Adobe Lightroom Classic 12.3 ^new^ Access

The April 2023 release of Adobe Lightroom Classic 12.3 introduced some of the most significant advancements in the software's history, primarily driven by artificial intelligence. This update fundamentally changed how photographers handle noise and local adjustments, bridging the gap between Lightroom and high-end third-party plugins. The "Game-Changer": AI-Powered Denoise

The most talked-about feature in version 12.3 is the new AI Denoise tool. Unlike previous noise reduction sliders that often resulted in a "plastic" or smeared look, this AI-driven engine analyzes the context of an image to remove noise while preserving fine textures and sharp edges.

12. Common Workflows

Wedding/Event:

  1. Import to dated folder + build 1:1 previews.
  2. Rate with stars (3+ = keep, 5 = portfolio).
  3. Color label by group (Red = ceremony, Blue = reception).
  4. Edit one photo → Sync settings to similar shots.
  5. Export JPGs to client folder (sRGB, 2048px long edge).

Landscape:

  1. Mask Sky → Dehaze, reduce Exposure.
  2. Mask Subject (mountain) → increase Texture, Clarity.
  3. Color Grade shadows cool, highlights warm.
  4. Transform (Upright) → Level horizon.

Portrait:

  1. Select People → choose Face skin (exclude hair/eyes).
  2. Reduce Texture, increase Exposure slightly (skin mask).
  3. Iris Enhance preset or manually increase Exposure/Clarity on eyes.
  4. Radial Gradient around face to vignette slightly.

Basic Panel (Core adjustments)

| Control | Function | |---------|----------| | Temp/Tint | White balance (or use Eyedropper) | | Exposure | Overall brightness | | Contrast | Difference between dark/light | | Highlights | Recover blown-out areas | | Shadows | Lift dark areas | | Whites/Blacks | Set pure white/black points | | Texture | Enhance/soften medium detail | | Clarity | Midtone contrast | | Dehaze | Remove fog/haze | | Vibrance | Boost muted colors (skips skin tones) | | Saturation | All colors equally |

8. Presets & Profiles

  • Presets (left panel in Develop) – one-click settings for editing.
    • Adaptive Presets (12.3) – apply to Subject/Sky only (e.g., darken sky, brighten subject).
  • Profiles (Basic panel above Temp) – raw rendering (Adobe Color, Landscape, Portrait, Monochrome, or custom camera-matching profiles).
  • Create Preset: Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P – choose which settings to save.

Camera and Lens Support

As with all incremental updates, version 12.3 expanded the ecosystem’s compatibility. It included support for new cameras such as the Canon EOS R8, Canon EOS R50, and the Nikon Z30, among others. It also added a host of new lens profiles for popular glass from Sony, Nikon, and Canon, ensuring that distortion and vignetting corrections happen automatically and accurately. Adobe Lightroom Classic 12.3

Content Credentials (CAI)

Version 12.3 integrated the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI) deeply. Photographers can now attach "Content Credentials" to their exports—a cryptographic digital signature that shows who created the image, when, and what edits were made. This is Adobe’s direct response to AI-generated imagery and misinformation. When you export a JPEG from Lightroom Classic 12.3 with "Include Content Credentials" checked, anyone viewing the file on a supported platform (like Twitter or the CAI’s Verify tool) can see the edit history and confirm provenance.