P: Revert UI to older Camera Raw UI (12.2.1) after Interface Changes

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

after updating photoshop , when i opened it for the first time there was option to use camera raw as it is (vertical film) or to change it to new UI (with new look and horizontal filmstrip ), i just clicked new UI to see how it looks , i thought if i dont like it i will just go back to using older UI but there is no option to select older UI , i contacted adobe but person who was helping me just suggested that i should install older version of camera raw or ask for help from this forum , i found it bit frustrating that if there was simple option to choose new UI so why not give option to revert back to older UI with newly updated software. maybe its bug or adobe forcing people to use new UI even if they dont like it

[Ash Mills Photography]

Personally my issue is not so much in the paradigm I exist in whilst cropping photos, but the fact that I don't like the image sliding all over the place when I'm cropping a bunch of photos - it is dizzymaking, and painful. 

This is exacerbated by the way that the image does not return to full size when cropping so you end up re-Fit-ing images all the time. It doesn't even remember if you "Fit" images then move to another image, so every one you open ends up small.

This can result in a kaleidoscopic flurry of images.  

https://www.dropbox.com/s/f2p739kkmjavgyv/crop.mp4?dl=0

[PSY Factor]

I, too, like most here, are insanely unhappy with the new crop tools in ACR, image reduction and the inability to select the default crop aspect ratio.
As a professional who has been working at ACR for a long time, I began to spend a lot more time working with my images. I also batch process 100-400 images at a time and it became very tiring.
It also remains a mystery to me why in ACR it was necessary to change the work of the default keys ESC and ENTER. Return it back so that the ESC key will exit the ACR. And set it back so the ENTER key applies the changes to the images and closes ACR rather than trying to open all my images in Photoshop.
Now, in order for me to continue working with ACR, I had to roll back to an earlier version, because it became impossible to work in the current version.

[Ash Mills Photography]

Hi Vlad, I feel your pain, as do others.  (Some people apparently are happy, but happy people are quiet on forums apparently) - do make sure you upvote this at the top of this long and sadly not acted upon thread.   All we are asking for is the option to revert to the established legacy method, which would not impact those who prefer the silly ways cropping etc works.

[PSY Factor]

Thank you. I voted up!
Alas, but more and more often the thought comes to me to find another product for editing my photos. But alas, there is still no alternative = (

[BCNisly86]

@Rikk - it's been about a month since you asked for succinct descriptions of what we are asking for in this thread for the crop tool. I realize that not everyone who responded followed your request precisely, but what were you able to communicate to the team? And is there a plan for implementing any changes to the ACR cropping tool? I certainly understand that it's a difficult thing to communicate - evidenced by all the conversation here. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help. Thank you for sticking with it and responding.

[David Wollmann]

Is there a way to return to moving the cropbox around the image instead of moving the image underneath the cropbox? I absolutely hate the new behavior, it's non intuitive and every time I move something it is always in the opposite direction so it always takes longer. There was nothing wrong with the previous tool in Camera Raw or Photoshop in my opinion.

[Wes Duenkel]

No. This is a common complaint. Please upvote this thread to add your concern so that Adobe can see the number of upvotes and address this behavior: https://feedback.photoshop.com/conversations/camera-raw-and-dng/camera-raw-revert-cropping-behavior/...

[David Wollmann]

I agree, hate the new behavior and want a legacy option

[David Wollmann]

Thanks for the link, I went there and upvoted and added a comment

[hightidemedia]

I see this cropping comment five-fold over every other issue. You know there comes a time, Adobe, when you have to stop doubling down on dumb and antagonistic, and just switch it back to the intuitive cropping it used to be (and still is on every other photo software on the planet.) The way it functions now is utterly absurd.   

[Ash Mills Photography]

There argument is that because x million people use it without complaining therefore it must be fine.  Those that do complain (who have managed to actually find this thread) are apparently too unimportant to add a checkbox and legacy option.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

PLEASE Bring back the old layout! Or at least let us use a legacy version on new OS. I hate this new layout. If I wanted to use Lightroom I would. This is overly complex and not intuitive~ 

[defaultmrnlmd66886m]

@Rikk The crop tool should keep the image stationary. 

Have an option to zoom in to fit once a crop action is completed.
The failures of this crop tool has been enough for me to switch to other software.

[MaineMike]

It is approaching the 1 year anniversary of the ACR Crop tool having been 'broken.'  I wrote to a couple of Adobe representatives just this morning to mention this coming anniversary and to also to note how Adobe recently did an about face with the Save As and the Save as a Copy routine giving the users the ability to choose the legacy method.

This option fulfills everyone's needs - those who prefer the new method and those who need the  traditional method and it is nice to see that Adobe recognized the need for that functionality.

I did respectfully mention how I felt I have given the 'broken' crop tool a chance over the past 11 months and confirmed how it is a deal breaker with respect to efficiency - the additional steps required significantly slow the cropping process.   I also mentioned how reverting back to an older version to get the better crop tool completely negates all of the nice enhancements that have been made in the recent months.  In an odd way with thanks to Covid many of the projects I would normally be doing were cancelled or I absolutely would have been a candidate for the software roll back if I had those projects to do. 

I ended my letter with the wish for a key person who has the ability to 'fix' what was 'broken' to receive my letter and to affect the overdue needed change to add a Classic Crop option to ACR .

Adobe did that about a month after they made that change in PS - why not do it in ACR?   

I am still of the opinion there are many other people affected by this who simply do not know where to voice their complaints or concerns.  

Keeping my fingers crossed that the right audience at Adobe will see and respond with what is sorely needed. 

Mike in Maine

[Ash Mills Photography]

Big, big sigh.  The way the zoom/fit thing "works" now does not help, as half the time you end up with a tiny image or half the image off the screen.

[BCNisly86]

That's great Mike, well said! Thanks for advocating for all of us, and for all the others who haven't found this forum and thread who are also frustrated with the change to the cropping tool. 

[BCNisly86]

Ash, I agree - that's another change that has been frustrating and doesn't make sense.

[BCNisly86]

@hightidemedia Please share this thread with others you know who want the cropping behavior changed back (or at least that Adobe adds a legacy/classic option) in ACR like they did in Photoshop. Please also ask them to hit the upvote at the top of this conversation. Thanks for your comment and vote.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Hey, @Rikk 

Has there been any progress made on this legacy behavior since myself, and others, explained and showed what the issues we face with the crop look like?  I'm looking to edit some RAW images, and I can't do that now shooting a Canon R5, as the reverted version I use for sports doesn't have that camera functionality.  So I'm stuck working in a competitors software, because this crop still hasn't been sorted.  Please advise.  Thanks!   

[MaineMike]

For the past year and 2 months the Crop Tool in Adobe Camera raw has been 'broken' and many extra steps are required to gain the functionality it once had.

Thankfully a 'Classic' mode for the crop tool in PS was added when it was 'broken' but this has not been the case with ACR. 

The Photoshop Family forum has been the repository for hundreds of comments related to this which include suggestions of adding a 'Classic' mode just to restore the workflow that was once enjoyed before the change as well as tutorials about how to roll back to the prior version to gain that crop funcionality that completely negates all of the work and advancements that have been made in the past 14 months.

You can see some of the comments here: Camera Raw 12.3: Crop Tool is sticky and jerky and can't select edge to edge in one pass | Adobe Pho...

I would urge you to revisit this and to please add a Classic Crop Mode to ACR so we may get back to a significantly more efficient workflow and also enjoy all the improvements that have been made since that change. . 

I welcome a discussion about this anytime - and thank you very much for looking into restoring / adding this feature.

The work you all do is amazing and to think this one aspect has been broken and not addressed for 14 months is a little appalling - with every update I do keep my hopes up that this will finally be 'fixed.'

Thank you.

Micahel Leonard

mleonard@maine.rr.com

[TheMerchant]

I don't want to let this issue die. 

Every now and then, I update ACR hoping to try "the exciting new features!" I am then immediately reminded about how the crop tool was hit with a wrecking ball in order to bring ACR in-line with Lightroom.

Is it too much to ask for a classic crop mode? I could learn to find the tools in their new position (ugh), but this new crop tool is like asking one to learn to write with their weak hand.

So, I'll keep updating and reverting back every couple of months. 

Maybe I should just put all my money into Adobe stock and start pestering the investor reations team about this.

[TheMerchant]

I'm with you on this. Many more are. 

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Referencing this topic on the now-closed feedback forum thread: 

Copy/Paste of Official Answer (Posted 2020): 

"Thank you for continuing to provide valuable feedback on the recent UI changes in Adobe Camera Raw 12.3. For some customers these changes have disrupted existing workflows, particularly for in-process projects. To mitigate these issues we have offered a roll back to version 12.2.1 so that you can continue your current projects under the old UI.

Adobe updated the Camera Raw user interface for several reasons. The new design supports commonly-requested features, such as a horizontal filmstrip, a Crop tool consistent with the Photoshop and Lightroom crop models, and the ability to see multiple edit panels simultaneously. The new design is also intended to accommodate several new image editing features that we have in the works.

At this time, Adobe is not planning to revert the UI to the 12.2.1 state nor are there plans to offer both interfaces as an option in the future. That said, we are determined to fix bugs and improve workflows within the new user interface. Please continue to provide feedback on bugs (items not working as designed) and feature requests (changing items from their as designed behavior to a new behavior). Each individual item warrants its own new thread where we can hone the request with your information and commentary and others can provide pinpoint feedback.

In a forum like this it is often easy to lose sight of the self-selecting bias that can result making it appear as if 'everyone in the world’ is complaining. Remember, those for whom the UI has caused little or no difficulty have little incentive to appear and post here."

[TheMerchant]

Downgrade is the new upgrade. 

[MaineMike]

I sent a meaningful note to Rikk noting the following...

He says the crop tool in ACR is not consistant with the crop tool in Lightroom and Photoshop.  That is incorrect as the crop tool in Photoshop has a 'classic' mode that was introduced a mere month after they changed that crop tool yet there is no Classic mode in ACR that I can find.  I apologised if I missed it as this complaint / suggestion would easily be terminated if someone could just show me the button.

Next I noted how the Classic Mode was introduced when the crop tool was 'broken' in PS - I wonder how many people complained back then to have the Classic mode added?

And finally he suggests not enough people are bothered by this change - but I said how I feel he underestimates the number of people who have been affected.  That there is a method to roll back to a previous version sort of tells me that the crop tool wasn't an issue in the older version .

If you roll back I believe you also lose all of the very nice benefits that have been added to the application since that update - is Adobe prepared to field those 'bug' issues of missing features?  Is there really a way to preserve those functions and yet get back the better crop tool?

The amount of time and energy that Adobe has put into defending this could have been better spent just adding the "classic' crop back to ACR then we all would be happy.

Oh and did anyone notice when they took away the Save command options and forced everyone to use Save a Copy that maybe a month later a 'legacy' option was added to restore that workflow?  The culture at Adobe is generally to be helpful and all about improvements but this ACR Crop tool issue goes against that culture.  I genuinely hope the right audiecne at Adobe will see this - and the now hundreds of people all complaining and suggesting this one 'fix' to actually get this resolved.

Respectfully,  Michael Leonard