Lightroom 5 (formally known as “Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5”) has been released. I downloaded the $79 upgrade and converted my catalogs, and here’s my feedback so far.

A reminder: Lightroom is a tool that does asset management, photo editing, book and slideshow creating, printing, and much more: It is the tool for pros and serious amateurs alike.

First, the conversion takes time – much time. The computer seems to be doing nothing but in fact it is working. Just wait – it took me three hours, and might take you many hours more. It’ll get there. Just wait.

New features: lots of little ones; purportedly also many inside (‘better math”).  And some you see.

See a new tool there?

The ones that stand out for me are:

• The healing tool can now be any shape you like. But note, pressing down COMMAND (or Control or a PC) .
• The lens correction tool now does auto perspective correction.
• There is a new “Radial Filter” tool that allows me to apply changes inside (or outside) any oval shape anywhere.
• Lightroom supports “Smart Previews”, which allow you to edit even while your original images are not connected (e.g. they are on a disconnected hard drive). This is a new option in the IMPORT screen, too. Neat.

There’s no doubt a lot more, but these are enough to justify the upgrade if you rely on Lightroom, as I do, and as many, many amateur and pro photographers do. If you have not yet used Lightroom, please do give it a try.

And use the shortcuts to be really productive!

Like these:

• Q for healing tool
• H for hide/ for move sample point
• Shift after click to hold and view fix

• F for full screen (and shift-F to getthe “old” behaviour)
• E loop view toggle
• S softproof toggle
• Y before/after toggle
• R see crop toolo see overlays (from a choice)
• Z zoom view toggle

…there’s so many more, and the menus tellyou what those are. I recommend you learn these – Lightroom is all about productivity. After all, we all want to be shooting, not editing!

Tomorrow, I feel like some more shooting: we are expecting nice weather here, which means tough but very rewarding shooting.  And that’s what we do, right?

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The “Pro Flash Manual” is out: have you had a look yet? Flash photography rocks – once you know how it works!