The latest updates to Adobe Camera Raw (16.3), Lightroom Classic (13.3) and Lightroom Desktop (7.3) have been released to customers. There are new features and new camera and lens support along with bug fixes in each of the applications.
Enhancements to Camera Raw, Lightroom Classic & Desktop
Unlike previous dot release updates, the May 2024 updates contain many more feature enhancements than is usual outside of a full version release. Lets’ have a look at what they are.
Generative Remove
Adobe’s ‘Firefly’ AI technology has been present in applications such as Photoshop for some time. However, with these latest updates it is now also available in Camera Raw, Lightroom Classic and Desktop, albeit as an ‘Early Access’ feature. It can be found within what was formerly known as the ‘Healing’ panel, and is now called ‘Remove’.
The ‘Remove’ panel includes the original healing tools plus two new AI based tools – ‘Generative AI’ and ‘Object Aware’. The original ‘Heal’ tool has been renamed as ‘Remove’, and it’s very important to note that it remains the primary tool for dust spot removal.
New Look Remove Panel
The ‘Generative AI’ checkbox is used to enable a brush, which is then applied as a mask to the area that you want to replace. Pressing the ‘Apply’ button triggers the remove process, which is carried out remotely on Adobe’s Firefly server. There is also a ‘Variations’ button that can be used to cycle through the three options generated, and a ‘Refresh’ button can be used to generate a new set of variations. In below example, the original image is shown on the right.
If necessary, the remove mask can be refined using the ‘Add’ and ‘Subtract’ brush.
The ‘Object Aware’ checkbox can be used to select an object to removed. The ‘Mask refinement’ (which will be enabled once the object is selected) can be used for better selections. However, unless the object is clearly defined, I’ve found that that ‘Object Aware’ works better when combined with ‘Generative AI’ as shown in below screenshot and example.
With both ‘Object Aware’ and ‘Generative AI’ enabled, notice that in the top image there are still peoples heads that haven’t been masked. So, I refined the mask using ‘Add’ (second image), then clicked on ‘Apply’. One thing to note though. That is, when ‘Object Aware’ only is enabled, it does not include an option for cycling through variations.
Feedback in the form of ‘tips’ is provided during the period that the application is working to generate the remove/fill area.
Generative Remove is credit based, which should explain the recommendation to use the original Heal tool for dust spots. Unfortunately, Adobe hasn’t yet shared any other information on how credits will be allocated or measured in ACR, Lightroom Classic and Desktop. I suspect we’ll be told nothing until the feature comes out of ‘Early Access’.
Note that Adobe has published a useful FAQ for Generative Remove.
Lastly, the ‘Tool Overlay’ and ‘Visualise Spots’ options have been moved from the lower toolbar to the ‘Remove’ panel.
Lens Blur
‘Lens Blur’ was introduced an Early Access feature back in October 2023. Since then there has been lots of feedback from users as to how well/poorly it works along with some suggested improvements in the Adobe Community Feedback. Adobe has taken this feedback onboard and included the following improvements with these latest updates to Camera Raw, Lightroom Classic and Desktop:
- Lens Blur AI models have been updated to address reported quality issues.
- Support for batch operations (presets, copy/paste settings, sync/auto-sync settings) for Lens Blur have been added.
- The UI has been updated to show Near/Far labels in focus range. When the focus range is moved around, it will show values in numbers.
- New adaptive presets have been added for Lens Blur.
AI Denoise
The ‘Apple Neural Engine‘ is now enabled for AI Denoise on Mac with Apple Silicon with macOS 14.0 or later. There quality of noise reduction hasn’t changed from the previous versions, but the time taken to denoise has been greatly reduced. This is particularly noticeable on lower end Apple Silicon computers. The following the results that I’ve obtained for the Mac computers that I use.
Denoising an Canon EOS R5 6400 ISO file
- LrC 13.2 – MacBook Air M3 16GB memory = 71 seconds
- LrC 13.3 – MacBook Air M3 16GB memory = 35 seconds
- LrC 13.2 – Mac mini M1 16GB memory = 95 seconds
- LrC 13.3 – Mac mini M1 16GB memory = 38 seconds
- LrC 13.2 – Mac Studio M1 Ultra 64GB memory = 16 seconds
- LrC 13.3 – Mac Studio M1 Ultra 64GB memory = 13 seconds
- LrC 13.2 – MacBook Pro M3 Max 64GB memory = 18 seconds
- LrC 13.3 – MacBook Pro M3 Max 64GB memory = 14 seconds
The timings for Camera Raw and Lightroom Desktop are slightly faster than for Lightroom Classic. There’s been no explanation given for the difference though.
Enhancements to Lightroom Classic
Tethered Capture
Support for Tethered Capture for Sony cameras is now included Cameras supported include (but not limited to):
- Sony Alpha 1
- Sony Alpha 7R IV
- Sony Alpha 9 II
- Sony Alpha 7R V
- Sony Alpha 7S III*
- Sony Alpha 7 IV
- Sony Alpha 7C
- Sony Alpha 6700*
Note:
1 * Indicates that these cameras have not been tested by Adobe.
2 Sony Cameras need to be in PC remote mode for USB tethering.
New tether support for Canon cameras includes:
- EOS R10
- EOS R100
- EOS R50
- EOS R6 Mark II
- EOS R7
- EOS R8
- PowerShot V10
Develop Module Performance
- Improvements to caching behaviour in the Develop module. These include:
- Enhanced responsiveness and improved navigation experience.
- Improved caching to deliver a smoother experience & crispier image when navigating through smaller sets of images, especially useful for workflows like image comparison, or image set involving VCs.
Above will have a direct impact on image navigation in the Develop module. That being said, I’ve noticed that some images don’t appear if arrow key is pressed too quickly. Adobe are aware of the issue and hope to address in later version.
Sync to the Adobe Cloud
Adobe has implemented a significant infrastructure change to enhance sync workflow reliability. You should see improved reliability when syncing your images to the Adobe Cloud.
Library Previews
Adobe has rearchitected the way Library previews are generated and stored.
Exported Image Status
Support to indicate whether an image has been exported or published. This is achieved using:
- Exported and Not-exported Attribute filter in Library – Grid and Filmstrip.
- An option to ‘Reset Export Status’ is now provided. It can be changed via Photo menu or Context menu of Folder/Collections/Image.
- A new field for ‘Last exported date’ in the metadata panel has been added.
Library Metadata Fields
Support has been added for following metadata fields in ‘AnySearchable Field’, ‘Searchable Metadata’, and ‘Searchable IPTC’ text-based Filters and
Smart Collections criteria.
- Alt text (Accessibility)
- Extended description (Accessibility)
‘Has Point Color’ in Smart Collections and Metadata Filters is now included.
Enhancements to Lightroom Desktop
Archive Locally
We can now manage our cloud storage by moving albums, photos and videos from the Adobe cloud to the local drive for archiving. In below example, I chose to archive the entire album.
If I’d wanted to archive only one photo, then I would right-mouse click on that photo to open the context menu, then choose ‘Archive 1 Photo locally…’
Filename in Grid
Filenames are now shown in the Square Grid view, and the File Type has been moved from the thumbnail to the frame area.
Slideshow
Slideshow now supports videos in full-screen with a new ‘Start Slideshow’ option in the View menu. That being said, slideshow in LrD is very basic. Options include whether to loop the show and choose the speed at which photos change.
Curves in Video
Video editing now supports ‘Curves’.
Camera Raw, Lightroom Classic & Desktop
New Camera Support
Details of new camera support added since the last release can be found here
Tether Support
Details of camera support for tethering can be found here
New Lens Correction Support
Details of new lens support added since the last release can be found here
