Do You Need Lightroom & Topaz?

I use lightroom most of the time. I did do a trial of Topaz Detail but I think I only ended up with using it on a couple of photos to enhance the sky. You can probably do similar things with lightroom if you know how. I need to do some more studying of the software. I believe that Topaz just simplifies the process.

No, you do not need Topaz. I'm not a fan of plug-ins or auto adjustments.

I don't know anything about Lightroom - but I do not think you need Topaz to use it. I know that Topaz is not a stand-alone product and can be used with it. I just finished using several Topaz products with PS Elements and loved some of them. Rich Franco and I were discussing it through PM yesterday and today since I thought I might buy the collection.

Rebecca - I know Rich uses lightroom and knows about Topaz. You might consider PMing him and asking since he will probably have an exact answer - in the event he doesn't see your thread.

Good luck and let us know what you find out.

--Donna Proctor

Thank you MM.

Kevin, I appreciate your answer.

Rebecca

I use the denoise plugin from topaz. I have found this a necessity. I have lightroom but have no clue how to use it so its just sitting on my desk top staring at me.

Can't say enough good stuff about DeNoise.

Melissa there are lots of tutorials about how to use Lightroom.Have a look and then just play. It does not take long to learn and it is a very powerful tool

I have both Lightroom and all but one Topaz plug-in. I would say it depends on your needs...that doesn't help much does it, lol! Okay, my new basic editing routine is download raw into lr, do some basic adjustments if needed, then I go to topaz denoise, then detail, then back to lr. After that I save a tiff, and then may play with it some more in some of the other plug ins topaz, etc, depending on where I'm taking the image. For straight images without much or any layers or manipulations, lr may be enough but you can't beat topaz for noise and I really like detail too...and the others but those are my main go tos. LR can do a lot of great processing, watching some tutorials will help get the hang of it. Also, everyone is going to have their own system of editing, that works for them.

thank you for all of the input. I am trying to keep from being overwhelmed with all of the choices. And then there are the monthly fees, which aren't terribly expensive, but can end up feeling like you are being "nickel and dimed to death". I don't want to pay for two things which give me the same help. And since I'm still in the midst of exploring what I can do, and where I am going, it's hard to accurately determine what my needs are. hmmm........

Rebecca

Never used Lightroom, most likely never will. I tried their beta 10 years ago or so, hated it and while I'm sure it's improved, I saw no reason to have it. I use Topaz a lot, from noise reduction to manipulation, just almost everything besides contrasting and cropping.
Lightroom is, from what I remember, also a work flow program that creates or can create a new file from the original. But at the time I tried the beta, I had PS7 only and the two were not compatible-couldn't open the Lightroom'd file without changing its format. Major PITA.
Topaz works within your own workflow, doesn't create a new file just because...I imagine those who use Lightroom religiously could be better at explaining its uses, but I like how I work with what I have now and see no reason to completely change.

Rebecca,

I think Photoshop Elements 12 and the new plugin XXL2 is all you need and forget about the monthly subscriptions. I would also add Topaz and start with the DeNoise and the Simplify,which is all that I use, Simplify, not the de noise. Once you get used to having that monthly, it's FOREVER!!!

As has been mentioned, Topaz sometimes has "sales", so maybe some of the others here,with more programs can tell you about them. I got mine for 1/2 price, $19.99 and it's a great program and I don't really use it enough, a bit SLOW though............

Watch a few YoutTube videos about Simplify............

Rich

If I had to choose one over the other, I would pick Topaz hands down. You can layer in it and do basic adjustments too.

Rebecca,

Question for you: What are you planning to use the software for? Are you looking at LR to serve a specific need?

Cheers!

quote:"thank you for all of the input. I am trying to keep from being overwhelmed with all of the choices"

Lightroom is simple and you can do most editing there. If you already have lightroom and photoshop you can do anything between the 2.

Not to be rude to the poster of this, but you can ignore any advice that is 10 years old, it is totally irrelevant today.

Rebecca, I can't say enough good about the Topaz products. I use Denoise the most but I also use Simplify, the Black and White converter as well as the other add-ins on occasion. I use them with Photoshop but they work with Lightroom too. I'm with Rich, avoid the monthly subscriptions if you can, I know CS 6 and Lightroom 4 were sold as standalone packages.

Yep...I use Lightroom for light jobs, but for serious noise reduction I'll use Topaz hands down.

Cheers!

~Michel Soucy

thank you Rich, but as you know, the plug-in isn't for Mac and I have not had good success with using something to make Mac accept a windows program.

Sai, I don't know the answer to that. I have spent some time learning more about how to use PS elements and am going to try Cloud. I just want to make a photograph look the best it can after I do the best I can with the camera.

Maybe this was a dumb question to ask - everyone has what works best for them. When I studied photography in the 1970's, it was simple SLR and a darkroom. Now there is so much to choose from, and it seems (like everything else which is technical), if you're over a certain age, it just isn't easy to figure out.

I appreciate everyone's input, but right now, I think I will just back off.

Rebecca