Adobe Releases Lightroom3 Beta

Adobe has released a  beta version of Lightroom 3 for public preview, which includes easier importing, better noise reduction and sharpening tools, improved slideshow capabilities and direct publishing to online photo sharing sites like Flickr.

Library module - The import system has been rebuilt to make importing photos into the software easier. You can now specify the source and destination of your images, and save processing, metadata or destination settings as presets.

Also includes new capabilities to publish collections on popular photo-sharing sites like Flickr. Flickr users now have direct access to their accounts from within Lightroom and can drag and drop images directly into their Photostreams. Flickr Pro account users can automatically synch their images and even view comments made on Flickr directly within the Library.

Develop module – An overhauled processing engine improves Capture Sharpening and Color Noise Reduction tools. A new Grain tool adds a film-style grain to images, and two new Vignette modes help give a more natural look.

Lightroom 3 beta also has the ability to export slideshows as videos with audio and title screens that can be posted to video-sharing sites or optimized for mobile media. New watermarking capabilities enable photographers to embed text or graphic information directly on an image and then adjust the size, position and opacity (a long waited for feature.. CC). You can now also customize print layouts and save settings for future use.

• Lightroom 3 beta now available at http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom3/
• What’s New in Lightroom3 Beta – Adobe TV