LIGHTROOM 2 FEATURES

• 

  More Information on the Folders Panel A quick way for you to check your status of your computer is to go to the Folders section. You can immediately see the size of your collection. Right click on the folder, and you will be presented with other options to see at the top of the panel.

• 

  Overall Layout The left side of the Library module has been improved drastically, removing a lot of panels that were present there before.
  
  Lightroom now sports three panels: Catalog, Folders, and Collections, instead of its usual 6 making for a more streamlined appearance.

  
• 

  Collections Sets Collection Sets now let you store your collections by type. For example: You can create a Music Collection Set and a Wedding Collection Set and later import your collections into those sets.
  
  This will allow you to browse through the collection types that you want to see only. Twirl down the specific collection set, and your saved collections will automatically appear.

  
• 

  Module Specific Collections You can now create collections that are particular to a specific module. Want to create a slidehow of a series of images to use later? Go into the Slideshow module and click on the plus sign next to collections.
  
  This will create a slideshow collection where you can place individual images, or your entire filmstrip. An icon appears to the left of the collection name, letting you know that you intended this collection for a slideshow.

  
• 

  Smart Collections Create a Smart Collection by specifying criteria for files that are imported into your catalog. Once that’s set, the Smart Collection will grow and shrink automatically.
  
  A New Filter Bar Pressing the Backslash key \ will show a series of filters at the top of the grid. You can then filter the results of your Grid View by a variety of categories:  Text, Refine By Flags, and Metadata. You can then change the properties of that category to drill down the grid view further.

  
• 

  Suggested Keywords In the Keywording pane, there is a new group of keywords called “Suggested Keywords”. The process is simple: If you apply a keyword to a specific image, that keyword will become a suggested keyword for any other images that share a close enough capture time. This should allow a faster way to put keywords into related images.

• 

  Multiple Monitor Support Users of multiple monitors rejoice. Just above the Filmstrip on the right, you have a button that allows you to toggle multiple monitors in Lightroom 2.0.
  
  Clicking on it will let you the image in a several images modes: Grid, Loupe, Compare, and Survey. If you only have a single monitor, pressing the button will bring up a secondary display on your screen.

  
• 

  Photoshop Integration In the previous version of Lightroom, opening a file in Photoshop required Lightroom to write out a large TIFF of PSD file for use. This was inefficient, and in Lightroom 2.0, the speed at which you can open a file in Photoshop is greatly increased. You can also open up Photoshop files in a variety of ways: as a Smart Object, multiple images Panos, multiple images as an HDR, as separate layers in a single Photoshop document.

  NOTE: On Lightroom 2.0 you will be presented with an explanation that Camera Raw on your computer is an earlier version than the Camera Raw code used by Lightroom. Choosing to ‘Open Anyway’ will utilize the new functionality but image adjustments in Lightroom that are not currently available in Camera Raw 4 will not be present in the images you open in Photoshop. Specifically, localized correction adjustments made in Lightroom will not be present in Photoshop.

• 

  Exporting Images from Lightroom Exporting images out of Lightroom now has even more features as before. In addition to all of the current features, you now have the option to export the files to the same folder as your original or to a subfolder of your original image. You can also stack the exported image with the original image.

  Taking it one step further- you have the option to sharpen the image as its exported out of Lightroom based on user defined settings. Finally, you can send images to a third party application right from the export dialog box.
  
  
  Bigger Images Are Allowed In Lightroom 2.0 the 10K pixel limit has been lifted. You can now import pictures 30,000 pixels per side.

• 

  Graduated Filter Tool You now have the option to add graduated effect to your images through the use of a metadata based gradient. Click and drag to create the graident on your images, and have the gradient affect exposure, vibrance, clarity as well as many other effects.
  
  

• 

  Develop Tools are Located in a New Place Located directly below the histogram, the Crop, Clone, Red Eye, and Retouch Brush have been mode for easier access. Pressing on one of the tools will open a panel where you can make changes to each specific tool. When you are done, click on the tool again to retract the panel.
  
  The New Correction Tool One of the best changes in Lightroom 2.0 is the use of the Retouch Brush. This will allow you to paint in localized changes to your image. With this feature you will be able to paint in Exposure, Brightness, Clarity, and Saturation.  You can even mask those changes to a an area of specific color within the image.

  
• 

  Vignette for Cropped Images The Lens Correction panel has been renamed to the Vignette Panel. In addition to the standard lens corrections, you can now select from the framing panel area to add a vignette to an image that is cropped in Lightroom.
  
  Auto Adjustment has been readjusted In response to criticism of bright images, the Auto Adjustment has been toned down.

  Basic Keyboard Shortcuts Added If you like to use keyboard shortcuts, some new ones have been added in the Develop module. The + and – keys are linked to the Exposure adjustment. If you add the Shift key to this, it will increase the increment of Exposure. The comma and period will cycle through basic panel controls, and the semicolon will reset the tool you are using.

• 

  Intro Screen in Titles Panel When giving a slideshow in Lightroom, you may not to immediately get to the first picture. You can control the exact start of a slideshow by choosing an Intro Screen color, and letting that be the first screen your viewers see

• 

  Picture Package Want to create a multi page package of prints based on one image? You got it. Go into the Print module and select Picture Package from the upper right. You’ll notice a new panel will appear letting you drop in your common print sizes to a page. If you run out of room, a new page will be created for you.

• 

  16 Bit Print Output (Leopard Mac) For those looking for a better print output, you can now take advantage of 16 bit output printing. Presently, Epson provides drivers for use on Mac Leopard systems and as more vendors come on board, this should be a boon.
  
  Print Sharpening In previous versions, Lightroom had three levels of print sharpening. They have added new algorithms to determine how much sharpening you need in the image based on what you output, and the resolution of the file.

  
  
  Print to JPG If you are sending this picture package to a lab that does your prints for you, select JPEG File from the Print to option in the Print Job Panel. This will create JPG files of your print packages for submission.