The Lightroom CC ecosystem has been updated today, with updates for the Windows (1.2), Mac (1.2), iOS (3.1.1) and Android (3.3) apps. (Lightroom Classic CC has also been updated.)
Of course there’s new camera/lens support, as well as bug fixes. The Android version has gained lots of new features this time. The new features in this release are:
Add Copyright During Import (Windows/Mac)
You can now automatically add your copyright to photos as they’re imported by checking Preferences > General > Add copyright to imported images. It’s smart enough not to overwrite any existing copyright metadata, and it won’t update any existing photos.
Perspective Correction (Android)
You can now fix geometric distortion using the same tools as the desktop, including the automatic and guided upright modes. You’ll find the controls in the Geometry tab in Edit view.
Watermarking (Android – already available on iOS)
You can now add a simple text based watermark when sharing photos from the Android apps. To set the preferences, tap the menu icon in the top left corner of Organize view, and go to Preferences > Sharing Options. Toggle the Share with watermark switch and tap Customize to set the watermark properties. Here you can select the location, opacity, font and size.
Import using Files (Android)
You can now access Android’s file manager to add photos from various sources, including other apps, a DSLR camera connected in PTP mode, or your device’s folder storage. To access the files, tap the … icon to the right of the album name in Organize view, or the blue Add Photos button in the bottom right corner of Grid view, and then select Files. (Requires Android Kitkat or later.)
Add to Lightroom from Other Apps (Android)
If you’re working in another photo app, tap Share and select Add to Lr to send the photos directly to Lightroom’s All Photos album, without having to stop and switch to Lightroom to manually add the photos.
Search using Google Assistant (Android)
Using Google Assistant search, you can search for photos using terms such as “search mountains in Lightroom” and it’ll open Lightroom and automatically search for photos that meet your criteria. (Requires Android Marshmallow or later and an active internet connection.)
New Camera Support (All Versions)
When a new camera is released, standardized formats such as JPEG, TIFF and DNG are supported immediately. Proprietary raw file formats are not standardized, so they must be individually added in a Lightroom release. Most cameras are supported within 2-3 months of their release. Raw file format support has been added in this release for:
- Fujifilm X-A5
- Fujifilm X-A20
- Panasonic LUMIX DC-GF10 (DC-GF90)
- Panasonic LUMIX DC-GH5s
- Click to view the full list of supported cameras.
New Lens Profiles (All Versions)
Many compact and mirrorless cameras have built-in lens profiles, but other cameras use lens profiles to correct for lens defects such as barrel/pincushion distortion and vignetting. New profiles are added with each Lightroom release. Click here for the full list of available Adobe Lens Profiles.
Bug fixes
There are loads of bug fixes on all versions. Adobe only usually publishes the bugs reported by users, which this time include:
Import/Migration (Windows/Mac)
- Error message appeared when trying to open an image by dragging it to the Lightroom CC icon pinned in the taskbar. (Windows-only)
- Migration to Lightroom CC fails if the storage drive location doesn’t have read/write permission. See this TechNote for a workaround.
- While importing photos or videos, MTS video previews in the grid appeared blurry or blank.
Organize (Windows/Mac)
- In Detail view, the Edit Capture Time dialog (Photo > Edit Date & Time) displayed a spinning wheel icon while the Info panel is closed so you were unable to edit the capture time.
- ‘Keep Original Available Locally‘ didn’t always respond when multiple images are selected in the grid.
- Videos were missing the camera make/model metadata in the Info panel.
- Error when launching Lightroom CC: Unable to setup WF RTMFP Notify Pipe.
Edit (Windows/Mac)
- The Highlights slider control under Vignette was not functioning. (Windows-only)
Export (Windows/Mac)
- ‘Send to Facebook‘ now uploads a larger photo, whereas it was limited to 960px.
If you find another bug, click here to report it.
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 crashing 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.
Laura Shoe recommended your site to me.
Good to meet you Peter!
I don’t see the Add Copyright During Import (Windows/Mac) function described in your article in the Preferences>General dialog – Using Win 10, confirmed upgrade to 7.2 CC Classic
Hi Don. This article is for Lightroom CC, which is the cloud-based app. (Yes, I know the names are confusing!!). To add copyright during import for Classic, you’d need to create a Metadata Preset and add it in the Apply During Import panel of the Import dialog.
Thx
I wonder how many years before CC has feature parity with Classic. I image that when it does, Classic will be no longer supported in the same way as standalone Lr.
You may be right, but it’s taken more than 10 years to get LR Classic to this point, and looking at the amount of time and money they’re investing in improving Classic, I don’t think we need to worry about it for a while.
Victoria please forgive my ignorance. Will you please help me to understand the terminology which differentiates the various Lightroom options. I own LR 6 which was updated to 6.14 a short while ago and is the perpetual licence option. What does Adobe call this option? I see names like LR Classic, LR Classic CC etc. which is rather confusing. My understanding is that this option is no longer supported by Adobe. I ask because of the following sentence in your latest email:
“This book discusses latest release of the traditional desktop-based version of Lightroom, which looks like this”:
I have no desire to engage the cloud-based option so knowing whether the perpetual licence option will in future be updated by Adobe will be helpful.
Willem- You are not alone, as I’m in the “same boat” as the saying goes. As Victoria has explained in her previous Blog posts, LR-6 product was Adobe’s LAST iteration of a perpetual license LR product that is now replaced by LR Classic for use on desktop computers HOWEVER it requires an annual renewal subscription fee instead of one time purchase. At some point in very near future Adobe will stop supporting LR-6 altogether and people will be forced to purchase LR Classic product if there is some new feature or camera support you need to do your work ( * it’s called “planned obsolescence” ). Cheers- Joe
Very well said Joseph
I know, it’s confusing!
Lightroom 6 = last version available as a standalone/perpetual license. Still available for purchase, but won’t be updated again.
Lightroom Classic CC = aka Lightroom 7, still looks like the LR you know and still runs on your computer like Lightroom 6, but it’s only available on subscription for $9.99 a month (including Photoshop, etc.)
Lightroom CC = the brand new cloud-based service for desktop and mobile devices, which this post is taking about.
I think the annual subscription fee for LR6.14of 9.99 a month, i.e. 119,88 a year is too expensive for ambitious amateurs. Furthermore we don’t know what Adobe will do in the future. I think it is worth thinking of other programmes because Adobe is apparently not interested in amateurs anymore.
That’s fine, we each get to make that choice, based on whether we see value in the subscription. I bet most amateur photographers used to spend more than that on film and processing each year.
I think their new Lightroom CC release, which is clearly targeted at amateur photographers, shows they’re very interested in amateurs though.
Your “Quick Start Guide” for LR is the clearest and most helpful source I’ve found, as a new user of LR “Classic.” Two books that I bought, by eminent LR experts, are more confusing than helpful to a beginner. Thanks for restoring my sanity.
“Ike” from MN, USA
I’m really pleased it helped Ike!
Not sure if this the right place to ask the question but perhaps you can point me in the right direction. Until recently I was using Classic CC on my MacBook Pro but with all the traveling I am doing I want to be able to carry just my iPad Pro. So on the iPad I can download and look at my pictures on a daily basis and edit some of them. They are being saved in Adobe Cloud but my dilemma is how to import them into my permanent library on my Mac once I get home. And when I learn how to import these pictures will it also bring the edits along too.
A supplementary question is will the iPad convert the pictures to DNG and if so how does one achieve this?
What are you running on your Mac at home? Classic? If so, turn on sync and it’ll download any new photos and edits you add to the cloud. There are some gotchas to be aware of, like keywords don’t sync, and you have to be careful where you delete them to delete them everywhere, but I’ve detailed all of that in the Cloud Sync chapter of my Classic book.
iPad won’t convert to DNG, but you can do that with the Photo menu > Convert to DNG command when they sync back down to Classic, or leave them as their original format.