P: Ability to export to PNG file format

Please help me understand the r*tar**d philosophy behind being able to import PNG files with transparency in LR, but not being able to export it?

We do more than 700.000 green screen images a year. Color correcting AFTER extraction of green background makes a better and easier job, but it's not possible with LR, as there is no PNG export with transparency.

I have only been working in the industry for a little more than 23 years, so you would think that I've come across things not to understand, but this one is probably on top 1.

Maybe I'm the one being retarded, and then I'll happily wear the medal for a week at work, if someone can prove me wrong with this "little" issue above 🐵

"PNGs will never be as good as tightly storing and representing bits based on photographic images as JPEG.  This is not an opinion, but the result of an unbiased and hard look at the trade-offs one has to make when storing image data in a file format."
This may be true, but that isn't necessarily the point. JPEGS have to be displayed some where and to do so they need to be uploaded to some third party site.  These places usually re-compress JPG files until they are nearly destroyed.  When PNGs are allowed, the images are kept in their initial quality.

This is about real world usage, not about lab-based studies.

In my opinion, PNG format is better to use on Facebook Posts, Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp, G+ and other applications.

The JPEG compression of these social networks kills the quality of those images while with PNG we can trust in the quality of the final posted file.

That's why, us, photographers, need a Lightroom option to export as PNG instead of JPEG. JPEG is excellent, BUT PNG is excellent to present in our social networks.

Lightroom Feature Request: - Export RAW files to PNG format.

Currently, we only have the JPEG option. With PNG option added, we would use in social media, specially on Facebook, that compress our JPEGs a lot and destroy the quality of our images and work.

It would be stinkin' awesome if the new version of LR would export as a PNG. This seems to look the best on multiple platforms and especially Facebook.

Hi Bart,

Perhaps you need to use the advanced configuration fields, and put these parameters in the start of command line field:

-format png -define png:bit-depth=8

If that doesn't work, then try them in the end of command line field.

http://www.photographers-toolbox.com/...

I've never actually done it using Lr2/Mogrify, so I'm assuming.

I just sent a message to Tim Armes and asked him directly - will let you know if I get a response.

I have done it using PreviewExporter, which you can use in a pinch if need be:

http://www.robcole.com/Rob/ProductsAn...

The above-mentioned parameters would go in the 'Additional mogrification' field (export dialog box, preview exporter section, after adding post-process action).

Rob

Hey Rob,

I've got a client who wants this but I don't see how it can be done in LR/Mog 2 ... I'm not seeing anything where I can set file formats ...

Regards,

Bart

PNG is lossles and gives much better quality than JPG when you want to upload small images for webgalleries. That's a fact. JPG is a horrible format.

It would have been great to have PNG24 as an option during export.
A picture exported as PNG24 will have more quality if published on facebook vs a picture exported as JPG.

You are correct Chris, PNG does not support multiple image layers to allow animation, that line should have been omitted. I over looked it in the proofreading prior to posting. My apologies.