Alternative to Photoshop?

I've been using Photoshop for around 15 years now and I'm comfortable with it. I'm on CS6 right now and I'm about to get a new computer. I could reinstall CS6 but it's 8 years old now so I figure I could try an upgrade, but I don't want CC because the subscription model doesn't agree with me. I don't use Lightroom - just load up my (Fuji) RAWs in ACR and work directly in Photoshop.

What are my options here? I read bad things about ON1, Capture One seems like it could be promising, I'll have to try it. Anything else?

Affinity Photo is a bargain ... similar to Photoshop ... though raw development may not be as good as ACR.

Are you wanting a pixel editor (photoshop and clones) or do you want a RAW editor with basic manipulation and cataloging (lightroom and clones)? I ask because you already seem to have a RAW editor and so it seems you're looking for a pixel editor, but just how in depth do you get with your pixel editor (photoshop) because if its very light work and not truly in depth pixel manipulation editing work, you probably don't need a robust pixel editor and can get by with something that allows basic manipulation like resize, crop, sharpening routines, color, layers, free transform, clone/stamp, etc, for finalizing an outputted RAW file and save as a compressed format like PNG or JPG. There's lots of alternatives to Photoshop these days that are good.

Very best,

Capture One is a little pricey and annual upgrades are about $150 but you aren't required to get them. I see you don't upgrade regularly so it won't matter but beware that many of these programs do not support new camera releases after the annual upgrade. So if for example you are using version 10 of a product, version 11 comes out in October and you buy a new camera that was released in December of that same year you will have to purchase the upgrade to use it.

I also have DXP PL3 which I picked up for NR. Adobe and Capture One had RAW support for the R5 and 6 within 3 weeks of their release. DXO has done anything so I have not been able to use version 3. I see DXO PL4 has been released and my guess is I will have to pay for an upgrade to use it which will not happen. Just giving you some info for some things to look out for. If anyone plans to upgrade or get DXO PL4 wait for the BF sales. They got me on that too last year.

I purchased Affinity for $25 as it was on sale for ½ price but I have never used it. By what I read it is very close to PS so you can't go wrong for the price.

I have not opened Affinity since June and just did. I'm downloading an update I didn't have to pay for.

darktable is highly regarded and free. Apparently it takes a bit of getting used to. Read good things about ACDSee but it is not free.

I purchased Corel After Shot Pro 3
Comparison link. https://www.aftershotp​ro.com …%7CMain%7C0%5E%​5E#compare
I'm new to editing lighting and its pretty easy to use.
Its not a subscription either.
Some of the Corel products have a 30 day free trial.

I switched from Lightroom to Capture One last spring, very happy with it. Similar to Lightroom, but I like the layout a better, and it does seem to process my files a little better. I think the color handling - luminosity slider for one - works better than it did in LR. The heal and clone tools work pretty well, sometimes you do need that pixel level editor for cloning something complicated and you may miss PS for that. I still use Elements every now and then for that.

Capture One does allow you to buy the product, in addition to subscription option, and you get some feature upgrades and bug fixes if you own it, not sure how long that continues.

Reinstall CS6, my friend. It's still excellent.

I'm on a Mac and CS6 is not an option. I own it, but it wont work with later MacOSs. I also don't like the subscription model. Therefore, I am using Photoshop Elements. I've found it to be pretty good.

Lou

Damo77 wrote in post #19141489
Reinstall CS6, my friend. It's still excellent.

If he decides to stick with CS6 ... have a look at plugin below.

Will allow you to continue using ACR.

https://thepluginsite.​com/products/metaraw/

armis wrote in post #19141343
I've been using Photoshop for around 15 years now and I'm comfortable with it. I'm on CS6 right now and I'm about to get a new computer. I could reinstall CS6 but it's 8 years old now so I figure I could try an upgrade, but I don't want CC because the subscription model doesn't agree with me. I don't use Lightroom - just load up my (Fuji) RAWs in ACR and work directly in Photoshop.

What are my options here? I read bad things about ON1, Capture One seems like it could be promising, I'll have to try it. Anything else?

The Photography bundle (Ps and Lr) are a bargain IMO. It is $120 a year ($9.99p/month). I would stick with Ps. And ACR is indispensable. I bought Affinity Photo when they had it on sale ($34.99). I barely use it.

Ps 2021 added some cool and creepy features this week...LOL

gossamer88 wrote in post #19141712
The Photography bundle (Ps and Lr) are a bargain IMO. It is $120 a year ($9.99p/month). I would stick with Ps. And ACR is indispensable. I bought Affinity Photo when they had it on sale ($34.99). I barely use it.

Ps 2021 added some cool and creepy features this week...LOL

Subscription just does sit well with some people even if they can afford it. Personally I also think it is a great value and another reason is it comes with a personal website - Portfolio which is integrated with LR. I dropped Zenfolio which was costing me $150 a year.

Last I checked Portfolio via SmugMug was $180 a year. C1 Pro had a promotion for Portfolio via SmugMug this summer. One year for free but when you think about it what do you do after taking the time to build it? After a year you have to start paying SmugMug and Portfolio is not integrated with C1 Pro.

So you have to look at what the total value of any product based on your needs. It makes little difference to me because if I had C1 Pro, etc I'd be getting the annual upgrades anyway.

Pixelmator for MAC -