PhotoMechanic is going subscription 2024

Tulipone

Tulipone

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Chris
Edit My Images
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I just had an email from PhotoMechanic with news of their Black Friday sale and that they are going to subscription in 2024. I have no desire to follow the trend of all these subscription based offerings which is why I no longer have Photoshop, preferring to update when it suits me after a decision on if the new features are worth it to me.

I know it’s continue to work for me on my current setup without guarantees after the cut off, but a sad time.
 
I resisted paying a subscription for PS2023 but I eventually gave it a try and signed up as it is definitely better that the CS5 I was using. The move to subscription is an annoyance but going on what they charge and considering that I seem to be getting meaningful updates the 6+ years it'll take the subscriptions to add up to what I paid for CS5 do seem to be reasonable, assuming I still have access after pc replacements etc.
 
I was considering updating DXO and Affinity Photo to the most recent editions in the soon likely sales but this may force my hand back to Photoshop. Trouble is you get used to something, then change - I’m not looking forward to reverting back. My Mac isn’t getting any younger and neither and I.
 
I tried Photoshop once but I didn't like it.

I went from Raw Shooter Essentials with occasional use of Rawtherapee to CS2 and from there to CS5 and on to CS2023 and thankfully the CS ones are all similar.

Years ago I used to fix computers but I got sick of the sight of them and that gets even more true when things don't go right so I don't think I have the patience to learn something radically different.
 
Ironically I just uninstalled Creative Cloud and Camera raw - I have a feeling if there is a deal on an annual sub with Adobe then that’ll be the path I take. Maybe I need to give it a trial first as it has been a while.
 
CS5, Adobe Bridge and ACR ( all in one) is all I need.
Well, apart from Affinity for the occasional stack.
And fast stone on the laptop, if I need a quick edit on something.

All the above all paid for years ago, I have no need for a subscription model
 
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Cobra said:
CS5, Adobe Bridge and ACR ( all in one) is all I need.
Well, apart from Affinity for the occasional stack.
And fast stone on the laptop, if I need a quick edit on something.

All the above all paid for years ago, I have no need for a subscription model
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That is an excellent point.
 
Tulipone said:
I was considering updating DXO and Affinity Photo to the most recent editions in the soon likely sales but this may force my hand back to Photoshop.
Click to expand...
What does Photoshop have that you need over the other two?
 
Tulipone said:
I have problems with an aging computer more than with the software.
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I'm still running windows 7 on my desk top, for non essential stuff, editing etc.
I have a W11 laptop for important stuff.
It seems that adobe whatever doesn't run on W7.
 
Hi, I see Affinity Photo mentioned as part of the thread but just be aware if you buy as I did for a Windows OS and then go over to Mac system again as I did you cannot use the activation code for the Windows option on a Mac in-fact you have to buy the Mac version separate even to download the software, found this a strange option as most software offer a choice with no catches as long as you paid for it!!
Russ.
 
Tulipone said:
I just had an email from PhotoMechanic with news of their Black Friday sale and that they are going to subscription in 2024. I have no desire to follow the trend of all these subscription based offerings which is why I no longer have Photoshop, preferring to update when it suits me after a decision on if the new features are worth it to me.

I know it’s continue to work for me on my current setup without guarantees after the cut off, but a sad time.
Click to expand...
Photomechanic is pretty much a must use for many sports and events photographers. Quite a niche product and unfortunate they have went down the subscription line. That being said I suspect the current version will last for quite a while for most users
 
Cobra said:
CS5, Adobe Bridge and ACR ( all in one) is all I need.
Well, apart from Affinity for the occasional stack.
And fast stone on the laptop, if I need a quick edit on something.

All the above all paid for years ago, I have no need for a subscription model
Click to expand...

CS2023 is a definite step up from CS5.

I originally just wanted the moiré fixing tools but I don't think I've ever used them, I've found that it is a step forward in many other areas that I do use.

But if you're happy you're happy :D
 
woof woof said:
But if you're happy you're happy :D
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Absolutely :)
The above does everything I want or need.
I'm not into background swaps, sky swaps or artificially enhancing images with some kind of AI tweek.
It no longer becomes the image that you have taken.
 
Cobra said:
Absolutely :)
The above does everything I want or need.
I'm not into background swaps, sky swaps or artificially enhancing images with some kind of AI tweek.
It no longer becomes the image that you have taken.
Click to expand...

Me neither.

Each to their own but although I started out putting pencil and other things to paper and that sort of morphed into photography over the years I see those things as more art than photography and at the moment they're not for me as a part of my photography hobby.
 
After complaining about Photolab being completely incapable of handling large numbers of photos I had a number of recommendations for Photomechanic although the price put me off however it looks like it's reduced quite a bit at the moment. It's $99 for the standard version and $199 for the Plus version which offers a catalogue feature although I'm thinking I would just use it when copying the photos from the camera's memory card to remove photos that are no use and keyword them so I don't think the catalogue function would be that useful?
 
JohnMcL7 said:
It's $99 for the standard version and $199 for the Plus version which offers a catalogue feature although I'm thinking I would just use it when copying the photos from the camera's memory card to remove photos that are no use and keyword them so I don't think the catalogue function would be that useful?
Click to expand...
I have had PM for years and years through several iterations, from either 3 or 4. They have never felt the need to release annually like the non subscription offerings until now. 6 stays in support until May next year then will continue to work until it doesn’t. I never felt the need or expense of plus.

I use it as you suggest, to ingest, cull, rate and keyword. It is simple, very configurable, fast and at $99 much cheaper than I paid for it. To be honest I cannot recall what I paid initially but it was a very considered purchase (for me at least).
 
When I bought Photo Mechanic, which must be nearly 20 years ago , it was sold as requiring an annual $50 support fee,

Having said that, a request for this $50 never came , and I continued to get support and updates until the next version came out, which I paid for.

For sports and event photographers, I'm not sure there is anythng to replace Photo Mechanic, and their core customers will still find it worth the subscription,

I suspect Camerabits will lose the customers who just use PM for culling and bowsing (and maybe the database), but those who make full use of what PM offers may well pay whatever subscription Camerabits ask.

My workflow has been centred around PM for years (dare I say decades) , so I'm going to have to wait and see how much the sub actually is before making a decision. Camera bits say they have '...big plans for how to add modern workflow capabilities to Photo Mechanic." so I'm a bit intrigued by this.

They also make the point that other developers have made e.g. Neofinder and C1 that, (in my words), keeping up with a new Mac OS every year, and regular updates in Windows is using up the resources they should be using to create new features, And, without new features they can't bring out an update that would bring in the money to fund the development of new features ! Neofinder (not a subscription), as a one man developer still brings out new features, but regularly complains at how much time he has to spend fixing things that Apple randomly break.

For those who have 52 minutes to spare this video, which is the second of two, gives a good idea of why sports and events photographers are unlikely to be put off by the change to a subscription. He explains how PM allows him to reduce days worth of work down to hours

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39Gcyzb1U3c


The first part is here, which is only 30 minutes and gives an overview of what is explained in more detail in the second.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WGIVIbGg2Y&t=1116s
 
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