Upgrade from standalone LR5 to standalone LR6, or LR6 CC?

[turnstyle]

Hi all,

I know it may be pointless to ask, but perhaps somebody can help nudge my indecision.

I'm using LR5 as a standalone app.

I'd like to start using LR6, but can't quite decide whether to switch to LR6 CC (via the photo bundle) or stick with standalone.

I recently purchased Pixelmator as a photo editor -- it seems mostly fine, if a tad "cartoony" to use.

I guess my main concern with switching to CC is that I don't really feel warm and fuzzy about Adobe. $10/month doesn't seem too bad, but I've had some crappy dealings with Adobe in the past, and I'm a bit reluctant to get locked in.

One other question: I'd like to be able to teach my daughter how to use it -- will I be able to actively run Photoshop and Lightroom on two computers at the same time? I know I might not "be supposed to" -- but is it possible?

Thanks!

 

[Jim Wilde]

I can't help you with your first issue....either you can get over your issues with Adobe, or you can't. It's up to you to decide.

Regarding the second issue, the FAQ for the Creative Cloud state that you can download the desktop applications to multiple computers, regardless of operating system. However, activation is limited to two machines per individual associated with the membership. I can't see anything about restricting use to one machine at a time. So yes, it's possible to have LRCC and PSCC running on two systems at the same time, provided you've logged in and activated using the registered Adobe ID. I do that all the time, i.e. I have LR on both my Mac and Windows systems often running at the same time so that I can test various things on different platforms.

 

[Packhorse-4]

I don't know if this will be enough to nudge you in the direction of the 9.99 CC bundle, but I have been very happy with the photographer bundle. While I don't use PhotoShop for every photo shoot, there are times when I really need to make a round trip for editing and it is really nice to have PS for creative ideas like Mock Magazine Covers with the Kids, or swapping a person who blinked into a group photo using another photo with the same group. Now that LR has the ability to Merge to HDR and Stitch Pano's, that will reduce some of my use for PS, but I still enjoy having the ability to really manipulate a photo with stunning results when using Photoshop.

You can load LR & PS on multiple computers using the same Adobe ID, but I believe it checks in to verify the program is only running on one computer at a time. I have used our Laptop for tethering the camera to LR during a photo shoot and it works great. The same goes for PS - it is also loaded on the laptop and can be used when needed, but I do the majority of my editing on the desktop machine.

 

[awp]

If you don't need Photoshop I'd stick to the stand alone version - cheaper that way.

 

[Jim Wilde]

You can load LR & PS on multiple computers using the same Adobe ID, but I believe it checks in to verify the program is only running on one computer at a time.

No John, I don't believe it does. See my earlier post. As I type I have both LRCC and PSCC active on both of my two systems, no issues.

 

[Linwood Ferguson]

As one more data point, while not happy about subscription models, I bought the CC Photographer bundle very early in its availability, and so far it has worked perfectly - no problem with billing, they send me a confirmation mail each month (I can't recall if I requested it or not, but I like it), I needed a credit card update once, I did it in minutes on the web and it worked, and the products have worked fine in terms of activation and running. The LR6 issue of "must truly explicitly sign out first" is the first quirk.

I'm sure there will be some bumps along the way with Adobe, but so far it has been pretty much a non-event.

 

[turnstyle]

Just curious: how do people reconcile the PS+LR CC plan for $10 when they also have a PS-only CC plan for $20?

It seems so "obviously wrong".

 

[Packhorse-4]

No John, I don't believe it does. See my earlier post. As I type I have both LRCC and PSCC active on both of my two systems, no issues.

Thanks Jim - Good to know. I haven't tried running them simultaneously on both computers so I wasn't sure. Good to know that's an option if need be.