What software for GH1?

[Diane B]

Get a LR 2 trial. Especially for beginners beta version can be tricky. If something goes bad there is not even a way to complain.

I use many beta products every day but I also have a very good backup workflow.

And--there are some issues with the beta. I can't open the print module. After installing, uninstalling, reinstalling, etc.---asking for help on LR beta forum--we haven't found anything. I haver a very straightforward setup--and have participated in LR betas since 1.0 without any problems.

I would dl the 2.6 30 day demo to begin with. I work with LR daily and really like it--thus I'm a bit frustrated that I can't try the print module, but anticipate the final version (and I agree--I bet there will be at least one more iteration of the beta and probably not a final version until later in the Spring--and of course, this is what beta's are for---to iron out the problems) will work fine. I wouldn't trust important files to a beta--and Adobe recommends this also.

Lots of tutes online--and a web based class would work fine too.

Diane

 

[Godfrey]

... Ah, one more reason for choosing Lightroom rather than Aperture. It looked to me as if there was much more support for the former--more books in the bookstore, more online forums, just more sources to draw on when I couldn't find answers.

A principle reason not to choose Aperture for the GH1 (or G1, or GF1, or E-P1 or E-P2) is that Aperture does not at present support their raw files, or even DNG files made from their raw files.

 

[slau]

My shooting buddy, who was a dead hard Aperture fan for years, has recently decided to go to Lightroom as he gave up the hope of Aperture supporting the raw files of his GF1/G1. Not sure what Apple engineers are thinking. The new Aperture 3 will support the brand new Canon 1DMk4 but not the over an year old G1. ?????

 

[apicius9]

A few follow up questions on this, if you don't mind:

I went to a very good Lightroom workshop yesterday and I am convinced that this is really a great basic solution for me to keep my pics organized and do basic processing - thanks again everyone for recommending that! I am still setting up my new computer, so the timing is also perfect to start organizing everything from scratch. I still have to decide whether to dare using the beta version at this point or pay for 2.6 now and then again when the new one comes out...

But I also realized the limitations of LR in the workshop, and, of course, the instructor took it as a given that we all would use Photoshop to do the 'real' work. My feeling is still that PS is overkill for what I want to do (and it doesn't come cheap either), so I was wondering whether a combination of LR and Photoshop/Premiere Elements 8 would make sense - assuming that Premiere would also work to deal with the videos of the GH1. Is anybody using this combination? How well do they work together? I haven't seen any LR plugins for Elements, do they exist?

And lastly, I finally understood what HDR means and would like to at least keep this option open. I can get Photomatix (recommended by my workshop instructor) for a reasonable price with an academic discount - would that work as an addition to the combo above?

I always had this delusion that the basic needs should be handled by one program, but it looks like I won't get around diving into a few more if I really want to do the next steps. Or maybe I am getting to an 'advanced needs' level already...

Thanks,

Stefan