Adobe Lightroom - Now Subscription Only

Sorry this is short and sweet, a last minute late night question.

What do forum members think about Adobe now making Lightroom subscription only, getting rid of the buy now standalone versions?

I thinks it's been heading that way for some time, and the price isn't too bad as you get CC, Bridge etc. I actually hate Lightroom anyway 😂

Is Lightroom 6 not still available? I have been forced into a subscription based software for work, where what would been a one-off payment now only buys three years. It is a trend many are moving into for obvious financial benefit to the company but none for the user, as it appears the loss of incentive to develop the software is resulting in diminishing upgrades. Hopefully other developers will see the opportunity to launch viable alternatives as I for one will not buy into a subscription service for a hobby nor when other options are available.

The routine updates I feel are an advantage. I use Photoshop CC and Bridge but never use Lightroom. For my £8.50 or so per month I reckon that's fine value. Better than forking out £650 as a lump sum every two or three years.

If you're a Pro I don't see it as an issue - you just charge the fee to your clients. If you're a 'hobby' photographer it's just a rip off by Adobe to try an force amateurs to support their revenue stream.

I'll keep using Lightroom 6 (+ PS Elements) until I get new kit (and/or operating system) that won't work with them. At which point I'll find another piece of software that does similar.

Phil

Just stupidly clicked on ‘upgrade’ and my stand-alone Lightroom 6 changed to Lightroom Classic on a 1 week trial with log-in required. You can guess what will happen in seven days! Had to reload my original software but suppose I will be plagued with messages now telling me my trial has expired.

I'm happy new version seems faster and new colour/luminance mask on Grad/Radiant filter and brushes are a really nice new feature

It seems that despite Adobe's promise that Lightroom would stay stand-alone 'indefinitely' they have now reneged so unless you go over to subscription and write off your original purchase cost then there will be no more updates including new lens profiles. Disgraceful behaviour and Adobe not to be trusted, what's the bet that once enough have been hooked the subs will increase? I will keep Lightroom 6 as long as possible but want no more dealings with this outfit.

Suppose your on location with a client using a laptop without internet access? Are you buggered

It's similar to renting a house after 25 years you have nothing to show wheras if took out a mortgage you would have a house. Once you stop paying for PS monthly your left with nothing

ACDSee once brilliant, before it went bloatware is supposed to be getting better.

I still use ACDSee 3.1 as a viewer.... nothing beats it. It's 17 years old

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It's certainly not necessary to spend a lot of money for high quality processing capability. I use the Sagelight 4.5 RAW converter, with its very powerful and intuitive functioning .....£25 for life with occasional free updates.

Zoner Photo Studio (Free version) provides good photo management. And I use the free PhotoShop CS2 (old version, about 11 years old now) which has all the basics needed.

So we shouldn't feel trapped or locked in by Adobe, unless there's a real professional or efficiency need for those big sophisticated packages.

Macphun is supposed to be excellent, if you have a Mac.

I use Elements,which does pretty much all I want. I upgrade every few years.

Maybe this is the time that the photography magazines should advise photographers that there are alternatives to Adobe products, such as Paintshop Pro, ACDSee and Serif Affinity etc......

We'd all have to renew our magazine subscriptions to find out then!

Like John I use PS Creative Cloud which comes bundled with Lightroom which for some reason I'm unable to open up so I've never used it. I'm not bothered, I've always used Photoshop and I'm happy with it. By going for CC you get automatic updates and the cost is spread in easy monthly payments.
David

I use Lightroom 5 which as it is is quite satisfactory for my needs. Luckily we use Pentax cameras which will save raw as a DNG file so no need to convert. My other camera is a Panasonic FZ1000 bridge camera. On import into Lightroom I convert to DNG.

My concern is that as long as Lightroom 5 works ok then I'm happy, but should I change computers and LR5 becomes unavailable to download (which it will) and Adobe then scraps the free DNG convertor then I'm stuffed.

That is why I'm currently investigating Paintshop Pro and ACDSee.
I also have Serif Affinity which I bought as an introductory offer for £29.