Photomechanic License
p.1 #1Photomechanic License
Did you guys choose Perpetual or Subscription model??
I have been using PM forever... but I got a message that after the next update my version on the mac will stop being supported.
I'm still on this version Photo Mechanic Version 6.0, build 7285 .
I have always kept up to date on the updates... but I never notice much of a difference honestly.
I have been using PM forever... but I got a message that after the next update my version on the mac will stop being supported.
I'm still on this version Photo Mechanic Version 6.0, build 7285 .
I have always kept up to date on the updates... but I never notice much of a difference honestly.
May 23, 2026 at 07:11 AM
p.1 #2Photomechanic License
That will be the x86 version and the next MacOS will no longer support x86 apps via Rosetta.
I can’t say that they changed much, if anything since they changed the payment model (as I guess that most of their users don’t like workflow changes). But the reality is that AI will make a lot of what photomechanic does obsolete. I think that they are trying to a version with AI features, but they don’t seem to have the resources to make it go.
I can’t say that they changed much, if anything since they changed the payment model (as I guess that most of their users don’t like workflow changes). But the reality is that AI will make a lot of what photomechanic does obsolete. I think that they are trying to a version with AI features, but they don’t seem to have the resources to make it go.
May 23, 2026 at 10:59 AM
p.1 #3Photomechanic License
Goodrich wrote:
That will be the x86 version and the next MacOS will no longer support x86 apps via Rosetta.
I can’t say that they changed much, if anything since they changed the payment model (as I guess that most of their users don’t like workflow changes). But the reality is that AI will make a lot of what photomechanic does obsolete. I think that they are trying to a version with AI features, but they don’t seem to have the resources to make it go.
I’m curious. What will AI change to PM? Why would it become obsolete?
That will be the x86 version and the next MacOS will no longer support x86 apps via Rosetta.
I can’t say that they changed much, if anything since they changed the payment model (as I guess that most of their users don’t like workflow changes). But the reality is that AI will make a lot of what photomechanic does obsolete. I think that they are trying to a version with AI features, but they don’t seem to have the resources to make it go.
I’m curious. What will AI change to PM? Why would it become obsolete?
May 23, 2026 at 12:02 PM
p.1 #4Photomechanic License
Donzo98 wrote:
Did you guys choose Perpetual or Subscription model??
I have been using PM forever... but I got a message that after the next update my version on the mac will stop being supported.
I'm still on this version Photo Mechanic Version 6.0, build 7285 .
I have always kept up to date on the updates... but I never notice much of a difference honestly.
I have the perpetual license. It’s not important enough for me to buy the subscription. If it won’t work anymore, I’ll just give up on it.
Did you guys choose Perpetual or Subscription model??
I have been using PM forever... but I got a message that after the next update my version on the mac will stop being supported.
I'm still on this version Photo Mechanic Version 6.0, build 7285 .
I have always kept up to date on the updates... but I never notice much of a difference honestly.
I have the perpetual license. It’s not important enough for me to buy the subscription. If it won’t work anymore, I’ll just give up on it.
May 23, 2026 at 12:07 PM
p.1 #5Photomechanic License
I recently added a new Mac, then looked at PM to install on this new machine but decided against the subscription (I limit subscription to essentials only - which happens to be one app only at this time: Capture One).
Instead, I purchased FastRawViewer, bundled with RawDigger, and also the ApolloOne viewer. I think I am good for now, for culling. PhotoMechanic is a nice app, but not that essential to me to subscribe.
Instead, I purchased FastRawViewer, bundled with RawDigger, and also the ApolloOne viewer. I think I am good for now, for culling. PhotoMechanic is a nice app, but not that essential to me to subscribe.
May 23, 2026 at 12:38 PM
p.1 #6Photomechanic License
Add me to the list of users who went with alternative options once the subscription/price increase occurred. I wasn't a heavy user of PM so it wasn't essential for me which made it easy to move on.
May 23, 2026 at 12:46 PM
p.1 #7Photomechanic License
Perpetual license here. Been using it for about 20 years, mostly for a quick cull and then rename/ingest. So, the subscription model doesn't offer me anything I want or need. Keep it around mostly because I've setup a workflow over the years that uses it and I don't want to rethink it. Glad to use it, but if it had a security issue that wouldn't be patched because of my perp license, I could probably walk away.
May 23, 2026 at 12:49 PM
p.1 #8Photomechanic License
Seeing others respond in a similar vein as I did, I wonder whether the makers of PM have really thought this through. It's an essential tool for photo editors, but for enthusiasts less so.
And I wonder if photojournalists really need it and if it's worth it for them. I recently shot an event and spoke with some pros. One was shooting for Getty that day, one of the big outfits. He had to cover three events and got the higher of the two day rates at Getty. That was 275 euro for the day. For those rates and with the unavoidable costs of the gear, are they really going to pay for a subscription as well?
On the same occasion, another pro was shooting with a taped up, battered Nikon D5. Told me he has so far racked up 1.5 million shots on that camera.
And I wonder if photojournalists really need it and if it's worth it for them. I recently shot an event and spoke with some pros. One was shooting for Getty that day, one of the big outfits. He had to cover three events and got the higher of the two day rates at Getty. That was 275 euro for the day. For those rates and with the unavoidable costs of the gear, are they really going to pay for a subscription as well?
On the same occasion, another pro was shooting with a taped up, battered Nikon D5. Told me he has so far racked up 1.5 million shots on that camera.
May 23, 2026 at 02:16 PM
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p.1 #9Photomechanic License
Todd Warnke wrote:
Perpetual license here. Been using it for about 20 years, mostly for a quick cull and then rename/ingest. So, the subscription model doesn't offer me anything I want or need. Keep it around mostly because I've setup a workflow over the years that uses it and I don't want to rethink it. Glad to use it, but if it had a security issue that wouldn't be patched because of my perp license, I could probably walk away.
That describes me exactly!! I have been using it for so long… it just works.
I use it for culling, browsing old images, and uploading to my FTP site.
I’m an enthusiast… and low volume shooter, but I’m not giving up PhotoMechanic.
How long have you been using the Perpetual License?
Perpetual license here. Been using it for about 20 years, mostly for a quick cull and then rename/ingest. So, the subscription model doesn't offer me anything I want or need. Keep it around mostly because I've setup a workflow over the years that uses it and I don't want to rethink it. Glad to use it, but if it had a security issue that wouldn't be patched because of my perp license, I could probably walk away.
That describes me exactly!! I have been using it for so long… it just works.
I use it for culling, browsing old images, and uploading to my FTP site.
I’m an enthusiast… and low volume shooter, but I’m not giving up PhotoMechanic.
How long have you been using the Perpetual License?
May 23, 2026 at 05:58 PM
p.1 #10Photomechanic License
I have had a license since 2001-2002.
I heavily use it almost daily for culling, rating, keywording, and IPTC info.
And there is no shot I’m going to a subscription model. I think the last one I bought was PM 5. Don’t remember if I had to pay for PM 6 upgrade. I would rather not update a computer than pay monthly or yearly. $150 a year. 😂😂😂
I heavily use it almost daily for culling, rating, keywording, and IPTC info.
And there is no shot I’m going to a subscription model. I think the last one I bought was PM 5. Don’t remember if I had to pay for PM 6 upgrade. I would rather not update a computer than pay monthly or yearly. $150 a year. 😂😂😂
May 23, 2026 at 06:52 PM
p.1 #11Photomechanic License
I'm on PM 6 and my plan is to use it as long as I can, which might mean keeping around older hardware on an OS that still supports Rosetta.
That said, if/when I have to buy a newer version to function with a new computer and OS that no longer supports PM6, I will buy perpetual and just use it for as long as it will work, which is likely longer than two years of subscriptions.
My use of PM is as primarily a LR precursor app. I rename, caption cull and color code/tag images with it. Sometimes do things like time shifts to get two or more cameras synced. Or to very quickly extract jpeg preview files out of RAWs (faster than exporting as jpeg from LR). Sometimes with larger portrait sessions with many sitters, I put names in the suppcats fields (or keyword field) and then use a generic caption that includes {suppcat1} and/or {suppcat2} in it to populate the unique information from those fields into the caption field of the relevant images all in one batch application. Those fields can also be used to custom rename the files with the sitters' names, etc. Back when I actually shot on deadline, I often used code replacement, which was invaluable for quickly adding captions to images and then with a keystroke sending them out via ftp to the client (newspaper or wire service). A lot of the basics I could do in LR if needed, but I don't think it will do some of the more niche metadata related edits. And I simply prefer working with PM as for me it is intuitive after decades of use. I bought the license when I went digital in 2001 and prior to that used it at the newspaper where I worked...
The AI thing that was mentioned would likely refer to AI culling of shoots to pick the best images. This is slowly starting to roll out in LR and is very basic, such as for excluding images where the subject's eyes are closed or the focus is off. That can be helpful but it appears to be a long way away from picking the subjectively best images the way an experience photographer would. I believe there are other AI culling apps out there claiming to be more advanced that offer this capability after learning your culling/editing process (and I believe charge you a rate based on how many images are in the batch edit). Eventually AI culling/editing will become commonplace, but at the moment I feel like I still want the control over this part of the process.
Donzo98 wrote:
I have always kept up to date on the updates... but I never notice much of a difference honestly.
Back when I used PM more intensively, as a more 'cutting edge' user
the PM developers were often quite quick to resolve compatibility issues or bugs with these updates.
I remember providing some feedback when code replacement first rolled out, which was often quickly implemented through updates.
My use and needs for PM have kind of stagnated and I'm good with its current capabilities. It seems to not have file compatibility issues as new cameras are released, perhaps because it uses Apple's image decoding capabilities in the OS rather than doing it in the app, IIRC. This appears to be in contrast to LR which requires Adobe to add compatibility for new cameras and was a motivating reason for me to move on from LR6 standalone to the subscription version. I'm not a fan of subscriptions but at least with respect to how LR Classic has progressed over the past few years, a lot of its new features and capabilities have positively impacted/improved my image processing workflow, allowing me to produce more refined images directly from LR usually without having to spend additional time in PS or other apps.
With PM, updates appear to have been subtle refinements and I have not seen changes that significantly improve workflow (at least for my needs).
Also, I no longer see any reference to Photo Mechanic Plus on their website (the DAM version of PM) that was released in ~2020...
That said, if/when I have to buy a newer version to function with a new computer and OS that no longer supports PM6, I will buy perpetual and just use it for as long as it will work, which is likely longer than two years of subscriptions.
My use of PM is as primarily a LR precursor app. I rename, caption cull and color code/tag images with it. Sometimes do things like time shifts to get two or more cameras synced. Or to very quickly extract jpeg preview files out of RAWs (faster than exporting as jpeg from LR). Sometimes with larger portrait sessions with many sitters, I put names in the suppcats fields (or keyword field) and then use a generic caption that includes {suppcat1} and/or {suppcat2} in it to populate the unique information from those fields into the caption field of the relevant images all in one batch application. Those fields can also be used to custom rename the files with the sitters' names, etc. Back when I actually shot on deadline, I often used code replacement, which was invaluable for quickly adding captions to images and then with a keystroke sending them out via ftp to the client (newspaper or wire service). A lot of the basics I could do in LR if needed, but I don't think it will do some of the more niche metadata related edits. And I simply prefer working with PM as for me it is intuitive after decades of use. I bought the license when I went digital in 2001 and prior to that used it at the newspaper where I worked...
The AI thing that was mentioned would likely refer to AI culling of shoots to pick the best images. This is slowly starting to roll out in LR and is very basic, such as for excluding images where the subject's eyes are closed or the focus is off. That can be helpful but it appears to be a long way away from picking the subjectively best images the way an experience photographer would. I believe there are other AI culling apps out there claiming to be more advanced that offer this capability after learning your culling/editing process (and I believe charge you a rate based on how many images are in the batch edit). Eventually AI culling/editing will become commonplace, but at the moment I feel like I still want the control over this part of the process.
Donzo98 wrote:
I have always kept up to date on the updates... but I never notice much of a difference honestly.
Back when I used PM more intensively, as a more 'cutting edge' user
the PM developers were often quite quick to resolve compatibility issues or bugs with these updates. I remember providing some feedback when code replacement first rolled out, which was often quickly implemented through updates.
My use and needs for PM have kind of stagnated and I'm good with its current capabilities. It seems to not have file compatibility issues as new cameras are released, perhaps because it uses Apple's image decoding capabilities in the OS rather than doing it in the app, IIRC. This appears to be in contrast to LR which requires Adobe to add compatibility for new cameras and was a motivating reason for me to move on from LR6 standalone to the subscription version. I'm not a fan of subscriptions but at least with respect to how LR Classic has progressed over the past few years, a lot of its new features and capabilities have positively impacted/improved my image processing workflow, allowing me to produce more refined images directly from LR usually without having to spend additional time in PS or other apps.
With PM, updates appear to have been subtle refinements and I have not seen changes that significantly improve workflow (at least for my needs).
Also, I no longer see any reference to Photo Mechanic Plus on their website (the DAM version of PM) that was released in ~2020...
May 23, 2026 at 08:18 PM
p.1 #12Photomechanic License
I have the same issue, while I like Photomechanic it’s no longer essential for me and FastRawViewer is ok, not quite as good perhaps but serviceable. Once I’m forced to switch no doubt I’ll get used to the workflow differences and adapt.
May 24, 2026 at 09:24 AM
p.1 #13Photomechanic License
PM is pretty much the standard with it comes to those working in the sports photography industry. Personally I rely on it's capabilities to support my work both on and off the field. As such I regard it as a cost of doing business.
May 25, 2026 at 05:04 AM
p.1 #14Photomechanic License
Beagle64 wrote:
I have the same issue, while I like Photomechanic it’s no longer essential for me and FastRawViewer is ok, not quite as good perhaps but serviceable. Once I’m forced to switch no doubt I’ll get used to the workflow differences and adapt.
That was also my experience with FRV. It had enough 'quirks' in the workflow process to slow me down. I'll probably bite the bullet and continue to use PM.
I have the same issue, while I like Photomechanic it’s no longer essential for me and FastRawViewer is ok, not quite as good perhaps but serviceable. Once I’m forced to switch no doubt I’ll get used to the workflow differences and adapt.
That was also my experience with FRV. It had enough 'quirks' in the workflow process to slow me down. I'll probably bite the bullet and continue to use PM.
May 25, 2026 at 09:45 AM
p.1 #15Photomechanic License
rscheffler wrote:
Also, I no longer see any reference to Photo Mechanic Plus on their website (the DAM version of PM) that was released in ~2020...
PMPlus has been discontinued.
https://home.camerabits.com/photo-mechanic-plus-is-no-longer-available-for-purchase/
Also, I no longer see any reference to Photo Mechanic Plus on their website (the DAM version of PM) that was released in ~2020...
PMPlus has been discontinued.
https://home.camerabits.com/photo-mechanic-plus-is-no-longer-available-for-purchase/
May 25, 2026 at 09:55 AM
p.1 #16Photomechanic License
In my full time business of sports and photojournalism Photomechanic is a must. It's great for quickly choosing the right image, the code replacement function for captioning and the ftp setup for quickly sending files to clients is indispensable. I am stretching the perpetual license for as long as I can but will eventually, probably, have to spring for a subscription. I have managed to avoid subscriptions so far, switching to Photoshop Elements 8 for many years until I had to update do to OS X updates, and they changed the user interface (Elements is now a subcription too). I now use Affinity for the minor toning, dodging, etc, that I need to do. - Cheers, Duane
May 25, 2026 at 02:35 PM