The Can Man wrote:
I have been shooting in jpeg format and wanting to switch over to raw. Question is what editting program do I use if I don't want to pay a fee every month to use plus the initial cost. I find this quite annoying. We pay for a program then have to make a monthly payment just to use something already paid for so that we can get updates once every few months. The amount we have to pay for a program the updates should be free. Now that I am done bitching what's the best program for a Canon shooter that uses a Imac computer and Pixma pro 100 for my printing.
I have been shooting in jpeg format and wanting to... (
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"Purchasing" software is not what you think it is. You only buy a license to use it. Trust me, you don't what to "purchase" software - you wouldn't be able to afford it unless you are part of the 1%.
The $10 subscription fee is nothing more than a way to spread out the cost of software over time for the end user, and a way to even out a company's cash flow for more consistent resource planning. Under the current $10 for Photoshop and Lightroom, you are paying about $180 every 18 months. Under the previous model, Photoshop CS5 cost $999 to "buy" and after 18 months you got the opportunity to use your investment to "buy" an upgrade, which typically was 1/3 of the cost of a new license. And if you wanted Lightroom, it cost you $200, and I don't recall what the upgrade cost.
So, as you can see, PS/LR CC is a bargain compared to what it cost before.
You can always "buy" DXO PhotoLab, Capture One, or On1 PhotoRaw - but you will pay outright for the initial license, and an annual "upgrade" fee - you will still pay for software on a regular basis if you want to keep it current. You'll find that you will change your computer, operating system, camera(s), add lenses, etc - over time, and you will also find that old software, especially orphaned old software, will not support your newer gear.
A subscription model is all upside - for you and the publishers. And the cost is a fraction of what it would have cost had you "purchased" a license.
If you don't like the $10/mo, then pay $120 every 12 months, or $180 every 18 months, if it makes you feel better.
Two things are certain - you get what you pay for, but more importantly, you don't get what you don't pay for.
If you want to pay nothing and get halfway decent software, use the software that came with your camera. It's only a raw converter, and as such it is not suitable for complete editing for finished images, but it will help you get your feet wet.