Hot on the heels of version 2.0 of Apple’s Aperture comes a beta-release of Adobe Lightroom 2.0. The beta is intended to give users a preview of the features to be expected in version 2.0, but that is all. Adobe have been careful to point out that not all of the adjustments made in the beta will be transferable to the final release, nor will the beta open or convert catalogues created in the 1.x releases.

You can download the beta from the Adobe Labs website, here. I’d highly recommend reading the release notes too (pdf) for details of new features, bugs (there’s quite a few!) and installation info.

Major new features include:

• Localised adjustments. It’s now possible to apply Exposure, Brightness, Saturation, Clarity and Tint adjustments selectively to only certain parts of an image.
• Photoshop Integration. When you open an image in Photoshop via Lightroom, there is no longer any need for LR to first save it to the disk as a TIFF, and then open the TIFF in PS. In addition, you can now open images as Smart Objects, merge them as Panoramas, or open as HDR images in PS.
• Multiple Monitor Support. You can now have an extra window open on a second monitor, whilst you work on your main display. This secondary display can show Grid, Loupe,  Compare and Survey modes (regardless of what module the main display is showing). This will allow you to re-order images, see an overview whilst you edit a zoomed-in version, or compare your current edit with the original. A very useful addition (that probably should have been included in v1.x!).
• Smart Collections. Specify some search criteria, and Lightroom will thereafter automatically add to that Smart Collection any images that meet the search criteria. You no longer have to re-run searches to ensure they include your latest images.
• Exporting and Sharpening. Export options have been updated, to allow you to export to the same folder as the original (or a subfolder), and also to automatically add the exported image to your catalogue. In addition, sharpening algorithms have been added to automatically sharpen appropriately for the desired output (based on output type and resolution).
• Print to JPG. If you send JPGs to you printer instead of printing images yourself, then you’re in for some good news! Instead of having to print to a PDF, then open the PDF in PS, then save the PDF as a JPG, you can now just print straight to JPG. Easy peasy!
• Vignette cropped images. Maybe not a big one for most people, but I was looking for this the other day and cursing Adobe for not implementing it!