This article is a logical extension of my preliminary try and reply some of the widespread questions I obtain from the PhotoTraces group: What is the most effective Lightroom different?
I created a easy quiz the place, after answering a collection of easy questions on your images, you’ll obtain a number of of my suggestions. Today, I need to go deeper by reviewing one of many prime Lightroom contenders: Exposure X5.
What is Exposure X5?
Exposure X5 is a full-featured skilled digital asset administration (DAM) and RAW modifying program created by Exposure Software, previously referred to as Alien Skin.
I discover it amusing that an organization with a particular and enjoyable identify like Alien Skin transitioned right into a such a boring and faceless company identify and emblem.
Exposure X5 is positioned in direct competitors with Lightroom.
When Apple discontinued
Aperture in 2014, Lightroom turned the primary participant within the realm of RAW editors
by not solely capturing a phase of the skilled images market however
attracting novice photographers and even the occasional hobbyists as effectively.
Today, newcomers attempting to compete with the largest identify within the trade face a
robust, uphill battle.
There are two ways in which firms attempt to compete with Adobe. The first technique is to create a program that’s drastically completely different from Lightroom by utilizing distinctive instruments and workflows. The finest instance of this technique is seen in Capture One.
The second technique is to create a RAW editor just like Lightroom that addresses the primary shortcomings of this system. The prime contenders on this class are On1 Photo RAW and Exposure X5.
If you’re a Lightroom person and need to attempt Exposure X5, the educational curve is minimal as a result of Exposure X5 mimics Lightroom in some ways.
The structure of this system, identify of the modifying panels, and even the group of the modifying sliders is similar to Lightroom. They took the most effective options of Lightroom, the options photographers preferred and utilized essentially the most, and both fastened or eliminated the annoyances or options photographers hated in Lightroom.
Addressing Lightroom Shortcomings
1. Speed and
Overall Performance
As a Lightroom person who began utilizing the
program when it was in its beta state, my largest critique of this system is
its sluggish efficiency. It is gradual.
On the opposite hand, Exposure X5 is without doubt one of the quickest RAW editors round.
Earlier this 12 months after I labored on the Lightroom Alternative Quiz, I downloaded and put in 12 completely different RAW editors to match them to Lightroom. Out of all of the applications, Lightroom was the slowest and Exposure X5 was, by far, the quickest and most responsive. The program by no means slows down even after hours of labor or being open for twenty-four hours or longer.
It merely flies.
2. Eliminating the Complexity of the
Import Process
As an educator, essentially the most
tough a part of instructing Lightroom is explaining to new customers why they can’t
navigate to any folder on their pc, choose a photograph, and start modifying.
Instead, they should undergo the import course of, which is essentially the most
complicated and complicated a part of this system.
The import module scares
the hell out of recent photographers.
Exposure X5 addresses this concern by eliminating the import course of. To begin modifying, simply add a folder with the pictures to this system as a shortcut and you might be able to go.
Instead of spending
hours importing numerous pictures in Lightroom, which makes it
unimaginable to make use of your pc as a result of this system makes use of 100% of the CPU, it
solely takes a couple of minutes to get began with Exposure X5. You may even work
whereas this system processes new pictures!
3. Layers Support
As a lifelong Photoshop
person, I imagine that the idea of layers is what made this system so
highly effective. I’ve been ready nearly a decade for Adobe so as to add layers to
Lightroom… and I’m nonetheless ready.
In Exposure X5, you possibly can have a number of layers that don’t decelerate this system however make the complicated modifying course of a lot extra organized and streamlined. I can have all my gradients, brush changes, and therapeutic changes on separate layers that I can activate and off individually in Exposure X5. Plus, I can create a novel masks for every layer.
I actually just like the
Photoshop-like modifying workflow. It is extra logical and less complicated.
4. Opacity
The opacity operate is one other characteristic lacking in Lightroom. Opacity is the power to dial down any modifying impact, which is the cornerstone of graphic design and photograph modifying. To mimic the opacity performance in Lightroom, I created a collection of develop presets with varied strengths starting from 100% to 50%
In Exposure X5, you possibly can regulate the opacity almost all over the place.
First, you have got the Overall Opacity slider on
the highest proper of the modifying panel. This means that you can dial down the general
modifying impact.
Second, every layer has
its personal devoted Opacity slider. The means to regulate the opacity of the
particular person layer might be essentially the most helpful characteristic of this system.
5. Streamlined UI Design
Another concern that drives me insane in Lightroom is the multi-module construction. There are sure issues that I can do solely within the Library module or solely within the Develop module. This implies that I’ve to modify from module to module upwards of 100 occasions a day. Did I point out that this drives me loopy?
I at all times dreamed of a
single module interface the place I may customise the UI in keeping with my wants.
Guess what? Exposure X5 made my dream come true. The program makes use of a single module interface. The Metadata panel is positioned on the backside proper of the modifying panel and the Folders panel is completely featured on the left panel. There is not any leaping from module to module.
Plus, I can customise
and reposition the completely different panels nevertheless I need!
6. You usually are not Forced right into a Subscription
Model
Exposure X5 doesn’t
have a subscription mannequin. You can purchase a perpetual license for a one-time price.
I don’t have a difficulty
with the Adobe Creative Cloud subscription mannequin as a result of, for $10 per 30 days, I
obtain quite a lot of worth. At the identical time, I hate not being able to
opt-out of the subscription. You really feel such as you’ve been trapped.
For individuals who solely use the modifying program sometimes, it doesn’t make sense to pay a month-to-month price for a program they don’t use. Exposure X5 is a good different if you wish to ditch the Adobe subscription-based mannequin.
You can get Exposure X4 for $119 (improve value $89), or you possibly can obtain a free 30 day trial. There’s no subscription price. Learn extra right here.
Unique Features and Tools of
Exposure X5
Presets Panel
Alien Skin initially developed plugins for Photoshop that emulated movie. They had simulations for tons of of various movie manufacturers and fashions, those you could possibly additional customise.
They transitioned all these simulations to Exposure X5 within the type of presets. The program comes with almost 300 presets which might be organized into 29 collections.
Exposure X5 has
various kinds of preset collections: movie simulations, creative, adjustment
presets, and even Fujifilm simulations.
What is closest to my
coronary heart is that Exposure X5 has essentially the most superior and effectively thought out Presets
Panel.
It has 4 completely different
views: checklist view, huge thumb view, medium thumb view, and small thumb view. This
implies that, no matter your workflow, you possibly can undertake a Preset Panel that
matches your particular wants.
I at all times use the checklist
view. I’ve my Style and Adjustment preset collections open in order that after I
transfer the mouse over any particular person preset, the chosen photograph shows the
impact in real-time. It is quick and responsive.
Overlays Panel
The Overlay Panel permits us to use visible
results to a picture within the type of borders, mild results, and textures (mud,
scratches).
The Overlay Panel gives loads of
preinstalled presets you could additional customise.
Bokeh Panel
The Bokeh Panel gives some superior controls
to creatively use the blur impact.
For instance, you should utilize a round blur with
portraits and a aircraft blur with landscapes and cityscapes to create a miniature
impact.
IR (Infrared)
Panel
For photographers who
need to discover infrared (IR) images, Exposure X5 gives a devoted IR
Panel.
Lens
Correction and Defringe Panels
My largest grievance concerning the earlier model of Exposure X4 was the dearth of instruments accessible to take away chromatic aberration.
At this level, I shoot
with high-quality Fujifilm lenses and chromatic aberration is much less of a difficulty.
But after I open my older pictures from my Canon and Sony days after I shot with
decrease high quality lenses, chromatic aberration must be addressed. Since the
earlier model of Exposure X5 didn’t have defringe instruments, I needed to bounce to
one other utility.
In Exposure X5, the
firm launched essentially the most superior defringe instrument I’ve ever encountered. In
complete, there are three ranges to cope with chromatic aberration:
- Profile Correction. The program robotically tries to repair the chromatic aberration based mostly on the lens profile.
- Manual Correction. You have the choice to individually take away blue and pink fringing.
- Defringe Panel. Finally, if the earlier two steps usually are not sufficient to get rid of chromatic aberration, you have got a devoted panel the place you possibly can management the fringing by any shade.
Advanced
Masking
My favourite and possibly essentially the most highly effective addition to Exposure X5 is superior masking.
Let me clarify.
I’m a giant proponent of the luminosity masking method in Photoshop. I exploit a devoted luminosity masking panel in Photoshop known as Raya Pro, which was created by journey photographer Jimmy McIntyre. I extremely recommend trying out McIntyre’s work in case you are excited by studying extra superior Photoshop methods.
Now, with the addition of superior masking (discovered underneath the Color Constraints Panel) in Exposure X5, I’ve a extra highly effective instrument than luminosity masking in Photoshop.
It is tough to imagine that I can create complicated masks based mostly on Luminance, Saturation, and Hue in a nondestructive RAW atmosphere.
Plus, I can create
completely different superior masks for each layer individually and I’m not restricted to
what instruments I can use.
Priceless.
Negatives
To be sincere, there usually are not many negatives.
The solely grievance I’ve is that the UI design appears outdated prefer it was
created 20 years in the past.
It is feasible that, as a former graphic
designer and UI designer, I’m too choosy.
Shortcomings
For my digital workflow, the largest
shortcomings in Exposure X5 are the dearth of built-in Panorama and HDR instruments.
Adobe spoiled us with the opportunity of
creating panoramas and HDR photos with out leaving the RAW modifying workflow and
with out the necessity for devoted HDR and panorama applications.
I usually use a typical lens to create wide-angle photos. I take 4 to 6 pictures and mix them right into a wide-angle panorama throughout the modifying course of. I exploit panorama instruments usually.
I don’t need to return
to the outdated days if you needed to rasterize RAW photos to create a panorama
photograph.
I hope that the long run
model of Exposure X5 features a Panorama module.
Will I Use Exposure X5?
There is not any manner that I can utterly ditch Adobe as a result of I’m too invested. Like the outdated Russian joke goes, “There is no escape from a submarine.” For now, I’ll keep within the Adobe submarine, however I’ll maintain an in depth eye to see if it goes up or down.
Because I actually like Exposure X5, I made a decision to make use of it when I’m on the highway. It runs extraordinarily quick on my laptop computer and even on my Microsoft Surface Pro pill. It additionally saves battery as a result of there is no such thing as a import course of.
Who is Exposure X5 for?
- If you’re a newbie and are searching for your first skilled photograph organizing and modifying instrument, Exposure X5 must be your first possibility.
- If you are attempting to ditch the Adobe Creative Cloud subscription mannequin, Exposure X5 is an ideal different.
- If you’re a skilled photographer, I encourage you to obtain a trial model of Exposure X5 to see if it addresses each side of your particular digital images workflow.
Take Exposure X5 for a Test Drive
You can get Exposure X4 for $119 (improve value $89), or you possibly can obtain a free 30 day trial. There’s no subscription price. Learn extra right here.