Should I suck it up a pay for Lightroom Creative Cloud?

[bartjeej]

Adobe's not helping their image here.

Adobe's 'Content analysis' program could be using your photos and video to train AI without your knowledge

It appears Adobe has automatically enrolled Creative Cloud users into a 'Content analysis' program, which allows the company to use media in users' Creative Cloud library to train its machine learning features and tools.

m.dpreview.com

I've turned the setting off.

 

[Brian]

I should join and upload the Pictures my Daughter used to take and manipulate with her DSI.
I do not use "the cloud". I've worked with the Internet since 1980.
Now back to working on my DOS computer, used for real work.

 

[tilman]

I'd have a serious look at capture one if they continue to have a perpetual license version. Do they continue to offer RAW support for new cameras up until a point? I don't see myself upgrading anything in the near future, unless panasonic or olympus release something that really appeals to me in the m43 world.

Also any idea when MacOS will get the latest update of RAWtherapee?

Not sure whether this has been answered yet. This is the one point where I hesitate to recommend Capture One to new users:
With their current changes to their licensing, you basically get no updates to perpetual licenses anymore (which I believe includes camera support).

You can still upgrade to a new major-version release (whenever those are rolled out), but there is no indication yet on how much they are going to charge for these upgrades (current upgrade pricing is pretty high already)

I'm still using C1v22 - and it's my favorite raw converter... But I'm also at a point where I won't be buying a new camera soon...

If the current version offers everything you need for the foreseeable future, then it might be an option.
For anyone who likes to stay up to date , I'm not sure whether I would recommend C1 to them...


quote from their website:
"After 1st February 2023, new perpetual license purchases will not include any feature updates (16.x)
This means that any updates containing new features and functionality will not be included in your license purchase. However, bug fixes and optimizations will be included(16.x.x) until a new paid version is released (16.x)."

 

[Brian]

After working with the open-source, free software for a week- Unless you get a camera that is not supported and will not be, I see no reason to buy commercial software for photography. Adobe, Capture One- are moving to pay-us-forever models.

 

[hazwing]

Not sure whether this has been answered yet. This is the one point where I hesitate to recommend Capture One to new users:
With their current changes to their licensing, you basically get no updates to perpetual licenses anymore (which I believe includes camera support).

You can still upgrade to a new major-version release (whenever those are rolled out), but there is no indication currently on how much they are going to charge for these upgrades (current upgrade pricing is pretty high already)

I'm still using C1v22 - and it's my favorite raw converter... But I'm currently at a point where I won't be buying a new camera soon...

If the current version offers everything you need for the foreseeable future, then it might be an option.
For anyone who likes to stay current, I'm not sure whether I would recommend C1 to them...


quote from their website:
"After 1st February 2023, new perpetual license purchases will not include any feature updates (16.x)
This means that any updates containing new features and functionality will not be included in your license purchase. However, bug fixes and optimizations will be included(16.x.x) until a new paid version is released (16.x)."

I've be trying out capture one express that comes free with sony cameras. It's probably missing a lot of features of capture one pro, but so far it's been the easiest to use and most like lightroom.

I probably don't see myself updating my camera setup for a little while, so it might be actually a viable option to buy the existing perpetual license and just use that for the next 2-5 years (or more).

As much as I want to use the free open source software, I'm finding it's just not a polished and easy to use. I'll try perserve and process some more images with rawtherapee, but so far not having a great time with it.

 

[tilman]

I've be trying out capture one express that comes free with sony cameras. It's probably missing a lot of features of capture one pro, but so far it's been the easiest to use and most like lightroom.

I probably don't see myself updating my camera setup for a little while, so it might be actually a viable option to buy the existing perpetual license and just use that for the next 2-5 years (or more).

As much as I want to use the free open source software, I'm finding it's just not a polished and easy to use. I'll try perserve and process some more images with rawtherapee, but so far not having a great time with it.

Yeah, I feel similarly... For my preference, open-source software often offers too many options (which of course has the advantage of allowing the user complete control - should that be desired)
Capture One has a good balance of "just enough control" for my taste (while doing certain things under the hood, in a way that works for me)

That's just a personal preference - I'm not against any of the open-source programs. On the contrary, I'm constantly impressed by what level they are at.
And maybe one day (if license prices keep going up and up) I'll do the change too

 

[hazwing]

I've trialing luminar AI, it could have been a decent/reasonable replacement for nondestructive RAW edits. However the library module is WAY too basic. It only have pick and reject as options. I'd be happy if it were even to have just star ratings to help sort/sift photos.

I'm now considering about using LR classic with expired subscription to rate and sort pictures. Then send them to edit in Luminar AI. Not sure whether this workflow could actually work. From my reading LR classic still allows you to use the library module, even if you aren't subscribed the adobe cc.

 

[olli]

I have been using Lightroom since version 2 and also went through the 'do I want to keep this' debate when they went to the subscription model. I tried a few alternatives at the time, but for me the only one that comes close to the all round capability of LR is Capture One. In the end I stuck with LR just because the thought of starting from scratch with C1 put me off. After many years of use LR was second nature to me and I had worked out pretty much everything it could do and knew how to use the multiple capabilities together to get the results I wanted. I would still prefer a stand alone option but $120 dollars a year is not that much considering how much many of us spend on other photographic equipment and accessories.

I think the key to deciding whether you should stick with LR or not is to look at what use you make of it - not just how often you use it but how much of its capability you are using. If you are not making use of the more comprehensive tools it offers then you might be better off going with a simpler - and cheaper - option.