Adobe announces Photoshop CC, available only with monthly subscription

You have the "software in hand" with PS CC. The program installs and is resident on your computer just as any other program. You're not required to be connected to the web when using the software. The only real change is the pricing structure.

I'm a PS user since v2.5. I've used LR since v 3. I'm new to video editing. As a past owner of Adobe software, I was able to purchase their complete "master collection" , containing all Adobe software, for $29 per month ($32 with US state sales tax), for the first year.

I'm not fond of subscriptions but when compared with purchasing Premiere Pro, and After Effects (~$650 per title), and the cost of upgrading LR and PS, the $32 per month sounds pretty good.

I'm guessing my rate will go to ~$50 per month in my second year. Even with the higher 2nd year rate, I feel my total outlay will be better with the monthly subscription. I also have the benefit of Illustrator, Acrobat distiller, Indesign, programs I wouldn't normally purchase, but that I will make use of. There's also some nice cloud features that make the offer attractive.


Given this development, I wonder whether the major camera manufacturers will come to the understanding that in addition to the camera body and lenses, the software component is the third and crucial leg on which digital photography stands and that they have a major role to play on this matter.

While developing a software such as Adobe Photoshop is beyond the capabilities of these camera manufacturers, their adoption of a common RAW file standard (definitely not DNG!) just like what they are doing with JPG will go a long way in helping other software companies to provide alternatives to Adobe's offering.

Adopting a common RAW standard and doing away with the need to constantly update the RAW converter (essentially, ACR for Adobe) every time a new camera model is released will likely suppress the need many feel to constantly upgrade their ACR/PS. To the camera manufacturers, adopting a common RAW standard will thus mean that the user will have more money to spend on camera gears rather than spend it to update software to be able to make use of new model releases.