What is the difference between Lightroom and Lightroom Classic?

Forum|Forum|5 years ago
December 20, 2020
6 replies
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I have installed Lightroom and wonder if Classic have the same options for editing photos? It seems to be easier to transfer photos from the camera in Classic with the "library" and I am thinking of installing Classic, should I have both. /Elisabeth

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Correct answer Conrad_C

If you choose Lightroom Classic, it’s based on local storage, so you must store your originals on your computer or on storage attached to your computer; your only storage limit is how much drive space you can afford to buy and back up. You have the option to sync limited resolution versions (Smart Previews) of your originals to the Lightroom Photos server in the cloud, so that you can use and edit those images in the Lightroom app for mobile devices.

If you choose Lightroom, it’s based on cloud storage, so you must store your originals using the Lightroom Photos server in the cloud. If you run out of space on your subscription plan, you can get more by paying a higher subscription fee. Lightroom doesn’t have as many features as Classic, and can’t print. But if it’s important for you to be able to see and edit any photo you have at any time on any device, you always have a great Internet connection, and you rarely print, Lightroom (cloud) might be a better choice.

Conrad_C

Correct answer

Community Expert

If you choose Lightroom Classic, it’s based on local storage, so you must store your originals on your computer or on storage attached to your computer; your only storage limit is how much drive space you can afford to buy and back up. You have the option to sync limited resolution versions (Smart Previews) of your originals to the Lightroom Photos server in the cloud, so that you can use and edit those images in the Lightroom app for mobile devices.

If you choose Lightroom, it’s based on cloud storage, so you must store your originals using the Lightroom Photos server in the cloud. If you run out of space on your subscription plan, you can get more by paying a higher subscription fee. Lightroom doesn’t have as many features as Classic, and can’t print. But if it’s important for you to be able to see and edit any photo you have at any time on any device, you always have a great Internet connection, and you rarely print, Lightroom (cloud) might be a better choice.

josephlavine

Community Expert

The simplest answer is that Lightroom Classic is the full-featured desktop-based version, and Lightroom is a reduced feature cloud-based application.

https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-lightroom-classic/lightroom-cc-vs-lightroom-classic.html

warmly/j

kentdesign

Community Expert

Personally I prefer Classic and do keep my photo files on external drives...not in the cloud. And most important, I keep at lesast 2 copies of these external drives with all my photos, one that I work with regularly, One back up of the one I work with, and one that I back up and then take to another location (bank safe deposit) and alternate that one with the other back up. SOunds redundant howeever if ever there is a drive failure I have one back iup on hand and one somewhere else!

kentdesign

Community Expert

THe most important thing to decide as the Lightroom Queen put it:

"

For a simple life, pick one or the other. If you’re happy to play referee in the case of conflicts, you can sync Lightroom Classic with the cloud, but you’ll need to decide which one you consider your primary archive (folders or cloud) and which you’d be willing to wipe and start over in the event of an unfixable conflict."