Adobe splits Lightroom photo workflow software into cloud-based & 'Classic' versions

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in Mac Software
Adobe on Wednesday revealed major changes to Lightroom CC, its professional workflow tool for photographers, spinning it off into separate cloud-based and "Classic" versions.




The cloud-oriented software is adopting the Lightroom CC name, as well as earlier features, but saves all of its content in up to 1 terabyte of online storage. It can be accessed via Mac, iOS, or the Web, and syncs edits across devices. Adobe's Sensei machine learning detects people and objects in order to simplify keyword searches.

The software also includes support for Adobe Portfolio sites, creating Web galleries, and sharing to social networks.

Other changes include a streamlined interface with improved presets and adjustments, and enhancements to the companion iPhone and iPad apps that support HEIF images, the iOS 11 Files app, drag-and-drop on the iPad, and pausing sync in case bandwidth or data caps pose a problem.

Lightroom Classic CC will continue to focus on the desktop environment, and is gaining some upgrades of its own including a better Embedded Preview workflow, and new editing functions, among them a Color Range and Luminance Masking feature.

Lightroom CC will cost $19.99 per month as part of a subscription including Photoshop CC and a terabyte of storage. People subscribed to Adobe's existing Photography package will be able to pay $14.99, but only for the first year.

Customers who don't need Photoshop can get a cheaper version of the bundle for $9.99. A mobile-only plan is $4.99, but also limited to 100 gigabytes of storage.

Lightroom Classic is available as part of the Creative Cloud Photography plan, which costs $9.99 per month.
«1

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 32
    reciprocityreciprocity Posts: 19member
    At first glance, this seems like a very confusing decision. Without learning more, I can't figure out what benefit there would be to having a standalone piece of software that syncs, instead of folding new mobile sync features into the existing version. Renaming the existing Lightroom as "classic" seems like an odd naming choice, too, because it makes it sound like it's the "old" way of doing things. The "new" Lightroom sounds more like a Lightroom "Elements" sort of program geared toward consumers. It doesn't seem like photographers with huge libraries would want to pay to have all their data stored on Adobe's servers.
    danielchowAvieshek
  • Reply 2 of 32
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    reciprocity said:
    At first glance, this seems like a very confusing decision. Without learning more, I can't figure out what benefit there would be to having a standalone piece of software that syncs, instead of folding new mobile sync features into the existing version. Renaming the existing Lightroom as "classic" seems like an odd naming choice, too, because it makes it sound like it's the "old" way of doing things. The "new" Lightroom sounds more like a Lightroom "Elements" sort of program geared toward consumers. It doesn't seem like photographers with huge libraries would want to pay to have all their data stored on Adobe's servers.
    Well, you’re right: calling it “Classic” is designed to make potential customers think it is out of date because Adobe wants them on the subscription. 
    Avieshek
  • Reply 3 of 32
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    If you have an existing Photography package, you don't have to pay more for Lightroom CC unless you want the 1TB of storage. If you don't pay more, you get 20GB of storage. 
  • Reply 4 of 32
    volcanvolcan Posts: 1,799member
    It doesn't seem like photographers with huge libraries would want to pay to have all their data stored on Adobe's servers.
    For $9.99 a month you get 1TB of storage for Lightroom CC. Most professionals are already paying $19 per month for 20GB so I suppose that would be combined. That is a lot of storage and you can buy another 100GB for $20 a month if needed. Having all your Lightroom photos in the cloud is pretty handy especially since you can access it from any web browser, say at you client's office or home.
    polymnia
  • Reply 5 of 32
    wveeserwveeser Posts: 1member
    What does this mean for the non cloud based version of Lightroom?
    Is that stand alone version still being supported?
    capserghst42
  • Reply 6 of 32
    capserghst42capserghst42 Posts: 18member
    wveeser said:
    What does this mean for the non cloud based version of Lightroom?
    Is that stand alone version still being supported?
    Looks like the will be only cloud / subscription based software from Adobe from now on. Looks like I'll have to live with my LR8 until someone else comes up with a similar tool.
  • Reply 7 of 32
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    wveeser said:
    What does this mean for the non cloud based version of Lightroom?
    Is that stand alone version still being supported?
    Nothing has changed. Adobe still updates Lightroom 6, but unfortunately, only the paid subscription plans get feature updates. 
  • Reply 8 of 32
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Hate their entire push toward cloud-based storage and rentware. Wish Apple would buy up a couple of credible competitors to both Photoshop and Illustrator and show them how its done.
    buzdotsGG1
  • Reply 9 of 32
    magman1979magman1979 Posts: 1,288member
    So once again Adobe has proven to be lying sacks of shit...

    They SWORE that Lightroom would always be available in a non-cloud version, not tied to Creative Cloud, and here we are, Lightroom coming in a CC and "Classic" variant, except the Classic is still tied to the Cloud now!

    This is the nail in the coffin for me, I'm not going to give Adobe money to "rent" software for my photo library. Now is the time for me to dump their garbage and their deceit.
    buzdotsracerhomieAvieshekSpamSandwich
  • Reply 10 of 32
    rockawrockaw Posts: 21member
    Inexplicably, edits made to photos in "classic" do not show up in the new Lr CC. 

    FAIL.
  • Reply 11 of 32
    volcanvolcan Posts: 1,799member
    Hate their entire push toward cloud-based storage and rentware. Wish Apple would buy up a couple of credible competitors to both Photoshop and Illustrator and show them how its done.
    Apple is not going to do anything of the sort. Besides their record with pro software is not so good as of late. Plus you really need cross platform compatibility to be successful with the pro community and I seriously doubt that Apple would want to be in the Windows software market.

    I think you just dislike the concept of cloud and subscription models because I doubt you have even tried it. Adobe CC is for PROFESSIONALS ONLY who apparently feel like it is a good value based on the success of the platform. I like it and make a decent living with it. I use it everyday all day long, and they update it all the time, which the naysayers suspected they wouldn't. It is a lot better than before where they only updated it every 18 months and some of the apps in the suite were barely updated at all. Now they update each app as needed, not waiting for the whole suite like before. They definitely give you your money's worth.
    edited October 2017 polymnia
  • Reply 12 of 32
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,669member
    volcan said:
    Hate their entire push toward cloud-based storage and rentware. Wish Apple would buy up a couple of credible competitors to both Photoshop and Illustrator and show them how its done.
    I think you just dislike the concept of cloud and subscription models because I doubt you have even tried it. Adobe CC is for PROFESSIONALS ONLY who apparently feel like it is a good value based on the success of the platform. I like it and make a decent living with it. I use it everyday all day long, and they update it all the time, which the naysayers suspected they wouldn't. It is a lot better than before where they only updated it every 18 months and some of the apps in the suite were barely updated at all. Now they update each app as needed, not waiting for the whole suite like before. They definitely give you your moneys worth.
    If the Adobe CC tools are for pros only, what tools do they offer for non-pros? Those who have only an occasional use case and will certainly not be making money with it.. 
    racerhomie
  • Reply 13 of 32
    volcanvolcan Posts: 1,799member
    StrangeDays said:

    If the Adobe CC tools are for pros only, what tools do they offer for non-pros? Those who have only an occasional use case and will certainly not be making money with it.. 

    Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements plus a few iOS apps. The Elements apps are inexpensive, very full featured and not subscription based.
    edited October 2017
  • Reply 14 of 32
    nacnudnacnud Posts: 20member
    volcan said:
    StrangeDays said:

    If the Adobe CC tools are for pros only, what tools do they offer for non-pros? Those who have only an occasional use case and will certainly not be making money with it.. 

    Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements plus a few iOS apps. The Elements apps are inexpensive, very full featured and not subscription based.
    Can you use elements for focus and exposure stacking?
  • Reply 15 of 32
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,665member
    SpamSandwich said:
    Hate their entire push toward cloud-based storage and rentware. Wish Apple would buy up a couple of credible competitors to both Photoshop and Illustrator and show them how its done.
    Agreed.  I have an idea along those lines, how about they call the products Mac Paint and Mac Draw?  ;)  Boy did Adobe get handed gift in 1984 or what?
    SpamSandwich
  • Reply 16 of 32
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,665member

    nacnud said:
    volcan said:
    StrangeDays said:

    If the Adobe CC tools are for pros only, what tools do they offer for non-pros? Those who have only an occasional use case and will certainly not be making money with it.. 

    Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements plus a few iOS apps. The Elements apps are inexpensive, very full featured and not subscription based.
    Can you use elements for focus and exposure stacking?
    Affinity seems to have phenomenally great products, I believe they are far superior than watered down Adobe products. Sadly I have used Adobe products since their inception, heck I was the hands on presenter to the press in London when they first came out.  So I am too old to switch now.  I wish I could.
    edited October 2017 racerhomieSpamSandwich
  • Reply 17 of 32
    sennensennen Posts: 1,472member
    I'm happy with the subscription model, however not interested in the new cloud version of Lightroom at all. In a year or two I'm sure that will be the only version that is updated.
  • Reply 18 of 32
    midwestapplefanmidwestapplefan Posts: 116member
    I use Capture One Pro which is used by many of the top pros including Annie Leibovitz.  The software is in many ways superior to what Adobe does and is what you'd expect from a company that also manufactures some of the best medium format cameras in the world.  It works for both Mac and PC and when you buy it you can use it on up to three computers.  Capture One Pro has great asset management.  I'm just a middle of the road semi-professional and already have over 5TB of photos so those cloud solutions simply suck for so many reasons.  In the long run it is much less expensive than renting an Adobe product too.  For photo editing I'll take my photos out to Affinity Pro or Pixelmator on my Mac, or out to Corel Photo Paint on a PC.  Stop feeding the Adobe beast and get more for less.
    racerhomie
  • Reply 19 of 32
    polymniapolymnia Posts: 1,080member
    So once again Adobe has proven to be lying sacks of shit...

    They SWORE that Lightroom would always be available in a non-cloud version, not tied to Creative Cloud, and here we are, Lightroom coming in a CC and "Classic" variant, except the Classic is still tied to the Cloud now!

    This is the nail in the coffin for me, I'm not going to give Adobe money to "rent" software for my photo library. Now is the time for me to dump their garbage and their deceit.
    They never promised you LR7 as a perpetual license. They only promised LR6 would be offered both ways. 

    I’m sort of sympathetic with your disliking the cloud model (though I like the model myself), but the writing has been on the wall for quite some time. Adobe is following through on the strategy they telegraphed openly upon embarking down the CC path. 
    edited October 2017
  • Reply 20 of 32
    polymniapolymnia Posts: 1,080member
    midwestapplefan said:
    I use Capture One Pro which is used by many of the top pros including Annie Leibovitz.  The software is in many ways superior to what Adobe does and is what you'd expect from a company that also manufactures some of the best medium format cameras in the world.  It works for both Mac and PC and when you buy it you can use it on up to three computers.  Capture One Pro has great asset management.  I'm just a middle of the road semi-professional and already have over 5TB of photos so those cloud solutions simply suck for so many reasons.  In the long run it is much less expensive than renting an Adobe product too.  For photo editing I'll take my photos out to Affinity Pro or Pixelmator on my Mac, or out to Corel Photo Paint on a PC.  Stop feeding the Adobe beast and get more for less.
    Last I checked, the latest version of Capture One Pro was subscription. Am I wrong on that?
Sign In or Register to comment.