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Alternatives to Photos?
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driven
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Oct 29, 2016, 11:59 AM
 
Any suggestions for an alternative to Photos? (Even if it's on the Windows platform?)

Seems there aren't a lot of non-destructive photo library/editors left. (Picasa is gone).

Ideally I don't want to use a cloud product. (Google Photos isn't an option). I don't want a subscription product. (So Lightroom is out)
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OreoCookie
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Oct 31, 2016, 10:09 PM
 
What are you missing in Photos? Do you want something more powerful? Or do you just dislike the way the UI is designed?

There are a few pro-level choices, e. g. On1, Capture One Pro and DxO OpticsPro. Honestly, I find none of them as elegant to use as my beloved Aperture (that includes Lightroom), but the most popular option definitely is going the Adobe route. On1 will be released soon, although this piece of software won't manage your files (which could either be a huge plus or a huge minus for you). Capture One Pro is usually treated as the alternative to Lightroom. I tried it out, and it is meh.

Proper replacements for Photos, i. e. consumer-level software is rare, I don't know of any serious contender, unfortunately.
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driven  (op)
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Nov 2, 2016, 02:24 AM
 
Originally Posted by OreoCookie View Post
What are you missing in Photos? Do you want something more powerful? Or do you just dislike the way the UI is designed?

There are a few pro-level choices, e. g. On1, Capture One Pro and DxO OpticsPro. Honestly, I find none of them as elegant to use as my beloved Aperture (that includes Lightroom), but the most popular option definitely is going the Adobe route. On1 will be released soon, although this piece of software won't manage your files (which could either be a huge plus or a huge minus for you). Capture One Pro is usually treated as the alternative to Lightroom. I tried it out, and it is meh.

Proper replacements for Photos, i. e. consumer-level software is rare, I don't know of any serious contender, unfortunately.
You are coming to the same conclusion as I came to unfortunately.
I'm sort of looking for a version that's cross platform (I'm using Windows machines more lately ...) I liked iPhoto, I liked Aperture .. and I honestly do like Lightroom, but hate the pricing model. I could live with Picassa, but that's gone now.

You'd think with all the photography going on, this would be a growing category, not a shrinking one.

Honestly, I'm afraid Apple's getting away from Photos as well. (The lack of an SD Card reader option in the latest MBP being one example, the death of Aperture being another example.)

Thanks for the reply. I very much appreciate it. I will look at On1.
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OreoCookie
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Nov 2, 2016, 02:58 AM
 
Originally Posted by driven View Post
Honestly, I'm afraid Apple's getting away from Photos as well. (The lack of an SD Card reader option in the latest MBP being one example, the death of Aperture being another example.)
I don't think that's accurate, it's just that Photos is mostly designed for photos taken with the iPhone. Apple is taking that quite seriously, but it doesn't fit me and my workflow. But I share your confusion: Apple has shown a lot of love for the video and music communities, catering to them with serious pro and amateur software. And despite their lead with Aperture, one of the greatest pieces of software ever IMHO, they squandered it and eventually killed it off. Photos is by no means comparable to Garageband either.

But then you look to the competition, and beyond Lightroom (whose UI I don't like) there isn't much, certainly nothing whose UI seriously challenges Lightroom and no spiritual successor to Aperture.
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badidea
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Nov 4, 2016, 10:09 AM
 
Yes, very interesting topic!

I love Aperture as well and still use it together with Photos but since I probably could also live with Photos only, I just have one very small little feature request for Apple:
- please bring back the possibility to make the background (dark) grey!! Pleeeeaaaaase!
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Tony_B
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Nov 15, 2016, 04:35 AM
 
May I add my two cents please? All of the above apps are awesome but what about adding Shotwell and ACDSee to the list? Or is it now what you had in mind Driven?
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