Adobe released the latest version of Lightroom (Adobe Lightroom 6 & Lightroom CC 2015) on April 21st. One of the most important things you need to know is that Lightroom 6 represents a standalone product and Lightroom CC 2015 is part of the Creative Cloud subscription model.
The two applications and their features will be completely identical until the next update for Creative Cloud subscribers, but the core features between both programs will be the same. The one other major difference is that Lightroom 6 will not be compatible with Lightroom Mobile, only Lightroom CC will have those mobile syncing features.
Should You Upgrade to Adobe Lightroom 6/ CC 2015?
Lightroom 6 has dramatically improved performance to address one of the largest concerns of Lightroom users—the speed. This is the fastest version of Lightroom ever made, both in terms of its performance capabilities and the time saving features that it offers.
Here are some other reasons you may consider upgrading to Lightroom 6:
- The Enhance CPU and GPU performance will make editing faster than ever
- A new Facial Recognition feature will help with organizing event photos such as weddings
- Improvements to Filters and Adjustment Brushes for precise editing and masking
- Support for a larger range of cameras including new cameras from Nikon, Sony and Canon
- New PhotoMerge Panorams for stitching together multiple raw images seamlessly
- HDR Merge for realistic high contrast images
- Improved Web Galleries and Video Slideshows
Take a First Look at the New Lightroom 6
Why Facial Recognition is the Best New Feature in Lightroom 6
Facial Recognition is a game-changing feature for the Lightroom workflow. Sorting and identifying images of people will now be easier and more intuitive than ever before. This is going to be a tremendous improvement for wedding photographers or those shooting events and family photos.
Being able to have Lightroom identify individuals, sort and filter them and all photos of them automatically means that putting together photo books or separating your shots is going to take considerably less time. For paid photographers, this is a dream come true, as they will no longer spend hours hunting through photos after large wedding shoots for family reunions.
See Lightroom 6 Facial Recognition in Action
Before You Upgrade to Lightroom 6
Prior to upgrading to Lightroom 6, you may want to consider backing up a copy of your catalogs. The newest version of Lightroom will require an update to all of your catalogs once you open them in Lightroom 6 for the very first time. While this should not result in a loss of your images, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
From my own experience, there have been no issues and all of my settings and photo edits were preserved when opening catalogs in Lightroom 6 that were originally created in Lightroom 5.
You also need to decide whether you will be moving to the Lightroom CC version in the Adobe Photography Bundle or the standalone version of Lightroom 6.
More Adobe news:
- Turning Adobe Creative Cloud into Your Productivity Hub
- Adobe App Enables Powerful Workflow for Layout Design
- Designer Insights: Web Design Trends & Adobe Muse
Reasons to Get Lightroom 6 instead of Lightroom CC 2015
- Perpetual License/Ownership
- No plans to upgrade anytime soon, due to current features
- Dramatic improvement from an older version of Lightroom such as Lightroom 3 or 4.
- Only $150 (USD, roughly)
Reasons to Get Lightroom CC Photographer Bundle
- Photography Bundle includes Photoshop CC, 20GB of Creative Cloud Storage & Behance Pro
- Unlimited updates throughout the subscription
- Updates to support for new camera bodies throughout subscription
- Access to Lightroom Mobile and Adobe Mobile Apps
- Ability to sycn with Lightroom Mobile and Android and iOS devices
- Only $120/year, or $9.99/month for both Photoshop and Lightroom
Final Thoughts on Lightroom 6 and Lightroom CC
This is not an incremental update to Lightroom; it is one of the most robust updates they have done to the software since it’s initial launch. This is the version of Lightroom many people have been waiting for and it going to allow them to work in the way they’ve always needed.
While you can still take advantage of Lightroom 5 and it’s capabilities without this update, it means you may also be limited as new cameras come out that will not be supported by older versions of Lightroom now that Lightroom 6 is here. It also means only working as fast as you have been, instead of as fast as you can.
Selling Your Photography: How to Make Money in New and Traditional Markets
Here is the road map to help photographers find their way through the complexities of the marketplace and get their images published! This insider’s guide examines magazines, newspapers, books, posters, greeting cards, calendars, brochures, print and Web advertisements, annual reports, and more. Chapters cover the technical and aesthetic requirements of given market segments, and how to break into the marketplace. Readers will find proven strategies for making new clients through past publication and how to make additional sales with the same photographs. Explanations are also provided for the nature of relationships between client editors, art directors, communication directors, and others and the photographer, and how each relationship is crucial to overall success. Anyone who plans to have his or her images published will need this handy guide. Get it here.
HDR…at last…:D
Any tutorial links for this new software?
The virtual world has to be authentic to captivate users. Childish imagery or clip-art just won’t cut it. But there are still so many websites out there that use over-the-top stock photos, or images that don’t resonate with readers. It’s a problem
To connect, you have to feel realistic and use authentic imagery and photos, so that users feel something when they interact with the website. It has to feel real. Join us as explore this trend, and share how you can use it to best effect