Adobe Releases 64-bit Photoshop Lightroom 2
Lightroom 2, San Jose, Calif.-based Adobe's software for managing, adjusting and presenting large batches of digital photographs, runs on both Mac OS 10.5 Leopard and the Microsoft Windows Vista 64-bit operating system.
"A worldwide community of photographers provided valuable insight and feedback, as part of the Lightroom 2 public beta program, ultimately helping us deliver a better product," said Tom Hogarty, senior product manager for Lightroom and Camera Raw at Adobe, in a statement.
Changes to Photoshop Lightroom were dictated by users, according to Adobe. "We've considered their requests which helped us develop useful features that make it easier than ever for our customers to quickly refine, enhance and present brilliant photographs," Hogarty said.
"One of the big reasons why Lightroom has become such a phenomenon among serious photographers is that Adobe built it with the input of a very vocal user community," said Scott Kelby, president of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP), in a statement.
"Adobe really listens to the issues and challenges today's photographers face and they've built a complete solution that not only meets the needs of photographers; it really feels like it was made just for us. The enhancements to Lightroom 2, combined with the power of Photoshop, give photographers the ultimate freedom to produce professional images quickly."
Improvements to the software include dual-monitor support, improved non-destructive localized image correction and streamlined search.
Adobe has enhanced the Library module to allow photographers to organize images across multiple hard drives and access them through a Library Filter Bar. It also incorporates suggested keywords. A local adjustment brush and graduated filter have been added to the Develop module, allowing photographers more precise editing capabilities.
Photoshop Lightroom 2 is available now through Adobe's Web site for $299. Qualified Lightroom customers can upgrade for $99.