We’re streaming daily on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and Spotify!

While most photo editing software offers a list of similar features, the same tool’s performance may vary across the board. Capture One has consistently delivered more flexibility with RAW photo editing than the competition. It starts with better noise reduction algorithms to squeeze out a bit more shadow recovery, and runs the gamut. But they’re not done yet. Announced today, Capture One 21 adds several new features topped by a customizable Dehaze tool and Speed Edits.

While Dehaze isn’t something Adobe hasn’t thought of before, Capture One isn’t just copying the competition. The company makes the tool their own with custom shadow tones. With Speed Edits, Capture One makes keyboard shortcuts actually make sense for slider-based editing. The update also addresses one of our previous complaints by speeding up and simplifying the import process and enhancing the learning tools. But, are those changes enough? How does Capture One 21 compare to Lightroom?

I tested a beta version of Capture One 21 to find out. The version tested is basically the closest to finalized you can get. I’m a Capture One newbie — I’ve only used the previous version for about a month. Throughout the testing, I compared the features to the old version as well as the industry standard and the editor I am most familiar with, Lightroom.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Faster editing with excellent new keyboard controls

New Dehaze tool adds life back into flat images

New ProStandard color profiles

Updated learning tools

Fully featured photo editor from asset management to layers

Option to buy it outright or subscribe annually

All the same features we’ve loved in the past are still there, including better noise reduction and shadow/highlight recovery than competing programs

Cons

A cluttered interface, which is tougher to learn. But you can adapt it to a degree.

The cataloging tool lacks some features

Pricier than Lightroom

Gear Used

I tested the beta version of Capture One Pro 21 on a MacBook Pro, circa 2015, with 16 GB of RAM.

System Requirements

Taken directly from Capture One:

Windows

Windows 8.1® 64-bit or Windows 10® 64-bit

Intel or AMD CPU with 2 cores

10 GB free disk space

8 GB of RAM

Mac

MacOS 10.13, 10.14, or 10.15

Intel CPU with 2 cores

10 GB free disk space

8 GB of RAM

Main Features

The biggest new tool coming to the December 2020 release is a Dehaze slider. Like Lightroom’s tool by the same name, the Dehaze slider adds contrast, polarization, and clarity back into a flat image. The tool is helpful for backlit images, as well as fog and, of course, haze. Dehaze can also add a little more blue into the skies and fix the lack of contrast created by lens flare.

But while the slider has the same function as Lightroom’s, Capture One 21 has a second control — the shadow tone. Sometimes, using the slider creates unnatural tones in the darker areas of the image. Lightroom has no way to control this. Capture One 21 does. Using manual shadow tone simply requires clicking on a darker area of the image with an eyedropper tool to correct any odd color tints. I edited a golden hour backlit photo in both programs, and Lightroom left a very slight green tint in the background. Capture One 21 was a bit better even on auto, but excellent once adjusted for manual shadow tones.

The update also adds ProStandard camera profiles. Available for only a limited number of cameras at launch, more support is coming. But at the moment only Canon, Nikon, Sony, Phase One, and Leica cameras are getting support. Sorry, Fuji! Capture One claims that this RAW color profile creates more natural color renderings. Deeper support is coming later. When comparing the default profile to ProStandard, the difference was very subtle but more true to life. In one of the photos that I worked on, ProStandard created more accurate shadow tones. This p...