Adobe Launches Lightroom for iPad

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Image: Adobe

By Karissa Bell2014-04-08 04:01:05 UTC

Lightroom users can now edit images and manage their photo collections from their iPads.

Adobe launched Lightroom for iPad on Tuesday, a companion app for the desktop version of Lightroom.

See also: Adobe Doesn't Think 'Photoshop' Is a Dirty Word

The app, which is backed by Adobe's cloud service, will automatically sync selected image collections and subsequent edits from the desktop version of Lightroom to the iPad app, and vice versa.

Unlike some of Adobe's other mobile apps, such as Photoshop Express, Lightroom's iPad app is not meant to be used as a standalone app. Tom Hogarty, a Lightroom product manager, said the iPad app was designed to extend Lightroom's desktop experience to mobile users.

"It's undeniable mobile devices are playing a role in photography," Hogarty told Mashable. "What we wanted to do is bridge the gap, and let things flow seamlessly from the desktop to the tablet or phone, and vice versa."

Adobe's Lightroom iPad app includes many of the editing tools present in the desktop version.

The app takes advantage of Adobe's Smart Previews, which enables users to work with large files without taking up large amounts of storage on their devices. The feature creates a proxy of the original RAW file that retains the properties and flexibility of the original, but is 2% to 3% of the original file size.

Lightroom for iPad uses gesture-based controls, such as a three-finger tap to toggle before and after, or a two-finger tap to bring up an image's metadata. It doesn't have all the editing tools of the desktop version, but includes all of Lightroom's basic tonal controls, including those for adjusting contrast, saturation, vibrance, highlights and exposure.

The app is free to download, but requires a paid subscription to Adobe's Photoshop Photography Program, which is $9.99 per month. Lightroom mobile is also available to Creative Cloud subscribers.

Lightroom for iPad is available in the iOS App Store. An iPhone version is in the works, and will be released later this year.

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Topics: apps-and-software, Apps and Software, ipad apps, lightroom, Tech