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LIGHTROOM 6 VS

LIGHTROOM CC

Lightroom 6 vs Lightroom CC  both

have advantages.

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Opinions are still divided – Lightroom 6 or Lightroom CC? Some people prefer buying and owning programs the “old school” way – and a few even on CD or DVD. Others like to use programs online as individual building blocks and only want to pay for the tools they really need. The Adobe Lightroom community is also discussing this issue. Since the beginning of 2019 Lightroom 6 is no longer available to purchase. Adobe Lightroom is only available as rental variant and part of the Creative Cloud. Learn more and compare all Photography plans.

This is sufficient reason to compare the two versions – Lightroom 6 vs CC:

The biggest advantage of Lightroom CC and thus the biggest disadvantage of Lightroom 6 is that all innovations are only available in Creative Cloud. Lightroom 7 will not be brought out; the sixth version from 2015 was the last software offered for sale. Here users had absolute control over costs – after paying a one-time purchase price they incurred no additional costs. Moreover, the variant was not dependent on the Internet. With the rental model, costs continually accrue and users do not always have to be connected to the Internet, though they have to have a connection at regular intervals. Lightroom CC runs on all end devices, including tablet PCs and smartphones.

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Image edited with Lightroom 6 and our limited Lightroom Preset Red Rain

In terms of differences in technology, the list will get longer with every update of Lightroom CC. Unlike Lightroom 6, the editing speed of the CC variant will continue to improve. With the additional support of a graphics memory, the processors can be relieved, speeding up processes. But the user commentary in the forums is mixed regarding the benefits of this function. While some users are extremely enthusiastic, others see this as being worse than with LR 6. However, it is presumably mainly due to the users’ computing capacity and not to the software. The better the hardware, the greater the acceleration of the processes.

But what is definitely not possible with the purchasable version is the use of the many online tools and platforms which enable users, for example. to directly publish images edited with Lightroom CC in a web gallery or to exchange them with the community. Of course LR 6 does not enable users to take advantage of many helpful video tutorials or the library. And a meaningful combination with the possibilities of Photoshop CC, like the ones coupled with the Creative Cloud Photography Plan, is of course not possible for users of Lightroom 6.

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Image edited with Lightroom 6 and free Lightroom Preset Rizzle Dizzle

In any case, before deciding whether to stick to the old LR 6 version or to switch to LR CC, photographers should consider the camera they use. If you have a very old camera, you might still be able to work with an older Lightroom version. For with every Lightroom CC update new cameras and lenses will be supported, while at the same time it is possible that older equipment cannot be used. So you should definitely get information in advance.

Anyone who works seriously with the programs will likely switch to the Creative Cloud version at some point. The price for the Photography Plan, which apart from Lightroom also offers relevant tools from Photoshop CC and Bridge CC, is quite manageable at $9.99 a month. In addition, it offers many new possibilities and you are automatically always up to date.

Date published Oct. 10, 2019

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