having recently purchased an iPad mini primarily for viewing, storage and the control feature provided for the E-M1, I am beginning to consider it the biggest waste of money ever and that I would have been better off looking at an Android. The only thing the iPad has in it’s favour as far as I can tell over and Android (using my HTC One mini and previous Desire) as guidance is the resolution and that really does not provide that much difference. So my advice to anyone considering the purchase of a Tablet for similar reasons take a look at some Androids and save a whack of money, the Apples are a very poor relative in my eyes. Connectivity, with a ‘droid plug and play a drive with all directory is there on your screen; with an iPad connect it and nothing is there, you need a heap of new software and still hope it works, Apple, a pile of junk!!!
I would like to try it. Actually I think the main problem would be the storage. I don’t like the idea of relying on the Cloud for my pictures. And 99 euros/dollars per year is a joke.
Same here. Cloud is a no go for me too. Price too high. I switched some weeks ago from Lightroom to Capture One Express and may upgrade to the Pro version. Excellent results so far.
Aside from the ridiculous ly high rumored price, I avoid the Cloud like the plague it is.
For the price, I’d just carry my MacBook Pro Retina and skip using it with my iPad altogether.
Agree.
Which is vastly larger than an iPad.
Yes, but an ipad mini is so much lighter !
No, just no to Creative Cloud. It is insane to be completely beholden to Adobe. As soon as you sign up you are screwed. They pretty much own you at that point because your files are captive to their latest version of software.
Also, good luck calibrating your tablet with your desktop display.
Having now experimented with Adobe alternatives, I am finding some great alternatives.
Care to suggest some?
I have been fiddling with GIMP. I suspect it can be configured to have a decent workflow, so far I haven’t had any success. Straight out, it doesn’t auto-correct lens distortion and the default auto-white balance is a hit and miss. Mostly misses.
Sound like DXO Optics is what you need, not a raster image editor like GIMP
gimp is capable enough for editing photos, especially it’s variant gimphoto aimed at photographers
I have been using ACDSEE PRO6 since it came out I chose it based on testing a lot of software for RAW conversion, simplicity, functionality and cost. Great with the e-m5 but they refuse to update the RAW to include the e-m1. The PRO7 version supports E-M1 and was recently released. However I have gone off them. They offer 70% discount for new purchase and other incentives but any coupon entered into the upgrade window does not work. I have over 30 emails offering 30% to 70% off. none work for the upgrade.
I asked why they did not support one version back like most other companies do. They sent me a discount code, guess what, it does not work. Nice easy use software though, I use it with Topaz for most of my PP. But I may cut off my nose to spite my face and go elsewhere. I think any software company should support at least one generation back version of their software and not force an upgrade every year mentality.
Hugin is a nice tool to play with pictures (panorama, vignetting, lens, etc.):
http://hugin.sourceforge.net/
You will have to do your own research for your own needs, but these are all viable alternatives to adobe
PhotoScape
ACDsee Pro
RawTherapee
Darktable
Corel AfterShot Pro
PhotoImpact X3
PaintShop Pro X6 Ultimate
Bibble
LightZone
Capture One
Silkypix
Scarab Darkroom
nama5 RAW processor
virtualStudio
Light Developer
For me, I am going through and seeing what works best for me. Nik and Capture One are my current experiment as well as ACDsee Pro. It will take some time, there is no one answer. However, what we will find is that there are options that are just as viable for many photographers that does not have an Adobe brand.
Adobe has pissed off a lot of people. In the desktop publishing world QuarkExpress pissed off a lot of people and they ran to Adobe InDesign, not everyone is running back to QuarkExpress.
I hope that photographers soon see that there are plenty of alternatives to Adobe and find something else. In a way by simply defaulting to Adobe we have stopped innovation by other companies and Adobe has given us the ultimate screw you.
I don’t understand your idea that once you sign-up your screwed. Once you commit to any program, your screwed in the same way. Whether it’s gimp or something else, you continue using whatever they develop and give you. At least with Adobe they have support and have continual development.
But if you main issue is money, then I can see not wanting to pay the large sums of money. But money aside, I would choose Adobe for workflow, product features and support. If I choose some small company, who knows how long they will be around, and if they have some unfortunate bug, it could be a while before getting a fix.
BIG difference paying once and then choose to never again for an update, and having/forced to pay yearly to keep accessing your files and getting the updates.
Exactly, well said.
Previously, if a photographer or hobbyist had to take some time off from purchasing upgrades say because of financial other reasons, he could say, for instance, I will just use whatever is available in Photoshop CS6 and maybe upgrade to CS8 in the future never loosing his work.
Today, if you cannot pay that monthly payment — poof! Gone! Your files are now useless!!!
What many people who have purchased the subscription are doing is using Photoshop CC for a specific feature, flattening the files and saving them in compatibility mode so that they can continue to be used in Photoshop CS6 (the last non-cloud) version. This way, if there is ever an issue, they still have a viable alternative. In the meantime everyone is experimenting with becoming Adobe free.
There is really no money for Adobe for keeping Hobbyist or people who are not professionals. The subscription model works for big media/creative companies and also works for full-time professionals. Not so much for others. In a way it is how Adobe will push out the groups they don’t care about anyway.
Is there any way to calibrate a Android/IOS screen?
($10 a month would make it the most expensive tablet app I’ve heard of)
Yes you can. Ive calibrated my iPad and iPhone with the Spyder 4 Pro. The calibrated view ist used just in the Spyder viewing gallery app but it is possible Adobe lets you calibrate your iPad and load the calibration when opening the Lightroom app.
That’s pretty cool and useful for showing your digital portfolio. Thanks for the info.
So you need to color profile each app on an iPad? Seriously if that’s how limited it is I would prefer to buy a surface pro
Gee, I have a couple tablets, but why? I can’t imagine using them for real photo editing, which is about the only reason that you want to use lightroom. Would not be worth the cost per year for me.
Using an iPad while traveling can be good for downloading photos as a backup, for easy review and for dumping the clunkers.
Actually working with images in any serious way, especially large RAW files seems a bit much.
No thanks, Adobe.
Let’s see….
Adobe Photoshop Touch app, one time $9.99 with future updates.
Adobe Photoshop Express app, free (I think as installed and just has option to update)
Adobe LR app, $99/year subscription. I think Adobe has lost their mind!
Granted, both “Photoshop” apps are marginal at best and I never use Express after initial install, at that price, with or without subscription, will have to be a bangup program that Adobe has never produced on a mobile platform. A particular key is what is the interactions of the different versions on different machines, particularly recognition of catalogs in the library.
May be that it gives you access to Adobe’s cloud and a lot of storage and what you do while on the road will be available from your desktop
LR version. Aka you would pay more for the rented storage than for the app.
Still Adobe : no thank you i don’t need the storage you are trying to feed me up.
Does a tablet even read RAW files? I always thought it was a subset jpg that was transferred rather than the a copy of the actual RAW file.
There are a bunch of iOS apps that can read and work with RAW files.
PhotoRAW, Photosmith, Photogene and Snapseed can, I believe.
Snapseed is “destructive”, it works on JPEG files. But it’s not bad to push up shadows and so on. i think it’s the best in that. Photogene works also on RAW files but it’s not that powerful: I prefer to use it on JPEG files too.
Perhaps Filterstorm and Laminar can work on RAW files, but I’m not sure.
The fact is that there’s nothing powerful as computer LR on tablets.
As you said, those who travel a lot can buy a MacBook Air and install the standard PP tool of their choice.
By the way, I find the Apps from Adobe not good at all, because of the layout of commands and tools.
Adobe should learn from Snapseed layout in my opinion.
This is hilarious. Adobe must be based in Colorado because they are obviously smoking something.
They smoke at least as much in California. 😉
Screw Adobe. Shoot JPEG.
And while we’re at it, screw cameras altogether and shoot with camera phones exclusively.
Shoot with tablets would be more appropriate… or not.
LR 5 is sometimes sluggish on my Macbook Pro Retina 2.6GHz i7 16GB Ram… HOW would it perform on a tablet???? I doubt that Adobe will manage to give LR a code that uses the power of a device efficiently. And subscribe? Never! Generally editing on a tablet isn’t that bad, I sometimes use Snapseed (NIK) – its HID is great.
Used Lightroom and Photoshop but now Aperture and Nik software. This is perfect for me and the pictures I make. So Adobe, I just don’t care what they do! For me out of sight!
I use LR and Elements but I will NEVER throw my money away into a cloud subscription! I will find something else to do my editing with if the day ever comes that I am forced to choose.
Looks like the day will come, that all Adobe products will be subscription only. The time has come to look for alternatives, gonna try Aperture now so i will be prepared.
Agreed. This subscription version of LR for iPad is the beginning of the end for LR as a stand-alone, installed program. I hate Adobe.
You’re right, Adobe is moving everything to a subscription model.
Its not just Adobe, either. Software in general is moving toward connected apps, whether subscription or not. The days of stand-alone software programs are coming to an end.
Apparently the last mainframe would be unplugged in 1996.
Now we are told that the desktop computer is dead, to be followed shortly thereafter by the laptop.
The general pattern is that a new technology or format comes along and storms the market, those who find that the newer technology meets their needs migrate across whilst the existing technology continues on doing what it does well. Sure the market share adjusts accordingly, but in a world where total numbers of “connected humans” grows exponentially, it is not as big of a deal as one would expect.
There won’t be any “death” of the desktop in my lifetime, sure other technologies will appear and supplement what exists today but only a fool makes these predictions that entire computing paradigms will disappear overnight.
You may keep your desktop computer, but the software you will be using will differ : all by subscription, not necessarilly residing on your desktop.. You will have to be connected if you want to use it. The software makes things you don’t want : like transfering your data in the cloud on their servers without your approval and the NSA spies will get access to all your data. Welcome to the US police state.
The 5i’s have been performing mass surveillance with whatever the latest technology was at the time since WWII, Snowden just provided such concrete evidence that it was no longer crazy to believe the whispers that came out of the agencies.
Even Lincoln wrote and signed in support of Stanton’s proposal to tap all telegraph communications in the US, “The Secretary of War has my authority to exercise his discretion in the matter within mentioned.”
There was never a golden age of individual privacy from the state, technology has just moved on making mass surveillance more efficient and people have become more naïve (or perhaps stupid) in thinking that putting every last iota of their personal information on someone else’s computer was a smart idea.
Yes individual liberty and privacy is something worth fighting for, but lets be more realistic about what the USA was in the past and is today.
I need much more screen real estate when doing editing. Even my 13.3″ laptop is too small for all but quick edits on the road.
That why I got XPS 18 and ditched my MBPR15, 18″ is what I am really comfortable when editing, and it weigh less than typical 15″ laptop
Would be nice if it is included for folks who already subscribe to CC.
Agree
There’s an Android app called Photomate R2 wich its a lot like Lightroom, aimed for photographers check it out, i think it costed me 10 bucks. I’m using it with my note 3 and i love it 🙂