# No more stand alone upgrade downloads/CC for LR only now?



## Doug B (Jun 25, 2014)

The question is pretty straight forward I think. When I had version 3.x I was able to download v.4 through Adobe as a digital download. Now, when I look for any such option, all I get is directed to the CC nonsense, and no stand alone version of LR. Am I missing something? Or do I have to download LR 5xx from another source like Amazon if that's the route I want to take? Have to say, if the latter is the case, that's pretty messed up, and I don't care what excuses are used for justification. If I want to download a new version every 2 years rather than one, that should be my prerogative. I shouldn't feel forced to spend $100 a year if I don't want to. Not to mention that it's not $100 on Amazon. Is this the way Adobe is forcing its users into the CC service? That really makes me dislike the move even more, and I'm surprised that Adobe isn't more transparent about such things.. or should I not be? 

I guess that what puzzles me the most is that the LR demographic isn't all professionals. I'd think it's made up of more hobbyists than pro's, if I had to guess. And so for those not making money from shooting, whose best interests are served with this CC move? Doesn't seem like the end user. But if the hobbyist IS being forced to pay each year for continued use of LR, then why not dump development for PS Elements, and just combine its features with LR? Or give users various levels of LR options which include various features? I mean at this point, for LR to have that crappy clone/heal tool, when Elements has the PS clone/heal tool, is jus†*insane to me. 

Anyway, now I'm just starting to rant. 

/rant. 

Doug


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## MarkNicholas (Jun 25, 2014)

Doug B said:


> The question is pretty straight forward I think. When I had version 3.x I was able to download v.4 through Adobe as a digital download. Now, when I look for any such option, all I get is directed to the CC nonsense, and no stand alone version of LR. Am I missing something?
> Doug



Yes ! Just download LR5.x from Adobe site as you did before !


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## RogerB (Jun 25, 2014)

Doug B said:


> The question is pretty straight forward I think. When I had version 3.x I was able to download v.4 through Adobe as a digital download. Now, when I look for any such option, all I get is directed to the CC nonsense, and no stand alone version of LR. Am I missing something?



You are missing something.

Download links can be found here, for example.

http://blogs.adobe.com/lightroomjournal/2014/06/lightroom-5-5-now-available.html


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## Jim Wilde (Jun 25, 2014)

If you're looking to buy via Adobe, without taking out a subscription, I agree the option is quite well hidden....but it is there. From the Adobe home page, click on Menu at the top, on the resulting page click on All Products at the bottom, and in the resulting page scroll down to Lightroom and you can click on the Buy button and proceed from there.


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## Doug B (Jun 25, 2014)

Thanks Jim, I appreciate the friendly push towards the right direction. It was probably a bad decision for me to look for that link being jet lagged and exhausted. I thought I clicked on that link before and got led to the same CC stuff, so .. my fault. And Mark, it's not exactly as it was before. Now, one is inundated with every possible option for the CC suite, rather than the stand alone versions of things. Not so subtle, if you ask me. Pretty blatant attempt to "persuade" people away from them IMO. 

So the question now is this:

What will support for the stand alone versions look like, since the CC versions are getting updates as soon as they're ready, and are built into the platform? Will updates be far less than their CC counterparts? Because from where I'm sitting, if Adobe is not going to give LR v4.xx new camera RAW support as seen in 5.4, then it still feels like a bit of a slimy move to me. 

Doug


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## Replytoken (Jun 25, 2014)

Doug B said:


> Thanks Jim, I appreciate the friendly push towards the right direction. It was probably a bad decision for me to look for that link being jet lagged and exhausted. I thought I clicked on that link before and got led to the same CC stuff, so .. my fault. And Mark, it's not exactly as it was before. Now, one is inundated with every possible option for the CC suite, rather than the stand alone versions of things. Not so subtle, if you ask me. Pretty blatant attempt to "persuade" people away from them IMO.
> 
> So the question now is this:
> 
> ...



While I am not a huge fan of subscription software (although I can see were it does make sense for certain users), it is important to be fair in expectations.  LR is still available as a stand alone software package, and 5.5 supports the newest cameras.  This is no different that it has been.  If you want to continue to use an older version, the most current DNG converter is always available for free.  And I suspect that users, and Adobe, are finding out that the latest and greatest updates are not always welcome.  CC used to require a replacement of the existing version, and now it is optional, and in the control of the user.  Yes, the CC versions are getting some features that the stand-alone is not, but you have a choice.  For now, I am sticking with LR 5.5.  But, for many of the larger software companies, subscription software is their way of creating a constant revenue stream.  As I said, I do not like it, but that seems to be the way things are heading for now.

Good luck,

--Ken


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## clee01l (Jun 25, 2014)

Doug B said:


> What will support for the stand alone versions look like, since the CC versions are getting updates as soon as they're ready, and are built into the platform? Will updates be far less than their CC counterparts? Because from where I'm sitting, if Adobe is not going to give LR v4.xx new camera RAW support as seen in 5.4, then it still feels like a bit of a slimy move to me.


There is no doubt that Adobe is moving away from the purchase mode toward the subscription model.  It has always be Adobe's policy to stop updating full release versions with new functionality and new camera conversions as soon as a new full release has been introduced. They have and will presumably continue to provide a free DNG converter to convert proprietary RAW formats to work with obsolete versions of LE PSE and PS. Nothing has changed here.  

When Adobe switched over to the subscription model The made a commitment to legacy PS users to continue ACR updates for the owners of CS6. (the last perpetual license) They also made a commitment to continue upgrades to LR as a perpetual license.  Presumably what will happen here is that if you own a perpetual license to LR5, you will continue to get LR5.x upgrades for free. When there is a new LR 6 version, perpetual license owners will need to pay an upgrade license fee as they have always done going from LR3.x to LR4.x to LR5.x

At some point it will be no longer cost effective to provide any support to older versions of CS and LR.  In fact they have already done this for some older versions of CS (CS2?)  You can't expect a company to continue to provide you support if you don't provide them monetary support by purchasing product upgrades


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## MarkNicholas (Jun 26, 2014)

Doug B said:


> And Mark, it's not exactly as it was before. Now, one is inundated with every possible option for the CC suite, rather than the stand alone versions of things. Not so subtle, if you ask me. Pretty blatant attempt to "persuade" people away from them IMO.
> 
> Doug



I have always found it difficult to go directly to where you want to go on Adobe's download site. It always takes a bit of hunting around. So for me it was the same as before.


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## pierce (Jun 26, 2014)

Hi,
I just downloaded LR5.5. Found it very disconcerting to be asked to make a  subscription commitment at a cost level that appeared prohibitive. As a customer I should not have to "dig deep" in order to find the option to buy without subscription! I did not bother and reverted to LR4. Adobe are making a huge error in the manner in which they are pushing long standing customers over to subscription and I suspect are going to be surprised by the resistance.


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## Replytoken (Jun 27, 2014)

pierce said:


> Hi,
> I just downloaded LR5.5. Found it very disconcerting to be asked to make a  subscription commitment at a cost level that appeared prohibitive. As a customer I should not have to "dig deep" in order to find the option to buy without subscription! I did not bother and reverted to LR4. Adobe are making a huge error in the manner in which they are pushing long standing customers over to subscription and I suspect are going to be surprised by the resistance.



Welcome to the forum.  What cost level did you see?  They are offering a combined PS/LR package for $9.99/month in the US for starters.  It is not as affordable as an outright upgraade, but less than what they initially offered.  And while they have certainly irked many of us who do not like subscription software, I suspect that in the long run they will probably come out ahead unless somebody offers a better competing product.  It is the way may software companies are heading, like it or not.  5.5 is available as an upgrade.  Do not let bad marketing/web design prevent you from upgrading unless you want to.

--Ken


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## pierce (Jun 27, 2014)

*Hi
This is what I see*






*However, I have now followed Jim Wildes advice above and ended up here*






*Hiding this option so deeply is almost in scam territory!
Adobe, you should be ashamed......
Regards
pierce*


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## Allan Olesen (Jun 27, 2014)

Replytoken said:


> They are offering a combined PS/LR package for $9.99/month in the US for starters.



...which may be cheap if you want LR + PS, but is very expensive if you only want LR.

As you see in the example below your post, the price of an upgrade is equal to 6 months' subscription. And after those 6 months, you would still have a valid, perpetual license to LR5 if you bought the upgrade. If you bought the subscription and ended it after 6 months, you would have to go back to your old LR4.


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## clee01l (Jun 27, 2014)

Allan Olesen said:


> ...which may be cheap if you want LR + PS, but is very expensive if you only want LR.


But very cheap when your interest is in Photoshop.  When last sold as a standalone perpetual license, PS (not CSx) was $900USD and ~$300USD for an upgrade.  You can buy an upgrade to LR5.5 now and pay $79USD,  Sometime in the next year (my prediction, it could be sooner), LR6 will be released with new functionality. To upgrade again would likely cost you another $79USD.  Or ~$160USD in the space of 12 months. The subscription for that same time period is $120USD. If you are planning to continue using LR for the foreseeable future, then the Photographers Bundle makes the most sense. 

FWIW, I just tried Jim Wilde's suggestion to get to the LR upgrade page. Everything that I do leads me to this page: https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-lightroom.html  which in turn gets be to a Creative cloud subscription page and never a LR perpetual license upgrade page.  I even signed out of my Adobe account so that I would not appear as an Adobe subscriber and still get to the same LR page.


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## DaveS (Jun 27, 2014)

Cletus,

  Right at the bottom of the page (following your link), is an "Upgrade to Lightroom 5 >" link.   Following it, and the (clicking the edit button), you can pick upgrade, and enter your previous version, and i end up with that $79 number.   but it's sure not obvious.


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## Jim Wilde (Jun 27, 2014)

If I click on that link, I get redirected to adobe.com/uk and get this page:






So I click on Menu at the top, and I get this page:






I click on All Products at the bottom and I get this page, where I can buy a perpetual licence:






So I'm assuming from what you say that you don't see that Menu option at the top of your page?


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## DaveS (Jun 27, 2014)

Fascinating, I love how you can end up in such different places depending on where you are...

ok... on that first image you posted, 







I can scroll way down and see what is in the second image... Right near the bottom, it has that "Upgrade to Lightroom 5 >" link.  Yah, it's actually a link.








Upon clicking that, then I end up at the third image, (after clicking edit, and selecting upgrade and lightroom 4.x as my previous version)








But, you do have to go looking for it, they don't make it at all obvious.  

Dave.

Edit:  Looking again, if I do click that link at the top (the menu one) I can end up with the screens you see.   I'm just used to looking down near the fine print to find the actual purchase links.


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## clee01l (Jun 27, 2014)

OK, Jim I'm just not very good at following written directions  The Menu button is available at www.adobe.com and all other top level pages whether you are signed in or not. The important part is the "Click on the All Products *button* at the bottom" *of the menu.*


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## DaveS (Jun 27, 2014)

Don't feel bad Cletus, it's not just you, they definitely go out of their way to "direct" you to the subscription.


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## Replytoken (Jun 28, 2014)

DaveS said:


> Don't feel bad Cletus, it's not just you, they definitely go out of their way to "direct" you to the subscription.



And this is why I like to buy my upgrades from B&H.  Very easy to locate and purchase if you live in the US.

--Ken


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