Adobe today released updates to the cloud-based Lightroom CC desktop application, as well as for Lightroom CC iOS and Android (formerly known as Lightroom mobile.)
To update the desktop Lightroom CC application, in the application go to Help>Updates…, or in your Creative Cloud application click on Update next to “Lightroom CC” (not Lightroom CC 2015!)
With the addition of split toning and the tone curve to Lightroom CC Desktop, this application is approaching feature parity with Lightroom Classic in regard to editing single photos. (It’s still not able to edit multiple photos at once and is missing many Lightroom Classic features that support editing.) Click here to read my Definitive List of What You Can Do in Lightroom Classic that You Can and Can’t Do in Lightroom CC.
Improved Auto Feature
This enhanced Auto feature is available in the Light panel in Lightroom CC Desktop, and under “Auto” in the Lightroom CC iOS and Android Edit panels. While it’s the same button that was there before, the feature has been completely reworked to often provide a more pleasing starting point for editing your images. It is now driven by an advanced neural network powered by “Adobe Sensei”. The feature analyzes your image and compares it to a library of tens of thousands of photos edited by professional photographers and applies similar settings for Exposure, Contrast, Highlights, Shadows, Whites, Blacks, Vibrance and Saturation.
Lightroom CC Desktop Light Panel: (1) Auto (2) Tone Curve
Lightroom CC iOS (iPhone) Auto Button
Differences from the old “Auto-Tone”:
- The new Auto (aka Auto Settings) will set Vibrance and Saturation in addition to Basic panel tone controls.
- The analysis is done on your cropped image. If you crop after applying Auto, the Auto button will re-activate – click on it again to redo the analysis.
- The analysis also takes into account your existing white balance and camera profile.
This feature will continually be improved. I have had mixed results with this so far, but many users I know have been very pleased. You’ll most likely find that it works well with some types of images but not others (such as low key ones with areas that should remain very dark.). The feature does not learn from your own personal editing, so it will continue to be a feature that works well for some people and not for others, depending on your editing tastes. Remember – it’s intended to be a starting point, not a final result.
This feature is available throughout the Lightroom ecosystem – Lightroom CC Desktop, iOS, Android, and Lightroom web (lightroom.adobe.com). It’s also in Adobe Camera Raw.
Lightroom CC Desktop: The Tone Curve
The tone curve has been added to Lightroom CC Desktop. To access it, click on the curve icon at the top of the Light panel. (See the first screenshot above, #2.)
Click on the S-shaped icon to the left of the four circles for parametric view, which produces smoothed results, or on one of the four circles for the point curve. The white circle is for luminosity (brightness and darkness) and the color circles are for the Red, Green, and Blue channels.
Sometime soon I’ll write a more in-depth tutorial on understanding and using the tone curve.
Lightroom CC parametric curve
Lightroom CC point curve
Lightroom CC Desktop: Split Toning
The Split Toning panel has been added to Lightroom CC Desktop. This allows one to tone an entire photo one color or to tone the highlights one color and the shadows another. While traditionally split toning is done on black and white photos, it can also be used on color photos to correct color casts in highlights and or shadows or add color casts for creative effect. To access split toning, in the Effects panel click on the button in blue below:
By default, the 50% brightest tones from middle-grey to white are considered highlights, and the 50% darkest, shadows. Drag the circle between Shadows and Highlights (Balance) towards Highlights to narrow the range considered highlights; drag it towards Shadows to widen that range. To change the color applied, click on the Shadows or Highlights square, then drag the circle in the color box. Dragging downward reduces the saturation of the effect, dragging upward increases it.
To set just one color for the entire image, slide the balance slider all the way to the right and set the Shadows color, or slide the slider all the way to the left and set the Highlights color.
Lightroom CC Desktop: Edit Capture Time
If you forgot to set the correct date and time in-camera, you can now correct this in Lightroom CC Desktop. Select one or more photos in the Grid, then in the Info panel click on the pencil icon to the right of capture time:
Lightroom CC Desktop: Full-Screen View
In Detail view (D), type “F” for full-screen to view your image full-screen. Use the arrow keys to move to other images. Hit Esc to exit full-screen view.
Lightroom CC Desktop: Bugs Fixed
- Improved performance when applying keywords to a large number of images
- Improvements to the local storage preferences. Learn more
- Image thumbnail in the Filmstrip refreshes quicker when applying adjustments
- Improved speed when migrating your Lightroom Classic CC catalog to Lightroom CC
- Fixed the Lightroom CC hanging issue when importing a large number (5000+) of photos/videos
- Fixed the issue Lightroom CC doesn’t allow importing two photos with the same name; the Import dialog displays that the image has already been imported.
- Updated the migration log to accurately display the amount of local storage required for migrating a Lightroom Classic CC catalog to Lightroom CC
- Fixed the issue Lightroom CC crashes when opening the preferences dialog (macOS v10.13 High Sierra-only)
- Fixed the issue Lightroom CC migration fails with non-informative error message as reported here and here.
Lightroom CC iOS (iPad and iPhone)
New iOS (mobile) features and improvements:
- Improved HDR capture quality
- Language support for Dutch and Swedish
- Bug fixes and performance improvements
- You can now set a preference to add a text watermark to images as you share them from Lightroom CC iOS. To set this, tap on the Lr icon in the top left of Albums view, choose Sharing Options, toggle the watermark switch to Include, and type in the text watermark. Tap on Customize to change the watermark from white to black, stylize the font (bold, italics), change the font size, and set the offset from the bottom left corner of the image.
To update, find the Lightroom app in the Apple app store and tap “Update”.
Lr>Sharing Options
Customize Watermark Options
Lightroom CC Android
New features and improvements:
- Android devices using Android 7.1.1 and later can access shortcuts with a long-press on the Lr app icon.
- Improved options to manage storage: In the Device Info & Storage settings, you can now use the Manage Storage option to release locally stored albums to free up space on your device. (This does not delete the originals in the cloud.)
- Cellular data management: enable Use Cellular Data for optimal sync performance. If it is disabled, you can download a smart preview for editing by tapping on the cloud icon in the top right of Detail view.
Update the app in the Google Play Store.
New Camera Support (All Versions)
Raw files from the following new cameras can now be imported:
- Apple iPhone 8
- Apple iPhone 8 Plus
- Apple iPhone X
- Canon EOS M100 (full support)
- Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III
- Google Pixel 2
- Google Pixel 2 XL
- GoPro FUSION
- GoPro HERO6
- Hasselblad A6D -100c
- Light L16
- Panasonic LUMIX DC-G9
- Sony A7R III (ILCE-7RM3)
- Sony RX10 IV (DSC-RX10M4) (full support)
Click here to see a list of all cameras supported in each version of Lightroom (and Camera Raw).
New Lens Profiles (All Versions)
Related Content
Hi Laura,
Thank you so much for all the work you have done since the launch of Adobe Lightroom new products, you have brought me up to speed, untangled what appeared to be a mess of new products and provided some great benchmarks to make decisions about Lightroom Classic versus Lightroom CC. Above all your clear instructions makes using Adobe products a real pleasure.
I am using Lightroom CC and am drawn to continue with it, if still feels like great value. I love the easy way I can now upload my pictures to the cloud and then share them. I was out photographing Christmas Lights on the houses in our neighbourhood this evening and have already saved and shared my pictures even though I will need to go back and do editing. It really is a joy to use this new programme.
Thank you again for all your help,
Roy Bennett
Toronto, Canada
You’re welcome, Roy – thanks very much for your note, and it’s really good to hear that you are enjoying the new application! Have a great Christmas!
Laura,
Do you recommend the cloud-based Lightroom vs. the Classic? I want to make a choice going forward and wondered what your perspective is (or, where you might have posted about this previously).
Thanks again for all you provide for us!
Hi Laura,
I still don’t see a way to enter a Shoot Name in the Import Dialog in Lr Classic CC. No Rename panel. Am I missing something?
Thanks for your most useful updates!
– Chris
If you’re referring to the cloud-based LR CC as this article is about, there isn’t a way to rename files – it’s a hands-off program when it comes to file management. If you’re referring to Classic, you can rename files in Import in the File Renaming panel – but only when you are copying or moving files, not when you’re just adding them to the catalog. Instead, in Library use Library>Rename Photos (after selecting your photos).
Thanks, Laura, yes, I meant Classic. I swear it had a Rename panel previously in the Import dialog. Very handy. I’m approaching 1,000 Lr shoots over the last 10 years, since the first public beta at MacWorld demo’d by Julieanne Kost.
It does, Chris – when you’re copying , copying to DNG or moving (top center choices).
Congrats on coming up on 1,000 shoots!
Hmmm… Not there for me, Copying as DNG (my standard workflow).
Thanks!
Screen Shot 2017-12-15 at 11.51.44 AM.png
Right-click on “File Handling” or another panel name on that side and choose File Renaming.
OMG — thanks!!
I tried right-clicking, but the cursor wasn’t on a panel name! Got Destinations back, too!
#party!
Hi Laura. Always rely on your advice. I want to stick with LRClassic (I have the Photography package) for the time being. I use LightroomCC on my iPad mostly for sharing photos – I sync some collections for viewing – very rarely edit. I have LR on my iPhone and use the LR camera for RAW shooting. Slightly confused whether I will encounter issues if I am sticking with LRClassic. Will I be OK updating the iOS app? Will they still sync with LRClassic?
Yes, it will work as before, Elizabeth. Don’t keyword photos using iOS LR CC and don’t create album folders, as this work won’t sync to Classic.
Thanks Laura – that is reassuring.