Useless features in Lightroom?

[jerry12953]

I don't use all the features in Lightroom but there's one I'd like to use more if it wasn't so useless. Is there any part of Lightroom you think is particularly bad?

 

[nandbytes]

The spot removal isn't great. There are better tools for this.
Noise reduction used to be really bad too but they have significant improved it recently.

 

[jerry12953]

Do you ever use "Contrast"?

 

[nandbytes]

Do you ever use "Contrast"?

Sometimes yes, depends more on the lens I guess. Some lenses are less contrasty especially zooms with wide open and at certain focal length or focus distances.

These days I barely use it.

 

[ecoleman]

Maps
Web
Slideshow

 

[Ed Sutton]

Is there any part of Lightroom you think is particularly bad?

Other than the monthly charge?

The Web gallery making module is rubbish. It doesn't seem to have moved with the times.

 

[jerry12953]

Sometimes yes, depends more on the lens I guess. Some lenses are less contrasty especially zooms with wide open and at certain focal length or focus distances.

These days I barely use it.

I find contrast just doesn't do what I expect or want it to do. I find I get far better results using the black and white sliders together.

Maps
Web
Slideshow

I very rarely if ever use any of those three.......

Other than the monthly charge?

The Web gallery making module is rubbish. It doesn't seem to have moved with the times.

Ah yes, the monthly charge.....in my opinion it's now pretty decent for the latest version of LR (esp. if you renew it at Black Friday). It would be even better if I used Photoshop.

 

[jerry12953]

Sometimes yes, depends more on the lens I guess. Some lenses are less contrasty especially zooms with wide open and at certain focal length or focus distances.

These days I barely use it.

I suppose Contrast isn't really a feature but does anyone else find it's hopeless anyway?

 

[LeeRatters]

I only use it for actual editing rather than the slideshow etc stuff but it's only really the spot removal/clone that I find isn't very good usually.

 

[nandbytes]

I find contrast just doesn't do what I expect or want it to do. I find I get far better results using the black and white sliders together.

I guess that's basically the same but with finer control than a single contrast slider.

 

[Harlequin565]

Maps
Web
Slideshow

This. I remove them from the menu on install these days.

 

[jerry12953]

I guess that's basically the same but with finer control than a single contrast slider.

I remember reading that the contrast slider was set up in such a way that it is impossible to over-saturate any colour using it. That may be true but it also means that it doesn't do what you want it to do either.....

 

[jerry12953]

I only use it for actual editing rather than the slideshow etc stuff but it's only really the spot removal/clone that I find isn't very good usually.

Yes, spot removal is pretty unpredictable although it's a bit more complex than that now, with content-aware remove, heal and clone to choose from. Sometimes none of them seem to work in the way you hope.....

 

[ecoleman]

Yes, spot removal is pretty unpredictable although it's a bit more complex than that now, with content-aware remove, heal and clone to choose from. Sometimes none of them seem to work in the way you hope.....

I think you have to remember that it is a spot removal tool and not a cloning tool or object removal tool.

As a spot removal tool I've never had a problem with it and it has improved a bit with the content aware option.

 

[ecoleman]

I remember reading that the contrast slider was set up in such a way that it is impossible to over-saturate any colour using it. That may be true but it also means that it doesn't do what you want it to do either.....

I disagree here too. I want a contrast tool to darken the darks and lighten the lights and not change the colours in my image.
It's nice that they have also finally implemented this into curves where you can adjust how much saturation is affected.

Anyway, I rarely use contrast as you have far more control with curves.

 

[ecoleman]

This. I remove them from the menu on install these days.

I remove books too but I guess that can be useful to some.

I think the web function is from the 90's

Presets is also something I've never bothered using.

 

[Ed Sutton]

I suppose Contrast isn't really a feature but does anyone else find it's hopeless anyway?

I use it more than I used to - when I know it'll do what I want it to. But I do have it turned well down on the profile I import files with.

It seems to me there are a number of ways to alter contrast - Contrast, Black and White, Curves, Dehaze. One often does the job better than the others depending on the picture. That's my experience at any rate.

I do wish the Clarity slider could be removed though!

 

[jerry12953]

I disagree here too. I want a contrast tool to darken the darks and lighten the lights and not change the colours in my image.

Have you ever noticed that when you increase the contrast your yellows become over-saturated (for example)? But if you feel you need to disagree.........

I use it more than I used to - when I know it'll do what I want it to. But I do have it turned well down on the profile I import files with.

It seems to me there are a number of ways to alter contrast - Contrast, Black and White, Curves, Dehaze. One often does the job better than the others depending on the picture. That's my experience at any rate.

I do wish the Clarity slider could be removed though!

It's very rarely that I use the contrast slider for reasons I have already mentioned. Blacks and whites do the job for me and I often open the shadows up and turn down the highlights. I don't know the technical terms for these processes but I find a combination of all four does a far better job than the contrast slider. I have never used curves, cl;arity or dehaze!

 

[Ed Sutton]

It's very rarely that I use the contrast slider for reasons I have already mentioned. Blacks and whites do the job for me and I often open the shadows up and turn down the highlights. I don't know the technical terms for these processes but I find a combination of all four does a far better job than the contrast slider. I have never used curves, cl;arity or dehaze!

I've only recently started using the blacks and whites sliders! They seem to do the same job as altering the curves to my eyes. Clarity I reserve for the few black and white conversions I do. Dehaze I find useful, but it's easy to overdo it and it can alter colours.

It's all a lot easier to play with than in a wet darkroom, and everything can be undone too!