Color Efex Pro - Detail Extractor ?

[Phil Corley]

I currently use Color efex pro via Photoshop really just for the Detail Extractor function, however I would like to be able to get the same look using just Lightroom controls to (a) improve the quality of the processing by doing it against the RAW file and not a TIF and (b) to improve my workflow and make it cleaner.

First question I suppose, is it possible to do this in Lightroom and second, can anyone explain how?

Many thanks

Phil

[walter.sk]

My experience of the Detail Extractor is that it has qualities similar to NIK's Structure slider in several filters, and NIK's Tonal Contrast filter.  The closest I can think of in LR or Photoshop Proper is the Clarity slider, which can be found in the Presence section of the development module for global adjustments, and as one of the sliders in the Adjustment Brush, for local adjustments.  If additional strength is needed, you can make a tiff out of the raw file and apply another dose of Clarity on top of the one in the RAW file. 

But why arbitrarily decide that a "cleaner" workflow limited to LR is preferable to a supposedly "dirtier" workflow that utilizes Photoshop in addition to LR and gives you the visual effects you want, over obeying some principle concerning "efficient" workflow?

[Phil Corley]

I am not certain to change my workflow; I suppose what I am trying to work out is if it is more "efficient" to do this in LR 4 now or keep on "finishing" my work in Photoshop.  It is a case of not knowing what I don't know, so I wonder if.....

phil