A few other channels have shown, for example, with Fuji files, it is possible to still get "worms" in CaptureOne as well, and Lightroom has also been improved with better Fuji support. About the only issue I still see with LR in regards to Fuji files is a bit of the watercolor effect still exists, but you generally have to zoom into 100% or more to see this, and so for most people, it may not be very evident, and is not really evident unless you have a lot of brighter tones, like yellows or oranges that I've seen. Not as visible with darker tones or colors. I know this video is now a year old, and with the more recent updates to Lr Classic it's hard to make a choice. On one hand, C1 does seem to have better control of colors, tones and sharpening, but its masking (the Magic Brush) is very basic compared to the new Lightroom masking features, and many times even avid CO users have said that it messes up quite a bit and requires a lot of finnesse (where as with LR, you can be rather sloppy with the auto masking features and it still does a great job figuring out what you meant to mask). But more importantly, with CO's new perpetual license and upgrade policy, I wonder how many people will stay with them. It's as if they have a perpetual license still, but they basically force you to buy a new version every 2 years (or every year) or pay full price again. With LR, after three years, you'd would have paid about half of what you would have paid for CO + 1 upgrade. They're basically pushing their subscription model and sort of disguising their perpetual license as more of a susbscription model. It's fine for those who don't care about the latest features but we all know that they will hold out features and make you "want" to upgrade your perpetual license every year or every other year. About the only good thing when it comes to the licensing is they do still at least have a perpetual license, but it's costly (and their loyalty program, about getting a free perpetual license after 5 years of subscription is absurd -- that's $900 over a 5 year period just to get a perpetual license. The biggest gripe I have though with C1 is the 16 layer limit (As layers equates roughly to masks/edit pins/local adjustments in LrC). From what I can see, LRC doesn't have any real limit to the number of masks you can make, and I could see on very complex images, C1 may be a little limiting for those who want complete control of every aspect of their image. At least they did fix the spot/clone/healing system, so you can have different source points for healing/cloning on the same layer, whereas previously, you had to create a new layer for each new source point). I may get C1, but I will still keep Adobe around mainly for PS. The cost is not the issue really so much as is the limitation of C1 in comparison to LR for things like masks (which have saved me a lot of time since they introduced the new AI masking).
I switched to capture years ago and have never looked back. Better colours, flexibility, faster response and export, the list goes on. I still use photoshop to complete images when needed.
I am on CO, ediiting there always felt more natural than in LR before, but this is a very personal thing, and certainly there are pros and cons with both. I left LR at the time when they were quite hesitant to support Fuji RAW files. As switching to another application (e.g. back to LR) is always a bigger step with getting used to the different functionalities again, I wouldn't take this step without very good reason justifying the time to invest. I want to be a photographer and spending time with that, and less with learing tools.
Hi Herb, thanks so much for your comment, I really appreciated it! Glad you enjoyed the video. I remember very well your love for Capture One :) Have a good one, Herb! Ciao
I've switched to Capture One after testing the trial version, very pleased with the results so far. I found it easy to adapt to the new software, and the "no HDR/panorama" argument is a non-issue. I have Photoshop for that!
I hope you know that Affinity got an excellent Panorama stitch/ HDR merge/ Focus Stack/ etc as well, in case you like to leave the Adobe ecosystem all together.
I am still not clear what I will do in the future. I am currently using Lr mobile (not LrC) and like the nice interface and cloud storage, iPad/Mac options. I like the results of C1 strait after importing. I notice that for nature, the grass and also fabric areas often look better in C1. For portraits I do not observe a lot of difference. If I am not happy with the Lr RAF handling, I sometimes convert C1 to TIFF and import it to Lr. But I do not like it that I end with a RAF and TIFF result next to each other and need to mark the preferred version or try to get the RAF version to look as good as the other one. It can drive me crazy sometimes.
Hi Rocodil, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. Yep, there is not an answer for a definitive decision. They are two different ecosystems and each one has its strengths and weaknesses. As you said, there are many aspects to take into account, especially in terms of general workflow, and it's not an easy choice to make. It very depends on your specific needs. Ciao :)
Thank you very much for the in-depth comparison. Many details were eye-openers for the different algorithms to me. As a Panasonic and Fuji guy I started with LR but now more likely use C1 because of the slightly less drastic changes to the picture (in LR I always over-dramatise my looks - don´t know why)
Hi, thanks so much and glad you the video useful! Yeah, I've been there, totally agree. It's intriguing how just using a different software you can transform the way you edit :) Ciao
fantastic video, I watched all the way through mostly because I like how you explained stuff even though I moved over to Sony from Fuji. My fav feature of capture one is honestly the fact that you can edit masks with the full range of settings with the layers, however the ability to remove fringing in lightroom takes extra steps to be replicating in Capture one
Great video Andrea. I haven’t been bonded to any of the eco systems so far being an amateur photographer. I’ve always based my library on folders anyways. Have had Fuji cameras since 2018 and using C1 for their raf files has been a breeze. However I bought recently an Ipad Pro 12,9 to take in my trips and found that the Adobe system is light years ahead of C1, unfortunately. The recent app C1 released for Ipad is a joke compared with LR Mobile, but right our after importing I see better results in C1 Mobile in the gorgeous Ipad screen that reveals all small details. The crispier look in C1 is clear to me. I pay 9,90eu for a LR Mobile subscription w/ 1tb cloud. and would have to pay 29 + 5,5 for C1 system that doesn’t even let me sync on both ways as LR does (only 1 way for edits: Ipad > Desktop)… So, yeah, such a shame C1 doesn’t offer a full eco system as Adobe does atm. Let’s see in the next couple of months what they can do bc I think the future is mobile anyways. Gracie, ciao!
Hi Roberto, thanks for your comment, and glad you liked the video. Currently, the iPad version of Capture One doesn't offer the same features as Lightroom CC. I think they're working to lay the groundwork for a future-proof and reliable system, rather than implementing a bunch of features to satisfy all photographers and risk spending most of their time trying to solve users' problems. I completely understand their point of view, and in my opinion, it makes sense. They're definitely playing a different game, and I suspect on a slightly different playing field as well. On the other hand, at the moment the Adobe ecosystem offers more opportunities for mobile capabilities in the cloud right now, that's for sure. We'll see what happens over the next few months :) Ciao
Excellent. I have both applications. I have been using Lightroom since February 2017, but switched to Capture One (Nikon Only version) in December 2020. I prefer the results I get from the latter, they seem more subtle and I really like the layer and masking facilities C1 offers.
Hi Brian, thanks! Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for sharing your thoughts. I know, it's difficult to leave completely the Adobe ecosystem, but CO is terrific. Its sauce and layer/color tools are something very unique. Ciao :)
To think that it is free to see this level of expertise in action... Thanks. A quick word about the Fuji worms. I solved the problem: switched to Sony... ;-) Ciao e grazie.
Great comparison, currently trying to get used to Capture one 23 and it is fantastic but after using LR since it’s inception it’s very different. Since adding Fuji to my lineup of gear I can defo see the difference and benefits of C1. When I was shooting weddings though in canon LR was easy to pick and process the images and since I’m looking to re start wedding work in 2023/24 I’m not sure yet if C1 will be as quick to pick and process although results with Fuji will be better. I really like the fact Fuji has worked with C1 to supply the ICC film sim profiles so we can apply these to raw as a base and it auto apply on import whichever you set in camera… great video to compare the two 😊
Hi Karl, thank you for taking the time to leave a comment, and glad you enjoyed the video. Lightroom and Capture One are indeed two distinct software programs, each with its own unique features and capabilities. However, once you become familiar with the tools and workflow in C1, you'll find that everything becomes quite intuitive and seamless. Of course, what works for one person might not work for another 😀 Ciao
You did not mention that Lightroom is a subscription model while Capture One can be bought on a one-time permanent basis. I used to use lightroom until they went to the subscription plan, and i was satisfied with it, but i refuse to pay a subscription, so i switched to capture one.
Hi Tony, thanks for stopping by. I didn't mention things like subscription plans or one-time payments. I think it's now common knowledge about the different options between the two software. I thought it was better to focus attention on other aspects that in my opinion are more interesting. Ciao
FOR £10 a month you get Lr and Ps and updates when they arrive, C1 to buy outright is £299 and then a new version arrives and have to then upgrade for £199, although I think C1 is great the adobe pricing model for both items is a win win
Hi Janelle, thanks for stopping by. I've been using both. Lightroom to organize my images archive, editing, and other stuff like books & prints. I use Capture One to develop specific landscape & portrait photos or the tethering function for studio works. Ciao :)
This is hands down the best comparison I've ever seen. I'm an XT4 shooter myself and I got into C1 because of the reasons mentioned. I do also like the layers in C1; However... C1 has recently been made quite a bit more expensive. For less money I can get the Adobe Photography bundle which gives me both LR and Photoshop. There seems to be a lot more interest in Lightroom in general (potential audience for sharing editing videos) + I miss the split toning and color calibration (color primaries) function that LR has in C1. Tough choice... Question for you Andrea: You don't seem to mind the artifacts issue on high zoom levels. I also don't tend to zoom so much or push so much. Also, do you believe converting your selects to DNG on import fixes most of that? Any idea if this problem also still exists with the new XH2?
Hi Dieter, thanks again for commenting. Both software have a different market positioning strategy, and the choice really depends not only on the price point, but also a different target of photographers. About your question, converting the raf files to dng on the import stage doesn’t improve the detail quality. Actually I don’t recommend to do it. I still haven’t tried the new X-H2, but since it’s an X-Trans sensor, I have the feeling that, at some degree, the “artifacts” are still there. Ciao :)
Ciao Nicola, il bundle che propone Adobe è senz'altro il punto forte dell'azienda. Determina in effetti il punto chiave per chi oltre allo sviluppo e gestione file in Capture One ha anche la necessità di avvalersi degli strumenti di editing avanzato in Photoshop. Non esiste in realtà una risposta che metta d'accordo tutti, il nocciolo della questione sta proprio nel definire chiaramente come strutturare il proprio workflow e capire di cosa si ha l'effettiva necessità. A quel punto la scelta "dovrebbe" risultare più chiara. Dovrebbe :) Grazie per aver condiviso il tuo pensiero. Ciao
I'm just starting with Capture One (and old hand with Lightroom and Photoshop). I find that Capture One is very difficult to understand on a fundamental level. I don't understand how the Sessions work with their catalog. I also don't see how I can use some of my other favorite plug-ins with Capture one. I've watched a lot of the tutorials but it's a big learning curve.
Hi Jody, thanks for stopping by. Approaching Capture One for the first time might be a bit intimidating, but in my opinion, the learning curve is not so much different from other software. As with every new thing, we need to spend some time to become familiar with the interface, the position of some control, but overall, most of the sliders and functions you find in CO are almost identical to the other software, Lightroom, for instance, to name one. Sessions and the Catalog in CO are different, and they are meant for different purposes and specific workflows. The CO RU-vid channel provides tons of very useful videos that explain the key differences between a catalog and sessions. You can easily find it just typing “sessions” in the search field. (this might be a great topic for a future video :) ) About the plugins, I don’t know which plugins you are using. On my iMac I use some of the most popular plugins like NIK Collection, Luminar and Exposure, and they work perfectly. I might depend on the specific plugins you have installed in your computer, but honestly, it’s very difficult to tell. Ciao :)
@@AndreaLivieriPhoto I've been watching everything I can find....sooner or later it will sink in (hopefully). I really got it for tethering so I'm going to hone in on that first 🤯!
Recently switched from Nikon to Fujifilm. After watching this, I think I will switch to C1, at least for a year or so. Even so, I will be using PSD for merging panos and all the other post editing. There is simply no real replacement for it. As long as we can get .psd files out of C1, I don't really see any reason to worry about the switch - of course, Adobe will still be getting my money... it may not be the most economic solution for me personally. But more productive. That is how I feel now. Ask me (and the other switchers) in a year and we will see...
@@zixzysm It got Panorama stitch/HDR merge/Focus Stack functions that I actually think work better than any other app I have tried, including Adobe. Get a trial version an have a look at it. I think it is still on a reduced price also.
@@freetibet1000 That is great! Sounds really promising, I will have a look. Have been interested in Affinity since the start, but to busy with other stuff to take the time to evaluate.
So if I’m good with Lightroom, but very bad with Capture One, I can continue to use Lightroom without losing sight to develop my raws of my Fuji XT4? Or it is better that I learn to use Capture One and develop my raws on this software? Thank you
Hi Romain, thanks for stopping by. If you already have a structured workflow with Lightroom, I don't think you need to switch to a brand new ecosystem. Lightroom and Capture One are both great software, and they differ on other important aspects and not just on how they handle the sharpening of RAF files. If you're using Lightroom and you feel comfortable with it, stick with it. As you saw in the video, the Enhance Details is a fair compromise to get great results. Ciao :)
@@AndreaLivieriPhoto will this answer work the other way around ? I only know how to use CP and I am familiar with it. I always love your videos , Thank you
Hi Andrea and first of all thank you for the video! I use my fuji a lot to shoot indoor sports(basketball, handball) and i always shoot iso4000 to iso 6400. Which software you think is better at controlling noise and maintaining details at such high iso? Many thanks
Hi Stefan, I'm really glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks! Well, yours is tricky question. It depends what your "okay-threshold" is. I shot some weddings a while ago using in some occasions ISO till 3200/6400, and I editied the entire weddings with Capture One. I was very happy with the results, it handles the skin tones and fabrics very well. Anyway, both software have a great noise reduction algorithm, and honestly, it's quite difficult to proclaim an overall winner :) Ciao
@@AndreaLivieriPhoto thank you so much Andrea. Guess i will re-watch your sharpening video on Capture One then match and mix the results from my lightroom flow and see which i enjoy more! Again, many thanks!
DxO is hands down the high iso champion, at least if you want to do a noise reduction right at the beginning of your workflow on the raw file. If you prefer doing a noise reduction a bit later in the process on a tiff you should definitely try out Topaz DeNoise Ai. The Topaz Sharpen Ai app is also an outstanding app that have saved many of my shots that I thought was not salvageable at all.
Hi Andrea, Adobe has a function in Adobe Camera Raw that dovetails with lightroom to improve the detail and PPI of a raw image. Does Capture 1 has a similar functionality to improve the resolution (PPI) of the raw image for Fuji raw images?
Hi Jules, thanks for stopping by. Capture One doesn't have a similar function. That function in Lightroom can be useful for very specific images (extreme cropping, or to gain more definition on RAF Fujifilm files with soft detail). Other than that, from my experience, Capture One provides the best details reproduction between the two. I hope that helps :) Ciao
Hi Andrea, great video and comparison. Love that first shot of the Icelandic canyon! :) I really like the extra detail that Capture One extracts from the RAF files. However, I have a question for you. How can I open images to be focus stacked from Capture One into photoshop as layers? Lightroom has an 'Open in Photoshop as layers' command and they open in PS as layers then I just align the images and photoshop blends the 3 or 4 images into one focused image throughout. Being able to do that from Capture One would use it's raw conversion goodness while still being able to do the focus stack in photoshop. But just wondering how you would do that from Capture One? Cheers Hamish
Hey Hamish, thanks so much, glad you enjoyed the video. I wasn't sure to put that image as the first shot... that guy with the red jacket got in my shot :) ahahah, joking aside, with Capture One you can batch export multiple files using the "Export --> Variants" function. I usually select the uncompressed TIFF file format (16bit), 300ppi, Adobe RGB (1998), and I'll export the TIFF files in the original folder. You can open the files using the shortcut function in Capture One, which you can enable in the export pop-up window or in the traditional way from Photoshop. Once you imported the files in Photoshop, there is a very handy script to auto-load all the files into a stack. You'll find the function in the Top Main Menu --> Scripts --> Load Files into Stack. After that, make sure to synchronize your folder in Lightroom to see the converted files in the main LR catalog. There is a sort of round-trip with Lightroom and Capture One, but I don't like it. I prefer the old fashion method. How does it sound? Let me know. Ciao :)
Great great comparison. I love how simple and clear you showed differences without being 'boomer' reviewer :D i use Capture one for last 4 years for my nikon Raw files and i love how colors and tones looks
Hi, thanks so much for your comment, and glad you enjoyed the video! I used the Iridient X-Transformer three years ago as a plugin, and it's a great software, but now I found my path with Capture One for shots with a lot of details. Anyway, using a dosed sharpening amount in Lightroom, I get very pleasant results without transcoding the raw file with the Enhance Details function or other third-party plugins. Ciao :)
Hello Andrea, I enjoyed your video ... for breakfast :-) Also quite an eye-opener for me on the way both softwares handles differently tonal ranges. I now uses Capture One; previously I also relied on Iridient X-Transformer which does a great job but has pretty much the same inconvenients as LR Enhanced Details on the workflow. But I will surely (re)consider the later option should I face difficult CA fringes : thanks for the tip. Also "bookmarked" your answer to Hamdc to give a try this week-end !
Hey Manu, glad you enjoyed the video during your breakfast time :) Thanks so much, Manu! Yeah, the Enhance Details tool is useful just for very tricky shots. Most of the times Capture One makes a wonderful job. About the focus blending Photoshop import, give it a try and let me know if it works. Ciao :)