Adobe Updates Adobe Lightroom Beta

Adobe Systems has updated the beta version of its Adobe Lightroom digital-imaging workflow solution for professional photographers to version 3.0. The latest version of the software has added features allowing for greater control over export size and resolution, refined metadata selection with print output, and RGB value readouts for greater editing precision. Also new are: Before and After preview tools as well as History features to allow photographers to preview and track changes; a Web module that provides content editing for HTML and Flash output; and a Straighten tool to correct camera-angle issues.

Lightroom now supports more than 120 native RAW file formats, including cameras from Canon, Epson, Olympus, Pentax, Samsung, and Leaf. The software is available for Mac OS X Tiger (10.4.3); a Windows version is forthcoming, Adobe reports. Download is free via the Adobe Labs website (http://labs.adobe.com).

In addition, Adobe Systems has acquired the technology assets of Pixmantec ApS, the Denmark-based maker of digital-imaging software that provides workflow management and processing capabilities for digital-camera RAW files. Adobe reports that it will integrate Pixmantec RAW-processing technologies into its Lightroom product, as well as in other products.

The Pixmantec RawShooter Premium product will be discontinued, but the free RawShooter Essentials product will continue to be available until the Lightroom public beta program is completed. Existing Pixmantec customers will be provided with an upgrade path to the Adobe digital-imaging product family.

“Customers are gravitating to RAW file formats that allow them to get more control over final results,”? says John Loiacono, senior vice president of Creative Solutions at Adobe.

PIXMANTEC
www.pixmantec.com

ADOBE
www.adobe.com