Inspiring

Question

Am I really missing out by using Lightroom 5?

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
January 31, 2022
3 replies
681 views

Camera: Canon 5d Mk 2

Workflow: 1) Import files into LR 5, rename files and apply keywords, copyright etc. (catalog in the thousands)

2) Apply wb, exposure, contrast etc, apply sharpening and fix chromatic abberation if needed.

3) Export best photos as tif, ready to use in Photoshop CS 6.

I read the updates mentioned for those on the subscription model, but I doesn't really explain how theres been any improvement to the standard stuff of the exposure, contrast and sharpening side of the software. If im doing just this stuff in LR 5, does the latest Lightroom classic on subscription really offer any benefits?

My other main concern is support for cameras and lenses. If I was to upgrade my old camera and lenses and buy newer stuff, would I get into trouble as LR 5 support finished ages ago and wouldn't recognise newer hardware profiles? thanks

Windows

This topic has been closed for replies.

Conrad_C

Community Expert

The current version is Lightroom 11, so you have to consider that there have been six major upgrades since Lightroom 5.

The Lightroom 5 Develop module is on Process Version 2012, which is almost the latest. Lightroom 8 introduced Process Version 5 (yes, they changed the numbering), which according to Adobe,

…offers improved negative dehaze and improvements to image quality for high-quality ISO raw files. You'll see less noise when you move the Dehaze slider to the left of zero (negative dehaze ), and less of a purple/magenta color cast in your low-light shots with improved shadow details.

If you think your images would benefit from that, you would want to upgrade. Lightroom 5 doesn’t have Dehaze, so that’s a reason Adobe upgraded the Process Version: To make possible a range of new capabilities that you can’t do in Lightroom 5.

One other reason to consider upgrading is that there is an entire set of improvements that aren’t in the user interface: Compatibility and performance. If you think that you might be buying the latest Windows 11 PC or Apple Silicon Mac any time soon, Lightroom 11 is significantly more optimized to take advantage of the multi-CPU, powerful GPU, lots of RAM computers that are available now.

@Hmmokthen wrote:
My other main concern is support for cameras and lenses. If I was to upgrade my old camera and lenses and buy newer stuff, would I get into trouble as LR 5 support finished ages ago and wouldn't recognise newer hardware profiles? thanks

The way that’s handled is that if you buy a new camera that Lightroom 5 will never be updated to support, you can use the free Adobe DNG converter to batch-convert those newer files to DNG. Lightroom 5 can then use its DNG support to read them. The problem is the inconvenience of and additional time required for running all your future images through the conversion just to get Lightroom 5 to read them.

Most of the problems with Lightroom 5 have to do with being not being compatible with the latest cameras and computers, so maybe that’s one way you could approach this: Hold on to Lightroom 5 and if you think you might want a new camera or computer (or both) soon, that would be the trigger to upgrade.

And keep in mind that if you rely on tight integration between Lightroom and Photoshop, you will probably need to upgrade Photoshop too. Fortunately, the Photography Plan subscription that includes both is around US$10/month, less than almost any other plan Adobe has (and these days, a lot less than what Netflix costs just to watch some TV).

H

HmmokthenAuthor

Inspiring

thx. Yeah if I upgrade Lightroom, I may as well upgrade PS too.

Rob_Cullen

Community Expert

Be absolutely sure you subscribe to the "Photography Plan" which is the only plan that includes Lightroom-CLASSIC (the 'latest' version update for your 'perpetual' v5) and Photoshop.

$9.99 PHOTOGRAPHY PLAN (USA)

Regards. My System: Windows-11, Lightroom-Classic 15.1.1, Photoshop 27.3.1, ACR 18.1.1, Lightroom 9.0, Lr-iOS 10.4.0, Bridge 16.0.2 .

D

DS256

Inspiring

I was in your same position several years ago when LR 6. I then watched a video by (I believe) Laura Shoe on the differences on LR6, to the then current Lightroom Classic, and was sold on the new abilities. I may the switch to the subscription model (which I don't like) and haven't looked back.

"I doesn't really explain how theres been any improvement to the standard stuff of the exposure, contrast and sharpening side of the software" One of the things I've learned, as you are exposed to new features, you decide to include them in your workflow. As to yours, the new Masking capabilities which automatically finds subject and sky are assume. I can select the subject, and just apply changes to it, rather than the picutre. However, one hidden feature is that you can copy and invert the mask to work on everythin g that is not the subject. I use that frequently when I want to make the subject stand out mor than the background.

There are also tools like DeHaze which you would find useful. I just discovered how well it helps bring out snow/ice festures. See attached.

I'd suggest doing a couple of backups of your LR5 catalog the try the latest LrC. A good book to help is the Lightroom Queen Lightroom Classic Quick Start Guide which is free.

H

HmmokthenAuthor

Inspiring

thanks for the suggestions. Hadn't heard of Laura Shoe before, she has a ton of videos, some of which are behind payment; I dont suppose you know what year it was from?

Re: the subscription, I think a lot of people don't like it; I prefer the stability of buying a product that I can use whenever I like and spend more money to upgrade the product if there are new features that make upgrading worthwhile.

D

DS256

Inspiring