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Capture One’s NEW License Options (Terrible)on: September 16, 2023 at 2:26 am
I find boring a strange term to use when describing a piece of editing software. Efficiency is important, however, as Mark Segal pointed out, this can be achieved by using said software often enough to become proficient. I have been a long time C1 user, version 6 from memory, but their new licensing model is too expensive and unfair. I currently use C1 22 and will do so for as long as it works. I have however been trying other software to determine if it is possible to change permanently. I currently use Photo Mechanic Plus as my database and have been trying Iridient Developer, Affinity and Photoshop to edit my images. Affinity has a poor RAW converter in my opinion so I only use it if I need a pixel editor. Personally I would rather use PS than LR, I use the TK9 panel to good effect. My only downside now is I don’t have access to virtual copies so therefore have to make different versions. As I always exported my edited images from C1 as TIFF’s I was not really saving on space.
I have been receiving a lot more advertising from C1 so I wonder if they are feeling the pinch.
Re: Capture One’s NEW License Options (Terrible)Reply #1 on: January 20, 2023 at 6:26 amI understand that companies have to make money and employees need a decent wage, no one is asking for software to be free. What we ask for is a realistic price and support for any software errors, bugs.
The only bug issue I have had with C1 is with the crop tool. It would not move from its aspect ratio unless I rebooted the program. Did I report it, no, I just dealt with it.
There has been a lot of discussion re price. In Australia the current upgrade price is $330. The subscription price paid 1 year in advance is $300, or $40 per month if that is how you roll.
To give context for what you can buy in Australia for $300 you can get 180 cans (375ml) of beer. It will not help your photography but may help you get over the the new licensing model.
C1 did not reveal their new licensing model until after the upgrade cycle at the end of last year. They deliberately withheld crucial information from customers. They only agreed to reveal the new loyalty scheme in sufficient time so that people could make an informed decision because of the backlash. Prior to that it was the scheme will be revealed after the option for you to make a choice. They have made the perpetual licence model untenable re cost if you want 1 years bug fixes and upgrades.
I love editing in C1. I really don’t want to leave it. I, however, have a lack of trust in the company and that it will change its terms and conditions on a whim. I believe it is overpriced for what it delivers compared to its competition. I can get the same result in other software it just takes me longer because of familiarity.
Although I love the software I feel that the recent treatment to its customer base is such that I will have a hard time continuing with it.
Re: Capture One’s NEW License Options (Terrible)Reply #2 on: January 19, 2023 at 6:14 pmI started with C1 version 6 and switched over for all my editing on version 8 plus a pixel editor. Although I had all versions of LR, I tended to use PS as my editor utilising luminosity masks with actions to populate several different layers with specific tools I used in most images. Eventually PS CS6 gave way to Affinity Photo. As C1 evolved I found I could either complete the editing process or come very close to it in most cases within its environment. HDR and Panorama excluded. My style of editing changed because of how the tools functioned in C1 and I felt over the last several years my images were superior to those before, especially when I reprocessed some of them. I had the opportunity to try LrC last year as members of my photography club wanted me to teach a course in editing and that was the software of choice. The experience was better than expected although frustrating that several tools would only work globally as opposed to C1. At the end I was happy with my choice of C1.
Now this. C1 started to become super expensive in the last few years. A 60% increase in upgrade pricing over the last 2 years. Then there are the separate subscriptions for C1 Live and now iPad app. There also seems to have been reduced resources allocated to bringing significant improvements to the main software as evidenced by the underwhelming feature set in the last couple of updates. This plus the change to Licensing that makes a perpetual licence untenable even if you only want bug fixes thereby forcing a customer onto the subscription model. I definitely feel there has been a noticeable change in the direction of the company and not for the better, certainly not for me.
If I switch to subscription then I lose my licence for C1 22 so I would have to commit for quite a few years and hope they don’t price me out (I’m retired), that they don’t change their new loyalty scheme for the worse and that the software improves and remains competitive with the competition. The most likely scenario for me is to use my version until it no longer functions then reassess. I have however bought DXO PL6 at a discount, so I will dabble with that and will also upgrade to Photo Mechanic Plus as a DAM.
There certainly has been a loss of trust in the company based on how this whole sorry saga has played out over the last few months.
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