• Global community
    • Language:
      • Deutsch
      • English
      • Español
      • Français
      • Português
  • 日本語コミュニティ
    Dedicated community for Japanese speakers
  • 한국 커뮤니티
    Dedicated community for Korean speakers
Exit
0

Still Possible to Purchase Standalone Copy?

Explorer ,
Mar 21, 2020 Mar 21, 2020

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

I admit I'm a dinosaur.  I've been happily using Lightroom 4.4.1 (started with vs. 2!) under Windows 7 for years.  Now I have a new computer with Windows 10 Pro, and I want a copy of Lightroom for it.  I love the program, but I'm not going to rent it nor store my pictures in the cloud.  I thought Lightroom 6 was going to be offered standalone, but I'm not finding it anymore.

 

Is there still a way to obtain a copy of Lightroom 6 (or any later version) as standalone softwere.  Otherwise I fear we may have to part ways permanently. -- JCW2

TOPICS
Windows

Views

727

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Mar 21, 2020 Mar 21, 2020

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Lightroom 6 is no longer available for sale from Adobe (though you might find some old copies still for sale at retailers, but only if you're very lucky). It was offered as a perpetual license product for several years, but is no longer. The latest version, Lightroom Classic currently at version 9.2, is only available via subscription (though there's no requirement to store your images in the cloud, Classic maintains all originals locally just like LR4), so if subscription is not for you then either carry on running LR 4.4.1 on your new system, or look for an alternative product.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Explorer ,
Mar 21, 2020 Mar 21, 2020

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Jim -- "Like" is not really the correct term, but thanks for telling the hard truth.  I read elsewhere on this forum that LR6 stopped working for at least one poster and demanded a subscription.  If so, finding an old copy would not appear to be a viable approach.  Is this correct? -- JCW2

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Mar 21, 2020 Mar 21, 2020

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

The problem with obsolete software is that there's never a guarantee that it will continue to work as operating systems are updated. If fact, it's almost certain that eventually something will stop working (for example, the Map module no longer works on LR6 or earlier). All I can say at the moment is that 4.4.1 still runs on my Win10 system, though as I never use it in any meaningful way I have no idea if there are functions that no longer work correctly. The same applies for LR6, but how long they will continue to run as the OS is regularly updated is anyone's guess. One of the benefits of the subscription model is the certainty that it will continue to be updated to run on the latest OS versions.

 

There are many users still running LR6 quite happily, so if you were able to find a copy you'd probably be OK for now, though I couldn't say for how long.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Explorer ,
Mar 22, 2020 Mar 22, 2020

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

>>The problem with obsolete software is that there's never a guarantee that it will continue to work as operating systems are updated...  All I can say at the moment is that 4.4.1 still runs on my Win10 system...  There are many users still running LR6 quite happily, so if you were able to find a copy you'd probably be OK for now...<<

 

Jim -- Thanks again for more useful input.  I can't find LR6 for purchase anywhere, even Ebay!  I also can't find the install disk for LR4, only for LR2, so perhaps I did an upgrade online long ago -- records are scarce from back then -- but neither can I find an old Adobe account to try to check that, even assuming that Adobe would honor my old upgrade, so...

 

I'm coming around to what seems to be everyone's recommendation to try the current LR Classic $9.99/mo subscription.  There appears to be little in the way of pre-purchase detail available from Adobe, but here are some questions that perhaps you can answer before I take the plunge:

 

1) There's a free trial available, which I suppose offers the full capabilities of Classic on PC for a limited time before I pay or it goes "belly up."  Would I simply Windows-copy my existing library of photos, thumbnails, and catalog from LR4.1's Libraries\Pictures\Lightroom folder on the old machine to wherever Classic wants them on the new machine and then somehow import the old catalog into Classic?

 

2) I've done some research suggesting that, if I drop my potential subscription after the first, compulsary(?) year, LR Classic falls back to a "limited" mode in which all "critical" functions [library, print, import(?!), export, "quick" develop, etc(?)] continue to function but the newer and trickier functions cease to operate.  Is any of this still true?

 

3) Assuming that the critical import function continues to work in "limited" mode, it appears this might be similar to what I have now in LR4.4.1.  If so, I could probably survive if I got tired of shelling out monthly rental.  Do you know, or is there any way to confirm this?

 

As you can see, I still love Lightroom, especially for its capability to catalog and point to "offline" photos on an ejected DVD or disconnected HD, for example.  I doubt, however, that I'll be willing to pay "rent" indefinitely -- I'm not, after all, a professional photographer -- so any guidance on these points would be most appreciated.  Best Regards -- JCW2

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Mar 22, 2020 Mar 22, 2020

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

LATEST

I see that you've posted the same to Victoria's Lightroom Forums, where Hal and Paul have already responded. There's nothing much I can add to that, but if you have more questions I suggest you stick with the thread in Lightroom Forums. I'm a member over there also, so I'll see anything you post there and I'll be able to comment as appropriate.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Explorer ,
Mar 21, 2020 Mar 21, 2020

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Jim -- Also, if I decide to install Lightroom 4 on the new machine (I have the install disk somewhere, for version 4.0 I think), will Adobe let me activate it?  Will they let me update it to the latest release (4.4.1)? -- JCW2

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Mar 21, 2020 Mar 21, 2020

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

There is no activation with LR4, so provided you have the serial number you should be OK to install it. Updating to 4.4.1 might be more of a problem, however, as all the download links for older versions have been taken down. For those re-installing LR6 (e.g. after a system crash), Adobe will still make the latest update (6.14) available on request via the Adobe Customer Care team.....they may also be receptive to a request for a link to the 4.4.1 update, but you'd have to ask them directly.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines