What are the advantages LR Classic or LR offer over PS Elements.

[Home4RJB]

I am trying to find out what advantages LR Classic or LR offer over PS Elements.  I have used Elements organizer and editor, plus upgrades since 1995. What benefits do I get by adding LR over Elements Organizer?

[MichelBParis]

The official (short...) answer:

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

I suppose you are mainly asking for LR Classic.

Really the question depends on what is needed for one's own situation, there is a lot of overlapping of features. Advanced amateurs and pros will find significant advantage in:

- ability to organize and edit rapidly huge quantities of files

- Maximum flexibility and customization through presets preferences

- advantages (and drawbacks...) of the subscription model with frequent updates

- advantages of the Creative Cloud to use the full Photoshop and the 'LR ecosystem' related to the Cloud.

I won't state the drawbacks, since you don't ask!

[Home4RJB]

Thank you for that. Yes, I was thinking mainly of LR Classicsince I do all my editing on my desktop. Regarding the drawbacks I was tryingto keep my question short.

As a brief bio, I’m an enthusiastic amateur, have owned acamera for 62 years, (lots of pix) started with PS but switched to Elementswhich seemed to cover most of my needs, both editing and organizing. I am notinto Auto edits preferring the control of Full edit feature. I occasionally willuse the Auto in Guided edit for a comparison.

I initially liked the idea of cloud storage until my very disappointingexperience with Adobe’s first offering, which I spend considerable timeuploading pix only to have it eliminated later with no help offered to transferto their new pay for system.  All myfiles are currently stored and backed up on separate hard drives. Hence myreluctance to LR.

That said I would be interested in knowing the drawbackstoo.
I will try to keep any future questions short and concise.
rjb

[MichelBParis]

hi rjb,

The drawbacks are the price to pay for a highly customizable parametric editor.

- It's not a pixel editor like Photoshop or Elements, so you'll always feel the need for either Photoshop or Elements for the detailed pixel, layer and compositing edits.

- And LRC being a subscription model, it comes with Photoshop. Keeping Elements is a valid choice and since you are experienced with older Photoshop version, it may be ok for you... if you agree to the principle and cost of a subscription.

- Since LR offers parametric editing, over the years, lots of users have urged for support of the missing detailed edits in Photoshop. The result is that the added features require much more power to show you or export 'rendered' mages, so:

- LR Classic is considered 'slow' for certain tasks

- LRC requires a powerful hardware

Minor points:

- You can convert Organizer catalogs to the LR ones, not the other way round

- It seems there is often a delay for LRC to recognized the new PSE versions as external editors.

- Elements has more features targetted at new users, guided or quick modes, automatic tagging.

[Home4RJB]

Thanks Michel, I think I'll stick with PS Elelements for now.

rjb