Lightroom Classic is a powerful image-editing tool, with a myriad of tools for photographers of all skill levels. New users, however, may initially be bewildered by the wide array of features, but we’ll solve that today in less than 10 minutes.

The Behind the Tripod YouTube channel is designed to help inexperienced photographers shoot and edit better photographs, and the beginners guide below is a great example. This straightforward tutorial explains everything you need to know to get started by demystifying LRC’s Basic tab.

Instructor Steve Mills demonstrates a step-by-step process for enhancing your photos so you can make the most of the tools necessary and establish a simple workflow today. As he says, “If you shoot in Raw, it’s in my humble opinion that Lightroom Classic is perhaps the best option for editing your photos.”

Mills says LRC is far easier to learn than Photoshop, and everything begins in the Basic tab. Once you feel comfortable with the preliminary tools you can then move on to more advanced features. He kicks off the episode by opening an image in the Library, navigates to the Develop module on the top right of the screen, and quickly gets to work.

You’ll then see a panel on the left that includes presets and the important History option. There’s also a panel on the right with straightforward sliders for adjusting a variety of image attributes. LRC works in a non-destructive way, meaning you always go back for a do-over, and Mills explains how the History tool enables you to easily do that.

Once you click on the Basic tab you’ll see “all the bits” Mills discusses today. He says that his workflow typically begins with careful cropping when that can help improve the composition of a shot. He then explains how the adjustment tools in this tab work, including a quick method for converting color images to b&w.

When it comes to enhancing color photos Mills prefers the default Adobe Color profile because “I like to start with a blank canvas.” He then demonstrates how to use simple sliders in the Basic tab to adjust parameters like White Balance, Tint, Exposure, Contrast, Highlights and Shadows.

Other simple sliders provide adjustments to Texture, Clarity, Dehaze, Saturation, Vibrance and more, and you’ll see how all of these work. Mills is a firm believer in taking a subtle approach with all of these enhancements and says “overcooking” adjustments can easily spoil an otherwise nice shot.

Everything you learn is so easy to accomplish that you’ll no longer feel like an LRC beginner by the time you’ve finished watching the lesson. There’s much more to learn on Mills’ instructional YouTube channel, so be sure to take a look.

We also recommend watching the tutorial we posted earlier, explaining why Lightroom’s AI Denoise feature may let you down unless you understand a few tricks.

We’re big fans of using old lenses on modern mirrorless cameras for a variety of reasons. Not only is vintage glass far less expensive than modern counterparts build quality is often superior, and the necessary adapters are readily available for less than 20 bucks. The wide-angle prime discussed in the video below is a perfect example

We often turn to Malaysian pro Robin Wong for solid advice when considering the purchase of new (or old) gear, and in this episode he sings the merits of the vintage Canon 35mm f/2 lens for shooting on the street. It’s also a great choice for other forms of photography

Wong is using the old EF 35mm f/2 on an original 12.8MP Canon EOS 5D DSLR for this demonstration, hence a lens adapter isn’t needed. And unlike when adapting vintage lenses to a mirrorless camera, he has access to autofocus. Wong discusses why this lens is so impressive and provides examples of his results.

Surprisingly Wong says he prefers the combination of this old DSLR and even older lens to his fixed-lens Fujifilm X100F, and he provides a link to an earlier video detailing his comparison. During this behind-the-scenes photo walk in Kuala Lumpur he explains his affection for the EF 35mm f/2 wide-angle and provides several great tips for elevating your street photography skills.

One of the appeals of this lens is its “fantastic” image quality, even at maximum aperture and when shooting up close to a subject. And autofocus is fast and precise with the EOS 5D. Wong also appreciates that this budget 35mm f/2 prime is lightweight, compact and “very easy to work with.”

Other attributes worthy of note are the sharpness, contrast, and bokeh quality that this wide-angle lens consistently delivers. Wong adds that the 35mm f/2 offers good subject separation and shallow depth of field for street portraits—particularly when used on a full-frame camera.

The only drawback to this lens, according to Wong, is that build quality is a bit “plasticky.” That’s to be expected because it wasn’t intended to be a pro-grade lens when introduced way back in 1990. But if your primary concern is image quality, and your wallet is a bit thin, the old EF 35mm f/2 is well worth considering.

You can find much more of interest by paying a visit to Wong’s popular YouTube channel, and watching the earlier tutorial we posted, explaining why another accomplished pro says the superiority of full-frame digital cameras “is a myth.”

Zoner has updated Zoner Photo Studio X and the watchword is SPEED. The updates significantly enhance performance by utilizing your graphics card, enriching the experience on lower-powered PCs, improving ease of navigation, and much more. Already established as a top features-for-dollar photo and video editor, Zoner Photo Studio X continues to get better and better with every upgrade. Plus you get a ton of extras and all for the same very affordable price.

If you’re not currently a Zoner Photo Studio X user, scroll down to the bottom of this story to get a quick overview of what makes ZPS X so desirable. Then download the full version of ZPS X for Windows 10 and 11 PCs and try it for 7 days absolutely free and with no obligation.

What’s New in the ZPS X Fall Upgrade?
The list of enhancements is extensive and has the emphasis on speed and ease-of-use. One of the best features of every ZPS X upgrade is that owners do not have to do anything to activate or access the improvements. Like all ZPS X upgrades, these new features appear in your software automatically.

GPU Acceleration Cuts Processing Time in Half
ZPS X now fully utilizes your PC’s Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) to deliver faster editing. In a nutshell, a GPU works in parallel with your PC’s CPU for faster and more efficient throughput. ZPS X makes the most of the power of your GPU so you can edit at lightning speed. Editing in the Develop module is now up to 2X faster.

Optimized for Even Lower-powered PCs
It would be nice if everyone owned the latest and most powerful computer, but that’s just not the case. ZPS X has been optimized so users with older or less powerful machines can still edit their photos fast. Enjoy smoother editing without sacrificing quality on older or entry-level hardware.

Support for 3D LUTs
ZPS X users can now more easily perform advanced color work and discover color toning using 3D LUTs (Look Up Tables). Often used in filmmaking and similar to (but more powerful than) simple presets, 3D LUTs help you change and set the color and tone of your images and easily manipulate select hues in a controlled, consistent and repeatable way. Zoner Photo Studio X supports all LUT formats and allows adjustment of effect intensity. You can download custom LUTs online from multiple sources or create your own custom LUTs and thereby accelerate your workflow. See this exciting feature in action on Zoner’s YouTube channel.

New Navigation Panel and Toolbar
The enhanced, easier-to-use ZPS X user interface is available in all ZPS X modules, making browsing your photos easier. With the new workspace, you can have the functions you use most often at your fingertips. In addition, the toolbar is completely customizable—once again, adding speed and complete control to your editing sessions.
[local tools]

Enhanced Local Adjustments
All tools can now be used locally—which means that all adjustments can now be applied to a specific part of the photo. ZPS X has added settings to the Radial Filter, Filter Brush, and Gradient Filter so they have all the popular functions of the Develop module.

Customizable Default Settings for Raw Files
You can improve your Raw file processing procedure and achieve more shot-to-shot uniformity by establishing custom default settings for processing Raw files. Instead of making the same adjustments over and over again, you can set default adjustments from the Develop module for each of your cameras—and never have to do them manually again. The default adjustments are saved even when you reset additional adjustments.

…and there’s more!
Once-over-lightly, here are more of the new enhancements and features.

Speed ramping for videos gives you seamless control your video’s speed using keyframes. You can even go back in time.

Keyframing has been simplified so you may easily select and change multiple keyframes at once.

Live editing for the Print module—adjustments made in the Develop module are immediately reflected in your projects in progress.

More natural vignetting effect in your images’ corners in the Develop module. 

Curves selection for Raw processing. If you want to be in control of everything when processing Raw files you can use linear curves.

To see concise videos of the new features in action, check our Zoner’s YouTube channel. 

Why People Love Zoner Photo Studio X
Zoner Photo Studio X is an affordably priced but extremely powerful Windows PC software tool for browsing, managing, enhancing, editing and printing photo and video files, including Raw format.

Want to see more for yourself right now? Download the full version of ZPS X for Windows 10 and 11 PCs and try it for 7 days absolutely free and with no obligation.

Zoner Photo Studio X provides five interface modules found as tabs labeled Manager, Develop, Editor, Print and Video. They’re easy to navigate and intuitive to use. You can conveniently switch from one module to another without leaving the ZPS X program—a huge timesaver. There are flexible workspace layout choices, too. And you can select the Browser view and see all images in a specific folder—without leaving the Zoner Photo Studio X workspace.

You can print photos and photo gift items directly from ZPS X; plus, you receive 15 free 4 x 6 inch (10 x 15cm) prints as a gift each year.

Use ZPS X to edit JPEG and Raw images (including use of Layers and Masks) and perform all cropping, blemish removal, cloning and other photo tricks with ease. The unique retouching brush and the Facial Features tool in the Liquify submenu make portrait enhancement a snap.

Edit video. Turn your photos into a video, a presentation, or a time-lapse without switching software. Enjoy creative presets. Change a photo’s entire mood with just one click (one of the best-loved features in ZPS X). Catalog your images for easy organization and retrieval. Browse them by date, shot location, keywords, or folders.

ZPS X Pricing & Extra Benefits
Edit your photos and videos in Zoner Photo Studio X for only $59 per year. As part of your subscription, all updates are automatic and free. A Family Plan is also available. And anytime new features are added—including the collection described here—they automatically appear in your ZPS X.

Each license comes with 20GB of storage on the Zoner Photo Cloud and synchronization with Zonerama Premium, Zoner’s elite online photo sharing and storage gallery where you can upload photos directly from ZPS X and get unlimited space for 4k videos. Note that Zonerama standard version is FREE and an unrivaled online gallery even for those who don’t have a ZPS X license.

And you can access ZPS X from anywhere. Once you purchase a ZPS X license, you can log in to your account from any computer. Access ZPS X from home, work, or even on vacation.

Try the full version of Zoner Photo Studio X for 7 days with no obligation. Download for Windows 10 and 11 here. Or click here to purchase for $59.

 

∞ Shutterbug Staff

Creating panoramic photos can be a great way to increase detail, capture a wider angle, or employ a unique composition as a photographer. However, much of the work behind good panoramas happens in post-processing when you stitch the images together. What software is the best for creating panorama photos? This guide covers the most popular panoramic software tools today and explains their pros and cons.