Beta digital imaging workflow solution now available

Adobe Lightroom beta allows professional photographers, using either Windows or Macintosh platforms, to import, select, develop and showcase large volumes of digital images.

"A significant number of professional photographers operate on the Windows platform, and Adobe Lightroom beta is designed to support their workflow needs," says Kevin Connor, senior director of product management for Digital Imaging at Adobe.

"We have over 3000 beta testers actively participating in our Lightroom beta for Macintosh forums and we're looking forward to extending this invaluable dialogue to the Windows community. Cross-platform support gives us the unique opportunity to incorporate feedback from the entire photographic community, ensuring that everyone can participate in the beta process."

Cross-platform support

The Windows and Macintosh versions of Lightroom currently contain different feature sets, but the core of Lightroom remains consistent across platforms, focused on efficiency and quality from capture through output. As the beta for each platform evolves, the features will converge and the final released versions will be the same.

Lightroom beta cross-platform support allows photographers to work on projects from any Windows or Macintosh computer on-location, in the studio or in the office. When combined with the editing power in Adobe Photoshop software, Lightroom provides one path for taking images all the way from processing to final presentation. This allows photographers to spend less time at the computer, and more time behind the lens.

New user interface

Lightroom has a modular user interface designed to spotlight what photographers care about most: the image. Photographers can rapidly scroll through hundreds of images and use Quick One-to-One Zoom to instantly magnify the finer points within the image. The Lightroom beta addresses the varied needs of photographers, including the ability to view detailed before and after comparisons of non-destructive edits and dynamically preview print output of multiple images with flexible layouts.

Leveraging the latest Adobe Camera Raw technology, Lightroom supports over 120 native raw file formats, in addition to jpeg and tiff, and incorporates raw conversion into a single workflow experience. Adobe continues to advance raw processing technology, as evidenced by the new split-toning controls that creates richer black and white images. This extends photographers' creative control, providing new parameters for making adjustments and more freedom to deliver their photographic vision.

The latest camera models supported by this beta now include Cannon EODS 30D, Epson R-D1s, Leaf Aptus 65 and Aptus 75, Olympus EVOLT E-330 and SP-320, Pentax *ist DL2 and Samsung GX-1S.

Availability and pricing

Lightroom beta 1.0 for Windows is available for free download from the Adobe Labs Web site at labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom.
Recommended system requirements are Windows XP SP2, Intel Pentium 4 Processor, 768MB RAM and a 1024x768 resolution screen.

The final shipping version for both Windows and Macintosh will be released in late 2006. Further details around pricing, system requirements and availability have yet to be determined.