Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 review

Another major addition is the ability to plot and browse photos on a map. Map data is provided by Google, and it’s just as quick to navigate as on the Google Maps website. There’s the same choice of Road, Satellite, Terrain or Hybrid maps, too, plus a couple of alternative colour schemes. Photos from GPS-enabled cameras are plotted automatically, and to get-tag other photos you simply need to drag them onto the map. There’s an option to group a cluster of tags to a single location, but they’re grouped to a single location anyway when the map is sufficiently zoomed out.

The new Map module is the best example of photo geo-tagging we’ve seen

Geo-tag data isn’t automatically embedded into files, which we prefer as it doesn’t disrupt backup routines, but they can be if the tags are to be used in other software. Unlike the geo-tagging functions in Google Picasa, Lightroom lets users browse the entire photo library by location rather than just the selected folder or album. Meanwhile, unlike a similar feature in Corel AfterShot Pro, clicking a marker on the map selects the photo or photos in the library, so it’s possible to use the Map module as a way to find photos to use elsewhere, such as to share online. As such, this is the first time a mapping function has felt like a genuinely useful way to explore a photo library, rather than just an entertaining diversion.

Lightroom 3 added support for videos, but only for its Library module – the software couldn’t even play them. This time around, there are options to play and truncate clips and adjust their colours via the QuickDevelop panel in the Library. There’s a reasonable level of control, and while it’s not surprising that it doesn’t match the colour processing available for photos, it’s disappointing that there’s no undo history or numerical readout of settings. Export options include H.264, and resolution and frame rate are matched automatically to the original. Lightroom won’t be putting video-editing software out of business, but it’s a useful extra for photographers who are making their first forays into video.

Book design is less flexible than other parts of the software, but it’s a useful addition nonetheless

The other new module is called Book, which helps users design hardback photo albums, such as the ones available from Photobox and Snapfish. Lightroom can upload directly to Blurb, and there’s even an estimated price that updated as we designed. The design tools are similar to the online tools we’ve used, with lots of template page layouts and anything from one to 32 photos to a page. There’s surprisingly little scope to customise page layouts, though, and text formatting feels clumsy. Still, it’s much easier to design using local software than through a web browser, and there’s an option to export as a PDF if you don’t want to use Blurb.

Lightroom was already a Best Buy when version 3 cost over £200. Version 4 extends its lead even further. Advanced users will appreciate the subtle processing improvements, while more casual users are more likely to be wooed by the Map and Book modules – and of course the new price.