Subscription fees for something I've already paid for...

[defaultllyk7wnyqrac]

I recently had to buy a new imac and have tried to install my copy of CS4 (from disc).  It appears this is no longer possible as Adobe no longer support - I am unclear what support was needed as I have used it for 15 years or more without issue.

It now appears the only way to use Photoshop is to buy a subscription, however, I am a very light user of Photoshop and use it once or twice a month to correct photos of my landscape paintings so I can produce limited edition prints.  It seems extremely unreasonable to be asked to pay £26 or so every month to do this, especially when my CS4 was just fine.

Are there any 'light user' options whereby you are not subject to extortionate monthly fees to use something you have already paid for?

To tide me over I have downloaded the free trial, but cannot see this as a sustainable option going forward - I am very dissapointed with Adobe!

Many thanks in advance.

[D Fosse]

Photoshop Elements should fit the bill.

"Big" Photoshop is professional software and actually very reasonably priced all things considered. Take a look at Autodesk pricing for a reality check.

You don't get a price cut on your new car just because you only use it once a month...

[defaultllyk7wnyqrac]

Thanks for your quick reply.  I originally bought CS4 for wedding photography but gave that up some time back to focus on my landscape art, so am aware of the functionality of Photoshop. 

My issue is having to now pay again for something I already have. 

I'll look at Elements but need to be able to do layers and other adjustments - the intro video for Elements makes it look very basic and just full of auto tinkering that I don't need - the work I do with my Photos is professional, I just don't do it very often. 

Out of interest, is there any way to actually speak to Adobe about this? I've been round in circles on the 'contact us' pages, but it seems the one thing they don't want you to do is contact them.  Thanks 

[Ged_Traynor]

Hi

If you just do basic editing there's some free and paid for alternatives out there

Free

https://www.gimp.org/

https://www.photopea.com/

https://www.getpaint.net/

Not free

https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/photo/

https://www.adobe.com/ie/products/photoshop-elements.html

[defaultllyk7wnyqrac]

Thanks for responding. I need to be able to make image adjustments and work in layers, so will look into the alternatives you mention. I do wish to pursue this with Adobe also out of principle, as not happy to have to pay again for something I already have, but they now say I can't use. 

[Ged_Traynor]

You can't blame Adobe for Photoshop CS4 not been able to run on the latest version of MAC OS, apple removed support for 32 bit apps, so it's Apples fault that you can't install CS4, CS4 is end of life and I'm not even sure that it can be activated any longer.

Photoshop CS4 will run on Windows 10, you can't expect to 15 years old software to be supported and run forever on modern operating systems, it just doesn't happen that way.

[davescm]

CS4 can be still be activated but will not run on the current Mac operating system. As has been stated this is down to Apple not Adobe.

Dave