Introducing Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Version 4 Beta!

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 Beta Now Available

A public beta version of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 is now available! You can download a test copy of the new software from this link to the Adobe Labs site. This version, like all beta software, is not finished, so please be careful.

Messing with beta programs can be risky, so please remember that you are being used as a guinea pig. Be sure that you back everything up before you jump into the beta to see what’s new! For more advice on how I protect my computer and my images from harm, see Professional-Grade Backup Plans.

Adobe is making the beta version available to the general public so that we can help them iron out the wrinkles and track down the bugs before the new product is finalized. In an effort to protect users from potential harm and confusion, the beta version will force you to create a new Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Catalog database file. You will not be able to use Photoshop Lightroom version 4 to upgrade an existing Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Catalog until the Adobe engineers are convinced that the new product is ready for industrial use.

There are some big changes in the new program, including new image processing tools, that are not compatible with older versions of Photoshop Lightroom. Please experiment only on duplicate copies of your images with the new tools and features. If you work on a copy, you will not accidentally mess anything up in your existing Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Catalog(s).

It is also be worth noting that the Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 Beta will not work with Microsoft Windows XP or older 32-bit versions of the Apple OS X operating system. Perhaps this is an early warning sign for existing Adobe Photoshop Lightroom users who are working with older operating systems that the time is approaching to upgrade your hardware. Here are the official system requirements for the new software:

Mac

• Multicore Intel® processor with 64-bit support
• Mac OS X v10.6.8 (Snow Leopard) or v10.7 (Lion)
• 2GB of RAM
• 1GB of available hard-disk space
• 1024×768 display
• DVD-ROM drive
• Internet connection required for Internet-based services*

Windows

• Intel® Pentium® 4 or AMD Athlon® 64 processor
• Microsoft® Windows Vista® with Service Pack 2 or Windows 7 with Service Pack 1
• 2GB of RAM
• 1GB of available hard-disk space
• 1024×768 display
• DVD-ROM drive
• *Internet connection required for Internet-based services*

Based on my extremely unscientific testing, I would suggest that you need at least 4 gigabytes of RAM and a display that can produce more than 1024×768 pixels to truly enjoy this software. All versions of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom run better with more RAM and faster processing chips. It is also worth noting that use of the new Map Module requires a strong Internet connection. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 Beta uses the Google Maps technology to power this module, so don’t expect any of the tools in this area to function if you are not online.

If you find our tutorials useful, please consider joining us for one of our Adobe Photoshop Lightroom seminars or a digital photography field workshop. We will be teaching Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 classes all over the country this year and leading digital photography workshops to some of America’s most scenic destinations. Learning from the web is great, but a video tutorial is no substitute for the patient, hands-on instruction that we offer you in a structured classroom environment or a one-on-one training session. Mastering Photoshop Lightroom is much easier for those who seek out expert guidance!

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 Beta Tutorials:

• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 Beta’s Library Module Enhancements
• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 Beta’s New Map Module
• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 Beta’s Big Develop Module Changes
• Using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 Beta’s Book Module to Create a PDF Portfolio

Filed Under: (04) Organizing with Lightroom • (06) Lightroom Image Enhancement (Advanced) • Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Tutorials

Tags: Adobe • Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Lightroom4 Beta