Capture One Express is coming to an end
Hello everyone,
Writing a post in here just in case some of you have not been contacted by e-mail and to also share some helpful resources after this news.
See here:
Express deprecation FAQ
How to access your catalog images outside of Capture One
From the email communication sent out earlier today:
"... This means that starting January 30, 2024, Capture One Express will no longer be available.
You’ll be able to use Express until January 30, and all your images and edits will also be available until this date.
Starting January 30, you won’t be able to download or use Express from our website. Also, you can’t activate any Express license keys after January 30, even though you downloaded the license key before this date.
We’ll end all support for Express after January 30."
Understandably, if you are an Express user this will come as disappointing news. However, we have done our best to ensure that there are options available to you, should you want to stay in the Capture One eco-system – check your inbox over the coming days for an offer that's unique to you.
Kind regards,
Team Capture One
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Mark – To your point Capture One also offers the 30-day free trial like all other apps. Adobe requires a subscription. Capture One still offers a perpetual license.
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Walter Rowe I think a lot of the noise here is from perpetual Pro license holders who wonder if they are going to be the next in line with a surprise announcement. This company can't be trusted under the present management. I'm a C-1 user since V-7 and since 2020 the company has gone way downhill. Updates are full of bugs and innovation lags behind competitors now. C-1 used to lead the way.
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Walter -- True. But no one offers a fully free limited app similar to C1 Express. Not a fan of a Adobe at all so not at all saying they're better (which is why I don't subscribe to them). Good point however.
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@...
Yeah, same here. I'm fine with a business decision to stop revising and supporting the express version. But shutting down existing users seems weird. Why not just let them whither and eventually die on their own. You can stop supporting them. You can stop making new releases. You can remove the download of the existing versions. But why reach out to people already running it and using it and just make their installations stop working. That is the mean part.Bingo. Exactly that.
If they just stopped supporting the C1 Express, I could keep using it until some newer features that are relevant to me appears on future versions of C1. And I probably would not buy something from a competitor.
But no - they are just taking away in 1.5 months my current only option, and forcing me to buy a license or subscription.
I will. But from another company. And will lose a customer forever - and a lot more that I will convice to use another software.6 -
So on January 30th all edits I’ve ever made, hundreds of hours spent, will be erased from my computer forever? Unless I spend money forever on a product that is way more than I need? Terribly anti-consumer decision.
This is my second time going through this, after first buying a license for what I thought was forever, and then C1 decided to say it was only for the C1 2020 edition and then end support on that. I’ve already paid money to lose access to the full featured software, it’s messed up that it’s happening againz
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Avalanche claims to support reading Capture One catalogs and converting the adjustments to other editors.
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Every announcement this company makes ends up a PR disaster. Kinda feel for the employees having to put up with this crap.
Next they will end the (Not) Perpetual license. Amongst those shocked consumers will be the loyal (???) subscription users who thought they would get a (Not) Perpetual license for free after 5 years. Sorry, the disclaimer read that the program could be terminated with 30 days notice (True!!). So the loyal 2 year subscriber would then have the option to buy the license at 40% discount and the 3 year subscriber gets a 60% discount meanwhile the Black Friday shopper got a 50% discount this year (true!! perpetual and subscription) without ever having to subscribe. The loyal subscriber will then be notified that the perpetual license is not perpetual and will no longer work as of January 30 20XX. But it's OK they can still buy and use a subscription.
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Walter Rowe
"Capture One still offers a perpetual license."
-- I have just bought such a perpetual license at Fotoprofi.de
Haven't received the software yet but I can I really be sure that C1 will not do the same with this software I paid around 250 Euros for (Christmas special discount) and kill the license in a few years or tomorrow?Actually I came from C1WExpress and this foolish decision by C1 to kill the Express version was exatly at the same time I ordered the Pro Version. I am close to send the software back.
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I’m just gonna say it again: we still offer a perpetual license and have never taken it away - it baffles me to this day that some people have the perception that we are “subscription only” or are “forcing” people into a subscription.
Furthermore, we absolutely WILL NOT be cancelling or disabling any Capture One Pro perpetual licenses.
We cannot and will not be revoking access to a product you have paid money for, and that we are still committed to selling.
I realize there are other comments in this thread that may need attention - but I want to be crystal clear on this. Whether you choose to believe it or not is up to you - but we are categorically not cancelling perpetual licenses and this is not part of a larger plan to remove perpetual licenses.
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@...
Thanks for clarify this since I have recently bought the Pro Version of C1 and I was thinking about to send it back to sender.
But as you can see, the company policy is raising distrust und dissatisfaction among the users.
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Jack, please take no personal offense but will the company make a legally binding official statement about what you wrote?
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As of today, it will be certain that a statement like the following will eventually become obsolete:
There is absolutely no way we will be disabling peoples license keys for Capture One Pro, under any circumstances.
M is right when he wrote:
It might be true now but that can change in the future and because precedent has been set with the decision to disable free (LIFETIME PERPETUAL) licenses, us Pro users with a LIFETIME PERPETUAL license (which is the same as the express except we paid) can only assume that this could happen at any point going forward.
As of today, you will definitely have to fear for your lifetime license of Capture One Pro.
The company shows that they have found a way to deactivate a lifetime license with their lawyers.
Totally disappointing.
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Once again, it's about communication: I understand that Capture One wants to get rid of free Express licenses and drive potential customers into a subscription.
But, by completely disabling existing products with 2 months notice, the company gambles away a fair amount of what's left of customer's trust: they could have easily offered one last update to Capture One Express which enables it to run infinitely without requiring a license server and such, along with the note that of course new cameras and new operating systems will not be supported by that version (exactly like with the Capture One Pro perpetual versions).
I'm pretty sure there are no legal or technical reasons not to do this, so this is a deliberate decision of the company, hoping that not all Express users are completely pissed of and some still buy a Pro license (read: "greed").
So trust is what this thread is about: even if you say so, we cannot trust you will not do the same with old perpetual versions. What if you need to switch off the license servers in 5 years? Our "perpetual" versions cannot phone home then and will stop to work. With the current rate of communication fails, I feel that something like this will happen rather sooner than later...
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LIFETIME PERPETUAL
One thing that needs to be understood with "lifetime" licenses/subscriptions: It's not about the lifetime of the customer. It's about the lifetime of the company (best case) or about the lifetime of the product (worst case).
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Es ist, wie es ist. Express ist tot. Ich habe upgegraded auf die Version 23 Pro. Ich denke nicht, dass C1 den Fehler begehen wird, irgendwann auch meine teuer bezahlte Pepertual-Lizenz zu deaktivieren, denn das wäre ganz sicher der Tod von C1.
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So to summarize and reiterate what others have said:
- No one expects a private company to give away free software, but we do expect it to honour the existing licenses, even the ones that were issued for the free version.
- A lot of us were under the impression that the software came as part of the package we bought from the camera manufacturer. I downloaded mine from Fujifilm website, not C1’s website (to be fair this one is on the camera manufacturer, not C1).
- Based on the promise of perpetual free license, I spent a lot of time editing and cataloguing my work in C1. The way this has been done, for the lack of better word, seems like blackmailing: “Pay the highest fee in the industry for the features that you would never use, or lose all your work”. On principle, this makes me unwilling to pay what in essence feels like a ransom fee just to be able to keep my own work.
- Why kill the Express version? Why not sell it as an option for hobbyists? Some of us can’t justify paying the pro price for a software that we will only use occasionally. As an existing license holder, I’ll be annoyed, but I’ll still pay the equivalent of what some of your competitors, say Affinity Photo, are charging for their products, and I’m sure you’d attract a lot of new customers for your entry level product in the future.
- Finally, with all due respect, if a company has broken a legal agreement once (even if it’s a legal agreement for the free version), promising in the comment section that the paid perpetual license would work in perpetuity is not very reassuring. After all, my paid perpetual license from another company was rendered useless a few years ago and to be frank, right now you look as shortsighted and greedy as that other company. (BTW, that company got away with it, because they are the industry leader and own the lion’s share of the market, you are not).
As a software engineer, I can appreciate all the talent and hard-work that goes into developing a great software like C1. It would be a shame to see that decisions made by management backfires and negatively impact your product in the long run. Even though I’m disgruntled, I genuinely wish you luck, but to be honest, I have the feeling that this decision would not benefit the company in the long run and you have lost a lot of goodwill and reputation that was built over the years.
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How can customers trust the statement
Furthermore, we absolutely WILL NOT be cancelling or disabling any Capture One Pro perpetual licenses.
if it is proclaimed at the same time:
If you have concerns about the legality of this decision, then simply write to legal@captureone.com
At some point they will write me the same sentence when my Capture One Pro license is deactivated.
The company has just squandered all trust.
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I will go back to Lightroom now ! Capture One is DEAD for me .
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hey everyone, please continue to share your feedback as it helps us all understand how we can do better ❤️
and to address the elephant in the room, there is quite a difference between deprecating a free software and our core product, which has been on the market for two decades now.
we can assure you that the future is brighter than ever for our Pro and mobile users. we are doing a lot to process your feedback on desired features for Capture One and are working hard to improve our internal processes.
thank you again for the time you've spent with us and the energy you've put into making Capture One better
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Denis Huk The only way Pro users will trust you when you say that our licenses are safe is by cancelling the choice to revoke exiting Express licenses. As many people have said, there is NO reason to deactivate existing licenses and existing software activations on someone's computer. NOBODY has a problem with the company not wanting to offer or support Express anymore. LEAVE THE LICENSE ALONE THOUGH!
What is the company not understanding here???
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Denis Huk
As a lot of people stated before. we do not like but could understand the decision of retiring the Express version. I think it is a mistake - is a very efficient gateway product to bring people to use C1, and getting the full version after getting used to it.
The main problem is BLOCKING people to continue using the Express version - and clearly stating that if these people don't upgrade to a full version, all the edits and work done with Express will be lost in 1.5 months. It is almost blackmailing.
Just don't give support or update anymore the Express version, but keep it working. The message that you are passing is that a "f*ck you" to the Express customers: pay or screw you.
I have a full license of the C1 21. Was using Express for my new Fuji camera until some meaninful upgrades appear in future versions of C1 to upgrade to a newer full version.
A lot of people (like me) came to C1 because don't like subscriptions. Then Capture One adopt subscriptions. Then kill Express, and blocking the current users to keep using it.
The message is that I could pay the full price for a newer C1 full version, and maybe 2 weeks later you the company decides "meh, don't want to update anymore the perpetual version, only subscriptions now" and we have to get the subcription right after paying full price.
You lost the trust. And now another company will get my money.6 -
Denis Huk Here is how you (the company) can do better. I'll give you a simple step by step guide.
1. Email all Express users letting them know that they will be able to continue using Express going forward but with no updates or customer support being provided.
2. Offer a 6 month FREE trial of C1 Pro to all Express users as an apology for the big middle finger you gave them
3. Issue a statement directly from the people who have made this bad decision apologizing to users. Don't be corporate, be honest.
4. Make the loyalty program something worth participating in. Instead of a free perpetual, why not a free year of subscription? Isn't the subscription model for customers who always want the latest updates? Why would that customer feel like a non-upgradable perpetual license is something of actual value? If they did, they probably wouldn't subscribe and instead just buy the perpetual.
5. Hire more staff to help with C1's obvious development time issues. You have doubled the price of the perpetual & your sub is more than Adobes, make it worth it to users who pay. Where is the money going if you haven't expanded the team?
6. MAKE A GOOD PRODUCT! That's the secret to making more money! You guys want to take more of Adobe's users than use your brains and think, what do photographers actually need from photoshop that C1 doesn't have yet? C1 is a better raw editor than Lightroom already so what is missing that keeps people on LR & PS instead of going to a superior editor? Here's one, dodging & burning. Here's another, color channel mixer. One more just because, better dehaze/clarity tools.
Hope that "helps us understand how we can do better <3"
Normally I charge for my consult services but this one is on the house <3
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seem like 2024 is the year for ADOBE.
as good as C1 is, it can´t compete with photoshop.
i came to C1 with the sony version i got with my camera... then capture one killed that.
if i have to do a subscription it will sure be photoshop + lightroom ... 100% not C1.as to the perpetual license... i got used to the idea of subscription over the years.
i would have never bought a 800 euro photoshop or other image editor.not when i am basically forced in the future to buy another version because my new cameras RAW format is not supported or the other tricks to force people to buy an upgrade.
but less then 10 euro a month (90 euro for a year on special sales like BF) .. for photoshop and lightroom....always having the latest version.
looks in my eyes better then paying the C1 perpetual licence.a C1 subscription... not when i can get photoshop and lightroom for less money.
as nice as C1 is a RAW editor... it can´t compete with photoshop when you are really into photo editing.
so goodbye express versions of photoshop and C1..... welcome adobe photo subscription.
a nice christmas present i make myself.
bad bad move to kill this off and so quick.
capture one has not the drive adobe has. sure some studio guys will swear by C1.
but for the average joe photog the C1 express versions was an entry to C1.farewell and thanks for the fish.... i bet you will regret this decision in the long run.
sorry if this sounds all like gibberish .. english is not my native language.
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Hmm... weird. Why are so many users complaining about the quality of C1? Some say, it can't compete with Adobe. If that's the case, why do you worry about the elimination of Express? You won't upgrade to Pro anyway, so why are you wasting your time commenting and complaining here? Just get the Adobe software if you think it is better.
I am disappointed because I really liked C1 Express. And I admit, that I would not have upgraded to pro that soon, because Express offered everything I needed. So the decision to kill the Express version hit me hard. And I think it is unfair. But C1 is a great product (in my eyes). So I decided to upgrade.
Dear C1-Team: I do really hope that I won't regret my decision to obtain this software and spending that much money. You made a mistake by killing off Express. Once again and you can bury your company.
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Christian Damhus Who is complaining about quality? People are talking about Value vs Adobe but in terms of file quality, C1 is a superior raw editor. It's just lacking a lot of features compared to what you get with a PS/LR subscription making the C1 subscription of a lesser value.
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You won't upgrade to Pro anyway, so why are you wasting your time commenting and complaining here? Just get the Adobe software if you think it is better.
exactly what i will do.
for the cost of ownership C1 express was good. :)
the subscription cost of C1 PRO is not good compared to adobes offering.not difficult to understand i think.
now add to it that people have a bit over 1 month too look for a new solution and you might get why they complain.
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I refer to comments like this:
"as good as C1 is, it can´t compete with photoshop."0 -
Christian Damhus I mean that's just a fact. It doesn't have 10% of the tools photoshop does and plugin availability is very limited in C1.
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I refer to comments like this:
"as good as C1 is, it can´t compete with photoshop."
and it can not. isn´t that obvious?
C1 is a RAW editor with some editing functionality, not a full photo editing app like photoshop.
you can´t do certain things with C1 you can do with PS.
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and? Thats why I would not compare PS with C1. Anyway, everyone should use the software, he/she favours. Despite this weird policy, I decided to stay with C1 Pro.
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