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andy_wilk
Participant
September 13, 2023
Question

Zoom without losing ratio

  • September 13, 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 400 views

I searched 'zoom' topics, but didn't an answer to my issue.
In Develop mode I have all panels/bars at top, bottom and sides visible. This leaves a white space between these elements in which my photo is visible. I typically edit with the photo set at 'Fit', which keeps it at the ratio at which it was photographed in the camera - in my case almost always 3:2. There is a white margin around the photograph which will vary in size according to how far extended the bottom and side panels are.

When I zoom IN by hitting 'Z', or clicking the mouse (pointer is showing '+' in magnifying glass), or by using the scroll wheel, the image fills the white margins and zooms to the preset value, or the amount determined by the scroll wheel. The impotant thing here is that my image in now visible at a diferent ratio determined by the extents of the panels/bars at top, bottom and sides.
Is there a way by which I can zoom into the 'Fit' viewing window, as it were, in order to get a quick crop preview at the same ratio, which is important to the pace my workflow, without having to otherwise use the crop function. 

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2 replies

Conrad_C
Community Expert
Conrad_CCommunity Expert
Community Expert
September 14, 2023

I tried the Loupe Overlay feature, but it unfortunately zooms with the image so it doesn’t help.

 

Another idea: I seem to remember that there are applications that can display an image that stays in front, so that it persistently overlays other applications. (For example, some of these are floating on-screen rulers and grids.) You would want to look for an application that supports alpha channel transparency so that you can load a graphic that matches your display’s pixel dimensions and has a 3:2 rectangle cut out of it, like a digital version of white mat board. Then you could see the Lightroom Classic workspace through its 3:2 hole, and hide the overlay application when you don’t need it. But, it’s been a while since I looked into it so I’m not sure what’s available along those lines; check the Mac App Store and macupdate.com .

R
Community Expert
richardplondonCommunity Expert
Community Expert
September 14, 2023

You can repeat your photo in a second LrC window.

 

When not set fullscreen, this secondary window can have its size and shape adjusted to suit your 3:2 - or whatever - viewing preference. You can zoom as desired here, independently of how the photo shows in the main interface. This is most conveniently done using a second display screen with one caveat: depending on OS that may not be so straightforward to colour calibrate as the primary display is, hence IMO critical adjustments of the image are best to assess within the primary window only.

    Michael J. Hoffman
    Community Expert
    Michael J. HoffmanCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    September 17, 2023
    quote

    You can repeat your photo in a second LrC window.

     

    When not set fullscreen, this secondary window can have its size and shape adjusted to suit your 3:2 - or whatever - viewing preference. [....] This is most conveniently done using a second display screen


    By @richardplondon

     

    I was going to suggest this even using a single screen. You can position the secondary window right over top of the loupe area and have your 3:2 (or whatever ratio) window floating in essentially the same spot as the loupe view underneath. 

      Rob_Cullen
      Community Expert
      Rob_CullenCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      September 13, 2023

      No.

      Or you could get out the tape measure and reduce the LrC interface window margins on the monitor screen to be in a 3:2 ratio. (Not as silly as it sounds 🙂  )

      Did you know you can [Right-Click] the 'white margin' (background) to change from white?

       

      Regards. My System: Windows-11, Lightroom-Classic 15.1.1, Photoshop 27.3.1, ACR 18.1.1, Lightroom 9.0, Lr-iOS 10.4.0, Bridge 16.0.2 .
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