Do You Even Need EXPENSIVE Lenses Anymore? What's NEW in Lightroom

[@TheSmartWoodshop]

Brian, I like how the blur tool used on the lower end looks convincing. It seems like 'early access' is basically beta, so I'm sure Adobe will be working on this feature to improve it quickly. I also like the idea of shooting with a slightly smaller aperture to ensure good focus and then opening it up in post-production. So, shooting at F4 instead of F2.8 and then tightening it up. Great tutorial for a great tool. Now I am waiting for your take on 'point color' especially using it in a mask. Just a heads up, the 'blue' in the focal range is dark purple; there's no blue within a mile of the mask. Since you're my long-time friend, I understand why you call it blue, but it's still fun to pick on you public. 😂

[@brianmatiash]

You bring up a great use case for Lens Blur in terms of using a smaller aperture to ensure proper focus/detail, and then simulate the bokeh in post. The issue still arises that you need to take great care to ensure that the subject stands apart from the background enough so that the mask can be generated cleanly. That was what I struggled with most while putting together this tutorial. And yeah, I always mess up those colors - especially when they veer into the red/green territories. Just part of my charm, I suppose 😆

[@alanbudge]

Another superb tutorial Brian. I’ve watched three videos highlighting this new feature but none of them explained it as clearly and concisely as you did. I will be buying Lightroom Everywhere at the end of the month when I will have the time to explore it. Thanks again for a brilliant tutorial.

[@brianmatiash]

You are awesome, Alan! Thank you so much for the kind words. They mean the world to me and make the effort all the more worth it!

[@francoisroberge3117]

So clear and well structured. Thank you.

[@brianmatiash]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@smetljesm2276]

This is a very valuable update for any one of us thatbises ohones or more compact camera/lenses combination. Thank you for showing it this well❤

[@brianmatiash]

Glad it was helpful, and you’re very welcome!

[@Selah7791]

❤❤❤ lens blur feature Amazing.

[@achoke]

And I just upgraded from the 70-200 f/4 to the 2.8. Still worth it!

[@brianmatiash]

100%. While the video title is a bit cheeky, the truth is that having solid glass is always at the top of the priority list in my book. You can't go wrong with a 70-200 f/2.8.

[@achoke]

@@brianmatiash for sure! I just finished your other video on Lightroom local abilities. OMG, I HAVE to switch over now!!

[@brianmatiash]

Yesssssss! I love to hear that! Come to the Cloud side.

[@leniehulse1621]

Brian you are a great teacher!!! 👏👏

[@brianmatiash]

Thank you so much!

[@Dantel50]

🎉❤r 😮7❤😁😢😮y j5😂❤😮​@@brianmatiash

[@cmichaelhaugh8517]

Great explanation!

[@brianmatiash]

Thanks!

[@perrymckenna2261]

Another great video. I discovered your channel with the "how to apply a better sky masking". It really does work! I've also moved away from LR Classic to Lightroom Cloud version. Unfortunately I see this new feature on my iPad and iPhone but not on the desktop version. Would you know why? Desktop version is 6.4

[@brianmatiash]

Assuming you having the Adobe Photography Plan or the Lightroom plan that includes Desktop, I highly recommend upgrading to the latest version (7.0).

[@nerwin]

I actually find this tool to work pretty well with phone shots which isn't a bad thing because sometimes the only camera is my phone and having the ability to provide a little bit of shallow depth of field to make the image look even more interesting is a plus but I honestly don't feel the need to use it on photos taken with my full frame with a fast 50mm haha. I don't know how I feel about it right, it can be a great tool but at the same time it feels wrong to me? I don't know, I guess i'm a sucker for natural physics of lenses and leave them as they are. I'm still in the old school mindset I suppose haha. Great explanation on this though, the best one I've seen yet!

[@brianmatiash]

Thanks again, Nerwin! I'm with you... this is a great tool to have, but it needs to be used in moderation. Manipulating depth of field after the fact can help a photo if it's done tastefully and with restraint.

[@yervandpapazyan4473]

All these new futures are great, but still no tether shooting option especially on an iPad. will be a miracle one day that we will get tether shooting on an iPad? With so much power iPad is almost closer to replacing a laptop or desktop for professional photographers, but this critical and useful option is still not available when a mobile version of Capture One had this option a very long time ago.

[@brianmatiash]

While I get that tethered shooting is important to you and many other pros looking to go mobile with their workflows, my hunch is that it is still quite low on the priority list for Adobe. I'm not saying that this will never happen. In fact, considering that Apple highlighted Capture One's tethering with the iPhone 15 Pro launch, I wouldn't be surprised if we see it with Lightroom eventually. I'm just not sure how soon that'll be.

[@yervandpapazyan4473]

Now i am watching your video and changing my Lightroom mobile on my iPad and this new function not available, i checked to make sure the app is updated and yes it is updated

[@StuartSchaefer]

I just checked (iPad Pro M2) and I also do not have this feature. Checked the updates and up to date as of this morning 10/11/23 10:19am CDT. Currently on v8.5.1 but it states you need v9.0 for these new features released on October 9. Maybe the update will be coming later today. FOLLOW-UP! I just rebooted my iPad Pro M2 and now see the UPDATE to V9 to install. All set now with new features. Cheers!

[@stephenelderphoto]

I had to manually update the app in Lightroom by visiting the app store and searching for Lightroom for iPad. It then offered the "Update" option. The options on iPad are much less customisable though so I was a bit disappointed.

[@paulhoekstra1605]

I updated to v9 Lightroom for IPad, but the lens blur feature is not present?? Does this depend on which iPad I have - 9th gen 2021?

[@yervandpapazyan4473]

@@paulhoekstra1605 me too, one minute ago i updated v9 but unfortunately this tool not available or not visible, ok what ever :) let’s move on. Excitement moment was very bright but very short 😄😄😄😄

[@brianmatiash]

@paulhoekstra1605 hmmmm, that’s a great question. I just checked Adobe’s support page (helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-cc/using/lens-blur.html#lens-blur-mobile-ios) and found that these devices do not support blur: iPhone models launched in 2017 and earlier iPhone SE 2nd Gen iPhone XR iPad 9th Gen (2021) iPad 8th Gen (2020) iPad Air 3rd Gen (2019) iPad Mini 5th Gen (2019) iPad 7th Gen (2019) iPad 9.7" 6th Gen (2018) iPad 9.7" (2017)

[@seandee]

Love separate videos!

[@tatepiercefield]

does it work with mobile? or do they ever plan on adding it.

[@brianmatiash]

Hey Tate! Lens Blur is most certainly available with Lightroom Mobile. I show an example of how to use it with my iPad in this video. 👍🏼

[@roxikoko3744]

Yes. Where's the fun otherwise?

[@barrylavallee]

Do you know if images manipulated in that manner still qualify as "not AI generated" for stock photo agencies ... because the original is human-created?

[@brianmatiash]

With the exception of AI being used to detect the subject in a photo and make a selection of it, there is nothing AI-generated about using the Lens Blur tool. Stock agencies may reject the photo if the blur effect is unnatural or creates artifacts within the photo. But I see no justification to reject a photo on the ground of AI generation if we're referring to the Blur Tool.

[@barrylavallee]

@@brianmatiashPerfect. Thanks for the reply.

[@brianmatiash]

My pleasure!

[@distomos8118]

All this so called AI tool achieves is on thing: to dumb down photographer skills. Why bother learning about the effects of certain settings of aperture or shutter speed or exposure compensation? Not even talking about them in combination with different focal lengths. This tool doesn’t work properly and the images look fake. Your wasting more time and effort in this tutorial to tweak the image to an unrealistic looking result than the photographer would if setting up the camera/lens combination properly. Don’t get me wrong, your tutorial is fine and your doing a great job explaining the usage, but all this software adjustments are unnecessary if a photographer knows what he’s doing.

[@roderashe]

@distomos8118 you bring up some good points. But this is just an evolution of photography ,don’t you think? Yes, understanding how ISO, shutter speed, and aperture work is a great, great basis in learning photography. But I would also argue that lenses themselves make can make things look unrealistic. for instance, depth the field is just a way of using physics to keep things in focus or blur them unrealistically. Using software to do this instead of optics is just another way to achieve a result. I do agree that the software is really in its infancy, compared to the way that lens optics have been used in the last 200 years. I would advise all photographers to embrace the technology and learn it, too.

[@distomos8118]

@@roderashe No, this is not an evolution in photography, it’s an evolution in imaging software for post processing. An evolution in photography is always an evolution of artistic expressions. That’s why gear in many cases doesn’t impact that much in the artistic value of an image. This new gimmick suggests that it can be achieved by using the back door.

[@brianmatiash]

Of course, you’re making the assumption that everyone uses cameras with a variable aperture. Doing so eliminates all of the photographers who primarily or exclusively use their smartphones to take photos. While iPhone photos can be beautiful, they’re usually sharp throughout the photo, and having access to this kind of tool to simulate a shallow depth of field is a welcome inclusion. You assume that just because someone uses this tool, they don’t know the basic principles of exposure control, which is unfortunate. Some people have a strong grasp on it, but use cameras that could benefit from such tools. Of course, if you don’t think that iPhones are classified as legitimate cameras, then we have a larger issue at hand.