Google Picassa is it ending? And Lightroom?

[LouiseTopp]

I use Google Picassa and I hear it's being replaced. How do I upgrade, or does it do it itself?

Also Is there an od version of Lightroom I can get where I don't have to pay £8 a month?

[xpatUSA]

I use Google Picassa and I hear it's being replaced. How do I upgrade, or does it do it itself?

I read that there is a way to keep your current version of Picasa but it will never be upgraded and (my guess) not necessarily accessible on-line as such. Sorry, no link, I just read it in passing.

[edit] here's the link: http://googlephotos.blogspot.com/?hl=en_US

Looks like you can't make new albums or upload new pics, if I read it right.

"However, for those of you who don’t want to use Google Photos or who still want to be able to view specific content, such as tags, captions or comments, we will be creating a new place for you to access your Picasa Web Albums data. That way, you will still be able to view, download, or delete your Picasa Web Albums, you just won’t be able to create, organize or edit albums (you would now do this in Google Photos)."

I think I'll jump ship while the boat's still afloat

I am not fond at all of Google's major changes in search of more money - like when I discovered that 'Documents' was suddenly part of Google+ - and involved with something obscure and hard to understand called 'Google Drive' - or like when Gmail metamorphosed from the simple 'Basic' format (which I still stubbornly use) into the big spy-in-sky complete with 'sharing' and an unintelligible GUI.

Well, that turned into a rant - sorry!

[inkista]

I use Google Picasa and I hear it's being replaced. How do I upgrade, or does it do it itself?

Basically you can't upgrade, that's the whole point of Google announcing Picasa's end of support at March 15, 2016. Google is pretty much just going to drop all support and future development of Picasa and try to get you to move to their cloud service, Google Photos.

Also Is there an od version of Lightroom I can get where I don't have to pay £8 a month?

Lightroom has always come in two flavors: CC (subscription) and full license (download or CD) (Amazon.co.uk link). Unlike Photoshop, you still have a choice between renting and buying your software. How much longer that might last, though, is anybody's guess. Also, looking at the Amazon.co.uk prices, it looks like a full year of PS & Lr CC costs less than a single Lr 6 license. So, it's up to you which makes more sense.

[rpcrowe]

I am getting Corel AfterShot Pro 2 as part of a free bundle including Paintshop Pro that Adorama is offering with the 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II lens that I just purchased.

I did a Google Search to find out what AfterShot Pro is and found this...

http://www.photographyblog.com/revie..._pro_2_review/

Apparently AfterShot Pro will be a competitor to Lightroom. Since I don't use Lightroom, I cannot ascertain just how much a competitor it will be.

BTW: The OnOne Perfect Photo Suite is touted as a possible replacement for Lightroom and (yes) Photoshop. PerfectBrowse is supposedly a Lightroom type of program while the other apps in Perfect Photo Suite are touted as having layers capability and other Photoshop goodies.

I use CS6 (which I own) and will continue to use it as long as I can. I also have Perfect Photo Suite as well as NIK Software Plug-ins (I own these programs) but, I use them as plug-ins with my Photoshop CS6...

[davidedric]

BTW: The OnOne Perfect Photo Suite is touted as a possible replacement for Lightroom and (yes) Photoshop. PerfectBrowse is supposedly a Lightroom type of program while the other apps in Perfect Photo Suite are touted as having layers capability and other Photoshop goodies.

I think On1 is an interesting product, I have a copy which I use when I want something that needs pixel editing (I'm afraid I have never got to groups with Photoshop). I would put its capabilities somewhere between Elements and Photoshop.

However, it is said to have only a mediocre RAW conversion (I don't know, I have never used it), and it does not have the ability to process non-destructively, as do ACR / Lightroom. Using its "smart psd" functionality, however, you do get re-editability layers.

I would align Perfect Browse with Bridge, more or less.

Back to Louise's question. I think On1's Photo 10 is a pretty good candidate for a well equipped single solution for post processing.

Dave

[jcuknz]

I am yet to understand this 'non-destruct' argument since what I edit is a copy of the camera file and I never use 'save' which changes the camera original but always 'save as' which permits me to slightly change the file name so the camera original is not affected and both files live together. ie. Dog.jpg and DogZ.jpg and are recognisable for what they are.
Plus I am glad I did not mortgage the farm to get PS way back, but only the house for PSP
But I still have the upgrade problem with PSP as the latest PSPX8 will not work with XP and Corel didn't tell me that until I had paid for the upgrade ... the B's. I am afraid while I trusted JASC I do not Corel. Fortunately I have duel OS with both XP and 7 available to me on my machine. But changing means a re-boot so rarely do I stray from XP

edit .. Unless I merge layers prior to 'save as' it preserves the layers as such for future adjustment

edit #2 From using both PS and PSP in the past I rate them equal but different for what I want my editor to do for me. Just as PSP has added neat wrinkles with new versions so I am sure PS has as well but I prefer the PSP route

[tao2]

Hi Louise,

Picasa support ends 15th. March. Everything working on the desktop program will still work in the same way. Ye can organise, edit, add tags etc. in the same manner as always. Ye won't lose any photos. It's not being developed further and there'll be no more updates. Google's been ignoring it for years now anyway. Many Picasa users have asked Google tae release it so that it can continue tae be developed by them as a community. Can't see that, as it'd end up taking all Google's advertising customer base away.

Ah'd suggest ye download the latest build - 3.9.141 build 259, update Picasa (if it needs it) and keep the .exe file safe in case ye need it in future. Google photos is a much dumbed down version of Picasa. Ah'd also suggest that if ye don't want Google photos tae gobble up yer online webalbums then download yer albums back tae the desktop version then delete all yer webalbums - otherwise Google will just take them anyway.

"Do no evil"... Google's done nothing but evil for years now...

[billtils]

David, give CaptureOne a try - there's a free trial period on the Phase One website.

[NorthernFocus]

... Also, looking at the Amazon.co.uk prices, it looks like a full year of PS & Lr CC costs less than a single Lr 6 license. So, it's up to you which makes more sense.

Yes and LR gets updated every couple of years. It is true that upgrading is typically half the full retail price when that occurs. But for any serious editing, LR must typically be supplemented with additional software. Most notably, LR doesn't support layers. So the decision on standalone LR vs the LR/CC subscription isn't really a matter of cost. It is more a matter of whether one want to commit to the web based model or continue with a stand alone software model.

I think On1 is an interesting product...it does not have the ability to process non-destructively, as do ACR / Lightroom. Using its "smart psd" functionality, however, you do get re-editability layers....

Dave, I'd argue that use of layers is, by definition, non-destructive editing. Also On1 editing does not alter RAW files so the master copy is never lost.

[davidedric]

Dave, I'd argue that use of layers is, by definition, non-destructive editing. Also On1 editing does not alter RAW files so the master copy is never lost.

This is getting a bit off topic, apologies to Louise, but I do understand how layers can operate, and since you can never edit a RAW file, it's always preserved, so far as I know.

I do think there is a distinction between a RAW converter as used in Photoshop, On1 etc, and a RAW interpreter such as Lightroom. With converters (after you've finished in ACR if using) you create an intermediate psd file which you then work on. In Lightroom you do not, the changes being stored parametrically.

The Lightroom method means being able to apply and adjust changes in any order and at any time. For me, that is simpler and the trade off against the greater capability of layers is worth it, most of the time. Of course, you may have the opposite opinion. (I also think that Lightroom's single interface whatever the file format makes moving between RAW and jpeg shooting easier: I do know you can edit jpeg in ACR)

Cheers, Dave

[NorthernFocus]

We're in agreement, Dave. After all I do use LR supplemented by On1. Another thought that occurred to me reading your last post is that LR edits ALL file formats non-destructively, not just RAW. Of course layers do as well but if one makes the mistake of flattening the image and saving ...

Too many software choices

[Mike Buckley]

Too many software choices

Based on so many of the posts I read here at CiC, one would think there aren't enough software choices.

[LouiseTopp]

Looks like you can't make new albums or upload new pics, if I read it right.

So I wouldn't be able to add any more pictures to my existing albums on Piccasso?

Ah'd suggest ye download the latest build - 3.9.141 build 259, update Picasa (if it needs it) and keep the .exe file safe in case ye need it in future.

How do I find that please?

[xpatUSA]

So I wouldn't be able to add any more pictures to my existing albums on Piccasso?

Correct. In the link I gave above it says:

That way, you will still be able to view, download, or delete your Picasa Web Albums, you just won’t be able to create, organize or edit albums

There's a download button here:

http://picasa.google.com/
.

[tao2]

So I wouldn't be able to add any more pictures to my existing albums on Piccasso?



How do I find that please?

Hi Louise,

ye find it here...http://picasa.google.com/

So I wouldn't be able to add any more pictures to my existing albums on Piccasso?

Yes ye can...but only on the desktop program not Webalbums.

Picasa desktop will work as it always worked. Organising, editing etc.(as ah said in the post above).

PicasaWebalbums won't. If/ when ye want tae upload photos tae the web, they'll now go tae Google photos where ye will organise, edit etc.

It's all in the cloud now. It's up tae you whether ye want this tae happen or not. Ah suggest ye read about Google photos (especially from users or former users first) before ye decide.

[george013]

Hi Louise,

ye find it here...http://picasa.google.com/



Yes ye can...but only on the desktop program not Webalbums.

Picasa desktop will work as it always worked. Organising, editing etc.(as ah said in the post above).

PicasaWebalbums won't. If/ when ye want tae upload photos tae the web, they'll now go tae Google photos where ye will organise, edit etc.

It's all in the cloud now. It's up tae you whether ye want this tae happen or not. Ah suggest ye read about Google photos (especially from users or former users first) before ye decide.

An often seen confusion between Picasa and Picasaweb.
Still leaves the question where to go to with your online pictures. I personally have enough from Google. I'm thinking making a photogallery on my own homepage. Looking for a suitable prog. If any one has some suggestions?

George

[NorthernFocus]

...where to go to with your online pictures. I personally have enough from Google. I'm thinking making a photogallery on my own homepage. Looking for a suitable prog. If any one has some suggestions?...

No suggestions along those lines. But if you are simply looking for a low cost alternative for photo hosting, I highly recommend pBase. Some good basic pages to select from but very little in the way of tools to help customize your pages. But if you have HTML skills you can customize to your heart's content. And there is a fairly robust user community where you can get additional customized pages or help to do your own. Cost is nominal at roughly $25US/yr.