Do you prefer DPP or Lightroom

[John_SD]

I haven't tried Lightroom, so I cannot comment on its benefits or shotcomings. I am just starting to dip my toes into DPP, and while I am far from conversant about it's intracacies, benefits and quirks, I feel that for now it will be sufficient for my needs. 

A real benefit of DPP, in my view is that it's free -- and it seems robust in its abilities, of which I haven't yet scratched the surface. But so far I like what i see.

Do you guys feel stongly about one product or the other? If so, why? 

[shadowsports]

I'm going to buy DxO PhotoLab as well.  My body and several of my lenses are not even supported in LR Perpetual 6.8.x.

LR 6.8.x has a RAW import utility which turns something simple into a multi step process.  Investing in it would be foolish.  DxO is being actively developed..  not that LR isn't, but only the cloud version.  I like to own my software thanks. 

I've already joined their forums and talked to other users as well as folks on their development team.  If you want a complete photo editing solution with 3rd party lens correction support in a perpetual license, PhotoLab is the way to go.  They acquired Nix in December of 2017.  They have included this in the current product as a add-on.  Next month they are releasing an update with 100% integration and a fully updated suite of Nix software in PhotoLab.  This is the direction I'm going in.      

[John_SD]

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@shadowsports wrote:

If you want a complete photo editing solution with 3rd party lens correction support in a perpetual license, PhotoLab is the way to go.      

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Perhaps so, but their GUI is humongous and would require a substantial amount of time to become fluent with it. 

I've looked at it (they have a 30-day trial), and I've tried other products including Gimp, which I do like, but it is slower than I would prefer. I also looked at Luminar, which I like, but which I also found slow. However, I understand the recent updates to the product makes it more efficient.

Here is my plan now. I'm sticking with DPP for the forseeable future. I am hopeful that Adobe takes enough of a beating on their ill-considerd and confusing subscription model to once again offer Lightroom as a "one-time" purchase. From everything I'm reading, a lot of photographers are abandoning ship and searching for a Lightroom replacement that is free of the monthly money-grab. I'd go with Lightroom, but I'm not interested in entering into a lifelong rental situation. 

[RobertTheFat]

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@John_SD wrote:

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@shadowsports wrote:

If you want a complete photo editing solution with 3rd party lens correction support in a perpetual license, PhotoLab is the way to go.      

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Perhaps so, but their GUI is humongous and would require a substantial amount of time to become fluent with it. 

I've looked at it (they have a 30-day trial), and I've tried other products including Gimp, which I do like, but it is slower than I would prefer. I also looked at Luminar, which I like, but which I also found slow. However, I understand the recent updates to the product makes it more efficient.

Here is my plan now. I'm sticking with DPP for the forseeable future. I am hopeful that Adobe takes enough of a beating on their ill-considerd and confusing subscription model to once again offer Lightroom as a "one-time" purchase. From everything I'm reading, a lot of photographers are abandoning ship and searching for a Lightroom replacement that is free of the monthly money-grab. I'd go with Lightroom, but I'm not interested in entering into a lifelong rental situation.  

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I'm not in any way defending Adobe's "monthly money-grab", but I think you are embarking on a hopeless quest. Note that even before Adobe instituted their subscription model, they made you buy a new version almost every time Canon changed their .CR2 format, which they do for virtually every new camera they release.

[John_SD]

"Note that even before Adobe instituted their subscription model, they made you buy a new version almost every time Canon changed their .CR2 format, which they do for virtually every new camera they release."

I didn't realize that, Robert. That is an awful situation and I would want no parts of it. Thank you for the heads-up.

[jrhoffman75]

I'm not really sure Bob is correct. A camera Raw update is required for new cameras (not just Canon), but there were/are dot updates of LR that were issued periodically and free that addded new cameras.

But, if a camera came out after a new version was released (i.e. LR4, LR5, LR6) then they did not go backwards.

But its a moot point. They stopped updating LR perpetul with 6.14, and updates to the subscription program are "free".

[TTMartin]

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@jrhoffman75 wrote:

I'm not really sure Bob is correct. A camera Raw update is required for new cameras (not just Canon), but there were/are dot updates of LR that were issued periodically and free that addded new cameras.

But, if a camera came out after a new version was released (i.e. LR4, LR5, LR6) then they did not go backwards.

But its a moot point. They stopped updating LR perpetul with 6.14, and updates to the subscription program are "free".

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Canon 6D required LR 4

Canon 7D Mk II required LR 5

Canon 5DS required LR 6

For me every time I bought a new camera I had to upgrade my version of Lightroom.

Prior to LR 4, I felt the image quality produced by DPP was so much superior that I didn't use LR.

[jrhoffman75]

"For me every time I bought a new camera I had to upgrade my version of Lightroom."

That can happen with most perpetual license products: once version N+1 is issued Version N stops being updated.

My clarification was related to the statement that a new paid version of LR was required every time Canon changed their CR2 format. Many cameras were added during the life cycle of each LR version.

[shadowsports]

LR - The current perpetual release doesn't support my equpment. Hence the reason I am going with PhotoLab.  I havent used LR or Photoshop for years.  I do not dispute their being an industry leader.  I liked them both when I used it previously, but I'm not going to rent their software.  I don't care what they deciide to do (remain subscription based or bring the perpetual license back).  This could change, maybe it will.  

If I ever dump my Sigma gear and go "all Canon", I'd stick with stick with DPP. For the time being, I like my Sigma Lenses and the photos I can take with them.  PhotoLab is a cost effective alternative for me regardless of the learning curve.  I'm an IT professional and have to become a "power user" on different types / versions of software all the time.  Its going to solve a problem for me (3rd party lens correction) which I'm lacking in DPP.  Cost to value ratio is there.  So I'm ok with it.  I am also ok with people choosing to stick with LR if it meets their needs.        

[John_SD]

While the Photolab product itself seemed pretty good from my use of it during the trial period, I found the instructional webinars posted on their site to be horrible. The recording quality sounded like a guy was talking on a cell phone that was periodically breaking up, coupled with the fact that it is a French company, which featured Germans conducting the webinar. Their English skills were terrible and the printed documentation seemed to ramble on also as it attempted to make its points. I quickly determined that I wanted no parts of that. Also, the user interface is overloaded to the gills with umpteen controls with poor documentation. So Photolab was far from my cup of tea. YMMV.

[Waddizzle]

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@shadowsports wrote:

LR - The current perpetual release doesn't support my equpment. Hence the reason I am going with PhotoLab.  I havent used LR or Photoshop for years.  I do not dispute their being an industry leader.  I liked them both when I used it previously, but I'm not going to rent their software.  I don't care what they deciide to do (remain subscription based or bring the perpetual license back).  This could change, maybe it will.  

If I ever dump my Sigma gear and go "all Canon", I'd stick with stick with DPP. For the time being, I like my Sigma Lenses and the photos I can take with them.  PhotoLab is a cost effective alternative for me regardless of the learning curve.  I'm an IT professional and have to become a "power user" on different types / versions of software all the time.  Its going to solve a problem for me (3rd party lens correction) which I'm lacking in DPP.  Cost to value ratio is there.  So I'm ok with it.  I am also ok with people choosing to stick with LR if it meets their needs.        

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I have LR6 perpetual license, and it supports my 6D2, along with all of the lenses you have listed.  I have them all, except for the Sigma 24-70, which I am sure is supported as well.

What piece is not supported?  The camera’s RAW format?