SIMIBILL

I am thinking about getting lightroom.
Version 5 and 6 are for sale on Ebay on a disc for about $120.00 one time purchase.
Subscription for lightroom only is $10.00 per month.
What are your thoughts about buying it on disc that adobe stopped selling in 2019.
Are the updates and lmprovements that good to pay the subscription price forever?

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

What you get on a disc will be many versions behind. Adobe has not been napping for a dozen years! Tools and features have been added regularly. Good ones!

All support for version 6 ended a couple years ago. It might not successfully install at all.

It used to be that the disc had 6.0 on it and then you would update online to 6.14. I don't think that will work now.

The disc would only be the old Lightroom. The current $10/month ($120/year) includes several versions of Lightroom and Photoshop.

If subscriptions tee you off, buy something other than a disc on ebay.

BebuLamar

You may not be able to activate it.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

You cannot successfully (re)install LR6 any longer, even if you purchased and properly licensed the software when current. Adobe has turned off the server and software that confirms the license key. LR5 doesn't have this difficulty, but only Windows will work as Apple won't authorize the install program to run. Overall, the risk is much higher you'll completely waste your money as only all the final point updates are needed. Those won't be on the disk. They only came via the final online updates.

Orphoto Loc: Oregon

Not to mention that older versions wont support newer cameras.

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

One of the main features of LR is its ability to edit raw files. Every camera the manufacturers make seems to have a slightly different raw file format. So, if your camera is even reasonably new, you may not be able to edit its raw files, especially with the older LR5. Of course, you could use Adobe's DNG converter to convert raw to DNG first, but that certainly slows down your edits. Think of the Adobe photography plan as $5/month for LR and $5/month for Photoshop. That doesn't seem so onerous to me.

SIMIBILL

Thank you for your very clear and expert advice.
I feel you are both correct in stating that $10.00 per month for Lightroom and Photoshop is inexpensive for the two best photo editing programs in existence. And no risk and continual updates.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Any hobby comes with a cost. $10/month is one of the lowest costs. What does it cost for a round of golf? A fishing trip? A sports game?

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

I don't know about PCs, but the old LR6 will not run on the new Mac platforms.

maxlieberman Loc: 19027

They are not supported any longer. You won't be able to register them.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Just don't do it! It is a SCAM.

The Adobe activation server that was used to license that product is no longer online. So if you buy it, you're stuck with a useless piece of plastic waste.

If you are a Mac user, forget it. It won't run on any Mac model introduced after November, 2020, because it requires an Intel processor. Apple ditched Intel for their own ARM-licensed processor designs.

The subscription is worth it if you think it is.

I think it is. It's a serious professional production tool, the hub of a digital imaging workflow that includes Lightroom Classic (actual successor to Lr 6.14), the full Photoshop, and the new Lightroom (relatively new application that shares your images with multiple devices via Adobe Cloud servers), plus Bridge, a little bit of Adobe Cloud storage, and some other goodies, for $9.99/month (more, if you want more Adobe Cloud storage).

There are all sorts of technical reasons why using old computers and using old software just don't make sense. The only reason that makes any sense at all is that you don't or can't prioritize expenditures on computing. If being frugal is that important, there are other options. Dark Table is one. Mac Users are probably fine with a combination of the free Apple Photos, plus $40 for Raw Power, plus $70 for Affinity Photo.

I look at it this way. My wife spends about $225/month on Spectrum cable services (Internet, low-mid tier cable, plus two receiver rentals). Then she subscribes to Netflix, Apple TV, Britbox, and Prime, another big chunk of change. So I couldn't care less about $9.99 plus tax per month for the Adobe Photography Plan.

A decent bottle of wine costs more than ten bucks. A movie ticket for a new release costs more than ten bucks. An edible LUNCH in most places costs more than ten bucks. A music CD or a "full album digital music download" costs more than ten bucks. A vinyl LP often costs $40. A full tank of gas in my Prius costs $30 to $40. If you drive an F-150 or Suburban...

This thread will go on for 20 pages of horse hockey about how unfair a software subscription is. I have no sympathy. Software is the intellectual property of its creator company. It is LICENSED, not sold. We never "bought" or "owned" any software. Don't believe it? Read the EULA (end user license agreement). It's that fine print you have to agree to by checking a box during installation.

Adobe makes their professional grade software for professionals. Anyone and everyone who pays for it can use it, but the professional community is their target customer base.

Professionals generally use up-to-date computers and software, to make their businesses run as efficiently and creatively as possible. The subscription plan includes all the updates, upgrades, and improvements Adobe adds to it over the course of the subscription. If you use it, it just keeps getting better all the time. But you have to support it with hardware that meets the minimum requirements, and an Internet connection so it can phone home frequently to make sure you paid your bill (and for updates, and to use that Adobe Cloud Server, if you choose to use that).

As I tell my young adult kids often, "Life isn't cheap. Study hard. Work hard. Play hard, but save and invest wisely. Your future you will love you for it." They usually respond with a complaint about Boomers wrecking the planet... [sigh].

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

If you don't want the best go to On1. Also, do they specify Lightroom Classic or some other version. Is it supported? Will it install on your hardware.

FYI the current version of Lightroom Classic is 13.2. Draw you own conclusion on the feature set of a 6+ version out of date program.

markwilliam1

Exactly! A waist of money buying old versions!

montephoto

Don't you mean a "chest" of money buying old versions?

markwilliam1

Ha! I’m an idiot! Waste duhh.