So if we are done with LR, whats our choices?

-Duck- wrote in post #18482085
Interesting point. I have never quite considered Adobe products as anything other than professional tools, not hobbyist tools. Perhaps because I have always been "in the business". I don't equate their latest moves as throwing hobbyists under the train so much as progressing the pro tools to meet current pro demands (across the board, not just for photographers).

I suppose for those (likely working pros) who get through gear and upgrade both hardware and software frequently (somewhat out of necessity) the subscription model makes sense.

I'm in the same position as Wilt; having skipped LR5 and gone from 4 to 6. I'm a regular, but not daily user of LR, and now a very infrequent user of PS (CS6). I do accept therefore that I'm not the sort of customer that keeps Adobe afloat.

However, my issue with the subscription model is choice: with only subscription models available you don't have any guarantees of being able to use the software tomorrow - you're entirely at Adobe's whim of pricing and policy. With a perpetual license you may be stuck with an old version, but you can at least run what you have (more or less indefinitely).

Given that PS is subscription only, and LR has now moved that way (despite earlier assurances otherwise), what's to say that LR Classic won't be dropped in the future? For me that sadly means it is time to look for alternative products.

In case anyone decides to go with Classic.

https://blogs.adobe.co​m/lightroomjournal/

digital paradise wrote in post #18482159
In case anyone decides to go with Classic.

https://blogs.adobe.co​m/lightroomjournal/

I learned when I updated from CS6 to CC to always, always, spin down the Advanced Options during install and uncheck remove older versions, unless you really want to remove all old versions.

Hiding this and enabling remove old versions by default is BS. "OOOPS!" is a crappy excuse.

kirk

Well, I decided to give Adobe my money one last time and upgraded from Lightroom 5.7 to Lightroom 6 for $79. My reasoning is that the only camera I am considering purchasing in the near future is a Canon EOS M5 as an upgrade to my original EOS M. That camera is not supported under LR 5.7, but is under LR6. I am quite happy with my two dSLRs (Canon 5D3 and Canon 7D2), and do not foresee upgrading either for a few years. So upgrading to LR6 probably buys me 2-3 years for the competition to improve their Lightroom alternatives and for me to investigate those alternatives without a gun to my head. I was concerned that Adobe could pull the LR6 upgrade option off the market at any time as another tactic to get users to move to their subscription model.

So far, I have installed Canon's DPP and DxO OpticsPro 11, and also plan to look at trial versions of Capture One, ON1 Photo Raw and ACDSee Pro when I have some time. I also have Photoshop Elements 18, so between all of these options I am sure I can find something that will meet my needs when Lightroom 6 no longer supports my equipment.

Hopefully we can all continue to use this thread to share our experiences with competing products as we look for alternate solutions.

Of the many options out there, it looks like A desert comes the closest to the functionality of Lightroom. I haven't looked at Alien Skin so I can't comment on that. Personally I'm not a big fan of DPP as I find it awkward to use. A friend of mine who shoots medium format uses Capture One. It is a very robust program with a slew of bells and whistles that's probably more program than any hobbyist needs, plus it's pricy.

-Duck- wrote in post #18482246
Of the many options out there, it looks like A desert comes the closest to the functionality of Lightroom. I haven't looked at Alien Skin so I can't comment on that. Personally I'm not a big fan of DPP as I find it awkward to use. A friend of mine who shoots medium format uses Capture One. It is a very robust program with a slew of bells and whistles that's probably more program than any hobbyist needs, plus it's pricy.

There is a lot to Capture but after going through it you realize there is very little to do if you choose that path. It does a lot for you like auto applying NR etc. Colours look good from the start. I played around with capture, detail and export sharpening, clarity and cropping. Checked out everything else it offers. At $300 and a pending update is equal to 4 years of Adobe's photography plan.

I use DPP and keep it updated but prefer LR/ACR. I tried DXO and fell the same about it I did when I tried it several times in the past. I just could not warm up to it and I have no specific reason. I tried Affinity, McPhun and a few others. Too many out there so it was between Capture and Adobe.

Scott M wrote in post #18482189
Well, I decided to give Adobe my money one last time and upgraded from Lightroom 5.7 to Lightroom 6 for $79. My reasoning is that the only camera I am considering purchasing in the near future is a Canon EOS M5 as an upgrade to my original EOS M. That camera is not supported under LR 5.7, but is under LR6. I am quite happy with my two dSLRs (Canon 5D3 and Canon 7D2), and do not foresee upgrading either for a few years. So upgrading to LR6 probably buys me 2-3 years for the competition to improve their Lightroom alternatives and for me to investigate those alternatives without a gun to my head. I was concerned that Adobe could pull the LR6 upgrade option off the market at any time as another tactic to get users to move to their subscription model.

So far, I have installed Canon's DPP and DxO OpticsPro 11, and also plan to look at trial versions of Capture One, ON1 Photo Raw and ACDSee Pro when I have some time. I also have Photoshop Elements 18, so between all of these options I am sure I can find something that will meet my needs when Lightroom 6 no longer supports my equipment.

Hopefully we can all continue to use this thread to share our experiences with competing products as we look for alternate solutions.

Awesome input, thanks Scott. I too had thought of getting one last update since my 5Diii would be covered for a while. Just wanted to be proactive and move to something before being all in for another disappointment from adobe announcing the end of "classic" because its what the market asked for

Please let us know how your experiments with other programs goes. I myself am looking closely at on1 right now. But also looking closely at the A7Riii so if I went that route I would be getting capture 1 at a huge discount.

digital paradise wrote in post #18482266
here is a lot to Capture but after going through it you realize there is very little to do if you choose that path. It does a lot for you like auto applying NR etc. Colours look good from the start. I played around with capture, detail and export sharpening, clarity and cropping. Checked out everything else it offers. At $300 and a pending update is equal to 4 years of Adobe's photography plan.

I use DPP and keep it updated but prefer LR/ACR. I tried DXO and fell the same about it I did when I tried it several times in the past. I just could not warm up to it and I have no specific reason. I tried Affinity, McPhun and a few others. Too many out there so it was between Capture and Adobe.

I watched a few tubes on capture 1 and its uses. Wow that thing does a lot and like you said, all their colors look really good just start. But also like you in the end to me it seemed way overkill to hobbyist and pretty expensive. So much that I didnt even want to start a free trial until I had tons of spare time to test it out.

I wish I could afford Capture 1 just for their live view capabilities. That is my biggest contention with LR and where they should start putting some effort into correcting.

Is Capture One a raw converter (Lightroom) or a pixel editor (Photoshop)?

Capture One Pro is a DAM with importer features, a raw converter, and a non-destructive editor.

Pulled trigger on capture one. On sale now $224 at b&h. Which probably means upgrade out soon

Pauhana wrote in post #18482727
Pulled trigger on capture one. On sale now $224 at b&h. Which probably means upgrade out soon

I bought the same deal at B&H. Even if an upgrade is out soon, the total price difference with an added upgrade isn't that much over current full retail. Still waiting on the email with the license, which can apparently take a few days.

Pauhana wrote in post #18482727
Pulled trigger on capture one. On sale now $224 at b&h. Which probably means upgrade out soon

Maybe the upgrade will come soon, or maybe Phase sees an opportunity in the disenchantment with LR.

Let us know how you like Capture One.

Archibald wrote in post #18482743
Maybe the upgrade will come soon, or maybe Phase sees an opportunity in the disenchantment with LR.

Let us know how you like Capture One.

X2