Curious what people are doing who have decided to move to LR relative to a purchase decision?
I am an amateur photographer but not a heavy user. I use PS occasional but still working with PS 5.5.
I’m thinking the standalone program will do me for a long time…but the updating problem is still in the back of my mind down the road. Just not sure if the $120 yearly subscription (LR CC + PS) is worth it in my situation. I realize this is an individual decision but I wonder what others have done and why?
Thanks.
Hi John,
Like you stated it is an individual decision. It depends if you would like new features or just bug fixes and camera profile updates. I have the monthly subscription and it is not that big of a deal for me. I look at it as a couple Lattes from StarBucks. -:). However with that said I have mainly been using Capture One Pro since the first of this year. Keep the CC going since I do use Photoshop and do use Lightroom for some processing like Panoramas and some HDR.
Cheers,
Stu
Stuart
Website: http://www.stuartonline.com
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+StuartSchaefer/
Hey Stu…
Thanks for the thoughts. Your “Starbucks” analogy is perfect. We tend to forget how much money we spend on things like coffee but then tend to get cheap when it come to a subscription fee for photography software.
So maybe for peace of mind the subscription idea is better. With the way Apple is updating their OS every darn year it seems we never know when a third party app is going to break. I think (hope) Adobe will stay on top of this with LR and obviously PS. I was all set to jump on the Capture One bandwagon but I worry a little about them too as far as updating for new OS etc.
My understanding is that if a new OS breaks the LR standalone program you’d have to buy the updated version anyway (if they even produce one)…right?
Any body else with experience or thoughts, please post your opinions!
John,
“My understanding is that if a new OS breaks the LR standalone program you’d have to buy the updated version anyway (if they even produce one)…right?”
This happens with many software programs when the OS is updated not working. In most cases vendors provide updates with no cost. Personally, I usually wait for a week or two before updating the OS just to see if others are having issues. Many times those who are doing beta testing will usually post if there are any issues with the major programs like Adobe products.
Cheers,
Stu
Stuart
Website: http://www.stuartonline.com
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+StuartSchaefer/
I was in your situation a few weeks ago and I decided to go for the standalone version. I am also an amateur photographer and I can’t justify committing myself to monthly subscription. Although it is a small amount of money every month, but you may eventually “accumulate” a lot of small subscriptions like online backup, online portfolio, online training etc which all add up to substantial amount. Based on my calculation, the cost of purchasing the standalone version is roughly equal to 10-15 month of lightroom CC subscription, depending on which country you are in. I don’t use or need photoshop and I don’t do mobile editing. So as long as my standalone lightroom version is good enough for me for the next 10-15 months, then it works out for me. I can still decide to switch to lightroom CC 10-15 months later. I have the power to choose when the time comes.
KS Tai
I ended up going for the subscription. I wanted to get a taste of the other apps in the bundle (like PhotoShop), get the updates and simply try out the Suite without feeling like I just bought into a newly outdated application. I will review this after my year subscription expires. I tend to buy things outright but this exception to my rule has worked out for me.
GD Rothenberg
Very timely - I just upgraded from Lightroom Stand alone to CC today. I purchased LR 6 as soon as it was released a year ago and began moving to LR from Aperture. What finally pushed me over was that I have always used Pixelmator for my heavy picture editing but as I have been watching videos on Lynda I’ve began to learn more and more about Photoshop and it really is a remarkable program very powerful with a very high learning curve. I’ve decided to “commit” to full Photoshop / Lightroom workflow and so it just makes to make sense for me to purchase the Adobe CC. The $10 monthly isn’t what has worried me - its the “what if” they decide to start raising the price by $1 to $2 per year. In 10 Years am I going to be paying $29 per month for access? After ENDURING the tragedy of moving my 40,000 pictures from Aperture to LR I think I’d just quit photography if I had to do it again and leave LR because it was too expensive. @ $9.99 for both Photoshop and LR it just seems like a great deal.
I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, I won't be laid a hand upon. I don't do these things to others, and I require the same from them. - John Wayne, from "The Shootist"