Great news for Lightroom users on Android: Adobe has just updated the app to version 2.0, introducing an in-app camera with DNG raw file capture, shoot-through non-destructive presets, split toning, and more.
Those looking for a more complete mobile photography solution that allows one to take advantage of the latitude inherent in raw files will want to give the new version of Lightroom a try. Adobe has given the app a major overhaul, introducing many new features:
- In-app capture with DNG raw file support
- Nondestructive presets with real-time shooting previews
- Split toning capabilities
- Point curve mode in Tone Curve tool, with access to individual color channels
- Dehazing capabilities
- Targeted Adjustment Tool, which allows for tuning of colors in specific areas of a photo
- Video creation in tandem with Adobe Premiere Clip
As mobile platforms become more and more powerful, it's great to see raw capture and editing abilities being augmented. Photographers who are on the go and constantly looking to provide instant content will appreciate the fine-tuning possibilities that come with raw capture and editing. I personally use Photoshop Express as part of my mobile workflow, but alas, the walled garden of Apple does not allow the user access to true raw files. Check out some before and after edits (taken by Colby Brown) from the new app below.
Download the new Lightroom for Android here.
I've never owned an Android-based device so I may be asking a stupid question here, but is it possible to color manage an Android device? If not, does it make sense to do RAW-conversions on a tablet?
I have seen both iPads and Android devices where the color temperature of the screen was all over the place (usually pretty cold), and with no proper calibration I could see this lead to wasted work.
If you have an X-rite or colormunki device, you can use their ColorTrue app to calibrate and apply an icc profile. I should mention Android doesn't have a universal color management system so the app only works with other compatible apps. The only one I know of currently is CamRanger.
I use the X-Rite i1Display Pro and yes you can "calibrate" your android device with it using the ColorTrue app.
There's a few issues with it:
So here's the thing, when you calibrate your phone or tablet, there's no way to manually set your white balance, gamma etc. It kind of does it's own thing in terms of settings. So while you are "calibrating" your mobile device, ideally you'd want to match the settings on the monitor you usually work on (imac, pc etc). As of now, the app doesn't let you adjust any settings.
Other things to consider:
Currently, there are only a handful of apps that let you actually use the ColorTrue display settings. Once you calibrate, it doesn't work system wide, meaning you don't see the color settings that the calibration device measured on everything, only on compatible apps. Last time I checked, lightroom mobile wasn't one of the compatible apps. To me, this kind of defeats the purpose of processing RAW files on a mobile device. Without a calibrated monitor to work on, it's kind of pointless. So right now, I use LR mobile purely for making galleries to show potential clients in a meeting, make web galleries to share on the web, or to simply make image selections, but never to make editing decisions. I'm hoping to change that soon once Adobe & X-rite are on the same page in terms of mobile devices.
I also use the X-Rite color checker which works great with the desktop version of LR, and it would be cool to see it work the same way with mobile devices. Only time will tell
Hopefully that makes sense
Very much - thanks a lot to both you and E Port.
No problem Anders :)
I used to own an S4 Samsung Galaxy and wished this was out then! Looks legit.
Interesting article Alex, I hope you had great time in Cuba there is a lot of pictures to take when you visit a city like Havana.
Hi Pete,
It means the app has its own camera that will capture DNG raw files.
Yes, you can edit raw files in PS Express; however, you cannot capture true raw files from an Apple products camera. At best, some programs can capture TIFF files, but these still have some processing done by the ISP in the device.
By "camera" he meant camera interface. As in Lightroom can directly access the camera hardware to let you take a photo while still in Lightroom.