Recommendations for Lightroom alternatives

[TASCPA]

Photoshop, so "Other". Lightroom is first step, but if more detailed work is needed, Photoshop and some add ins.

 

[Hoag]

Photoshop, so "Other". Lightroom is first step, but if more detailed work is needed, Photoshop and some add ins.

Nope. I don't want a subscription, so that pretty much eliminates all of the Adobe products.

 

[D_Fresh]

I am a fan of C1 Pro. I shoot a6000 on land only, primarily landscape and still life, very few portrait.

I've used LR, PS, and C1, and find C1 interface to be more user friendly and streamlined, especially when masking gradients and such. C1 has a pretty strong Organizing, Tagging, and Rating system (which I don't use as much as I should LOL). I don't shoot UW Photography, so I cannot speak to UW Color Correction on C1 Pro.

As far as quicker/faster programs, I guess that depends on which criteria, machine speed or workflow. My computer is running SSDs with a ton of ram, so all of the software runs super smooth. But workflow speed is definitely more subjective.

There are plugins available to bounce a photo to Adobe for special work, so you're not totally captive in C1.

Good luck!

 

[Hoag]

I am a fan of C1 Pro. I shoot a6000 on land only, primarily landscape and still life, very few portrait.

I've used LR, PS, and C1, and find C1 interface to be more user friendly and streamlined, especially when masking gradients and such. C1 has a pretty strong Organizing, Tagging, and Rating system (which I don't use as much as I should LOL). I don't shoot UW Photography, so I cannot speak to UW Color Correction on C1 Pro.

As far as quicker/faster programs, I guess that depends on which criteria, machine speed or workflow. My computer is running SSDs with a ton of ram, so all of the software runs super smooth. But workflow speed is definitely more subjective.

There are plugins available to bounce a photo to Adobe for special work, so you're not totally captive in C1.

Good luck!

Thanks. It is beginning to look more and more like I will likely be moving to Capture 1. In the short term, it will run on my computer and it does everything that I need. I expect that once I replace my computer with a (more) current one that it will run much faster. I also like that it will support both my A6000 and my A7iii.

There are a few "idiosyncrasies" that have me perplexed (like I haven't found a way to edit a Graduated Filter yet other than to delete the layer and draw another one), but overall, C1 is looking like it will be my best option.

I also like the cost free for the C1 Express for Sony and under $100 for the C1 Pro for Sony. This puts it at about the same price that I paid for Lightroom when version 1.0 was released to Beta testers "a million years ago" (2007ish).

 

[Attonine]

Luminar are still threatening to release an update which will include a DAM. It’s hotly anticipated but means nothing until it arrives.

As an aside, you really don’t need to spend the extra for external SSDs at this stage, your setup is not able to benefit from an external SSD, maybe when you upgrade, if you get a system with USB C (assuming the SSD enclosure has this connection). To really get the speed benefits of external SSDs you need a RAID setup, and the appropriate I/O bus. Just sayin’

 

[tarponchik]

Just FYI, LR6 is available on a disk for $149 at Amazon. I use LR5 with A6000, it works fine. You can check if LR5 is still available for download.

 

[Hoag]

Luminar are still threatening to release an update which will include a DAM. It’s hotly anticipated but means nothing until it arrives.

As an aside, you really don’t need to spend the extra for external SSDs at this stage, your setup is not able to benefit from an external SSD, maybe when you upgrade, if you get a system with USB C (assuming the SSD enclosure has this connection). To really get the speed benefits of external SSDs you need a RAID setup, and the appropriate I/O bus. Just sayin’

The SSD was primarily so that when I do upgrade, I will be able to get an iMac (or even Mac Mini if they ever update it) with a 256GB Flash Drive. The only real upgrade that I got for this computer to try to extend its life is more RAM. By this time tomorrow, my computer will go from 4GB to 12 GB of RAM.

 

[Attonine]

Look a ifixit and seriously consider replacing your internal drive with an SSD, it’s pretty easy, they even sell the kits for doing it. This will by far lead to the biggest performance boost you can give your system. It will probably extend the life of your system my several years.

Unless you are moving massive amounts of data, and by massive I mean raw 4K video files, and have the requisite I/O buses in your system, external SSD are not really necessary, you won’t see any benefit at all. I suppose they can be considered more reliable as they are not mechanical, but when they fail, they do so without waning. Unlike spinning discs SSDs do not start crunching and slowing down and behaving funky, they just die.

 

[Hoag]

Look a ifixit and seriously consider replacing your internal drive with an SSD, it’s pretty easy, they even sell the kits for doing it. This will by far lead to the biggest performance boost you can give your system. It will probably extend the life of your system my several years.

Unless you are moving massive amounts of data, and by massive I mean raw 4K video files, and have the requisite I/O buses in your system, external SSD are not really necessary, you won’t see any benefit at all. I suppose they can be considered more reliable as they are not mechanical, but when they fail, they do so without waning. Unlike spinning discs SSDs do not start crunching and slowing down and behaving funky, they just die.

I know that an external SSD will not do much (if anything) to speed up my current system, but it still does serve a purpose. I have transferred my photo library (almost 3/4 TB) to the SSD. This serves two functions. First, when I do get a new computer, it means that I will be able to get by with a 256GB Flash Drive (SSD) as the "HD" in the computer. This will be much faster than my current system. Second, it means that when I do get a new computer, by far the bulk of what was on my current computer's HD has already been moved & I know it works. (It also has the additional benefit that if I get a laptop and do any photo editing "on the road", I can download directly to my real photo library and not a temporary one.

As for upgrades to my current computer I added 8GB of RAM to it this morning (taking it from 4GB to 12GB) and that is the only upgrade that I plan to do. Any more than that and it becomes a matter of me throwing money at something that I plan to replace in less than a year.

 

[Hoag]

Just want to say thanks for all the advice that I received. I did a couple minor upgrades to my computer (as noted above) that will get me through in the short to medium term (6-12 months).

I eliminated all Photoshop and Light Room versions from consideration because I have NO interest in a subscription based editor. I tried Luminar, On1, Capture One Express and Capture One Pro (for Sony). When all was said and done, Capture One Pro for Sony met my needs the best. I found a discount code that brought the price down below $100 CAD. It is a full version of Capture One Pro, with the only limitation being that it only includes the RAW decoders for Sony cameras. My license is also valid on two computers, so if/when I get a laptop to travel with, then I can download Capture One onto the laptop and still have a legit license.

Once again, thanks for all of your advice.