One of the best moves before upgrading PhotoLab is undoubtedly taking advantage of the free trial period. A month is enough time to test the software on several real-world photography projects. However, there is an unpleasant surprise this year: a green promotional bar at the top of the screen urging you to purchase the software and providing a link to support, plus an additional ad for FilmPack 8 in the top-right corner. I find it hard to imagine putting up with these elements for several weeks. It is highly likely that I will simply turn against PhotoLab 10 and stick with version 9. I don’t understand why this hasn’t bothered other photographers on this forum yet.
Perhaps because other photographers understand that ‘free’ in ‘free trial’ just means no money is involved and not that there is no cost involved. The cost, of course, being the need to put up with ads.
So, how do you suggest I convince myself that the upgrade to PhotoLab 10 is worth it? Or should I be smart about it? This is basically a ploy to keep us from waiting for Black Friday, isn’t it? The thing is, before I spend 130 euros, I want to be sure that PhotoLab 10 offers a better user experience than PhotoLab 9. And right now, it doesn’t! To me, PhotoLab is quite expensive software—it’s certainly not free. I’ve been using it since version 2, and I remember the “thank-you letter” from DxO back when they were on the verge of bankruptcy.
Just to clarify, you talk about the Trial version ‘promotional banner’ part? (idk, i not do trial)
If yes, i think it has various reasons why other don’t brother about that, few of it: some of them just do straight upgrade, and don’t bother run new version on trial (like me). Some just didn’t bother about ‘promotional messages’. Some think its reasonable for 30 day trial periode (may not all software offer 30 day for trial, some offer 7 day). Some know, if purchase the PL, the ‘banner’ is not there. Some does trial under 1 or few day (and not for a 30 day), and for that period it don’t matter.
I want to be sure that PhotoLab 10 offers a better user experience than PhotoLab 9. And right now, it doesn’t!
You mean under the ‘UX’ the ‘green banner’?
To me, PhotoLab is quite expensive software—it’s certainly not free
The Trial is free, and that’s all. I agree on the ‘expensive’ side, but i think who buy it, see (and use) the value in that (I definitely). Apples and Oranges. Some apps cost more, some less, but may all has some different ‘target group’. I guess, if someone use DxO, may ‘sky replacement’ sounds less interesting.
Probably because most people got immune to ads present everywhere – they just don’t notice them, instinctively filtering them out, being focused on their job. Marketing must be universal on whatever average they calculate, so it’s often very wrong for particular individuals (e.g. like me or you).
Please provide some details about the type of your photography, topics, style, working conditions (light, speed), timing, gear, customer expectations, etc. Too many unknowns to provide a targetted response…
As a side remark, the price of my photo editing is by far less than the price of my lenses. Since PL7, I bought each version of PhotoLab (with FilmPack and ViewPoint it’s a bit different story). Each of them provided some new features important to me, and I switched to “production mode” quickly, except for PL9, which initially suffered heavy problems with NVIDIA drivers. PL10 looks quite stable so far and I switched to it only after a day or two (using 10.0.1/Win, didn’t use the initial 10.0.0). In a way, it’s like subscription, keeping DxO alive, with a luxury to stop paying and using full functionality as long as your gear/OS supports it. So far, I didn’t find any reason not to pay for the upgrades, each of which brought some new features important to me, except perhaps for FP7–>FP8. Your case may be different.
Ok.
Now it seems DxO put in photolab existing features that should functionally belong to this kind of image editor (luminosity mask, elliptical control points, etc …) - (ok, fine contrasts are still missing).
I prefer to get an add on a trial version, than a greyed button add in a payed version.
So seing how DxO seems to proceed now, no, this does not bother me at all if they insist a little bit to say in their trial version that they have other products which can be mixed with photolab. Even If it’s a bit flashy.
Edit : I suppose this won’t be part of the paid version ! ??? This didn’t even cross my mind. Am I wrong ???
I’ve not yet paid for PL10 but I’m assuming the FilmPack advert goes away with the paid version (as it did in the PL9 trial/paid version) and that the green “support” bar works in much the same fashion.
Therefore - no - it doesn’t bother me.
The PL10 trial is exactly that; a trial of the software that we get to use for a whole month (that’s something DxO does right!) and so if it comes with an advert then so be it. It’s irritating and intrusive, but I know it’ll go away if I actually buy the product.
Since it’ll go away when you buy the product, I don’t see that as a reason to stick with PL9. By all means stick with 9 if the functionality in 10 doesn’t warrant the price tag.
Let’s look at this in a different way:
What are you missing in PL9 that you hope to gain in PL10?
If your answer is “dunno”, stick to PL9. DxO will update PL9 for a year or two and unless you buy a newly released camera, you should be fine.
If you’re compelled to test PL10, put up with the ads and do your testing.
In fact I don’t understand how can anyone criticise something that’s free !!! Not fake free for stealing private informations (as lot of free things on internet). Just free for trial.
There is no wrong information : seems all the bouton we see will exist in the paid version.
It wouldn’t be the same if they were advertising a product from another brand to make money. This would be sniky intrusive.
But here (a trial version), I think it is the right place for them to promote their full product and be sure any new user understand that other things can be mixed inside photolab.
It is very flashy, yes, but still information at this stade for me. Not advertissment.
You asked why. I had to respond.
I’ll say it again: PhotoLab isn’t free! If someone has found a way to use it for free, good for them. But that’s not how I do things. I pay for the tools I use to earn my living!
The trial version is strictly for testing—to ensure everything is fine with the new version (since we’d lose the license for the old one if we upgraded).
People here often recommend using that trial version for a full month. I wouldn’t recommend that approach! Don’t get me wrong: I’d suggest a one-week trial instead, but without the frustrating user experience. I don’t mind ads—I’m happy to watch a full video clip when the program launches. But having a “contact support” button where the crop tool should be, or an ad for FilmPack 8 where the exposure adjustment belongs… that’s another story.
P.S. Yesterday, I upgraded to PhotoLab 10. I took the risk, hoping the stability would hold up. Color Grading (a more powerful version of Color Balance) is a feature I’ve wanted for eight years. And I believe that when we want something, we should be willing to pay for it.
I think where we’re getting confused is that the trial version is free and that is the version that comes with the intrusive extra elements you’re not happy with.
It’s not built to be a long-term tool with elements you have to live with, it’s built to be something you trial and - yes - there’s a couple of elements that make it a less than perfect experience, but they do go away if you buy the product.
IMO you get more than enough time (a month) and complete access to the tool in order to test it. If your only remaining complaint is the advert/extra elements then that’s great news as they do go away when you buy it.
As you’ve gone on to buy PL10, I’d say everything has worked fine? You got a chance to try the product, saw value in it, and bought it.
They do: Last year, I have the same problem:
One of the biggest problems with this was that I have no way of knowing whether the ads are limited to the trial version or if I’ll also see ads in the purchased version.
I don’t understand what makes you think there would be ads in the purchased version of PhotoLab.
Aside from the pop-up that appears when you open the program, displaying information about new DxO features (which you can choose not to display), there are absolutely no ads in DxO software!
To be fair, it would be helpful if DxO did communicate that adverts would show in the trial but not the paid version - along with anything else important we ought to know - in a splash screen for the Trial.
It’s a reasonable assumption that the adverts would disappear, and we know better, but I don’t recall ever being told that when I downloaded, installed, and ran the trial.
This could be explicitly stated in the trial version, but it’s still very easy to ensure that the purchased version doesn’t contain ads. Simply consult the user guide and you’ll see that none of the screenshots include any.
No, I think that’s a bit too naive:
Ads within the program first appeared with the Trial Version 9. Until then, I hadn’t seen any ads, and I always started with the trial version first.
At that time, there was no Version 9 manual yet. So no one could be sure whether the newly introduced ads would actually disappear after purchase. I do not pay for a assumption.
That aside, I find ads right in the middle of the toolbar not only intrusive but also extremely annoying - even in a trial version.
For me, that’s almost a reason to avoid the program, since it makes me feel like a “milked cow.”
I stand by what I wrote above…
Regarding the user guide:
For PL10, a downloadable version doesn’t exist yet. To my knowledge, this has been the case for several years with each new version. I think DxO takes the time to verify that everything is working correctly with the latest version before making a PDF version available for download.
However, with the PL10 trial version, I assume (in fact, I’m certain) that there’s a link to the UP-TO-DATE online user guide in the Help menu.
And that, consequently, all the screenshots used to illustrate PL10’s functions allow you to verify that there are no ads in the palettes!
It’s “normal” to consult the user guide when discovering new software or a new version of existing software.
Whether you find these ad banners intrusive or annoying is your prerogative. But personally, I wouldn’t be so demanding for a completely free and fully functional 30-day trial version with no strings attached. That’s rare these days!
Maybe they should not put this “add” in the trial software, but put a watermark about filmpack in the middle of exported images ??? 
Maybe they should not put this “add” in the trial software, but put a watermark about filmpack in the middle of exported images ???
It seems all tool in the trial will be in 10 (not like 8). Apparently no more greyed “add” not functionnal tool (not like 8). Where is the problem ???
@kokofresha Solution : Don’t use the trial, uninstall it as fast as you can and buy 10 : You won’t have any more problems. Please, check the “Solution” box at the bottom of this message.
Oh please, dear god, no 