Urgent - updates to flickr and new account limits!

[Overread]

Let’s be candid.


Flickr are updating their terms and conditions and its not all good news.

Free accounts are going to be limited to 1000 photos only, now here is the kicker:

*Free members with more than 1,000 photos or videos uploaded to Flickr have until Tuesday, January 8, 2019, to upgrade to Pro or download content over the limit. After January 8, 2019, members over the limit will no longer be able to upload new photos to Flickr. After February 5, 2019, free accounts that contain over 1,000 photos or videos will have content actively deleted -- starting from oldest to newest date uploaded -- to meet the new limit.

So unlike in the past where they would just restrict access it seems that they are using this to have a huge clean house approach to accounts. Granted there probably are a lot of defunct accounts that don't do anything on flickr, but it basically is forcing any active user to upgrade to pro accounts. The new pro features are mostly "so so" in features - general enhancements plus video jumps up to 10mins - however anyone serious on video likely uses other services anyway.

Instead its more a case of a stick instead of a carrot as if you fail to update byebye photos. Now granted that just means losing them on flickr (I hope you' keep things local) however it will break any website that heavily uses flickr as its image host.


Personally I don't know about this one, I might have to just be forced to pro upgrade and then possibly hunt around for another service. Change like this are a huge pain, esp since flickr has always been generally safe and good for photographers in terms of the service that they offer and the attitude they have toward rights. I'll also say that whilst I don't like this I can see their point of view and also respect that its nothing like the disaster that Photobucket tried a year or two back.

 

[acparsons]

I found a easy way to get the photos. Create new album, put all photos there, and then download the album.

 

[Fujidave]

I deleted a lot of my old Canon 70D images from my Free account so now have 299 images, but I will get the Pro account some time. Reason being I have photography equipment over the £3,000 so another $50 or £40 odd won`t hurt.

 

[Overread]

Funny thing is years ago I had the old pro account without any issues. I kind of wish they'd made the pro "more" interesting rather than make the free less interesting - though having just checked (went into organise which shows how many photos you've uploaded) I'm at 1300 odd photos - I really need to take more photos!

 

[snowbear]

I just went through the camera roll, highlighted each year’s photos and downloaded so I’d have a good copy. Then I went through and cleared a bunch so I’m at around 900.

 

[markjwyatt]

Not too surpirised. When they merged with Smugmug, it was writing on the wall. If they make it more flexible (or I learn how to use it better more likely), I may go Pro.

 

[Derrel]

I'm glad I have 10,000 photos _elsewhere_.

 

[Overread]

I don't see it a writing on the wall so much as them doing what several other big image hosts have done which is to clear house on old accounts that are either defunct or massively full of free use. 1TB is a lot of data not accounting for all those who account hop to get multiple free accounts.

I can see justification from them, not forgetting that in the past many signed up to flickr pro without issue and then they went through a phase where pro was basically worthless and they encouraged everyone to go free (which even at the time most people considered very odd). I guess their original plan was to make up for it with adverts, however I honestly saw so few appear on flickr I wonder if it was such a soft approach that it failed to generate enough revenue hence the desire from them to go back to a culture where everyone is signed up for pro (or at least the majority of major users).

I think my main issue is their attitude and approach toward deleting data and only having a 1 month window between the limit being imposed and the deletion starting - I'd have preferred a longer window of the old system of just blocking access/display of those photos.

 

[petrochemist]

I think my main issue is their attitude and approach toward deleting data and only having a 1 month window between the limit being imposed and the deletion starting - I'd have preferred a longer window of the old system of just blocking access/display of those photos.

It may be a month after the limit is imposed but it's three months after its been announced.

I would have liked to see a slight increase in the limit for long term members. Something on the lines of 100 more shots every year after the first 5. This will be low enough to prevent useless dumping of images yet free members who have been supporting their community for years don't find they have to remove old favorites, to keep active.

The 1TB limit always seem completely daft to me Even with 1200 images shared I wasn't even seeing 1% usage of that.

 

[SquarePeg]

After reading about this, I was originally going to cut back on my use and just keep free status but, the more I think about it, with the recent Prime price hike, the more I’m leaning toward the Pro option and uploading all my back ups from Prime. $50 year is pretty cheap for unlimited high res storage and hosting plus I enjoy the Flickr groups and community.

I currently have 2 additional Flickr accounts. One that I use only for family photos and one for sharing photos from the few shoots I do for groups. I would need to consolidate and have to figure out how to give limited access for the family and group stuff.

 

[Peeb]

I went Pro last May (don't even recall why now) and I plan to keep with it. I don't mind paying a little overhead for the smug mug guys- they bought a service I really enjoy.

 

[snowbear]

I’ll probably go pro later, once some other obligations are taken care of. For now, I just opened a new free Flickr.

 

[markjwyatt]

After reading about this, I was originally going to cut back on my use and just keep free status but, the more I think about it, with the recent Prime price hike, the more I’m leaning toward the Pro option and uploading all my back ups from Prime. $50 year is pretty cheap for unlimited high res storage and hosting plus I enjoy the Flickr groups and community.

I currently have 2 additional Flickr accounts. One that I use only for family photos and one for sharing photos from the few shoots I do for groups. I would need to consolidate and have to figure out how to give limited access for the family and group stuff.

I just hope they do not start jacking up the Pro price all the time. I can see a justification for them needing more money, because setting up data centers is not cheap, and they are handling a lot of data. But in the end if they start treating customers badly, there will be plenty of competition. Cloudification is just starting, and will have many benefits (and likely many problems also), but FLickr like services give us a reasonable chance to display our photos.

 

[SquarePeg]

After reading about this, I was originally going to cut back on my use and just keep free status but, the more I think about it, with the recent Prime price hike, the more I’m leaning toward the Pro option and uploading all my back ups from Prime. $50 year is pretty cheap for unlimited high res storage and hosting plus I enjoy the Flickr groups and community.

I currently have 2 additional Flickr accounts. One that I use only for family photos and one for sharing photos from the few shoots I do for groups. I would need to consolidate and have to figure out how to give limited access for the family and group stuff.

I just hope they do not start jacking up the Pro price all the time. I can see a justification for them needing more money, because setting up data centers is not cheap, and they are handling a lot of data. But in the end if they start treating customers badly, there will be plenty of competition. Cloudification is just starting, and will have many benefits (and likely many problems also), but FLickr like services give us a reasonable chance to display our photos.

Agree. It’s a lot of work to switch from one cloud to another if/when they raise the price beyond the introductory “gotcha” rates.

What was the current cost of Flickr pro?

 

[markjwyatt]

After reading about this, I was originally going to cut back on my use and just keep free status but, the more I think about it, with the recent Prime price hike, the more I’m leaning toward the Pro option and uploading all my back ups from Prime. $50 year is pretty cheap for unlimited high res storage and hosting plus I enjoy the Flickr groups and community.

I currently have 2 additional Flickr accounts. One that I use only for family photos and one for sharing photos from the few shoots I do for groups. I would need to consolidate and have to figure out how to give limited access for the family and group stuff.

I just hope they do not start jacking up the Pro price all the time. I can see a justification for them needing more money, because setting up data centers is not cheap, and they are handling a lot of data. But in the end if they start treating customers badly, there will be plenty of competition. Cloudification is just starting, and will have many benefits (and likely many problems also), but FLickr like services give us a reasonable chance to display our photos.

Agree. It’s a lot of work to switch from one cloud to another if/when they raise the price beyond the introductory “gotcha” rates.

What was the current cost of Flickr pro?

I have not checked, but I heard it is around $50/yr.