When Adobe announced that they were going to make changes to Lightroom, our ears perked up, and we waited - cautiously. Sometimes when a company announces a new or updated version of a product, the new one might not be as good as the original.

Adobe, however, did not disappoint. Not only were good updates made to Lightroom - which has been re-branded as Lightroom Classic CC - Adobe also introduced new software: Lightroom CC 2017.

So, what are the differences between the new product and the rebranded and Lightroom, if any?  In Adobe's press release, they address the differences this way: "It (Lightroom CC 2017) is designed to be a cloud-based ecosystem of apps that are deeply integrated and work together seamlessly across desktop, mobile, and web. Lightroom Classic CC is designed for desktop-based (file/folder) digital photography workflows. It’s a well-established workflow solution that is distinct and separate from our new cloud-native service.  By separating the two products, we’re allowing Lightroom Classic to focus on the strengths of a file/folder based workflow that many of you enjoy today, while Lightroom CC addresses the cloud/mobile-oriented workflow."

Let’s take a look at what the latest updates and the new Adobe product mean to you as a photographer.

About Lightroom Classic:

Lightroom Classic has long been a go-to desktop photo editing software. Its comprehensive and easy-to-use sliders and tools have made it an excellent choice for both professional and amateur photographers alike.

Here are a few of the new updates, according to Adobe:

• Improvement in Application Launch time

• Preview generation including in Standard, 1:1 and Minimal previews

• Import selection workflow with “Embedded & Sidecar” preview option

• Ability to switch between Library and Develop Module

• Moving from photo to photo in the Develop Module

• More responsive brushing

• Import selection workflow with “Embedded & Sidecar” preview option

About Lightroom CC:

The newly released Lightroom CC 2017 is a modern take on Lightroom Classic. As a cloud-based software and app, it is both a desktop and browser-based program. At face value, it seems to do less: organize and edit in comparison to Lightroom Classic's organize, edit, map images, create books/slideshows, print, and create web galleries. But not everything is what it seems on the surface.

Lightroom CC offers some exciting features not available on Classic which can speed up your workflow and save you precious time. One fundamental difference between Classic and Lightroom CC 2017 is Lightroom CC's cloud-based storage and auto-syncing.  Classic only allows desktop access and storage. Lightroom CC's cloud-based means you can edit your work on a desktop, laptop, tablet or iPad, even your smartphone from anywhere.

You won’t sacrifice quality and, for the most part, a user interface by working on the road. (Imagine post-production edits while sitting out in the field on a shoot.) For the busy photographer, the product's cloud-based versatility is a serious plus.

The monthly fees start at $9.99 for its basic version. Professional photographers will likely need to pay more for their more comprehensive packages.

More About Lightroom CC:

Editing with Lightroom CC:  Adobe has managed to create a new and easy-to-use interface. Lightroom CC offers most (but not all) of the most powerful editing features of Lightroom Classic.  The exception is camera calibration which isn't available. Otherwise, though, you can do all the same edits you would in Classic and save in full-resolution. One of the two most exciting features is auto-syncing across all your devices. You can edit and save while on the road and open those saved changes on your desktop or another device.

Keywords and tagging: Say goodbye to tagging your images for later searches! Adobe has introduced a new nifty keyword tool, Sensei, to simplify your searches. The Sensei automatically assigns keywords to your pictures, so there is no need to tag your photos. This new feature means you can organize photos by theme using Sensei without needing to pour through a cadre of images. All you need to do is create a new album and put in a keyword to search. The program calls up all of the images matching the keyword.

Photoshop: Lightroom CC allows you to move your pictures from Lightroom to Photoshop without a problem, but also without a watermark. (Some professional photographers might take issue with that.)

Storage:  The challenge of photo storage has been a challenge pretty much since the birth of digital photography. Desktop storage space is priceless, especially to the professional shooting tens of thousands of images. The new Lightroom comes with 1TB included with its basic subscription service. You also have the option to upgrade for more storage. Being able to select or upgrade your storage size to meet your needs makes Lightroom CC ideal for both amateur photographers needing less storage as well as professionals who might need far more. Another exciting feature thanks to the cloud is that, once you upload your photos, they are automatically backed up for you in full resolution saving significant storage space on your computer without losing quality in your images.

Gallery: If you’d like to create an online gallery with your images, Lightroom makes it possible and easier than ever. It's an excellent feature for the pro just starting out wanting to showcase their work.

Lightroom Mobile Camera: You can use the included Lightroom Camera to shoot pictures from any mobile device either on “auto” or on “professional” (manual). Then apply any edits necessary. A few of the things you’ll be able to do with the Lightroom Mobile Camera include HDR, shooting in RAW, ISO, exposure, shutter speed, and white balance.

Photo Sharing: It is no surprise, of course, that making Lightroom more modern would include making photo sharing easy.  You can share your photos directly from Lightroom whether it is with clients, friends, or social media.  If you need to get creative, no problem. Adobe Spark allows you to create web pages, videos, and graphics. If you need to build a website, you can use Adobe Portfolio. Both Spark and Portfolio are included in your membership.

Conclusion:

Photo editing platform preferences can be very personal and even idiosyncratic for photographers. Some will prefer to stay with Lightroom Classic while others, excited about the advantages of the cloud, including auto-syncing, will likely migrate to Lightroom CC 2017. Keep in mind, that there has been speculation and discussion about stand-alone Lightroom and whether it will be offered after 2017. We recommend monitoring Adobe's page on discontinued products.