The truth is that . A slider in Lightroom’s Develop module does exactly the same thing as its counterpart in Camera Raw. The differences are workflow-based:

| Feature | Camera Raw (Plugin) | Lightroom Classic | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Lives inside Photoshop/Bridge | Standalone app with catalog | | File Management | None (relies on Bridge/OS) | Full cataloging, keywording, collections | | Layers/Complex Edits | Sends image to Photoshop for layers | Must export to Photoshop | | Best For | Photographers who use Photoshop as primary editor | Photographers who need asset management + editing |

Use ACR if you start your workflow in Bridge/Photoshop. Use Lightroom if you need a complete catalog and editing solution. Step-by-Step Workflow: Editing a RAW Photo in Camera Raw Let's walk through a typical editing session: