Video and Lightroom

In these days of convergence, where 2 of the newest DSLRS offer HD video recording capabilities (albeit basic), and almost every compact has some kind of video mode, I'd like to see Lightroom support Video. At minimum, I'd like it to import the video with my images. Preferably, I'd like to be able to playback the video and perhaps add basic metadata (copyright, keywords etc). I have no expectations of being able to edit video, or even work on colour, brightness etc. I just want to have my video managed with my images.

There are a couple of specific personal reasons for this. One is the slowly growing collection of time lapse videos I'm creating. Obviously I have a selection of video tutorials that I'd like to keep better track of. I do also use Snap Pro X to record Slideshows to video (I'd prefer to see this as an option in Lightroom, but that's not the thrust of this post), so I'd like to access them also.

On top of all that, with my intention to purchase a Canon 5D Mk II in the near future (Jan-Feb timeframe), and the fact that I just completed a short film course, I'd like to be able to add my finished Final Cut work to Lightroom.

Yes, there are other programs I could use for asset management, but I've already shifted away from them since I began using Lightroom. Version 2.2 will be on us in December, as announced by Tom Hogarty, so maybe as the end of the year approaches, we should be thinking about where we want this program to go. I'm not talking about feature bloat here though. Let's aim for actual usable features we need in our work and workflow.

I haven't really done a 'Comment' style post this year, but as I really feeling this need, I thought it might be good for discussion.

LR2/Mogrify

I've mentioned it over at Lightroom-News already, but Timothy Armes has add a cool new feature to his LR2/Mogrify post process action for Lightroom. Before when you added a border to the image, it would be added to the file dimensions. Now you can specify the size to include the border, so for example, you could have an image export as a 600X400 pixel image including border. That's a pretty handy addition if you ask me, especially useful for blogging with a fixed width template!

Skribit Suggestions

A few weeks ago, I added the Skribit widget to see if people had particular things they'd like me to write about. Not one comment. So that means you're all reading via RSS or have no questions! So if there is a Lightroom related topic you'd like me to write about, please add it to the widget!

Camera Raw 5.2 and DNG Converter Available

Tom Hogarty has announced Camera Raw 5.2, along with letting us know that Lightroom 2.2 will be along in December.
There's a list of new cameras supported including the new Canon 5D MkII. Panansonic files that need to be converted to DNG have a little caveat whereby they increase to 3 times the normal raw file size. This is because the 3 channels (red, green and blue) need to be added in linear form, allowing lens corrections from Panasonic to be included in the file. A future version of the DNG spec will change this back to normal size, allowing lens compensations to be stored in metadata in the DNG file.

(Via Lightroom Journal.)

Lightroom 2 Develop article

I see the SWPP have put my Professional Imagemaker Develop article online in HTML form.
You can read it here.

Book Fest

It's a bit of a book festival in the last few days at my house. While I'm finishing my 2nd pass layouts today, my editor Louise Campagnone is leaving GMC. It's a bit sad, as I'd have love to have my book 'Photoshop Lightroom Made Easy' finished with her. We're so close, but not close enough so I guess I start with a new editor next week. We're nearly done on the project, with a bit of editing and layout rearranging to be done, so it won't be long. Thanks for all your work Louise. I'll be glad to be done as I feel like 'Paddy Last'.

My editing was interrupted by the postman showing up the other day with 'Inside Lightroom 2' by Richard Earney. Richard is a friend and compadre from as far back as the original Lightoom Beta program, so I was delighted to see this come in the door. It looks great. I've only had a quick perusal, but enough to see my name mentioned a few times. Thanks Richard!

This morning another book arrived in the door: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2: A digital photographers guide by Dave Huss and David Plotkin. Dave had been popping back and forth with questions, and was kind enough to give me a mention in the Acknowledgements. Thanks Dave!

BTW folks, those are straight links, no commission on them.

LRB Portfolio updated to 1.1

LRB Portfolio, the website in a gallery plugin for Lightroom has been updated to version 1.1. New features include an error page for galleries lacking enough images, body font settings and background image control. Bug fixes include an issue with mail.php generation in 1.03. Current users can get the update through the download email they received with product purchase. If you have mislaid this, it went to your paypal email address. If you've used up all the downloads, reply with the download email and I'll reset it.

LRB Grads updated to version 2

My Graduated Filter Presets have been updated to version 2. Version 2 of the LRB Grads contains an extra folder of Sunset filters, along with a middle filter for each of the types and strengths.

There are 2 zips in the archive: One with the original Colour Strength Position naming, and one with the new form Position Colour Strength.

The new version makes for quicker previewing in the Navigator.

To install the new filters right click on a preset and click Show in Finder/Explorer. If you are updating and want to use the new names, delete the older presets first. Delete the LRB Grads folders (there are 6 in V1).

Unzip the file gradsV2newnames.zip file in this folder for the new names, or gradsV2original.zip for the original naming scheme. Restart Lightroom.

Your original download link will still work for these. I'll be updating the original page shortly, along with the new product page, based on that page. If you have used all the downloads: tough.. Nah, I'm kidding, reply to the original downlaod post including the contents of the post and I'll reactivate your download.

Product Page: http://lightroom-blog.com/lrbgrad

The Rename

I'm in the middle of the tedious process of renaming the Grad presets. So how am I naming them? I've gone with:

Position Colour Strength.

But I will place the original named presets in the pack too, so you can choose between them. I'll announce them here when done.
They will replace the current download then, so you can just use the download link to get the new versions. Please note that these use the same internal names, so if you do choose the new names, you will have to delete the old ones!