Lightroom Classic 9.3 has been released today. As well as bug fixes and new camera/lens support, the engineering team have spent this release cycle focusing on some long-term requests and other enhancements.
The entire Lightroom cloud-based ecosystem has also been updated today too.
Windows 7 warning
If you are still on Windows 7, you may wish to delay upgrading to 9.3 until you’ve upgraded to Windows 10. Microsoft ended support for Windows 7 on January 14, 2020.
Therefore, Lightroom Classic video playback support for Windows 7 has now ended. This affects the import and playback of new and existing videos in your catalog, as well as the ability to use the Slideshow module. Export will continue to work only when exporting as original. Other Lightroom Classic features continue to work as before.
New icons
The first thing you’ll notice is a change of Lightroom icon. Although the application names haven’t changed, new Adobe branding means the icons have. Here are the new Lightroom icons.
Lightroom Classic:
Lightroom (cloud-based):
Local HSL
Requested for a long time, 9.3 brings local HSL adjustment. We already had Saturation and Luminance (Exposure) but now the Hue can also be changed for a selected area. Using the Color Range Mask, along with the brush or gradient, allows quick and accurate selections.
You might use it for minor adjustments, like reducing pink cheeks without affecting the person’s lips, or major adjustments, like completely replacing a color in part of the photo. In this example, we changed the dress from blue to green on the right, and the shade of lipstick on the girl with the red dress.
New Presets for Defaults
There are now additional built-in Presets that can be used for defaults or as normal presets.
Adobe Default resets to Adobe defaults, like the old Adobe (Reset) button used to.
Camera Settings resets everything back to defaults but uses the camera emulation profile, matching the camera style you selected when shooting the photo.
Other presets also enable lens corrections and noise reduction to use as defaults, to save you having to create your own presets.
ISO Adaptive Presets
You can now create a preset with variable settings depending on the ISO value without having to use a text editor. Select a range of photos with different ISO values before creating a preset, and the settings for any ISO’s in-between will be automatically interpolated.
Tone Curve
The Tone Curve has a new UI. The new buttons let you switch between a Parametric Curve and Point Curves.
With Point Curves, you can now enter numeric values for each color (RGB). Snap to Grid is a new option in the right-click menu, as well as being able to copy and paste from one point curve to other channels.
Sync Activity
Sync ActivityThe Sync status used to be found in the Activity Center, but now has its own cloud icon in the module picker. The cloud symbol updates to show the sync status, similar to the Lightroom (cloud-based) system. For example, the status can be Synced, Syncing, Paused or Disconnected / Offline, as well as a range of error messages.
Batch Export
If multiple export presets are selected, the Export button changes to Batch Export. There’s an additional dialog that allows you to override the destination folders and file names specified in the presets.
Performance
It wouldn’t be a Lightroom Classic release without a focus on performance, as well as new features. In this release:
- Develop sliders feel smoother when making adjustments, because the Navigator panel and Filmstrip wait until you release the slider before updating
- Grid scrolling is also smoother, depending on the hardware configuration
- Like the Folders panel, the Collection panel is also now cached for faster searching
Video support
HEVC is now supported on Windows and AVI is supported again on macOS.
New User Tutorials
For newer Lightroom users, some additional tutorials now appear on the first launch of Lightroom. This is just a start, and additional tutorials will be added over time.
Other minor updates
- Color panel icons have been updated to match the new tone curve icons
- The Metadata panel has an additional view for 3D projections
- Facebook Publish Services are automatically converted to normal Collections, and removed from the Publish Services panel
- If the backup drive is offline, Lightroom now warns you when you run a backup
- There’s a new Crop overlay called Center under Tools menu > Crop Guide Overlay that helps you find the center of your photo
New camera support:
- Apple iPad Pro (11-inch) (2nd generation) – preliminary support
- Apple iPad Pro (12.9-inch) (4th generation) – preliminary support
- Apple iPhone SE (2020 version)
- Click to view the full list of supported cameras
New tether support:
- Canon EOS-1D X Mark III
New lens profiles:
- Apple
- Apple iPad (6th generation) back camera 3.3mm f2.4 (JPEG)
- Apple iPad (7th generation) back camera 3.3mm f2.4 (JPEG)
- Apple iPad Air (3rd generation) back camera 3.3mm f2.4 (JPEG)
- Apple iPad Air back camera 3.3mm f2.4 (JPEG)
- Apple iPad mini (5th generation) back camera 3.3mm f2.4 (JPEG)
- Apple iPad Pro (11-inch) (2nd generation) back camera 1.27mm f/2.4 (JPEG+HEIC)
- Apple iPad Pro (11-inch) (2nd generation) back camera 3mm f/1.8 (DNG+JPEG+HEIC)
- Apple iPad Pro (11-inch) (2nd generation) front camera 2.87mm f/2.2 (JPEG+HEIC)
- Apple iPad Pro (12.9-inch) (4th generation) back camera 1.27mm f/2.4
(JPEG+HEIC) - Apple iPad Pro (12.9-inch) (4th generation) back camera 3mm f/1.8 (DNG+JPEG+HEIC)
- Apple iPad Pro (12.9-inch) (4th generation) front camera 2.87mm f/2.2 (JPEG+HEIC)
- Apple iPhone SE front camera 2.87mm f/2.2 (JPEG+HEIC)
- Apple iPod touch back camera 3.3mm f2.4 (JPEG)
- HUAWEI
- HUWAWEI P40 Pro Front Camera (JPEG)
- HUWAWEI P40 Pro Rear Main Camera (DNG+JPEG)
- HUWAWEI P40 Pro Rear Telephoto Camera (DNG+JPEG)
- HUWAWEI P40 Pro Rear Wide Camera (DNG+JPEG)
- Click here for the full list of available Adobe Lens Profiles
Bug fixes:
As usual this release also includes bug fixes. Adobe only publishes the ones that were reported by users.
Import
- Single frame video file not importing into Lightroom
- Certain video types not importing
- Import from another catalog where individual folders are > 7,000 images fails in selection dialog
- Unable to import Go Pro and mp4 videos
- Not importing all Mavic Pro 2 video files
Library
- Smart Collection Criteria on Aperture not allowing for an aperture < 1.0
- EXIF Aperture value below 1.0 not displayed correctly in Metadata browser and Histogram
- macOS 10.14 – title bar disappears on entering full screen (sometimes)
- “Edit In” ignores Preferences to use ZIP compression with TIFF files
- TIFF compression settings have no effect when Lightroom sends image to Photoshop for editing
- iPhone videos do not play back smoothly
- Filmstrip photos with many badges have clickable areas outside of the filmstrip
- Rename dialog using tokens containing “.” fail to preview in dialog correctly
- Rating buttons invisible in Survey mode
- 270 degree Rotated in camera, flipped horizontal, opens in Photoshop upside down
- Use of “|”, “<” and “>” as hierarchical keyword separators not documented
- Folder name in Grid info not updating when an image is moved
- After moving the original files to another directory, create HDR or Panorama do not work until after restart
- Color labels on Filter Bar not showing colors on 4K monitor
- Dock Folder option not sticky
Develop
- The White Balance Eye Dropper / Defringe Eye Dropper Target Area is offset on Windows HiDPi displays
- Develop auto produces incorrect Histograms
- Histogram not redrawing after full neg reloads
- PV1&2 Presence Sliders covered by square gray artifact
- Don’t allow creation of Presets with empty gradient and circular gradient filters
- Toggling visibility for HSL / B&W Panel removes local adjustments
- On macOS Spot healing cursor not visible with multiple desktops
Export
- Will not export both portrait and landscape oriented pictures as a slideshow video in 720 or 1080
- Slideshow Export to Video not showing edits on some images
Performance
- Slider slowness on MacBook Pro 2019 with i9
- Grid slider slowness on MacBook Pro 2019 with i9
Other
- Video format doesn’t get updated on switching between publish services
- Unexpected error opening catalog on macOS
- Map Module Shift + Click on Google logo renders module unusable until restart
- After language change incorrect message “Update available dialog”
- French translation improvements
If you find a bug, click here to learn how to report it to Adobe.
ACR 12.3
Although Lightroom is likely your primary editing tool, you might use Adobe Camera Raw when editing a Smart Object in Photoshop. The new ACR interface should look a lot more familiar to you if you’ve used either Lightroom (cloud-based) or Lightroom Classic, as it’s a bit of a cross between the two.
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 available for download in the Members Area for current Classic Premium Members.
Has anyone mentioned the spot removal tool issues, or is it just my problem? If I’m working on a large area there is what I think of as “bleed” no matter what I do. Of course I can clone instead of heal … but with what I’m working on (flowers) that won’t really work well. I DID try cloning, thinking I could then go over the area with and “heal” it but if I do that the clone disappears and I again get bleed. I’m not sure if I can really explain this well enough for anyone to understand the issue. Sorry!
I’ve seen a confirmed bug on that: https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/9-3-update-apparent-bug-with-healing-tool
I had to revert back and must wait for that bug to be fixed to move to 9.3. Unfortunately the bug not only affects current images, but ALL past images that have any spots worked on at the edges of images. So oh well … we wait …. it’s a pretty huge issue!
Hi I am really having trouble with the new update … it’s very slow and nothing works except once a day like editing !!!! Any recommendations to fix this? I already deleted the app and reinstalled it twice
We’d need more info to help troubleshoot, especially the OS version. Post on the forum, linked in the menu, and we’ll help.
I’m the user who first requested Hue control for the adjustment brush … NINE YEARS AGO! … I have one other request for the Lr Team and that is the ability to set custom page dimensions, gutter and bleed parameters for the Book module so we can use a printer other than Blurb … just like we were able to do in Aperture over a decade ago.
While I am pleased they finally found a reasonable solution for my first request, I’m not sure I have another decade to hold on and wait for the second request.
I was going to update to 9.2.1 today. If I do update today, am I right to assume it would be 9.3?
I don’t like to “assume” if you catch my drift.
Short answer – yes. You can select the version in the CC App if you like (but the default is the latest, so 9.3)
Thanks, Victoria. That was very helpful.
Hi, Victoria. Having just updated to LrC 9.3, I believe I have found a bug with the Targeted Adjustment Tool (TAT) in the HSL Panel. When I click on the TAT for any of the Hue, Saturation or Luminance sliders, an erroneous History entry is created reading ‘Convert to B&W: No’. I tried reporting this at https://feedback.photoshop.com but for some reason was unable to log in using my subscriber credentials. I wanted to share this info here in case others experience this, and in hopes someone else might be able to bring it to Adobe’s attention for repair. –Alex
Hmmm, I can’t reproduce that so far. Which operating system? Can you give me the steps you take?
Sorry for the oversight! Mac OS Catalina 10.15.5. I’m done with other adjustments and want to change the hue of a given color. I click on the TAT to adjust, eg blues and see to the left of the History panel ‘Convert to B&W’, and to the right ‘No’. After making the adjustment it shows, eg ‘Blue Hue Shift … -47’. So the tool behaves normally, and the second metadata entry is correct, but that inaccurate additional entry is created and remains after I close the tool.
Got it! I’ll report it, thanks
Thanks as always, Victoria, for the great resource you provide.
Yes, I’ve already done thank you 🙂
The new HSL Local adjustment is welcome of course. Good job on this.
But the major UI change in ACR is a mistake IMHO.
– The “NEW” button to start a new local adjustment was VERY important (for example I want to create a new smaller adjustment under the current one). Actually, it’s not possible, you have to find a way to get out of the current edit first and only then can create a new one.
– The small quick + and – buttons on each slider allowed to immediately renew the settings of all sliders for the new adjustment you want to make. Now that it’s gone, you have first to click the reset button. (extra step)
– Putting those main shortcuts on the right was now a good idea. Sliders should be on the far right of the screen. Your mouse stay there most of the time.
* Putting those main shortcuts on the right was NOT a good idea. (typo)
Still on the ACR UI change.
Now during a local adjustment editing, if you have zoomed in (let’s say at 100%), there’s no way to zoom out without leaving first the local adjusment menu.
Quite disappointing UI update overall.
But the new functionality is fine though (HSL local adjustment).
Personally, I switched back to ACR 12.2, such a relief …
It’s definitely going to take people a while to get used to the changes, but in prerelease, many who hated it initially came to prefer the new interface. Adobe will continue to tweak based on feedback too.
For zooming when using the local adjustments, there is a zoom pop-up bottom left and Ctrl / Cmd +/- shortcuts work too.
For reseting a slider, double click on the slider handle or hold Alt / Opt and click on the slider label.
The new button to start a new adjustment is still there, it’s a + button in a circle at the top of the brush panel.
Thanks for your answer Victoria.
I see the text zoom with limited value percentage on the buttong left.
I talked about (I am on windows)
the Ctr+Space + Clik to zoom in (and zoom in many times if needed)
and Crt+Alt+Space + Click (to zoom out many times if needed).
Now only Ctr+Space Click work as toggle zoom in or out (only 2 choices in or out).
As for Crt +/- , usually I don’t want to leave my pen/mouse (left hand for keyboards and right hand for pen).
For resetting sliders (I am talking about ACR not Lightroom), the old + and – buttons (that are gone) allowed to create immediatly a new local adjustment with all sliders (not just one) resetted. (I know Lightromm never had it)
For the new local adjustment button, I was talking about the radial one as I almost never use the brush adjustment.
If I am working on a current one, I can’t create a new one immediatly as the button is already selected. It is useful when we want to create an adjustment under the current one -which is for example covering a large area (problem mostly met in the case of the radial filter).
The idea for the new UI was to improve the experience. For now, I am not totaly sure the goal was met. Let’s wait for the new update.
Here’s instructions on how to send your suggestions to Adobe: https://www.lightroomqueen.com/send-bug-report-feature-request-adobe/
Thank you for the update.
When I got the message from the Adobe Creative Cloud Windows 10 App, I updated all my procucts. Perfectly.
Funny thing though, th Ligtroom Classic Icon is still the old one, in a more subdued blue and without the 9.3. Checked directly on the appication’s Help menu and it is indeed. 9.3.
We add the 9.3 to our blog logo for clarity, so it’ll just read LrC on the actual logo (and no border on the icon now either)
Interesting, the Lightroom Classic icon on my iMac hasn’t changed either. It is still the square with the light blue outline and light blue letters. The other icons have changed as expected.
Hi Victoria, thanks for the update. In your article you state that LrC means Lightroom Classic. In the Adobe article you link to they state that “We’ll also be adding 3-letter mnemonics to the system to help customers better identify product families, for example Adobe Photoshop (Ps) and Adobe Photoshop Camera (PsC). ”
So I would interpret LrC as being Adobe Lightroom Camera.
I have to admit that I still find Adobe branding and apps extremely confusing. The Adobe article you link to indicates that their article is a 3 minute read. I would suggest that if they have to publish a 3 minute read article just to articulate their high-level branding then they got it wrong.
As a follow on from my post. I’ve just opened the Creative Cloud Desktop app and note that LrC is listed as Lightroom Classic!!!! So which is it to be, Adobe Lightroom Classic or Adobe Lightroom Camera?
I couldn’t find an Adobe Photoshop Camera (PsC) in the Creative Cloud Desktop app under “All apps”.
Is it just me that struggles with this?
Hello me again. Found the PsC app. It’s described as Photoshop Camera so naming is inconsistent with LrC which is listed as Lightroom Classic
While some people have not been thrilled about Adobe app naming for some reason I never had any issues. LrC falls under the desktop category. Classic basically the same the same software we grew up with for many years. Pretty much settles that. Ps is also offered in the desktop category.
PsC falls under the mobile category which also offers Ps. I have far less of an idea of what the difference is between the mobile Ps and PsC apps. I don’t want to know until I decide to use them. I just know to use the correct apps for the platforms I choose to work with.
Not sure if I was helpful but I think to start by just breaking it down by desktop and mobile platforms makes it easier to get over the hump.
As the blog states, LrC is Lightroom Classic.
Photoshop Camera is part of the mobile offerings, not CC Desktop, so access through the App Store / Google Play Store.
My point regarding LrC is that Adobes own rebranding statement clearly states that “We’ll also be adding 3-letter mnemonics to the system to help customers better identify product families, for example Adobe Photoshop (Ps) and Adobe Photoshop Camera (PsC). ” On that basis LrC should be Lightroom Camera, not Lightroom Classic surely?
Jeez. Is this that important? Lots of good updates this last round. Where is my request for AI Noise Reduction? I’d rather see effort in that area and other PP feature requests instead of how an app should be named.
Photoshop Camera – not Lightroom-based, hence the different name.
Sad… still no tethering for Canon EOS RP….
Wow – very nice summary. Thanks. It gets me excited.
I can see I have a lot to try out and play with.
Thanks Victoria for the extensive report!
Kjell