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 p.2 #4 · Lightroom v6.14 alternative? | |
PSBaxter wrote:
Having tested a lot of Lightroom alternatives over the years, I am not sure there is a simple answer. The DAM capabilities of the Lightroom version you are using are not equaled by any alternative I have tried. However, almost any current raw processor/image editor will be vastly superior to that version of Lightroom.
I am an amateur and Photography is my hobby, so I try to spend my dollars in the best way possible to get a final print that satisfies me. I am not an Adobe evangelist nor am I going to hold them up as an example to be admired. I can't think of any large company I like, but I do like a lot of their products. I do not like big Pharma for example, but their products literally just saved my life last week!
My experience with imaging software is as follows. I emphasize with FOR ME in several places - that it is my opinion proven to me by testing alternatives quite frequently. Your mileage may vary. I want the best apps to get the most from my files, and that does require occasional testing of alternatives. I am not preaching and I am not saying everyone should do as I do. Just thought another perspective might be interesting to some. If you hate a certain product or that products maker so be it. Your choice won't affect me in any way, nor will my choice affect you! I AM NOT TRYING TO SUGGEST ANYONE NEEDS TO DO AS I DO AND NO JUDGEMNT IF YOU DIAGREE.
I have used Photoshop since version 7. There is no other editor for digital images that I have tried (lots of free trials over the years, and yes recently) that even comes close - FOR ME.. Because of cost I would skip versions until they threw in a feature I really wanted or Camera Raw would not open my files for a new camera. Not sure how much this cost me over the years. I do know that for the 36 months prior to the release of the subscription version, Photoshop alone and an upgrade cost me at least $28 dollars per month over that time period. I also have used Lightroom - every version since 1.0. Before Lightroom was added to the subscription plan, keeping it updated cost almost as much per month as the subscription to CC! I have found nothing better for DAM than Lightroom - FOR ME. I still have the boxes with the disks (well some of them) for the old versions of PS and LR and I still own the licenses to use them - so what! Most will not work optimally with my current files.
I jumped on the $9.95 photography plan as soon as it was available. What a bargain! After all it is just another, cheaper way of paying for the license, and I always have the latest improvements - no waiting now for rumored updates and no chopping of new features not quite ready to meet a release deadline. And I get Lightroom with it at no extra charge! Almost all of the perpetual subscription software I have tried would cost almost as much, if not more than the CC subscription if you break it down per month and if you upgrade to keep them current. I am in some ways thankful they were not - FOR ME - the equal of DxO plus CC, or I might be paying more for optimal image quality now. I
I do use DxO Lab as my raw developer. The raw conversion algorithm, noise reduction, and optical corrections are the best - FOR ME. The release and upgrade cycle for it is frustrating. The DxO Lab DAM features are vastly inferior to Lightroom - FOR ME. And if I were to upgrade each cycle, it would cost me within a dollar per month as much as as my subscription to Photoshop and Lightroom! But I pay it for the improved image quality. As an aside, if you think Adobe customer service is bad try contacting DxO for help, and I have contacted both. I still use DxO Lab 6. Version 7 did not really improve much - FOR ME. I will probably upgrade to version 8 or switch to PureRaw.
The DxO image processing after raw conversion is very good, but nowhere near as powerful as Photoshop - FOR ME. Actually, with the new masking features and point color in Lightroom Classic, I would say FOR ME it would be the closest replacement for Photoshop, but still no layers. I just wish Adobe would improve their raw processing!
I find that FOR ME this combination of DxO Lab and the CC subscription plan is the most economical way to get the most out of my files. I am not sure what I would lose if Photoshop and Lightroom suddenly became unavailable, other than a world class DAM and editing environment. I have my raw files. I do keep my PSD and PSB working documents, but I rarely return to them. My finished file is a TIFF and is printed. I would have to struggle to find some combination of software packages that would probably cost more in total and be less than optimal. However, being in my mid 60's, the greatest loss to me would be having to take the time to develop and learn a new workflow. But even now, I would do that if it improved my image quality to change - found no reason too, yet.
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Some interesting points. I don't like anything big. Ever try to get out of an Amazon subscription. More hoops than at a circus. I hate my cable company. It used to be a provincial outfit and bought out by a huge corporation. We suspended both cable and internet for 2 months last year. When we got back they only suspend one of the two. It took 6 months to straighten it out because of that stupid mid month bill overlapping system. I swear they do that on purpose. It got to the point where I started to ask them if they actually had any computers. "So did someone lose the posted note". There was always a pause when I said that. I'd like to switch but I'm comfy with the way things are set up. Maybe 20 years ago but at my age it's just another headache and I think they know that. I know the other side of the fence won't be any greener based on things I've read.
I don't care how big or rich Adobe is. I have no love for them but like you I like the product. I've always had good support. They did not get everyone's files into the cloud, lock it up, double the price and hold everyone ransom. What surprised me is last fall they made Lr capable of using both local and cloud. No one expected that. The opposite of the dire predictions. No price increases since 2017 and did not become a cash cow by collecting money and not putting anything into LrC, etc. By LrC 8 I knew I could never go back to LR6. I would have found a more current developer if I dropped Adobe.
DXO's approach is a little different and I'm not keen on it. They were very smart to make PureRaw a March to March upgrade cycle. They can avoid the BF sales and good for them. Not that I care about BF. Some will wait months to save a few dollars but I want or need it I'll just get it, unless its a few weeks away. PR4 came out with DeepPrime XD2. Photolab users won't see that until PL8.
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As a non-user, your opinion is moot, but keep digging, whatever.