Why still using a classic?

[NicholasTupper]

Lightroom Version Number

8.3.1

Operating System

1. macOS 10.14 Mojave

Hi Guys,

Just been thinking about which version of LR I should continue using and wondered why you are still using the old faithful version? Is it the full control, familiarity, specific features or the risk of migrating?

Thanks,

 

[Johan Elzenga]

Probably all of that, plus the costs of storing 6TB of images online in my case. Lightroom is just no alternative for me.

 

[clee01l]

While I have a TB of online storage, I think I could probably store my whole Classic catalog there. However, there are too many features and functions missing from the Cloudy version of LR for me to make a permanent switch. Printing and Classic Keywording are big issues that are missing. I make extensive use of the Publisher components in Classic.
I use the Cloudy version for only those images that I want to have mobile access to and this includes running Lightroom (Cloudy) on my travel laptop.

 

[davidedric]

Because it does what I need, and I only edit in one location and on one desktop

 

[mcasan]

What and where you shoot may decide the choice of Lr versions for you. How do you upload a day's shoot to the cloud in remote Alaska, Kenya, much of the American Southwest, or a remote island? Even in many hotels do you have the bandwidth to upload a large number of raw images if you are shooting a Sony A7rIV with 61MP raw files or a Fuji GFX 100 with 100MP files? In the field I had rather make two copies and bring them both home.

 

[Califdan]

Why I stay with Classic? Here's a quick list

• Local storage of original photos (cost of storage)
• Publish Services
• Folders
• Smart collections
• Hierarchical keywords
• Print module
• Map Module
• Full access to metadata
• More robust search/filter capability
• Ability to use when in places with no internet
• Much better user interface (buttons, menus, panels,
• Faster
• custom view options

That's just off the top of my head. I'm sure there is more

Reasons to use LR Cloudy

• Multi platform
• Adobe takes care of backup and recovery
• Sensei search

For me, not even a glimmer of a contest between the two

At this point in time I use LR Cloudy only as an easy way to have selected images available on my mobile devices for showing to people (using sync and local storage on my phone), and as an easy way to get mobile image captures over to my Classic system. Nothing else, Editing on a small phone or tablet screen is a fools errand (IMHO) and if I'm on my desktop computer with a big high res screen then I might as well launch Classic instead of LR Cloudy Desktop. Nothing else in LR Cloudy seems easier to do, more efficient, or functions better than in LR Classic. In some cases equivalent, but so far never superior.

 

[Linwood Ferguson]

My reasons are similar to @Califdan:

Local storage
- Cost
- I don't trust Adobe to care for the master copy (not privacy but diligence)
- Speed of access not network related

Publish services

Access to the catalog (e.g. direct SQLite)

Editing features (though this is rapidly reaching parity)

Even if they fix everything else, until they take Classic away, the REQUIREMENT that I store my master copies in the cloud is a killer issue for me.

 

[Woodbutcher]

For me, mainly printing. I can't do without it. I will sync some collections to CC and will sometimes use that as a path from my laptop on the road into Classic, but those are just nice. I have other ways to do that too.

 

[Jim Wilde]

I stay with Classic as my main base, though I make extensive use if the cloud also. If I'm honest with myself, I can admit that I stay with Classic mainly because it is more familiar, thus easier for me to get things done, but I can also admit that I could make the transition to cloud-only if necessary. There's nothing on @Ferguson's list that would worry me, and only a few things on @Califdan's list that would bother me (there are some "nice to have" things there which are missing from the cloud apps and so would make life more difficult if I switched to cloud-only).

However, my attitude would likely be somewhat different if I was a deadline-chasing power-user with many terabytes of images in my library.....I don't think cloud-only is ready for those users, and may not ever be.

 

[Martin Owen]

It’s interesting and I have oft times asked myself the same question. I use Classic on my iMac and indeed recently bought a new iMac as the old one wasn’t handling the Classic well. Ok, that was one excuse! I use Lightroom mobile on my iPad Pro, and have everything synced from the iMac and associated drives to the Cloud so that everything is accessible on the iPad. I have mobile on my iPhone too, but virtually only use that for the camera in LR and for importing images from the iPhone camera into LR, and thence to the Cloud (and down to the iMac).
I do nearly all my processing work on the iPad as I find the screen and Apple Pencil easier than the 27” screen and a mouse/touch pad on the iMac.
I like the security of having my own images on my own hard drives (plus TimeMachine and BackBlaze back ups) as well as Adobe’s cloud.
I want to rename/renumber all my images and can’t do that on the mobile version. I ‘could’ print from LR on the iMac if I used Photoshop, but on the few occasions when I print, I prefer to do it from Classic.
I also scan old slides and photos from an Epson scanner and move those into my Classic catalogue. Currently I couldn’t do that with the iPad, although who knows what changes iOS13/PadOS will bring.
I suppose it all comes down to individual needs and preferences. I LIKE working on my iPad as I find it more intuitive, particularly with the Pencil.
I’m not a professional and so don’t have many of the needs a Pro would have.
Virtually all my digital life outside photography is stored in the cloud and I’m comfortable and happy with that. For some reason, I want my own storage of my images - just as I can’t throw out all the old, scanned slides. Same applies to my vinyl LPs. Despite having digital versions available on multiple devices and streamed from one or other Cloud, I still hang onto the LPs.
Funny creatures us humans, eh?

 

[Larry Fasncht]

Why I stay with Classic? Here's a quick list

• Local storage of original photos (cost of storage)
• Publish Services
• Folders
• Smart collections
• Hierarchical keywords
• Print module
• Map Module
• Full access to metadata
• More robust search/filter capability
• Ability to use when in places with no internet
• Much better user interface (buttons, menus, panels,
• Faster
• custom view options

That's just off the top of my head. I'm sure there is more

Reasons to use LR Cloudy

• Multi platform
• Adobe takes care of backup and recovery
• Sensei search

For me, not even a glimmer of a contest between the two

At this point in time I use LR Cloudy only as an easy way to have selected images available on my mobile devices for showing to people (using sync and local storage on my phone), and as an easy way to get mobile image captures over to my Classic system. Nothing else, Editing on a small phone or tablet screen is a fools errand (IMHO) and if I'm on my desktop computer with a big high res screen then I might as well launch Classic instead of LR Cloudy Desktop. Nothing else in LR Cloudy seems easier to do, more efficient, or functions better than in LR Classic. In some cases equivalent, but so far never superior.

Me too but I do like to edit on the iPad. So right now I shoot, download to MacBook Lightroom Classic, cull, make a few adjustments, rate, then here's the tricky part, sync with Lightroom CC cloud based. You see my problem is that like the other posters, I use a Windows desktop as my main computer. Since I can't sync two different catalogs on the Cloud, I have to use the funky work around. In the end I'm getting the best of both worlds, plus I'm not dumping a bunch of rejected photos onto my main computer.

I would however love it if I could sync my laptop and desktop to the SAME catalog. That would be killer! Using Lightroom Classic, of course.

 

[clee01l]

I would however love it if I could sync my laptop and desktop to the SAME catalog.

If you run Lightroom Desktop (previously called Cloudy) on your laptop and Classic on the machine with the master catalog file, everything in the cloud syncs to the one catalog on the "big machine".

 

[Larry Fasncht]

If you run Lightroom Desktop (previously called Cloudy) on your laptop and Classic on the machine with the master catalog file, everything in the cloud syncs to the one catalog on the "big machine".

You're right of course. And I do that. But I find that Lightroom Classic is better at doing what I need done on my photos than CC. So I like to use that on my laptop, but if I try to sync on both machines, well it's a bit like crossing streams in Ghost Busters! Not good. So I use Classic on the laptop, but I don't allow it to sync. I take the photos that I want to sync and open them in CC and allow that to sync. Then I export the photos from Classic to a directory on my main computer that I have Lightroom Classic on the desktop set to "Auto Import". From there I can catalog them and the sync stays up to date without messing things up.

I wish it was simpler!

 

[herb]

While I have a TB of online storage, I think I could probably store my whole Classic catalog there. However, there are too many features and functions missing from the Cloudy version of LR for me to make a permanent switch. Printing and Classic Keywording are big issues that are missing. I make extensive use of the Publisher components in Classic.
I use the Cloudy version for only those images that I want to have mobile access to and this includes running Lightroom (Cloudy) on my travel laptop.

Amen- I am an amateur, quit the gallery slog and really don't need the cloud. I have 5T backup storage, more than enough for my entire Mac.
Herb

 

[PhilBurton]

You're right of course. And I do that. But I find that Lightroom Classic is better at doing what I need done on my photos than CC. So I like to use that on my laptop, but if I try to sync on both machines, well it's a bit like crossing streams in Ghost Busters! Not good. So I use Classic on the laptop, but I don't allow it to sync. I take the photos that I want to sync and open them in CC and allow that to sync. Then I export the photos from Classic to a directory on my main computer that I have Lightroom Classic on the desktop set to "Auto Import". From there I can catalog them and the sync stays up to date without messing things up.

I wish it was simpler!

All of which points out that so far, Adobe has not done a good job of integration between Classic and cloudy/desktop/CC. Which is why I am focused for now on Classic, in particular, learning to use DEVELOP to its fullest. Maybe 3-4 years from now, my view will change.

 

[johnbeardy]

So I use Classic on the laptop, but I don't allow it to sync. I take the photos that I want to sync and open them in CC and allow that to sync. Then I export the photos from Classic to a directory on my main computer that I have Lightroom Classic on the desktop set to "Auto Import". From there I can catalog them and the sync stays up to date without messing things up.

I do various things, depending on the situation. But one workflow often uses the Dropbox-like CC disc space. So on my laptop I import raw files but not to Pictures or a conventional folder - I point Import to the Dropbox-like CC disc space. I continue to adjust them in classic Lightroom, saving the xmp metadata. In the background the files will be syncing up to the cloud, waiting until I am ready to import them into the synced classic Lightroom catalogue on my main computer.

Advantages? Keywords and other metadata sync properly, unlike with Lightroom Cloudy. Disadvantages? Flags, but on the laptop I add a red label for all picks (rejects are deleted). I don't stack much, so that's not a problem.

 

[mcgibbonrichard]

I have moved on from LR for the most part. Lightroom Classic was my tool as I worked out of sight of the web much of my time. I am an old fart that hats being forced to buy something I have no use for. So if I could have renewed my subscription to Classic and not the bundle I would have. but I have moved to other editing software. I enjoyed Classic but was not so deep into it that moving on had a big effect. I have not found many things I work with that is not able to do outside. I store my data as being out of sight of the Web for much of my work makes the cloud useless. I also use other programs that offer very secure data storage unlimited for free if I wish to move things to the cloud well back in town. I wish LR priced for what one needs not forcing things I can not use .

 

[Mrdavie]

It does not have to be an either/or choice. By utilizing sync’d collections I can take advantages of both Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic. Sync’d images reside in the cloud AND in Lightroom Classic folder system. I also take shots with my smartphone. If I use Lightroom Mobile to take the shot it’s saved in Lightroom CC. I just have to move it to a sync’d album to send a copy to Classic. I can also shoot with ProCamera camera app on my iPhone. If I set images to save in their “Lightbox” folder, it’s easy to transfer the image to Lightroom CC. Remember LR CC Album = LR Classic Collection if you’ve checked the sync symbol to the left of the collection name.

 

[OogieM]

wondered why you are still using the old faithful version? Is it the full control, familiarity, specific features or the risk of migrating?

Do not want to deal with cloud storage I don't control. Inability to keyword things easily and keep the metadata in sync, smart collections that I make significant use of, hierarchical keywords without which I would not be using LR at all. I have not used develop much at all so while Classic excels at that it's not my primary use. For me LR is primarily a catalog program with great metadata features. That will keep me on Classic forever or until I am forced to move to something else or write my own tool to edit/use my existing Lightroom database. One reason I chose Lightroom is that the SQLite Database is something that I could if I absolutely had to, extract data out of even without Adobe or other tools.