Olympus Viewer 3 Software vs. Lightroom 5

[KCrofoot]

I have been shooting Jpeg images with an E-PM1 set up and had fairly good success. Just the same I am always trying to improve my images and have invested in an EM1 / Nauticam system and I plan to shoot raw.

In the process of updated the firmware on my EM1 there was an option to download Olympus Viewer 3 which is a free software that allows you to download the raw images and edit.

Edit features include Art Filter, White balance, Picture Mode, Highlight, Gradation, Sharpness, Saturation, Noise filter and so forth.

I have no experience with lightroom.

Has anyone tried both software programs is lightroom work the $100 or so bucks. If not Viewer 3 or Lightroom what are you guys using for Windows 8 editing software?

Thanks in advance for the feedback!

 

[decidedlyodd]

For a while I was using the Olympus software since I was still on LR4 which doesn't support the EM1. It is definitely more primitive than Lightroom, but it's free and you can perform basic RAW modifications like white balance, exposure and other camera settings like art filters or sharpness. Lightroom will give you better organizational tools and many handy adjustments like spot&patch and much broader color controls.

Lightroom has a 30 day free trial, so you might as well download both and tinker around to ser what works for you.

 

[KCrofoot]

Lightroom has a couple of options for purchase. $149 for purchase and download to your hard drive. $10 a month to work in the cloud. A lot of dive locations have spotty wifi and I don't think I would like to depend on working in the cloud.

Doing a little research I found PhotoDirector 6. Seems fairly fantastic and good comparison to lightroom for $100. Does anyone have experience with PhotoDirector 6?

 

[tursiops]

how much have you spent on your U/W photo gear so far? Why are you obsessed over saving $49 at this point? You know you want Lightroom; just do it!