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03/22/2026 05:55:38 AM · #1 |
My Adobe PS&LR is due to expire soon. The annual plan with 20GB is ~US$120. Not sure what to do, but, as always, tempted to ditch the subscription to save a buck or two...
Is anyone here using the Darktable (DT) and GIMP combo and if yes, did you switch from PS&LR?
I can handle both Gimp and DT but ain't smooth and I guess the "muscle" memory is wired deep into me.
Cheers and hugs! |
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03/24/2026 08:38:41 AM · #2 |
Yeah, I hear you. I too look around time to time as well.
I always decide to stay with the Photography Plan (LrC and PS) at the grandfathered rate of $120 (US). It is cheap enough compared to other photo purchases and relearning a bunch of tools. Not sure if I had to pay the regular ~$240 a year that the math would still work. |
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03/28/2026 05:56:18 AM · #3 |
Originally posted by bobnospum:
Yeah, I hear you. I too look around time to time as well.
I always decide to stay with the Photography Plan (LrC and PS) at the grandfathered rate of $120 (US). It is cheap enough compared to other photo purchases and relearning a bunch of tools. Not sure if I had to pay the regular ~$240 a year that the math would still work. |
Yep, agreed!
I'm really tight on budget this time so I have to think harder if I really need it...
Seems that no one uses the combo or at least one of the 2 mentioned above.
Message edited by author 2026-03-28 05:56:57. |
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03/28/2026 12:53:22 PM · #4 |
| Actually, the GIMP is all I use. It is cumbersome, but I seem not to be a post-processing person anyway. |
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03/28/2026 05:55:21 PM · #5 |
I'm a GIMP user. I absolutely love it for surgical editing precision and absolute manual control. But I'm far from what you would call a "power user" of GIMP -- and I have honestly never used PhotoShop in any form, so I can't really speak on how it compares for someone used to using that software. I also own but rarely or never use Darktable because I have other tools that handle what it does more efficiently (not necessarily better, just quicker for me). People "in the know" tell me that GIMP's current development iteration feels a lot like legacy PS before the introduction of AI tools like content-aware fill, only with a slightly different user interface and tool layout, while Darktable is more like legacy Lightroom before it became practically a fully functional editor in its own regard.
Since you mention already being familiar with both tools, I'm sure you probably already know about as much about how to use them as me--probably more! But my own impression is that the main drawback to transitioning fully away from PS/LR and over to GIMP/Darktable is simply the reversion to a pre-AI era of raster processing.
For what it's worth, you might find this GIMP alternative interesting: PhotoGIMP
From what I understand, this is an adaptation of the open-source code underlying the modern version of GIMP made specifically for PS users so they can have a more PS-like experience while using the program. I learned about it thanks to a headline that fell in my Google Discover feed last week--probably because Google knew I had read this DPC forum thread before (lol). Perhaps it will help you better assess whether GIMP is equally capable for your needs?
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04/10/2026 02:10:12 PM · #6 |
I use them both as well.
I guess I use only a fraction of what the programs can do, but they work well for me. The user interface is sometimes not very intuitive.
As I have not worked with Photoshop or Lightroom I cannot compare them, though.
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