Lightroom Classic 8.3 has been released today. As well as performance improvements, bug fixes and new camera/lens support, the engineering team have spent this release cycle focusing on some interesting camera and raw file enhancements. The entire Lightroom cloud ecosystem has also been updated.
Missing CC’s
The first thing you’ll notice is the CC’s have gone missing from the names of all of the Creative Cloud apps. This is not a Lightroom-specific change. Since all of the apps are now part of the Creative Cloud, the extra letters are redundant.
This means the apps are now simply called Lightroom (the family of apps that stores your photos in the cloud) and Lightroom Classic (the traditional folder-based desktop app). Confused? Don’t worry, we’re adding the icons to new posts and books as they’re released, so just look out for the curved/square corners and different colors on the icons.
Texture Slider
The big news in this release is the brand new Texture slider, which is available in all of the Lightroom apps as well as in the Camera Raw plug-in.
Moved in a positive direction, it enhances medium size details in a photo, giving a three-dimensional appearance without affecting the overall contrast or increasing noise. It’s particularly good for landscapes, nature photography, and B&W photography.
In the opposite direction, it smoothes skin while retaining the skin’s texture, giving a much more natural result than negative Clarity or Sharpening.
Flat Field Correction
Previously available as a plug-in on Adobe Labs, the Flat Field Correction tool uses a calibration photo to remove an optical phenomenon called Lens Cast or Shading, saving the result as a DNG file. Shading causes a vignette and/or a green/magenta color cast that varies across the photo, and it’s mainly seen on mirrorless & technical cameras with specific lenses. (This is a fairly specialized tool!)
Preserved Filename
Sometimes the smallest improvements can be the most useful, and this one nearly slipped under the radar. Lightroom now preserves the original filename, regardless of whether you rename during import or not. You can view the Preserved Filename in the Metadata panel and use it for renaming photos.
Faster Import from Memory Card
You may have noticed in the past that Lightroom imports photos faster from a memory card when it’s selected as a drive in the Files section of the Import dialog rather than the Devices section at the top. To take advantage of this speed increase, it’s now selected by default.
New camera support:
- Canon EOS 250D (EOS Rebel SL3, EOS 200D II, EOS Kiss X10)
- Canon EOS RP
- Google Pixel 3 Front Standard Camera
- Google Pixel 3XL Front Standard Camera
- Google Pixel 3 Front Wide Camera
- Google Pixel 3 XL Front Wide Camera
- HMD Global Nokia 9 PureView
- LG V40 ThinQ
- Panasonic LUMIX DC-FZ1000M2 (DC-FZ10002)
- Panasonic LUMIX DC-S1
- Panasonic LUMIX DC-S1R
- Panasonic LUMIX DC-ZS80 (DC-TZ95, DC-TZ96, DC-TZ97)
- RICOH GR III
- RICOH THETA Z1
- Sony A6400 (ILCE-6400)
- Sony RX0 II (DSC-RX0M2)
- Click to view the full list of supported cameras
Tethering for new cameras:
- Canon EOS R
- Click to view the full list of cameras supported for tethering
New lens profiles:
- Canon EF
- SIGMA 28mm F1.4 DG HSM A019
- SIGMA 28mm T1.5 FF HIGH-SPEED PRIME
- SIGMA 40mm T1.5 FF HIGH-SPEED PRIME
- SIGMA 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM S018
- Tokina opera 16-28 mm F2.8 FF
- Tokina opera 50mm F1.4 FF
- HMD Global
- HMD Global Nokia 9 PureView Front Camera
- HMD Global Nokia 9 PureView Rear Camera
- LGE
- LG V40 ThinQ Front Standard Camera
- LG V40 ThinQ Front Wide Camera
- LG V40 ThinQ Rear Main Camera
- LG V40 ThinQ Rear Telephoto Camera
- LG V40 ThinQ Rear Wide Camera
- Nikon F
- SIGMA 28mm F1.4 DG HSM A019
- SIGMA 40mm F1.4 DG HSM A018
- SIGMA 60-600mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM S018
- SIGMA 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM S018
- Tokina opera 16-28 mm F2.8 FF
- Tokina opera 50mm F1.4 FF
- PENTAX K
- HD PENTAX-DA 11-18mm F2.8ED DC AW
- HD PENTAX-FA 35mm F2 Ricoh
- Ricoh GR III 18.3mm f/2.8 SIGMA
- SIGMA 28mm F1.4 DG HSM A019
- SIGMA 40mm F1.4 DG HSM A018
- SIGMA 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM S018
- Sony FE
- SIGMA 28mm F1.4 DG HSM A019
- SIGMA 40mm F1.4 DG HSM A018
- Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM
- Tokina FiRIN 20mm F2 FE AF
- Click here for the full list of available Adobe Lens Profiles
Bug fixes:
There are loads of bug fixes, but Adobe only publishes the ones that were reported by users:
- Import
- Importing photos from another catalog should preserve their original filename.
- Photos synced to Lightroom Classic from Lightroom CC display adjustments badge when no edits present.
- Library & Map
- The Collections Panel scrolls unexpectedly when you duplicate/rename/delete a collection set.
- In the Collections panel, the scroll bar moves to top and selection is lost when results are filtered by a word.
- Unable to open some RAF files
- Images in published collection are not grouped by publish status after navigating from a synced collection.
- Converting a raw file to DNG without deleting the original raw file shows the wrong extension.
- Autostack creates inconsistent stacks.
- Precision is lost in the exported EXIF GPS coordinates.
- Exporting JPEG/PNG files to DNG disables Import and Synchronize Folder functions in Library module.
- Moving a folder to an external drive from Lightroom Classic does not complete properly.
- Develop
- Applying a Develop Preset (which includes Auto Settings) during Import produces significantly different results than when applied post-Import.
- Some custom Profiles do not get applied correctly when selecting using a preset.
- Targeted HSL Saturation adjustment moves wrong slider.
- Export / Output Modules
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- Export dialog box shows incorrect filename preview.
- Original file name is not preserved in metadata if viewed on another app like Adobe Bridge.
If you find another bug, click here to learn how to report it to Adobe.
How do I update?
To update, go to Help menu > Updates or click the Update button in the CC app. The update servers take a while to push the updates around the world, to avoid overloading the servers. You can also open the Creative Cloud app, click the … icon (top right) and select Check for Updates to give it a nudge.
Is the book updated?
The eBooks for Adobe Lightroom Classic – The Missing FAQ are already updated for these changes, and can be downloaded immediately after purchasing. If you’re already a Lightroom Classic Premium Member, the updated eBooks are available for download in your Members Area.
I love the Preserved File Name feature. Is that possibly retroactive? probably not, but thought I would ask
No, just new imports, sorry
Wow. thanks for all the info. It’s great. I also love the detail tool!
Thanks for this post, really useful.
One thing I did notice while I was working this morning, the Ctrl+E shortcut (Windows) doesn’t work in the Develop Module anymore when I want to switch from LR to PS. I use it all the time in my workflow and was stunned this morning when I had to go back into the Library Module, right click the photo and then select ‘Edit in’ – ‘Photoshop CC 2019’. Does it mean I might need to update PS as well?
Be good to hear if anyone else is experiencing this or if it’s just me 🙂
Thanks folks and happy Friday from an Englishman in Qatar!
Ctrl+e works for me. It opens the image from the Develop module into Photoshop as expected.
I have the latest updates of Windows, LR and Photoshop.
My export User Presets disappeared and I am unable to find them anywhere.
Try checking/unchecking Preferences > Presets tab > Store presets with this catalog and see if that does the trick. If not, what changed just before they disappeared? Opened a different catalog?
Victoria,
Have you gotten any reports of problems with Version 8.3? I’ve had to revert to the previous version. 8.3 makes my computer hang for over a minute and once it’s appears operational it’s very sluggish, moving from photo to photo. I’m running Windows 10, 64 bit, 16 gb of memory, graphics processor acceleration is disabled, never seemed to work for me on any version. Version 8.2.1 works fine.
Thanks,
Bill
Have you updated your graphics card driver direct from the manufacturer recently? That’s the usual suspect in performance issues, even with it unchecked in preferences.
Well, third time’s a charm, I guess. I had updated the graphics driver yesterday, but that didn’t seem to work. So I went through and reinstalled the graphics driver, making sure my antivirus and firewall were turned off. Also checked a number of other settings, the usual ones mentioned in searches when lightroom is acting up. Not sure which one did the trick, or a combination of things, but now 8.3 seems to be working just fine. I’ll keep my fingers crossed over the next few days, but everything is good for now.
Thanks,
Bill
Brilliant, thanks for the update Bill!
Crashes on me almost immediately after opening on my Mac running Mohave.
Thanks,
J. Paul
I’m not seeing other reports like that J. Paul, so it would be worth reporting (and then they’ll be able to see the crash reports you’ve sent in to figure out what’s up). Here’s instructions on how to report it to Adobe: https://www.lightroomqueen.com/send-bug-report-feature-request-adobe/
I believe the auto feature in Develop has improved. In the past it always added a negative contrast to my images, while presumably handling contrast with the Black White corrections. Now I get a small positve contrast when I click on Auto…
Yeah, it does a much better job now.
My colour profiles disapear when I update to 8.3 had to go back to 8.2 then I find them again.. No Adobe or camera profiles! anyone else had this issue?
Pete
Hi Pete. Definitely a raw file selected in 8.3? The most frequent cause of those profiles going missing is simply selecting a JPEG/TIFF/PSD file without realizing.
Yes I have this issue too. All my color adjustments are gone and now 1-3 stops under exposers. How do you go back to 8.2v.
Hang on Allyson, something’s odd here. Your issue sounds like it might be different to Pete’s, and we’re not going any other reports. Best place to post is the Feedback forum, because then the engineers will be aware of the problem, in addition to being able to troubleshoot with you. Here’s how: https://www.lightroomqueen.com/send-bug-report-feature-request-adobe/
The new Texture slider rocks. Adobe also corrected Auto reducing contrast too much. Nice improvements.
Issues with the 8.3 update- Anyone notice that the minimize screen , large/small and x are missing? Also when you edit an image the “photo has develop adjustments” are gone…. Please help!!
Which OS do you use Jess? It sounds like you’re just in a full screen mode. Where are you expecting to see “photo has develop adjustments” specifically? There’s a few possible solutions to that one.
I finally went from a really old version of Lightroom to 8.3… The problem is, when I import HEIC files from my iPhone to my Mac, Lightroom sees them as JPEG’s. I’ve seen reports that Lightroom seven imported this format just fine. Could this be a bug?
Let’s carry on the conversation on your forum thread: https://www.lightroomqueen.com/community/threads/heic-issues.37859/unread
What happens to all my photos and edits if I cancel my subscription to the Adobe Photography plan? I have LR 6.0 standalone version, can I continue to use that?
If you cancel, Lightroom Classic goes into a “read-only” type of mode. Everything still works, with the exception of the Develop module, Map module and cloud sync.
There’s nothing to stop you continuing to use Lightroom 6, however the Lightroom Classic catalog format is not backwards-compatible, and depending on your operating system, Lightroom 6 may not work after an operating system upgrade.
Thanks Victoria. Love LR but may have to look for an alternative to LR, £10 pcm for life for a very amateur photographer is expensive.