Subscription Model

[TomP]

I've spoken with several photographers this week who are all Photomechanic users. None were aware of the change to a subscription model and all were taken aback at the price. I think there is a risk for Camerabits that customers will only learn of the change in dribs and drabs such as when they change computers. At that time they will make the decision to subscribe or look elsewhere so the risk is not of a sudden exit of customers but rather a drifting away. By the time a critical mass is reached users may already be comfortable with their new solution and won't be easily won back. I personally haven't used PM since my last post in this thread. I'd urge Camerabits to look again at the pricing. These sums are not trivial amounts especially to younger photographers.

[Max Lemesh]

Well... we wanted new version and new features and at least same pricing level, so far we have old version, no new features and more expensive.
And still, 4 months later, waiting  for the roadmap of any features planned, when there is a whole thread with requests that you could start with

[bjornh]

As a long Photo Mechanic user I have now moved. The subscription is simply to expensive for me to justify as a hobby user. Also don't see any progress such as nativ Apple silicone version and it has been several year since Apple changed to ARM.

Using Fast RawViewer now. Fast, resonable price, not as full featured but covers my needs for initial culling of photos.

[danbaileyphoto]

It seems that I've followed a familiar story as told by many other users on this forum. Having been a die hard PM user for 18+ years, I've found the program to be an absolutely essential program in my workflow, and I simply cannot imagine using any other photo management software. And, or course, since the program is so stable, I've only found the need to upgrade every 4-5 years on average, which means that in those 18 years, I've only paid them around $480 between new licenses and upgrades, which is unbelievable bargain. Honestly, it has just worked so well, even through multiple Mac OS upgrades, that I just blaze through the years without even thinking about it.

Knowing that Camera Bits is a tiny company in a very big industry (11 people on their website, compared to Adobe, who has 29,945 employees and a market cap of $234 billion), I'm thrilled to support an innovative company like this who offers their employees good pay, benefits and quality of life, and who offers such excellent support. I first posted a question on this forum back in 2008, and had a reply from Kirk B within a couple hours. And he's still here helping us every day, year after year. That's worth something.

I trust them to make excellent software, and I also trust them to make the best financial decision for their company. If they feel that this pricing schedule will allow them to remain competitive and innovative, then I'll gladly pay the new perpetual license price. For how much efficiency that PM has contributed to my success as a pro photographer over the past two decades, it's absolutely worth it, especially with the cost of living increases over the past 20 years. I mean, don't we all hate it when clients say our photography assignment or stock fees are too high? Most of us aren't trying to rook our clients, we're just trying to survive. And from a consumer standpoint, there are plenty of other ways to save the extra hundred or so bucks every year if I have to pay more for my favorite, most used photo software.

For those hobbyists who feel that the perpetual licenses are too expensive, consider this: There is almost no need to upgrade every year. Figuring that many users could easily get by with 3+ years on a PM+ perpetual license before you would need to upgrade, this brings the amortized annual cost much closer to Adobe's photography plan, if not considerably less. If you went for the regular version of PM for simple photo management, it would be even lower.

[kim]

I completely agree with danbaileyphoto.
/Kim

[bwana]

For those hobbyists who feel that the perpetual licenses are too expensive, consider this: There is almost no need to upgrade every year. Figuring that many users could easily get by with 3+ years on a PM+ perpetual license before you would need to upgrade, this brings the amortized annual cost much closer to Adobe's photography plan, if not considerably less. If you went for the regular version of PM for simple photo management, it would be even lower.

PM is going to be a tough sell to a hobbyist at these prices.

[Max Lemesh]

It seems that I've followed a familiar story as told by many other users on this forum. Having been a die hard PM user for 18+ years, I've found the program to be an absolutely essential program in my workflow.

Many of us here are die hard fans of PM, supported it for many years and upgraded without hesitation. But for me there are 2 issues:

There are many little features that other similar apps have that PM would really benefit in having as well, with introduction of AI these little things started to accumulate even more — custom shortcuts, custom filters. some QoL improvements in Ingest window. I'm sure many them are not that hard to make and would give us a feeling of things being done in improved.

Second is the pricing, which would be perfectly fine if it was lower, but twice the price of PS & LR is a bit too much.

And stilll there is no launch thread for PM Sub version with new features updated, nor there is a road map for development promised  several months ago. Latest update we had was for v7102 in feb, that's 5 months of development time and still nothing.

[elementalpress]

Sorry to say but the new subscription price model is just outrageous and extortionate. I've been a long-time user of PM, but the program definitely does not have twice the value of 2x PS+LR /every year).

As a professional photographer and have to earn my money with pictures. So I've absolutely no problem paying for services. But there has to be a healthy balance between effort and benefit. With the new model, this is no longer the case. What a pity!

It's time to leave PM and use alternatives!

[mistd]

With the risk of being put "into my place" again  ... I will be honest here ...

A little bit about me: I'm 40 yrs old semi-pro photographer, aspiring to be a pro, with close to 10 yrs of doing photography as a hobby and in the last few years as a serious endeavor (serious sports events, all kind of festivities / baptism / weddings as a second shooter etc.)

Photo Mechanic, although looking dated and "old-school" in term of overall feeling (i know i will be shamed again for this ... similar to another thread) it is a useful piece of software but NOT without alternatives.

PM is good but NOT that good demanding 344 EUR for its goodness. Almost 500 EUR for "plus" version with cataloging feature ?
Thank you ... but no thank you ! It's a basic cataloging guys ! It's a mundane concept, not that "revolutionary" as you may think !

Although i didn't like the "feel" of the software at first, i purchased it at the "old" price to play with it in my workflow long term (longer than the trial).

It was great for culling thousands of images ? Yes !
Can i do it without it ? ABSOLUTELY !

I won't be purchased it again ... and totally NO, a big NO ... i won't give you 50% more monthly than an Adobe subscription that includes Lightroom AND Photoshop. (to be noted ... "AND PHOTOSHOP" - one of the most, if not THE most powerful pixel level editor out there)

Even Capture One costs 350EUR ... and it's a powerful piece of software ... WAAAY above your 500 EUR "plus" cataloging privillege.

I don't want to sound rude, even if i upset some guys around here ... but since the beginning i got of felling of "arrogance" from PM :

- too much of a "golden standard" for sports photographers and photojournalism .... to bother with updated interfaces and functions
- even the documentation page (https://docs.camerabits.com/) looks dated, like 1990's bad design.
- i get a strong feeling of arrogant old dudes still stuck in their "conservatism" and "traditionalism".

Seriously, no hard feelings, don't get mad .... it's just an honest feedback from a customer !

Oh ... and still no Apple Silicon support ? Cool ...

[Jack Baty]

"Oh ... and still no Apple Silicon support ? Cool ..."


https://forums.camerabits.com/index.php?topic=16255.0

[samknutson]

They posted a blog entry about the new Apple Silicon beta.  A bit part of the subscription model fiasco is poor communication.   I don't know why they didn't declare that they were intensely focused on providing an Apple Silicon offering as a first step to energizing development.  Still not announcement thread but a blog.  Photo Mechanic Beta: Universal Binary Available https://home.camerabits.com/2024/06/28/photo-mechanic-beta-universal-binary-available/  The inability to articulate value, roadmap, strategy as rational for pricing changes really screams "We don't have a Product Manager!".

[mistd]

After 4 years there is an Apple Silicone BETA ... that you must pay to access.
Basically if i want to try a sad BETA, they want me to give them 350 EUR in perpetual or subscribe to the monthly / yearly plan (50% more expensive than Lightroom + Photoshop), did i get that right ? 

Yes, i fully agree: this whole thing screams "We don't have a product manager" and, honestly, also a little bit of arrogance or just maybe a deep lack of care.

1. You sold me your software for 169$ in perpetual license.
2. I ran your software emulated on Apple (a really popular platform for creatives).
3. Since purchasing i didn't see any major improvements in the software .... giving me second thoughts if i should buy it again.

Now, you DOUBLED the price. What did you bring in terms of features to warrant this ?
- Did you double the performance ?
- Did you implement some ground breaking, revolutionary AI that will help me at ingesting / culling / workflow (although i hate the trend, i find it useful when done for the right stuff) ?
- and so on ....
- WHY should i pay you double ?

It's not an inability to articulate value ... there isn't any value to articulate when you double the payment for the same old stuff.
First, deliver .... and only then increase your prices (double it out of the blue ? forget it !).

I won't pay double today for tommorow "strategies" and future roadmaps.

Unfortunately, for me, the Photo Mechanic story ends here. I will use alternatives ... or maybe just keep my workflow 100% within Lightroom.
I totally hate Adobe but i can't deny their value: i have a cataloging app with DAM features + a RAW editor with some pretty powerful AI tools + a powerful pixel editor (Photoshop) + 20 GB cloud storage at almost 50% monthly discounts than Photo Mechanic - an ingesting and culling tool with some metadata capabilities.

[vale]

guys, please understand: you CAN still use the 'old' program as long as the OS of your device keeps the support. So, don't skip PM just because they put this subscription model out, use it as usual (you already paid it) and only if something wrong (or a very extraordinary update [apple sillicon is NOT an update, it is a MUST in 2024]) move to a decision.

[jgrove]

guys, please understand: you CAN still use the 'old' program as long as the OS of your device keeps the support. So, don't skip PM just because they put this subscription model out, use it as usual (you already paid it) and only if something wrong (or a very extraordinary update [apple sillicon is NOT an update, it is a MUST in 2024]) move to a decision.

You can use the old versions but not the update or the beta release the other day, (unless I am mistaken) effectively an historical user is loccked into the Feb 24 update, without any offer of a discount to help marination to a new system. Personally I would buy a new perpetual license to give me a year of updates, at which point I would be able to use the silicon version and see if PM still works as well as it has done.

Alas no discount was offered, and I cant justify the cost.

It's a shame but I was hoping we'd see some form of carrot waved to encourage users to migrate to the new version and pricing structure.

[vale]

you are correct, you cannot upgrade or test, but if until now the program had worked for you and there aren't big issues with it.....keep using it!
Let them make a REAL and WORKING version for apple, put some more work into making this a program that is it worth 350/year and the make a decision to stay/go.