# Adobe Lightroom Alternative



## Drake

I've been testing Adobe Lightroom 2 for a while now and it's amazing. But the problem is that it costs about $300 where I live and it's much more than I can afford. If I could spend $300 on photography right now, it would be much wiser to get some nice photo equipment. That's why I'm asking you, if there are any free alternatives. By alternative I mean software that allows keeping my photos in some kind of a simple library (keywords etc. are not important for me, I am storing photos by dates and I'm fine with that) and applying non-destructive edits to my jpegs (no need for raw).

I know Adobe Lightroom is probably the best software in this case, and I am not getting anything similar for free, so I am ready to use software with much narrower functionality. I just have no idea where to look for it.


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## usayit

What are the features in lightroom that are most important to you?  That should help some people make recommendations.


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## Drake

Thanks for your reply, I'll try to describe my workflow in LR. First, I import my photos (jpegs, no raw files) into the library, in a folder structure by month/date. I don't use any keywording, filtering features etc. All I do here is pick the right photos, delete the others. After that, I switch to develop module and edit. As for the tools I use here... Mostly the sliders in basic section - temp/tint, exposure, contrast, vibrance, and the detail section - sharpening (sometimes also NR, not that important for me though), also cropping, red eye correction tool and spot removal (this one comes in very handy, but I think I can live without it). After that I batch export the photos, some in high res, some in low res for emailing. And this would basically be it. I don't use the slideshow, print or web module at all. However I often come back to my photos and say "hold on, what if I change...", move some sliders around, crop in a different way. And that's why I love Lightroom so much, for the ability to come back later making some changes to the already retouched photos without any quality concerns. This is what I am looking after, an app that will allow me to come back and edit my photos, but not necessarily with so many features.


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## chammer

i believe picasa from google will do some of this at the very least. i know it will import photos and such, but as i havent played with it in a long while im unsure what type of editing it allows, and whether or not its non-destructive editing like lightroom.

being free, though, it wouldnt hurt to give it a quick try. at the very least i love its built in picture viewer over the default windows one. thats enough to warrant a download from me.


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## Drake

Picasa does allow non-destructive edits, but the edits are too simple. There are almost no sliders, you can just sharpen or not etc. It's a bit too basic.


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## inTempus

I'm not aware of any freeware tools that do what Lightroom does.  Photoshop, yes (Gimp)... but not Lightroom, certainly not to the degree that Lightroom does things.

What I find interesting is that you don't consider processing software important kit for your photography.  What good is an image if you can't process it, make it look the way you want, archive it and catalog it?  To me it's not worth much... I value my processing software almost as much as I do my nicest lens.


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## Drake

Well, I don't need a software anywhere near Lightroom, but Picasa is just not enough. As for software being important - for sure it is, but to some extent. My photo gear at the moment isn't worth much more than the $300 I'd spend on lightroom.


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## usayit

I know someone who uses a workflow between the raw processor that came with their DSLR, picasa, and gimp.   Cost them zero cash.  Of course the workflow is not as streamlined as the single lightroom package but that's the reason why Lightroom costs money.


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## Drake

usayit said:


> that's the reason why Lightroom costs money.


I guess you're right...


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## pez

I love Lightroom 3 beta. On the terrible day the beta runs out next month, I will somehow scrape up $300 to maintain my addiction.


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## Dao

I did some searching and find this.  I may also give it a try and see how good it is.

blueMarine - Home

It is a open source application that available in Linux, Windows and Mac.


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## BLD_007

Drake said:


> I've been testing Adobe Lightroom 2 for a while now and it's amazing. But the problem is that it costs about $300 where I live and it's much more than I can afford. If I could spend $300 on photography right now, it would be much wiser to get some nice photo equipment. That's why I'm asking you, if there are any free alternatives. By alternative I mean software that allows keeping my photos in some kind of a simple library (keywords etc. are not important for me, I am storing photos by dates and I'm fine with that) and applying non-destructive edits to my jpegs (no need for raw).
> 
> I know Adobe Lightroom is probably the best software in this case, and I am not getting anything similar for free, so I am ready to use software with much narrower functionality. I just have no idea where to look for it.




been using the trial version of LR2 for a year now. If I want to use it I just change my system clock back to last year =p

but I'm using LR3 beta now for free and will probably buy it when it comes out.


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## Drake

Dao said:


> I did some searching and find this.  I may also give  it a try and see how good it is.
> 
> blueMarine -  Home
> 
> It is a open source application that available in Linux, Windows and  Mac.


Thanks, they've got a very good idea, but...

_"The current release of blueMarine has no editing features. They are  being developed right now, and will include support for RAW formats."_


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## Dao

Drake said:


> Dao said:
> 
> 
> 
> I did some searching and find this.  I may also give  it a try and see how good it is.
> 
> blueMarine -  Home
> 
> It is a open source application that available in Linux, Windows and  Mac.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks, they've got a very good idea, but...
> 
> _"The current release of blueMarine has no editing features. They are  being developed right now, and will include support for RAW formats."_
Click to expand...


LOL  bummer!


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## NateWagner

I saw that too... looks like it could be good when it finally comes out though.


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## Drake

Just found out Photoshop Elements offers everything I need and much more (some Photoshop CS features). At the price of $99 it seems to be pretty good value for money too. I am going to give it a try and then who knows, maybe buy it?


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## usayit

try it out.. .the free equivalent is gimp.


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## inTempus

Lightroom and Photoshop (including Elements) are two totally different products. If you want a free Photoshop type tool, Google Gimp.


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## Drake

inTempus said:


> Lightroom and Photoshop (including Elements) are two totally different products.


That's what I thought, but the last Elements version I used was 2 or 3. I just had no idea how it has changed. Version 8 has got a library and a quick edit module (similar to develop module in LR) - all I need from Lightroom, plus the full edit module, featuring some tools from the Photoshop CS series.


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## inTempus

If you've downloaded the free trial of Elements and it does everything you need, the $99 would be well spent in registering it.


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## DScience




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## usayit

Don't!


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## KmH

Elements comes with ACR (Adobe Camera RAW) which is what the image editing part of Lightroom is.

When Adobe designed Lightroom, it's main intent was to provide photographers a full featured database managing tool that also had an somewhat expanded version of ACR so basic image editing functions could be performed before the image was moved to Photoshop to be finished.

The version of ACR that you get with Elements will be missing some of the features you have been using in Lightroom, but it will be familiar none the less.

You weren't utilizing Lightroom's main feature, the database management, anyway so........

With Elements you gain layers and text but it will be difficult to edit non-destructively.

You may want to also consider a version of Corel's Paint Shop Pro, which for the price of Elements is very similar to the Photoshop CS4.


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## usayit

You wouldn't happen be using a mac?

Aperture 3 is $199 which slots it in between Elements and Lightroom price wise.


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## Mulewings~

I use PSE 5.  When I don't want to mess with the original file, of course I rename the edited version.
I can also save everything in layers to work on later.


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## Drake

Turns out I was wrong. I've just downloaded the 1gb big trial of Adobe Photoshop 8 just to find out, it does not allow non-destructive edits. So it's no use for me after all.

@usayit: I am using Windows. Macs are not really that popular here.


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## usayit

Non destructive edits is one of the major selling points of lightroom...  you may have to prioritize your wants and decide what you can live without.


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## eric-holmes

My idea, although probably illegal, find a student in the US who you trust. Paypal them some money and have them buy it for $100 and ship it to you.

May I add, what is a nondestructive edit?


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## KmH

Non destructive means the original pixels are not changed.

If some one has Elements (or CS4 for that matter), to make sure none of the original pixels get changed, all they need to do is make a duplicate of the original and edit that.

Making a duplicate of the original to edit, is pretty basic image editing 101 anyway. 

Also in Elements non-destructive editing can be done using ACR and adjustment layers for editing.


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## KmH

eric-holmes said:


> My idea, although probably illegal, find a student in the US who you trust. Paypal them some money and have them buy it for $100 and ship it to you.


Nothing like advocating involving a person you trust, in perpetrating a fraud, in print. 

Of course, registering the purloined copy would be problematic.

It's probably best to leave petty theft schemes up the the experts, who have the benefit of personal experience from their failed attempts and have subsequently attended and completed their advanced studies, at public expense mind, at one of the public criminal college's (jails) our criminal-justice system maintains.


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## Drake

eric-holmes said:


> My idea, although probably illegal, find a student in the US who you trust. Paypal them some money and have them buy it for $100 and ship it to you.


I don't think it would be any more legal than just simply cracking the software.

As for non-destructive editing - you open your original files without making any copies and mess around with some sliders etc. to make it look the way you want. The changes are stored in the metadata of the file (or in some additional file, not exactly sure in case of Lightroom), so if you open the original in any other software, it's untouched, but you can always come back to LR, where the changes are visible, and mess around with it some more.


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## pbelarge

KmH said:


> Nothing like advocating involving a person you trust, in perpetrating a fraud, in print.
> 
> _Shows how comfortable people are from home and may not realise the consequences..._
> 
> 
> Of course, registering the purloined copy would be problematic.
> 
> It's probably best to leave petty theft schemes up the the experts, who have the benefit of personal experience from their failed attempts and have subsequently attended and completed their advanced studies, at public expense mind, at one of the public criminal college's (jails) our criminal-justice system maintains.
> 
> _Haaa...probably the best way I have seen this described. Are you sure you are not part of the crowd_? :mrgreen:


..............


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## Garbz

Long thread but skimming I don't think I've seen it mentioned, have you tried UFRAW? 

It is kind of like Adobe CameraRAW for GIMP. It can be used as the importing tool to GIMP (a powerful free image editor), or it can be used standalone to make non-destructive edits which it saves along side the original RAW file as an XMP.


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## JarnoV

Hi,

Sorry for bumping up old thread, but i just search myself also alternative for LR. First i found this forum but didnt find answer for my problem but was so intrested to this site that i registered 

So i found to myself a program called LightZone ... its cost only like 99$ and there are plenty of things ... i havent yet buy it but its looks that i might buy it. The tagin and find certain image isnt there but if you can manage your images by folders this might be good program.


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## Destin

I in no way reccomend it as it is illegal, but you can crack software and download it for free. I know people that have cs5, lightroom, adobe premier pro, after affects, and Sony Vegas Pro, all cracked.

I personally would never use cracked software though, as it is illegal. 

I'm just stating facts.


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## pez

Destin said:


> I in no way reccomend it as it is illegal, but you can crack software and download it for free. I know people that have cs5, lightroom, adobe premier pro, after affects, and Sony Vegas Pro, all cracked.
> 
> I personally would never use cracked software though, as it is illegal.
> 
> I'm just stating facts.


 Also, you can't update it when it's illegal. I've heard Aperture is very good, around $199.


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## JarnoV

I personal dont wanna use illegal software... either its free (example open-source) or i have bought it but never a pirate software.

And Aperture is only for Mac ... and i have Win so thats for that


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## KmH

Lightroom's editing function is a Raw converter, ACR 6.

There are several free Raw converters on the web.

Here is just one: http://www.rawtherapee.com/?mitem=2


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## Jcampbelll

Find a friend/family/kid/neighbor that is a student and then buy the student version, it costs $89. Problem solved. :mrgreen:


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## Garbz

Destin said:


> I in no way reccomend it as it is illegal,



Lightzone is neither cracked nor illegal. It's a Lightroom alternative driven partly by the lack of a suitable Linux program to do the job.


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## StardeMer

I have just try Zoner
Zoner.com | Zoner Photo Studio PRO
It's only $70 for 1 computer (extra $30 for 3 PC).
It's not LR but it is fast and slow computer friendly.


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## Destin

Garbz said:


> Destin said:
> 
> 
> 
> I in no way reccomend it as it is illegal,
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lightzone is neither cracked nor illegal. It's a Lightroom alternative driven partly by the lack of a suitable Linux program to do the job.
Click to expand...


Garbz, gotcha. I was refering to cracking lightroom.


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## Garbz

Destin said:


> Garbz, gotcha. I was refering to cracking lightroom.



Ahhh right. Though I think 9 months after posting the original comments if was going to get cracked lightroom he'd have done it by now :lmao:


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## Destin

Garbz said:


> Destin said:
> 
> 
> 
> Garbz, gotcha. I was refering to cracking lightroom.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ahhh right. Though I think 9 months after posting the original comments if was going to get cracked lightroom he'd have done it by now :lmao:
Click to expand...


Haha very true :banghead: I never look at the date on threads. Ever. I really should start.


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## Garbz

I understand man. I don't either, unless I've posted in that thread before and everything suddenly seems suss


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## cheezer

Check out Corel Paint Shop Pro.


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## eremite

Very similar look and feel to lightroom and completely free.
Linux and Mac only though as far as i'm aware.


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