Elements vs Lightroom

[BikerJohn]

Ok, so I'm a complete newbie to these, but what is the difference, besides cost of these two programs? What would the advantage of lightroom be over elements? If I get Lightroom would I not be getting some tools that elements has?

Also, have anyone seen or tried this programs? It looks very cool.

http://www.hdrsoft.com/

Or would this kind of tool already be in elements or lightroom?

[Visual Reality]

They are completely different and can't really be compared. Elements is Photoshop Lite where Lightroom is a complete workflow built from the ground up. Use Google to learn more, carpal tunnel sucks :(

[toriaj]

What camera are you using?

If you are interested in post-processing your pictures so that they are excellent quality but still pretty much look like the original, Lightroom is your friend. It's a great program, especially if you shoot RAW. It is not intended for "special effects," i.e. putting a dog's head on a person. If you want more of the "effect" side of things, go with Elements or Paint Shop Pro.

That's a pretty simplistic description, I don't mean to offend you. I hope it helps, and if you have other questions, I'd be glad to answer.

edit: oh, VR beat me to it.

[Visual Reality]

Here you go. Watch some of these to get a good idea of what Lightroom has to offer.

http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/lightroom/articles/lir2am_videotutorials.html

If you are famaliar with Photoshop, think of PS Elements as a Lite, cost-effective version.

[Ken.]

Lightroom's strengths are in RAW image processing and non-destructive editing. Lightroom is also and excellent cataloging program. Lightroom cannot create graphics. Elements is an editor, can create graphics and process RAW images. Technically, Elements is non-destructive because it cannot edit a RAW file, it must convert RAW to an editable format. In essence you have the RAW original and then an editable copy. Elements uses Bridge for cataloging. Essentially, the two programs compliment each other. The Photomatix HDR program is not an editor and it's functions are not a part of either Lightroom or Elements although you can mimic the HDR output to some degree. For Lightroom you can add the LREnfuse plugin.

[Visual Reality]

Photoshop has a more powerful HDR merging utility than Photomatix.

[BikerJohn]

Toriaj,

I am planning on buying a Nikon D90. I'll be shooting landscapes and photos of my kids (6 and 2). Lot's of shots inside a school with not very good lighting or in a gym where I'm far away (too far for a flash). From what I read the Nikons don't have very good photo editing software, so I'm budgeting for getting something, but I'm not sure how much.

VR,
I'm not familiar with photshop, thanks for the link. Still looking through them all.


Also, VR, in your second post you said Photoshop is more powerful than Photomatix. Which version of photoshop do you mean? Creative suite, elements, lightroom, etc.

I guess that's where I get confused. When people say photoshop, I never know which version they mean. And as a beginner to digital workflow it is totally confusing. But, thanks all for the sumaries above. It is starting to make sense. Also, until I get the camera and start shooting I probably don't know which ones I will want.

[Visual Reality]

Adobe Photoshop. Not Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Elements, or anything else is what I was referring to, and that was only a comment about the HDR merge capability.

Photomatix is not an image editor, it is only for HDR.

Photoshop, is Photoshop. That is the name of the program, and it has a much different focus than Lightroom. Watching those videos is the best way to start to understand it.

[K1W1]

Toriaj,

I am planning on buying a Nikon D90. I'll be shooting landscapes and photos of my kids (6 and 2). Lot's of shots inside a school with not very good lighting or in a gym where I'm far away (too far for a flash).

Get Lightroom 2 do some web tutorials off Adobes site or subscribe to some of the various Lightroom Forums that are around, buy Scott Kelbys Lightroom 2 book and Bryan Petersons "Understanding Exposure" for general photographic reference and you will not look back.