dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

WHAT! OMG, I never though of it as one less six pack! I just thought of it as one less deli lunch. I can pass on a deli lunch if necessary, BUT A WHOLE SIX PACK!!!! I gotta rethink this whole thing now!! I am going to have half a months worth of Adobe beer while I dwell on the matter.

RonBoyd

al13

I used a friends Lightroom CC yesterday and and was impressed with the function and ease of use. I currently have Luminar and find it has extra steps to accomplish most of what I did yesterday. I can't find the lens adjustment in Luminar that worked well on my pictures in Lightroom. I am an amateur learning as I go and hate that I will have to pay yearly for Lightroom. My question should have read what do I lose purchasing Lightroom 6 vs Lightroom CC. And not about the updates or Photo Shop but what I wouldn't get in the current versions.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

V6 is the current version and there will probably be one last 'point release' before Adobe stops updates on this software version. What you saw on the LRCC should be the same for the stand alone version. That said, I think there are now getting to be some unique CC features, someone will likely comment on those features. Until that 1-off feature can be identified, the standalone software has 100% of what you need ... And for that 1 / few features, how often do you see needing / using it?

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

So is your problem more about how you pay for software than what it does for you? At the end of the day we all have to pay for software - or somebody does! In my personal experience the Adobe subscription model is better value and more cost effective than the perpetual license - "purchased" versions. To be honest, I've never purchased an Adobe perpetual license, I have had legitimate copies through work, but when looking at the purchase and upgrade prices, the current Adobe CC pricing model is a good deal, which is why I subscribe to it. I also use Corel PSP, but do not bother to keep it up to date. The version that I have does everything that I want from it.

I would ask all people that have an issue with Adobe CC to question whether it is really an economic issue, or simple a matter of "principle" -possibly ill informed principle - for them.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Adobe Creative Cloud apps are always up to date. You get the latest upgrades and updates, as they are released, for BOTH Lightroom AND Photoshop as a part of your $120/year subscription.

So far as I know, LR 6 is going to be a dead end at some point. The next round of operating system upgrades will probably put the nail in its coffin. Already, the CC version does the following things that LR 6 cannot do:

Use Lightroom on Mac, PC, iPhone, iPad and Android devices
Access the full power of Photoshop CC
Synchronize photos across desktop and devices
Always stay up to date with the latest photography innovations from Adobe
Edit, organize and share web galleries with Lightroom on the web
Retouch, cut out and combine images on mobile with Photoshop Fix and Photoshop Mix
Craft visual stories with direct access to your Lightroom photos from Adobe Voice, Slate and Premiere Clip
Create an elegant custom website to showcase your photography with Adobe Portfolio
Learn from a library of in-depth video tutorials
Remove or add atmospheric haze to images

At some point, Adobe ceases to update the Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) component of the current version of its software. That means buyers of camera bodies released AFTER the latest upgrade to LR/PS comes out will not be able to import their raw files directly into ACR. They'll have an extra conversion step (to DNG or TIFF).

If the subscription plan somehow bothers you, consider the following:

NO ONE buys software. We purchase or rent a non-exclusive license to use it.
NO software lasts forever! It is called SOFTware for a reason... It gets updated, or abandoned. It is code loaded into a running computer, so it can be changed at any time.
NO NEW operating system will be fully compatible with software you bought more than five years ago.
NO NEW computer will come with an operating system more than one version back.
The physical packages of Adobe photography software have been priced from $149 to $699.
Upgrades to physical packages of Adobe software have been priced from $99 to $349.
Upgrade cycles range from 12 months to four years, and 18 months seems about average.
The $120/year LR + Photoshop bundle for photographers costs $480 over four years. Meanwhile, a standalone version of LR 6 costs $143, and PS is no longer available as a standalone app. If it were, it would be priced well over $500, as it once was.

I used to think I wanted a physical manual and DVD. Now I use MS Office 365 and the LR/PS CC bundle. They are always up to date with the latest security fixes, bug fixes, and additional features.

One more note: Software is intellectual property that requires some continuity of employment by its key developers. The subscription model is a *predictable* way for software developers to continue to fund their development efforts. It ensures the stability of companies that make the software we need for our businesses and hobbies.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Yep. Not much more to be said.

al13

Thanks Burkphoto, that pretty much summed it up. Now have to decide which one to choose for how much use it will get.

MidnightManiac

Changed to Adobe CC about 3 years ago. Owned a version of Lightroom and Photoshop, which worked great (on my older computer). The photoshop was no longer supported and lightroom was limited. Got CC to give it a ride and what a difference. Like said above give up a 6 pack and BANG it's paid for. Now pay the $120.00 a year at one annual payment as I hate monthly hits. I think it's worth the investment for the latest and greatest and not having it become outdated. If you do any amount of editing this is the way to go in my opinion. If a casual user maybe a good open source or Camera software will do the job.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Lightroom 6 is the perpetually licensed version... pay about $140 once and it's yours to use forever.

Lightroom CC is the subscription version, you pay $10 a month for it (usually need to prepay a year in advance). But for that price you get both LR CC and Photoshop CC. (Unlike LR, PS is only avail. via subscription, now. There is no perpetually licensed version of PS offered.)

There isn't a great deal of difference between LR 6 and LR CC.... The latter does seem to get new features first. But eventually there's an update to LR 6, too.

wrangler5 Loc: Missouri

I was using a standalone version of LR5 and PS (bought before CC came along, or at least before there was the "photographer bundle" at $10/month - I think CC started with a much bigger and more expensive package). I subscribed to the CC version of PS when it became available for cheap because I thought I wanted some of the new features. But my LR5 continued to do whatever I needed, and supported my newest Nikon RAW files (D600) so I didn't install the CC version.

But then I bought a Panasonic Lumix MFT camera, and LR5 wouldn't handle those RAW files. I could have just installed the CC version of LR6 that I was paying for, but decided to go the other way. I upgraded my standalone LR5 to standalone LR6 for $79 (but had to do a chat with Adobe Support to find the upgrade option on the web site - it was not in any place I could find) AND upgraded my PS Elements 10 to the then-current version, 15 - also for $79.

Then I cancelled my CC subscription to PS. Elements does all of the pixel level work I've needed for the past several years, and I didn't see the value of paying for all the power of full PS. So for an outlay equal to 16 months of subscription fees I have software that will do what I need doing as long as (1) I don't add newer model cameras that aren't supported by the ongoing updates to LR6, and (2) OSX doesn't get updated to the point where this software won't run on it any more.

Number (1) is under my control, and I'm betting that (2) is more than 18 months off. So I'm fine functionally, and better off financially. As a retiree, I like that.

Haydon

With all due respect Peter its very much of a personal choice and rationalization on the expenditure. I have a friend using the same Nikon D7000 from 2010 and using Lightroom 3.6. He states I don't need anymore than that and he relishes on not spending 10 bucks a month. He bought 3.6 when it first came and the cost of any further software hasn't crossed his mind.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

I agree with you that it is a personal choice. The reason for my post was that many people seem to post objections to subscription pricing as a matter of principle. Clearly each person should make their own decisions, based upon their own needs / desires / wants, but it can be important to simply do the math, based upon your personal criteria.

In your friend's situation he is clearly OK with LR 3.6, and thus doesn't need an upgrade of any kind, at least at the moment.

In my own situation I have a legit copy of Adobe CS3. I don't really use Lightroom, but wanted to upgrade Photoshop. At the time ( a couple of years ago ) there was no PS upgrade deal (usually about $150), just a new copy for around $600. Adobe CC at $10 per month gave me both LR and PS with updates for about 6 years for the same price. That worked for me. Especially as I keep my OS up to date, so am running the latest Windows 10.

For anyone that has CS3, Adobe is offering an upgrade, but perhaps more importantly offering a new installation kit and serial number at zero cost - they have new activation servers, so it is worth looking into for those that are interested: http://landing.adobe.com/en/na/products/creative-cloud/ctir-2113-exchange-serial-number-cs3-4.html#

This is often a complex and nuanced situation. I'm merely suggesting that people stay on top of things and make the decision that is most appropriate for them. In particular, if people see a new computer, an OS upgrade, or a new camera in their future, keeping up with the times can avoid a few nasty and costly surprises.

papa Loc: Rio Dell, CA

I have LR 5.1, PS 13, and DxO Optics Pro 11 Elite on both computers, so I don't need to have wifi/internet to PP any time I please.When they go on sale around the holidays for 30%-50% off is most frugal time to buy, IMHO. DxO Optics Pro 11 Elite Edition is my go to for PP virtually all pics. You'll see the $99 sales around Thankskilling.

Haydon

That's an absolutely fair and balanced analogy Peter. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.