Lightroom vs Lightroom Classic: Which Should You Use?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 เม.ย. 2024
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In this tutorial, I compare Lightroom Classic to Lightroom or what is often called the Cloud Version of Lightroom.
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I just received a nasty email from someone who told me that my video is a "hatch job."... I think they meant "hack job," but I digress. They told me that I blatantly lied about the cloud version of Lightroom. Why would I lie? What is in it for me to make you use Lightroom Classic over Lightroom? I did the video to help those decide which version of Lightroom is best for them - not to sell you one version over another. I have no vested interest in which version of Lightroom you choose to use, and I don't look down on anyone who might use one over the other. The entire point is to use the version that's best for you. I was wrong about one thing as was pointed out in the comments - The Calibration Tab is available - you have to turn it on by clicking on the three dots on the right side panel. I'm sorry about that. I used this article as my main guide when speaking of the differences: photographylife.com/lightroom-classic-vs-lightroom-cc
That is just crazy! To honestly compare and describe differences between products is one of the best ways for users to get advice.
Some emails are simply meant to be ignored.
To the contrary I thought that this was a helpful video. I use both LR programs as I choose but moving to the non classic LR more. Question: isn't there a way to make an album in the cloud version which will appear as a collection in the classic version? This way I can print from that collection? Thx
MatK has shifted his whole workflow over to LR and no longer using LR Classic. Now if one of the training leaders in this field has changed over, it is worth exploring why and how you would change.
@@gosman949 He is still using LR Classic - read his blog and the post "I Screwed Up Yesterday"
This is a great video and is exactly what I was looking for as I ponder the transition from Classic to Lightroom. THANK YOU for making it! It has been extremely helpful! Please ignore the moron that emailed you.
Color calibration is in Lightroom. It’s just turned off by default. You can enable it by going to the three dots in the panel menu.
Thank you for that info!
I found the video helpful, but as a longtime user of Classic, I think seeing this video helps my decision to stay with what I know best, which is Classic. However, I can see why some would find the cloud more suitable for their needs. As always, well done and I find myself learning so much from your videos. Thank you.
Thanks again Anthony. I chuckled over your closing comment about it being one of your worst videos. You covered a ton of stuff. I am amazed at your knowledge and talent regarding the multitude of products you cover.
Thanks, this comparison was very helpful!
Based on TH-cam tutorials by you, and other Photographers I follow on TH-cam, I have switched from Lightroom Classic to Lightroom (desktop) CC. I like not having to worry about backing up the Catalog. And I love how I can start Lightroom on the Desktop and then seamlessly switch to the iPad Lightroom. When I want to post photos to FaceBook, it is so easy to do that from my iPad Lightroom. Awesome. Thanks for encouraging me to switch to Lightroom everywhere!
I respect your decision, but how do you go about using Lightroom when you have 30000 image catalogue? Wouldn't the cost to keep them in the cloud be exorbitant? Just being curious. It is a major hitch keeping me from even considering LR. Been using LRC for many years and keep my catalogues locally. I keep 4 backups of the data. One backup is in the family's safety deposit box in our bank.
@@dsimon9s29 Lightroom no longer requires keeping your photos in the cloud. This has been made possible with the new Local feature. For many people it only makes sense to keep a subset of your work in the cloud so that it be accessed and edited anywhere or on any platform.
Hi Anthony, you are my first choice youtube channel for catching up and getting tips with LR Topaz etc. keep up the great work and your passion (from down under here in Canberra)
I found this very clear and really helpful. The names of all these systems have created huge confusion and your video helped - good to have different images on each system to help keep it clear as you distinguish them.
This was a great video and comparison. As someone who has never used any Lightroom before, going to the cloud version I feel like I’m not missing out on anything.
informative video
Thanks for posting. Did you mention the blur function in LRC vs LR?
Thanks Anthony - great comparison and as you say it's up to the individual to pick what works for them best. I've just made the decision to move over to the cloud version as I find having my photos available on multiple devices in any location and backed up works for me. Never use any of the other modules in Classic - I actually hid them.
One of the reasons I installed Lightroom is to provide an additional backup of my image files represented in the catalog of Lightroom Classic. By creating Collections that cover all my images and then syncing Lightroom Classic with Lightroom this creates Albums in Lightroom representing my collections in Lightroom Classic and automatically puts them in the "cloud". This additional backup protection is well worth it for me. The other reason is that I often do volunteer photo shoots that do not justify moving into the catalog of Lightroom Classic and then removing them from the catalog. The Local option in Lightroom is great for me to address these limited shoots.
This is an update to my comment. Starting syncing in Lightroom Classic when Lightroom is installed does allow access to and processing of the files when in Lightroom but does not automatically sync them to the cloud. To do that the Albums (Folders fromLightroom Classic) must have the files added to them going through the process in Lightroom. My apologies if I misled anyone on this.
Thanks Anthony, been on Classic since 2007, not changing. The Print Module and Plugins support are the main emphasis for my decision. There are a lot of Photographers who are probably fine with the Cloud/local version. I am not intimidated by the SQLite database and am 100% able to sync all of my photos to my phone, iPad or the web interface using Collections.
Hi Anthony, I currently use Classic and am considering changing my Photohraphy Plan (20gb) to the Lightroom only plan. Part of my workflow is to sync Smart Previews to the Cloud for editing away from my main iMac, but the sync process sometimes makes me crazy!
PS. Calibration can be found in Lightroom (cloud), you need to switch it on using the 3 dots menu in the right hand tab. This had me for a while until I saw one of Brian Matiash's videos.
I believe that the Calibration tool from Classic is also nested in the Color section of Lr
Thanks Anthony, there dint aeem to be many videos around comparing LRC to LR and this us useful.. As a novice photographer a d new user of LRC ( a few months ) i found the whole import/catalogue workflow and file management a pain so i switched to LR.. I only really used the develop module in LRC so moving to LR I now primarily use the local access ti edit my photos after i have copied them into a directory from thw SD.
It would be helpful if Adobe provided a a cross reference table for develop operations in LRC > edit operations in LR but i havent found anything.
One funtion I used in LRC was the snapshot facility, this does not appear to be available when editing in Local in LR..
Thanks for the video and the thorough description of the difference. I am intrested in a workflow where I do not have access to LrC (e.g. on travel and don't have access to my computer) and I download the day's shoot into Lr on my iPad, perform the initial sorting and editing and add them to an Album in Lr. Then, when I get home, finish the editing in LrC using the collection synced from Lr. What are your thoughts on this process? Is the fact that Lr Albums store the original photo to the cloud, where Collections in LrC store smart previews to the cloud impact this process? Thanks.
I really liked this video. Thank you. 2 Questions: Can you use albums if working locally? IS there a workflow where settings can be shared between LIghtroom (which I use on my tablet) and Lightroom Classic, which I use on my desktop? Would XMP work?
I have no need to try editing my photos on multiple devices, since I don’t travel as extensively as some appear to do. Plus I’m very comfortable editing on an iMac, and cannot imagine wanting to do so on a phone. In addition, I print a lot of my photo, so appreciate LrC’s print module. For me, the Classic version meets all my needs.
Thanks so much for this terrific comparison video. The notion of having two very similarly named products, but that are different, is a puzzling strategy by Adobe. But no one every went broke betting on the nuttiness and total tone deafness of software companies. I was thinking about giving cloud/local LR a try. Though it is a part of my plan, I had never looked at it since it was cloud-based. However, the local option caught my attention. But, it is clear I would lose too much functionality that I use. Thanks for the thorough comparision!
I think I'm gonna use both versions. I'm gonna use Lightroom classic mainly to import the photos, but then I'll use the regular Lightroom to edit since I don't use those other tabs besides Develop anyways. Plus I find the newer Lightroom is a lot more snappy. But if I ever need to do anything crazy like LRTimelapse or anything like that, then I'll use classic as well.
Lightroom Jr is fine for working on phone pictures, but completely inadequate for working on my main camera photos. I view them as having very different target audiences, with some overlap. Horses for courses, in other words.
Importantly, it's very easy to make backups of my Lightroom Classic catalogs and photos.
Great video, Anthony- don't knock yourself. Confirms my decision to stick with Classic until there's full feature parity. Even so, I'd be interested in hearing how someone would migrate a Classic catalog to Lightroom. Does everything transfer over? How hard is it?
I have moved to using the Epson Print Layout software to print to my 24" Epson printer - it is actually better than LrC, so I really don't feel like I am losing anything with Lr - I'm actually gaining a better print process. I will usually export as a TIF and then open it the Epson software to print.
Hi Anthony, thanks for your insights into the differences between these two versions of Lightroom; I'm looking to change from Lightroom Cloud/CC to Lightroom Classic in the near future as I want to use a plug-in for processing scanned film negatives. For your info, my version (Windows) of Lightroom Cloud does have colour calibration controls, at the bottom of the Color tab. 🙂
What plugin do you use to process film negatives in Classic, if I may ask?
@HansvanMeteren I am currently using LR (CC) and am planning to switch to a plan that includes Lr Classic which will enable me to use the plugin Negative Lab Pro.
Still using Classic on my end due to some missing functionality in Lightroom CC. However, you mentioned that "Calibration" is NOT available at all in Lightroom CC and it is......If you go to the 3-dot menu on the right you can add Calibration to Lightroom CC and it will show up in the Color Grading section.
One option for plug-ins is to send to PS, then from PS send to Plug-in. File renaming can be done via File Explorer or Mac equivalent vs within LRC. One big thing to consider is cost to put photos in cloud. If you don't have many, then a non-issue, however if your have decades of photos putting on Adobe Cloud might necessitate higher cost. Personally, I still prefer LRC but thank you for your great video.
PS is one way to access plug-ins. The other easy option is to export the photo from Lr and then open it in the 3rd party app. It's a couple extra but simple steps.
I switched to Lr in November right after the 'Local' tab was added and I think its just SO much better than LrC - so much better!
Have you found a substitute for virtual copies? Or the color labels?
@@DavidNiedbala yes - sort of. My new workflow is that I sync any photos that I edit to the cloud (I mostly do sports and wildlife where the vast majority of my photos I don't end up editing). Once a photo is in the cloud you can use Versions which is actually better than Virtual Copies. But at the moment there are no Virtual Copies in the Local tab.
I set lightroom to sync with lightroom classic. Albums sync to collections of same name so a photo in an album appears in a collection and can be edited using plug-ins.
Interested to hear your views on this.
Anthony, very good comparison video. You didn't however, discuss syncing images from one version to another Perhaps it's a complex process, or complicated process (complex and complicated mean two different things - especially when it comes to Adobe). Have you covered this in a separate video, or were you planning on doing a separate video. Thanks.
Don’t be too hard on yourself-it’s a very helpful, organized video.
Here’s my question: At some point I used Lr on my ipad. Months later I see my cloud is full. How do I delete from this version? I don’t want to pay more for more cloud, and prefer LrC as it’s really all I use. Just don’t want an automatic upload to Lr that fill up my cloud. How do I turn it off from automatically uploading? Thanks so much. Dorothy
Hello
Can we switch from one an other to work on the pictures right?
I’ve been switching between both the last month trying to decide but the Lightroom cloud version still not as feature rich. Specially renaming files, browsing attributes the same way. Import still missing some options same with export.
Hi. My workflow is including Lr Classic and Lr Mobile on iPad and iPhone. I import Raw files either to Lr Classic or my iPad (from where it syncs through the cloud to Lr Classic). I use collections / albums that sync smart previews between Lr Classic, iPhone and iPad as well as Lightroom. I have 17 000 (out of my 29 000 photos) as smart previews in my Lightroom echo system. I use Lightroom when taking photos with my phone too which automatically sync the photos into the echo system. Using Lr on my phone taking photos give me dng files and I can now use Lr denois AI which is helpful. I still have difficulties leaving Lr Classic. Lightroom is forcing the system into Lr cloud storage despite the Local button recently added. There are pieces of the file handling I’m struggling to understand. I also struggling with how to handle version.
Interesting Lightroom (Cloud) tabs look much like, and are grouped like the tabs in the Lightroom Classic mask section.
Hi
Interesting video. I have lightroonm cloud set to sync with classic. Albums sync with collections. So a photo in an album will appear in a collection with the same name and I can then use the plugs to edit the photo in classic and when that is completed the cloud version is synced to the classic version so I have the edited version in both forms of lightroom.
Am I missing something? It works for me!! but your views would be much appreciated
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In this tutorial, I compare Lightroom Classic to Lightroom or what is often called the Cloud Version of Lightroom.
Updated Lightroom Classic Keyboard Shortcuts PDF Download - It's FREE:
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I am comfortable with LR Cloud and with Classic. I use the iPad for travel, upload images when traveling to Adobe Cloud, and then have Adobe Cloud download the images to my desktop and directly into LR Classic where I do most of my work when I get home. I just don’t understand after 7 years of LR Cloud, why it isn’t further along incorporating many of the nicer features that you mentioned in Classic into the Cloud version. It seems like Adobe could “merge” the 2 versions of LR into one. Do they have to be different just because one version is Cloud based and the other is catalogue based? I have no problem had with importing my images into the Adobe Cloud and doing culling and initial edits on the iPad and then importing those images to my desktop LR Classic and continuing with the edits and with the other functions in Classic. Sorry for the long comment.
Images sent to the cloud in Lightroom add to adobe storage cost. In Classic it is free.
Thanks Anthony. I’ve always used Google Drive for photo storage. Now, with the local tab, I can use LR to access these photos and not have to buy expensive cloud storage from Adobe. However, there is no local tab on the iPad version, so I can’t see my Google Drive photos in LR on my iPad. Frustrating. I also use keywords and smart collections extensively. I wish Adobe could migrate that functionality over to LR, but I don’t see how they can without recreating some sort of catalog.
How do they compare for data like title and keywords?
I don't edit my photos on anything but my dual display Mac Studio. See no reason to edit on a small screen.
I use "Open as Layers in Photoshop" a lot and occasionally "Open as smart object in Photoshop". Are those available in Cloud Lightroom?
Unless I'm mistaken, one other shortcoming of Lr is that edits done in LrC don't automatically transfer to Lr. I've been using LrC since inception and have over 350,000 images in my catalog. Switching to Lr without being able to access my eadits done in LrC is a deal breaker for me.
LrC collections synced to the cloud are available to be edited in Lr and those changes sync back to LrC.
I believe that in LR (Cloud) you still cant export at 300dpi
Not sure if this has been added or not, but huge reason not to use if you cant print images
It would be nice to have “the one ring” for photo editing! The big issue is storage. Yes, I would love to upload all 3 terabytes of photos to Adobe’s cloud but that’s going to be expensive! Plus, I do a fair amount of digitizing of old negatives and slides which requires tethering, file handling, file naming, and keywording. All functions which are missing or lacking in Lightroom cloud. So, for now I am sticking with Lightroom Classic.
I also think like for like image edits on classic and cloud can produce different results which I think is bad. I appreciate that they have a different engine behind them but in my opinion the cloud one should have always been a better copy of classic.
One thing i noticed is that if you have a Photoshop PSD file with layers and and you make any adjustments to it in LR your layers will no longer be there when you open it again in PS. No warning or option to edit with LR adjustments
I have been a LRc user for a while, and always interested in the meta data of photos that I have taken, but I cannot find the meta data in LR, can you help please or have I missed something straight forward.
To copy multiple photos from Local to the cloud, you need to select them in the Grid view, not using the filmstrip in the detail view. I think that is why it wasn't working for you.
it might take longer for Sony raw files but it could be different with cannon raw files
There has got to be a hybrid workflow that uses the best of both worlds when it comes to using both versions of LR.
In answer to the question raised in your video title, my answer is - neither!!! I used Lightroom for ovedr 5 years but then tried Capture One in December 2020 and switched very shortly after. I still have Lightroom - simply because i also use Photoshop and LR comes with the subscription. Every now and then I run a back to back between Capture One and Lightroom Classic with the same RAW file and every time I prefer the results I get from C1. Can be quite subtly but I can usually see the difference.
In my view, this is a comprehensive comparison of Lightroom's and Lightroom Classic's features and capabilities, and most limitations in Lightroom compared to Lightroom Classic. In adressing collections, it omits to mention Lightroom has no capability to create Smart Collections, available in Lightroom Classic; that's a crucial requirement for me.
He does say that Cloud Lightroom does not support Smart Collections at 21:50.
I find it annoying that in the Develop module in Lightroom the 'ISO - focal range - aperture and shutter speed' are missing below the histogram.
I feel that I am missing something. In Classic I can search using the Library filter. How would that be done in Lightroom?
For cloud based photos, searching and filtering is done using the tool at the top-middle of the window. Sensei AI is quite powerful. For local photos, keywords are stored in the metadata of the photo and can be searched via the OS file browser.
Thanks. I appreciate the response. However, Classic allows searches via metadata, attribute and text. It appears more versatile in that regard. Perhaps I am missing something, but I don't want to be tied just to keyword searches.
Once Lightroom gets all the features of Classic, I'll gladly move. There are certain features Lightroom has that I really like, but I just can't give up Classic quite yet.
What about Denoise in LR?
It works exactly the same as in LrC
Can anybody tell me where I can download music that isn’t protected,that can be reformatted to AAC to use in music for slideshows, and not have to pay a fee or subscription?
A very good video. I switched to the new version shortly after it became available. I do miss the plug-in and tethering features of the classic version. Maybe someday Adobe will add them to the new version. One feature I really miss is the keyword features of the Classic. I don't know if I can assign keywords when adding photos in the new version. Also, I don't think copying keywords to several existing photos at one time is available.
Lr has a flat keyword system. Those keywords are stored in the metadata of the photo for local edits and can be searched using the OS file browser.
Sorry again Anthony, but Color Calibration is in Lightroom, but you have to search for it in the side bar under the three dots, there you have to check the Calibration menu. Then it stays in colors the other ones...Greetz, Guus from The Netherlands
thanks for clarifying. i will stick with LrC! whatever they are smoking at adobe branding dept., it has clearly expired...
I see people leaving LrC for Lr because "eventually" Lr will be the one and only version of Lightroom.
Do we really know that?
Since there are still far far more users on LrC than on Lr, maybe LrC will be enhanced to include the option to use "Local folder" and "Originals saved to cloud"?
I will sit tight and just relax using LrC for now.
In case Lr will be the future Lightroom, it will be very easy to learn and migrate.
Staying on Classic is where I am, too. Adobe's thought process is dumbfounding here, though. My 'gut' says they'd prefer everyone migrate to CC (Cloud) to save money on development and test, but as Anthony alludes several times, they're going about it hamfistedly. The engines (presumably) are the same; it's the front ends that are different. Why not keep them as close to one another as possible to make a switchover simple? Different names for the same functions, hiding other functions in other areas, etc: I don't get it. I understand that there are probably different groups in charge of Dev for each project, but it seems monumentally silly not to have a cohesive plan between them.
Working with / searching for keywords is very limited at the moment. I would like to switch as soon as LR has all the same possibilities as LRc has.
AI keywords are not of any use in my opinion.
In Local mode, keywords are stored in the metadata of the photo and are searchable using the OS file browser.
The only two things I need is a printing and plug-in module. 👋
The absolute killer for me is the cloud. I use seven cameras, all with two card slots, no card smaller than 28 Gbytes. I do want to be able to shoot for several days without needing to empty cards, and I do shoot timelapses.
I have exceeded one card in a camera in an outing.
Even if cloud storage were free, I could not use it. I don't have the internet bandwidth, even at home, and on the road....
I do import outside of Adobe's software, I like to plug in all my memory cards/cameras and have at them, no confirmation dialogues. Adobe doesn't lay out the imports the way I like, and I don't like being asked whether I really really want to empty those memory cards. Especially as importing can take hours. Its better since I discovered those two USB ports on my left are USB 2.0.
Calibration is in Lightroom, but has to be turned on by going to the three dots on the right … It will then appear in Color.
Ahh, thank you for letting me know. I totally missed that.
What’s your personal opinion Anthony of Lightroom? Specifically that you really need two versions of the same software to get all the functionality? Am I being unfair criticising the model?
I mean just one point, not being able to rename an image in cloud?, that seems daft to me.
Even now after many years of Lightroom cloud, there still isn’t a good overlap of features between it and classic. There is still an argument for most people to need both classic and cloud which is really bad in my opinion. All those print, web and map etc tabs should by now be in the cloud one.
The way I do it is finish edits on my iPad and not use cloud or classic on my Mac mini and forfeit the slideshow and map etc functions so basically Adobe make a good argument for people to use On One.
It seems madness to me that Adobe cant just take Lightroom Classic and make that available as the web based or ``desktop` version. And then just call it one name. I use LIghtroom Classic on my laptops and desktop PC. so that in itself is confusing is my Lightroom Classic really Lightroom! LOL The mobile version I can understand being something differrent, but it beats me as to why youd want to edit on a mobile phone, unless you want to quickly make a couple of edits and then send it to someone. Adobe have just been confusing us for years. One question Mr M, what happens when you get older and no longer have an interest in photography and therefore cancel your subscription to The Photography Plan. Do you then lose all your historic work, or can you just retain a version of LIghtroom Classic to view all your (in my case) 96000 photos?
Thanks for the comparison. "Almost as good" doesn't seem like a good reason to switch. I used RawSHOOTER, then was a LR Beta tester, so I've been through all the changes. I just can't understand why this exists. There is a YTer who I've followed for over 10 years who I've unsubscribed to because his tutorials are done in the cloud version.
All we really need is to put a Local Tab in Lightroom Classic!
I disagree that you can get the best print ever Lightroom classic by using the proper paper profile. Yes, if you are printing from Lightroom Classic that is the best practice but if you are a canon or Epson user, you should be using the manufacturers printing program such as Epson print layout. Glyn Dewis did a great comparison of using Lightroom versus using the manufacturers printing program for canon and it was very obvious that canon did a better job. Also, you can ‘print’ directly from Lightroom by using hot folders, etc..
If they discontinue LrC, I'll switch to another companie's software. Plug-ins are important. (i,e, DxO PureRaw) ADOBE, PLEASE DON'T KILL LIGHTROOM CLASSIC!!!!
There is no local search capability in Lightroom
In Local mode, keywords are stored in the metadata of the photo and are searchable using the OS file browser.
I think you buried the lead here a bit - the fact that you don't have to import to a catalog and Lr more or less acts like a browser is the most important difference between Lr and LrC. Freeing me from the nonsense of the catalogs is huge!
LrC should be called Lr and Lr should be called LrC. The C is for Clould.
Adobe people are smoking cracky i swear to God. There is zeeo reason to have two versions, just put them together. Its insanity, i have to tether in lrc, edit on ipad with pencil, to print i must sync to classic and to backup i must use lightroom cloud version. Its insane!
So basically cloud LR sux 😆 I tether and use plug-ins so cloud LR is useless to me.
Nobody needs to pay for Lightroom CC, it's too primitive, and there are plenty of better free editors available. The LR Classic is why I willing to pay Adobe because there is nothing as good for any money.