Lightroom vs iDraw: Which Software is Better

By Eva Williams 23 days ago, Software Reviews

If you are looking for a functional editor, you can try Lightroom or iDraw, as they are both quite popular nowadays. The former is more suitable for editing images, whereas the latter is a better choice for creating graphic design. Many specialists are looking for a detailed review to find the differences between them, as both programs are actively used by designers.

Adobe Lightroom is the best choice for shooters who can use it to speed up their workflow and edit videos using an array of features. The product is great for managing and processing RAW images. It has options for editing tasks of different complexity.

Graphic, which was previously known as iDraw, is a graphic design and illustration software that boasts an array of useful features. The image editor was developed specifically for Mac devices. The product does not only offer a rich toolset, but also an intuitive interface that allows producing various designs like simple diagrams and more complex vector artwork.

What is Lightroom?

lightroom logo

Adobe Lightroom is probably the most popular professional editing program. It is a highly-functional tool with advanced features and an array of output and printing options.

Professionals use it to edit their images in a distinct visual style. It is great that Lightroom allows keeping a record of all the edits so that editors could see all the changes that have been made. You can use the Snapshot feature to save your edits at any stage of image processing. This feature is especially useful for those who want to evaluate how the picture has been changed in comparison with the original version.

Of course, you need to spend time adding tags and keywords to photos, but this is the most effective method of finding your shots again in the future. Lightroom has a convenient feature for categorizing pictures by the file type, camera the pictures were shot with, location, etc.

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  • lightroom interface
  • lightroom interface

    Lightroom: Pros & Cons

    Non-destructive image processing without layers. Lightroom allows editing RAW or JPEG pictures while keeping a record of every edit. The program also allows saving a snapshot of pictures at any stage. There is no need to use layers. If you do not like subsequent edits, you can return to any snapshot and start the process anew.

    An advanced library. This photo organizing software has a library where you can find pictures with ease. All the folders with images and collections of pictures can be viewed in the navigation bar on the left.

    Clever control and precise editing. The most recent Masking panel contains many local adjustment features. You can use them to process some specific parts of your image. For instance, you can use such tools as Access Color, Luminance, Depth Range, Brush, Linear, and Radial Gradient.

    Quick Develop panel. Batch edit in Lightroom becomes possible thanks to the Quick Develop panel, which allows refining numerous pictures simultaneously. If you need to edit a group of overexposed pictures, select them all and refine them at once. You can accelerate your workflow when editing your pictures in the Develop module.

    Graduated Filter. This option is great for correcting exposure. You can fix the overexposed sky or darken the foreground to bring a focus on the subject. To apply this filter, you need to drag it and place it over the image section that you need to process. The graduated filter is great for applying heavy or light corrections. Moreover, it ensures a smooth transition between different areas.

    Suggested presets. Using Artificial Intelligence technology, Lightroom suggests what presets you need to apply. Whether you want to refine landscape pictures or edit portraits in Lightroom, these automatic recommendations with come in handy. The list of presets is compiled by the members of the Lightroom in-app community. The software compares images with histograms and presets to offer the most suitable filters. So, AI technology allows the program to win the Lightroom vs iDraw competition.

    Correction brush. Lightroom allows correcting some regions of your picture. You can edit parts of your image without affecting other elements. iDraw also has many customizable brushes, but they are primarily designed for drawing.

    Advanced RAW editing features. Lightroom is a stunning RAW photo editor. When editing RAW pictures, you can convert your photos to black-and-white images, refine files using color toning effects, as well as adjust brightness and contrast without deteriorating the quality. Besides, you won't have any problems when importing RAW files into Lightroom.

    Takes up a lot of space. Like many other Adobe products, Lightroom takes up much space on your PC because of its non-destructive features. Importing existing collections to the system requires much time.

    Few design instruments. Lightroom allows adding shapes and templates. However, iDraw offers a much wider variety of design and drawing tools.

    What is iDraw?

    idraw logo

    Graphic, previously known as iDraw, is a professional vector program for Mac. The tool can come in handy for photographers who need to create stunning graphic designs or animations. The product offers a rich editing toolkit, which includes scaling, tapering, or bulging options. Besides, it has an array of shapes. The variety of tools provided by Graphic is enough to create complicated technical illustrations and sophisticated artworks.

    Another advantage that adds more points to the program in Lightroom vs iDraw battle is a clear UI. Unlike other professional image editors, Graphic has a streamlined interface with advanced functionality. Its UI is neat and clear. It includes a large canvas in the middle and a toolbar on the side.

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    • idraw interface
    • idraw interface

      iDraw: Pros and Cons

      Advanced vector design options. Its toolset contains a functional Bezier pen option, which is great for drawing points, curves, and lines. It also has pencils and brushes for adjusting your design. Customizable shape tools allow creating lines, arcs, rectangles, ellipses, stars, polygons, etc. Differently designed text boxes with line height and spacing options let you arrange text along the path.

      Keyboard shortcuts. iDraw allows using shortcuts to speed up your editing workflow. You can use groups, lock shapes, align paths, etc. Moreover, you can open files in different tabs.

      Technical design and illustration. Graphic has all the necessary features like canvas grid, smart alignment guides, and object capturing tools. Besides, you can use tools for producing detailed technical designs, floor plans, etc. You can display values in pixels, feet, inches, yards, and metric units.

      Designed for graphic tablets. Whether you need to create illustrations from scratch or edit your recent design, this drawing app for iPad supports versatile and precise image processing. It integrates pressure-sensitive features that allow identifying variable-width brush strokes. Using the in-built brush editor, you can create your own brushes.

      Mockups and user interface design. Lightroom does not have ready-made presets and templates, whereas Graphic offers already designed layouts for prototyping. Besides, by using iDraw, you can build mockups and design UI. Vector drawing tools, shapes libraries, and layer effects allow designing apps, websites, and mockups.

      Shape collections. You can build your own library of reusable custom shapes. Organize and reuse sets of thematic shapes to accelerate the design workflow. Sample libraries are available for Floor Plans, Mockups, and Symbols. You can customize shapes by applying drop and inner shadows, as well as inner and outer glows. You can also customize a single object by adding multiple strokes, fills, and effects. Drag-and-drop functionality makes this process more convenient.

      Dropbox integration. All the designs created in iDraw can be exported directly to Dropbox via an integrated browser. You can download any media files from Dropbox folders. Lightroom does not lose in this aspect, as it also allows importing images from Dropbox.

      Rich on advanced options. If you compare Lightroom vs iDraw, you will see that the latter has more pro-level tools. Graphic lets image editors customize objects using vibrant colors, gradients, and patterns. Thanks to it, you can create detailed shapes. Besides, it allows masking and categorizing objects according to your requirements. The program offers an array of professional instruments for making precise adjustments. Moreover, you can work on your projects on the go.

      Compatible only with Mac and iOS. Unlike Lightroom, iDraw was developed as graphic design software for macOS devices. Therefore, if you need a similar program for Windows, you will have to look for alternatives.

      No AI tools. While Lightroom has a lot of AI-based tools, iDraw does not yet have such options.

      Lightroom vs iDraw: Prices

      lightroom vs idraw prices

      To decide which option to choose, Lightroom or iDraw, make sure to learn more about their pricing policies. If you need only Lightroom, we recommend choosing a simple Creative Cloud Lightroom Plan from Adobe. This package includes Lightroom CC and 1TB of web storage. It costs $9.99 per month. You can also pay $119.88 for an annual subscription.

      However, this package is not the best choice for professional shooters. It only allows using the cloud-based version of Lightroom and does not include Photoshop. So photographers had better opt for the Photography plan that includes both Lightroom and Photoshop. It allows using Lightroom Classic, Photoshop on desktop and iPad, and 20GB of web storage (1TB available). The price of this package is $9.99 per month or $119.88 per year.

      Graphic is compatible with both Mac and iOS. To use this powerful vector drawing software, you need to pay $29.99. Actually, in terms of price, you cannot get a better option than Graphic.

      Who Wins?

      Lightroom is probably one of the most popular editing software available on the market today. It offers simple but powerful editing tools that can satisfy even professional shooters. The program supports batch upload as well as allows editing, organizing, and exporting pictures. You can create simple designs here, but if you are looking for more advanced options, opt for Graphic.

      A recently updated version of Lightroom is compatible with Apple Silicon devices. It offers live tethering for Nikon cameras and supports Super Resolution upscaling. It allows you to improve image quality while preserving all the details. The developers have also improved the interface and performance of this software.

      Graphic is an advanced vector drawing and illustration software specifically designed for Mac devices. Its toolkit includes an array of options for creating technical illustrations and artworks. Unlike Lightroom, it’s hardly suitable for editing photos.

      The program also allows importing and exporting PSD, SVG, EPS, and PDF files. You can use the Bezier pen tool and layer-style brushes. The program is also optimized for OpenGL.

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