In case you thought that there are only eight to ten new features in Lightroom 3, we wanted to go through and highlight many of the lesser known features and enhancements that have been added in this new version.

General

• On Mac, the ‘hit zone’ for the right scroll bar in the grid view has been expanded so that a closed right hand panel doesn’t automatically open too easily. The automatic panel opening experience has been modified so that it takes a longer amount of time for the panel to open in cases of overshooting the scrollbar. (Mouse towards the white triangle for instant opening) Please provide feedback on this new behavior so that it can be modified or added to the Windows version of Lightroom.
• Images can be sorted by aspect ratio
• The catalog selection dialog has been expanded and improved

Library

• You can backup your catalog when you quit Lightroom instead of on launch
• A volume can be ejected or un-mounted from your system directly from the volume browser in the Library module.
• Collections can be created directly within a collection set by right-clicking on the collection set
• Images can be sorted by aspect ratio
• The name of a collection is displayed when an image is added to a target collection
• Stack badges can now be toggled on or off independently in the filmstrip via an interface preference
• Erasing with the spray paint tool now requires the use of the Alt key
• Select a folder in the Library module and choose a new option “Import to here” to launch the import dialog with that folder preselected as the destination
• The import dialog provides source folder and destination volume capacity information
• The option to include items from subfolders has been included in the primary Folder panel drop down menu
• Choose Library -> Show Missing Images to locate offline or missing files
• A lock icon has been added to the metadata filter bar in the Library module to make filter selections “global” across folders or collections
• An icon has been added to grid thumbnails to indicate that an image is part of a collection. Click on that icon to view and/or visit the collection
• Favorite sources can be added to the filmstrip source pop-up menu for quick access to specific collections or folders
• Flash state is now included as part of the smart collection filter criteria
• When the ‘spray can’ is used to add an image to a collection, the collection name is now displayed upon application
• The optimize catalog feature is now available in the File menu
• Lightroom now imports CMYK files. Any output, with the exception of export original, or adjustments to these images will take place in an RGB color space
• Filters are now longer automatically “sticky” on folders or collections

Develop

• Hitting the X key in crop mode will rotate the aspect ratio
• Crop presets choices have been edited for clarity
• A checkbox has been added to the toolbar to turn on/off overlay visibility
• All adjustment brush and graduated filter sliders can be reset by holding down Option/Alt and clicking on Amount
• The color setting for the adjustment brush and graduated filter clearly display an ‘x’ overlay when no color is selected
• The Collections panel is now available in the Develop Module
• The targeted adjustment tool is deactivated when switching to a new Develop panel
• The local adjustment brush and graduated filter panel have been simplified to a single mode (Previously there was a button and slider ‘mode’)

Slideshow

• The music selection in the Slideshow module has been decoupled from iTunes on the Mac
• Click the track duration to sync the length of the slideshow to the length of the music track

Print

• Black or a custom color can be selected for a print layout background
• The Identity Plate can be moved in small increments by selecting it and using the arrow keys
• Match photo aspect ratio is now a persistent option in the Cell panel

Export

• The file extension case(UPPER/lower) can be selected in the export dialog

Be sure and check out out complete Lightroom 3 Learning Center for lots of other information about Lightroom 3.

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