In as much as I'll be moving images between Lightroom 1.1, Photoshop and Lightzone, I want my edits to follow the image without worrying about XMP files. Does it make a difference where in Lightroom I do the conversion? In other words does it need to be done on import or can I wait until I export the file? A related question has to do with setting up preferences. I seem to have read somewhere you must enable writing to xmp files before changes with be embedded in the DNG file which will slow down processing. If I don't enable this in preferences, will my edits embed in the DNG file if I convert to DNG on export?

I'm also a little confused about virtual copies. In Scott Kelby's book it says you can open virtual copies in Photoshop and the edits will follow. When you convert an image to DNG does a later created virtual copy also convert to DNG with it's own set of edits or must you convert the virtual copy to DNG on export. I've also seen in a post the comment made that edits don't follow virtual copies when exported to Photoshop.

Any help with the above issues would be appreciated.

Well, you realize that parametric edits done in Lightroom won't be recognized in Lightzone-it's an either or situation...and the edits done in Lightroom will only be usable if you use Camera Raw 4.1 or export the rendered tiff or psd images, right? Only Lightroom 1.1 & Camera Raw 4.1 can share equal rendering capabilities...

My observations and testing with LR v1.1 using DNGs is that there is a new feature ...Metadata>Update DNG Preview & Metadata..that must be used in order for changes made in LR to be updated to and appear in DNGs. Enabling automatic updating of changes to XMP may update the metadata in the DNG but it seems NOT to update the Preview or embedded JPG unless you use the feature listed above. This was the similar process that was used as a work around with Adobe Camera Raw 4.x to update the JPG before LR v1.1 was released. Because of the new feature the work around is no longer needed and the workflow streamlined. Also, not enabling auto XMP cuts down in hard drive processing considerably, another bonus. And lastly because the catalog can be sorted by Edit Time, any changes to DNGs can be manually isolated for update, another plus.

Hope this helps. And also looking for corrections to my understandings if incorrect.

Dave

You don't have to have LR write metadata to the dng files automatically and you probably shouldn't as there is a noticeable performance hit doing so. Instead, select the images and hit Command/Ctrl+S to save the metadata to the files once you are done editing them. ACR 4.1 will be able to then read the edits.

If you make edits in ACR, once back in LR make sure you synchronize the folder to update the catalog to reflect your new adjustments. "Library > Synchronize Folder..."

You can open virtual copies in PS but they have to be converted to an image file (non-raw) first. ACR 4.1 currently does not support virtual copies directly.

When you convert to DNG within LR, LR simply swaps out the old raw file for the DNG -- virtual copies remain virtual. When exporting files as DNG through the export window, LR will make a DNG for each file, including virtual copies -- virtual copies turn into actual copies.