Lightroom features/bug fixes I would like to see in next version

Question

I love the Adobe Lightroom Application. It is very intiutive and out of the different RAW processing programs I've tried, it is the only one that has most of the features I need and has the least amount of complications. However, I think there are still places to improve upon:
* Decouple raw processor from the monolithic software executable so that updates to the RAW camera component to add new cameras can be made without requiring huge downloads or reinstallation of a new software program but simply updating a few DLLs and files.
* Improve performance of the Develop panel. It is extremely slow on my laptop running 32bit Windows 7 and 3GB of RAM with dual core processor (pre-Core duo). 8 to 10 seconds for the "loading" message to disappear per image no matter how often I have loaded or edited the image. No caching is being done at all.
* On my higher powered Desktop (Quad Core2 processor/4GB RAM,Windows 7), Adobe Lightroom frequently will start behaving strangely after only a few hours of running. It seems like it is leaking resources or something because eventually functionality will start failing. Specifically, right clicking on images will no longer bring up menus for example. If i shutdown and restart the application, the problem goes away.
* Photoshop-like healing brush. Many times I want to "brush" over areas of image defects but the only choice in Lightroom is the healing tool which always creates a circle and does not allow "brushing".  This only works if the defect is a spot and not an irregular area.
* Adjustment with Arbitrary Mask tool. Bibble 5 has this nice concept where you can mask out a section of an image and then apply adjustments to it without affecting the rest of the image. You simply draw a mask and then you can apply adjustments to it. The only option in Lightroom is to select the "Mask" option but that leaves the decision of where exactly you want to mask to Lightroom which only uses edge contrast to determine masking area.
* I'd like a way to tell Lightroom to update the metadata (write out) on all images that are out of sync. Right now the write metadata function will write out metadata to all files whether or not it is required. This means that it is inpractical to try to update your entire catalog as tens of thousands of files will be written to and not just those that are out of sync. This is very important as a way to preserve editing metadata in case of loss of the Lightroom catalog.
* Option to write import metadata to imported files. For example, I have an import metadata for copyright and keywords and I want the imported JPG or DNG files to permanently have this metadata so that even if individual files are copied my copyright and other metadata are preserved with it.
* Option to append text labels to automatically generated import destination folder names. So for example, I can still import into date based directories but append a description to help me remember what the folder contains when I'm later browsing it. Right now it is either/or. You can either choose the name of the import folder destination OR you can have the software generate one for you.
* A google-type search box at the top of the library panel so that ad-hoc searches can be done without having to fool around with the filters. Everybody is used to a single search box for simple textual searches.
* some way to filter images by whether they have been exported previously or not
* Please support lens and shooting information for Sony DSLRs in both JPG and RAW files. Also support 3rd party lenses on Sony DSLRs without assigning the wrong Minolta lenses to them. I want to be able to see both Lens name, max aperture, focusing distance (if available) etc...
* Some way to edit the Shooting lens information to support lenses which are not known to Lightroom, and if suggestion above won't be implemented, some way for the user to edit the lens id --> mapping table so that I can properly map my own 3rd party lenses.
* Facial recognition/tagging option. Some way to have Lightroom apply people tags after I have tagged representative images. Handle multiple people in a scene.
* Automatic (batch) export of images on schedule. I would like a way to configure Lightroom to automatically generate particular export configuration of all my images in a catalog (or some defined subset) such that new files or files that have been edited since last export are automatically exported on a schedule even if Lightroom is not running. Perhaps a Lightroom batch service. This is so that I can always  have up to date processed versions  of my images for use in my media center display. I would like to configure the Lightroom batch service to run weekly at say 2am every day, run a particular export function and export all new or modified images to a network share accessible by the media center. That way, I can always have access to cropped and edit images without manually doing exports all the time or having to remember which files I've edited and then export them. Also by doing this at off hours it would not slow down my computer while I'm using it.
* Better profiles for Sony DSLRs and support for their picture styles the same way that Canon and Nikon camera are supported.
* Teethering support for Sony DSLRs that have this feature
* Support for parametric plugins -- Plugins that do not require the image to be exported before running.
* Simple support for "picture frames" when exporting. Some way to apply a frame to an image as part of export with a dozen or so frames included and a way for 3rd parties to create more.
* A better way to safely share catalogs or pictures between multiple computers/users in a networked environment.

Answer 1

Did these come to you all at once, or have you been saving them up for a while?
Anyway, Adobe *should* be able to handle long lists of FR, but another option is to break them up and submit them for voting on the new FR/Idea site that will shortly replace this one: (It was really hot for a while, but has cooled down lately...)
http://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/products/photoshop_family_photoshop_lightro om
HopeSpringsEternal2008 wrote:
I love the Adobe Lightroom Application...
Me too, and continue to push for improvements as well...
HopeSpringsEternal2008 wrote:
 * Decouple raw processor from the monolithic software executable so that updates to the RAW camera component to add new cameras can be made without requiring huge downloads or reinstallation of a new software program but simply updating a few DLLs and files.
They are already decoupled - you can update ACR independently for new camera support, however it's released at about the same frequency as Lightroom itself, so that doesn't help much. Perhaps this should be reworded: "Provide more timely ACR updates..."
HopeSpringsEternal2008 wrote:
* Improve performance of the Develop panel. It is extremely slow on my laptop running 32bit Windows 7 and 3GB of RAM with dual core processor (pre-Core duo). 8 to 10 seconds for the "loading" message to disappear per image no matter how often I have loaded or edited the image. No caching is being done at all.
I've been complaining about this for a long time - ACR cache is worthless for me too - if dev image not in RAM cache, takes same amount of time to render whether in ACR disk cache or not. Some say ACR cache speeds things up for them - perhaps you need to *believe*...
PS - After new motherboard upgrade, this went from 15 seconds to 3 seconds average.
HopeSpringsEternal2008 wrote:
 * On my higher powered Desktop (Quad Core2 processor/4GB RAM,Windows 7), Adobe Lightroom frequently will start behaving strangely after only a few hours of running. It seems like it is leaking resources or something because eventually functionality will start failing. Specifically, right clicking on images will no longer bring up menus for example. If i shutdown and restart the application, the problem goes away.
Yep - Lightroom still has some leaks - gotta restart it from time to time...
HopeSpringsEternal2008 wrote:
* Photoshop-like healing brush. Many times I want to "brush" over areas of image defects but the only choice in Lightroom is the healing tool which always creates a circle and does not allow "brushing".  This only works if the defect is a spot and not an irregular area.
+1 vote - arguably the most desired addition to the dev tools. I bet Lr4 will have this (no inside info though).
HopeSpringsEternal2008 wrote:
* Adjustment with Arbitrary Mask tool. Bibble 5 has this nice concept where you can mask out a section of an image and then apply adjustments to it without affecting the rest of the image. You simply draw a mask and then you can apply adjustments to it. The only option in Lightroom is to select the "Mask" option but that leaves the decision of where exactly you want to mask to Lightroom which only uses edge contrast to determine masking area.
+1 vote - this is one of my highest hopes for Lr(4) too: sophisticated auto-masking + manual masking: to apply to all or at least most adjustments...
HopeSpringsEternal2008 wrote:
 * I'd like a way to tell Lightroom to update the metadata (write out) on all images that are out of sync. Right now the write metadata function will write out metadata to all files whether or not it is required. This means that it is inpractical to try to update your entire catalog as tens of thousands of files will be written to and not just those that are out of sync. This is very important as a way to preserve editing metadata in case of loss of the Lightroom catalog.
Frequently requested - some use pre-startup database query + plugin to make collection in the mean time (I dont).
HopeSpringsEternal2008 wrote:
* Option to append text labels to automatically generated import destination folder names. So for example, I can still import into date based directories but append a description to help me remember what the folder contains when I'm later browsing it. Right now it is either/or. You can either choose the name of the import folder destination OR you can have the software generate one for you.
RC Importer supports this - its an import plugin that bypasses the import dialog box - not for everyone...
HopeSpringsEternal2008 wrote:
 * A google-type search box at the top of the library panel so that ad-hoc searches can be done without having to fool around with the filters. Everybody is used to a single search box for simple textual searches.
Maybe the seeds of a good idea here, but may be worth some refinement/clarification - what would be searched? Would special syntax be supported? Personally, I mostly hate all 1-box search fields, because one never knows what's being searched and how, e.g. does it search the whole catalog?, is it case sensitive? On the other hand, I get the convenience factor... - I think if accompanied by help and/or the ability to pop up a dialog box for refinement or options, this might make a nice addition. Along these lines, I sometimes think a quick-smart-collection would be nice too - for when one wants to search 2 text fields, instead of just one. I keep a temporary smart collection just for this purpose, but still...
HopeSpringsEternal2008 wrote:
 * some way to filter images by whether they have been exported previously or not
Change detecting export plugins have mostly solved this for me (and publishing for some folks), although adding export info (and metadata change info) to catalog for searching / sorting still sounds like a good idea to me...
HopeSpringsEternal2008 wrote:
 * Automatic (batch) export of images on schedule. I would like a way to configure Lightroom to automatically generate particular export configuration of all my images in a catalog (or some defined subset) such that new files or files that have been edited since last export are automatically exported on a schedule even if Lightroom is not running. Perhaps a Lightroom batch service. This is so that I can always  have up to date processed versions  of my images for use in my media center display. I would like to configure the Lightroom batch service to run weekly at say 2am every day, run a particular export function and export all new or modified images to a network share accessible by the media center. That way, I can always have access to cropped and edit images without manually doing exports all the time or having to remember which files I've edited and then export them. Also by doing this at off hours it would not slow down my computer while I'm using it.
Yes, better export management would be welcome. Export Manager might help you (if you have multiple export destinations to update), but its not a panacea... Many of us ultimately "consume" our photos outside Lightroom, having the consumption copies kept up to date more fluidly would be good. Using change detecting export plugins (along with export-manager) and/or publishing helps..
HopeSpringsEternal2008 wrote:
* Support for parametric plugins -- Plugins that do not require the image to be exported before running.
Yep - much room for plugins to get better integrated with Lightroom proper, to participate in image enhancement, as well as other things...
HopeSpringsEternal2008 wrote:
* Simple support for "picture frames" when exporting. Some way to apply a frame to an image as part of export with a dozen or so frames included and a way for 3rd parties to create more.
That would be nice. Although support for 3rd parties to add frames *upon export* already exists (export filter plugin + export post-process actions), as well as adding text overlays and such. But since its not built into Lightroom, one has to find them and configure them... And there is no good way to preview them in Lightroom... I think this would go nicely with the previous request - ability to feed image data to plugins for preview in Lightroom. Even if these updates were not built-into the dev module - i.e. weren't kept updated automatically whilst editing - just being able to click a 'see final' button or have it rolled into the build-previews function, so one could have post-process imaging plugins (with preview before export) - might be a nice compromise until true imaging plugins (that fit into dev pipeline) are supported.
The end - for now...
-R