Washbay

I do have the preferences set to Serif raw engine. Unless I am not googling the latest list I don’t see the Sony A1 listed on the Serif engine support for iPad. edit : I see the A1 is mentioned in https://www.libraw.org/news/libraw-202110-snapshot. Does this mean that libraw 202110 is used in Affinity for ipad now….or just the desktop versions of the programme?

There are two overlapping issues being discussed here…. The route the files take into Affinity and the quality of the developed images. If I try to bring A1 files into my iPad through Photos, the files are downgraded. If I transfer the files onto my iPad independently of Photos, the files can be imported into Affinity’s development persona. For example: The most direct/simplest route to check this, is to use an SD card reader on the iPad … by opening Affinity and selecting + then Import from cloud but going to On my ipad to select the file on the the card reader. This successfully opens the raw file into the development persona without involving other software interference in the transfer. The quality you get from this direct route should be the best possible…....…which leads me to the quality side of the discussion… In the early days after the launch of the A1 there was no support for its raw files in Affinity. As I understand it that support was later released but only for Affinity desktop …..not for the iPad. As a result I couldn’t open raw files on the iPad…Affinity attempted it but then went black screen on me. At some point that changed. I saw no announcement that the iPad version now had the dedicated A1 raw converter, but I suddenly could open the files. However the quality of these files compared to opening the same files in Photoshop, and even Sony’s clunky software, is inferior. Which leads me to ask…..has Affinity for iPad really got a A1 raw converter or just a basic all comers raw conversion going on?

Sony A1 raw files can be opened into Development Persona direct from an SD card on an iPad. However I am not convinced that this is a raw converter specifically for A1 raw files more a ‘general all comers conversion’, as the quality of the images that come into Affinity is inferior to those brought into Photoshop through their raw converter….. which does support Sony A1 files. Sony’s own software has an A1 raw converter, sadly the interface is crude.

Unless I am misinterpreting what the problem is, can I just say that I don’t import raw files into Photos in the first instance. I select the required file from the connected SD card directly from within Affinity, by hitting the + sign > import from cloud > on my ipad > select the connected SDcard reader and view the files > click to import into develop persona. Apologies if I have got the “wrong end of the stick”.

Thx once again.

Thx for the update. Is there a logical explanation why I can still open the ‘new’ raw files using the stack option (stack two raws then delete one layer)? Of course they are opened without development option so I assume there’s a basic broad brush raw conversion being applied? I wonder if this conversion route would be comparable quality wise as converting via dng? thx again

I posted this query on the wrong section, so am repeating it here as it’s an iPad issue. Like many have noticed, the Sony A1 raw files didn’t open on the iPad Affinity programme when it first launched. I had to use the laptop to open and develop its files ….then transfer to iPad for subsequent work. Then something changed around May/June 2021 and I was suddenly able to open and develop the raw files directly on the iPad. This continued for some months then just as suddenly I have again lost the ability to open the A1 raws. The imported image opens grossly underexposed for a second then the frame goes transparent. Nothing on a layer or the background. Two things have changed since June… Ive updated the firmware on the A1 The Affinity app has been updated. Whats strange is that A1 raw files created during those halcyon months, now saved on my hard disk STILL open and develop. It’s only newly generated raw files that won’t open. This leads me to wonder if something changed in the camera firmware update that’s conflicting with Affinity /Serif raw handler? Anyone else experiencing something like this? thx Edit….I should add that I haven’t changed any of MY settings on the camera or Affinity app.

Ok thx for that, I just did a search for Sony a1 raw and it led me here. I tried your suggestion ( it was on Apple) so changed to Serif. Unfortunately it still didn’t work. Whats bemusing me is I CAN STILL import and develop Sony A1 raw files (stored on my HD) created back in June before my respective camera firmware and app updates in august. It’s newly created files that won’t work. And yet the raw files WILL open using them in a stack?

When I first bought the Sony A1 I was unable to open its raw files on the iPad as others have mentioned. I tried all 3 raw formats …non worked. But back in June 2021 I was able to suddenly open and develop Sony A1 raw files on my iPad pro . I don’t know what changed. This continued for most of the Summer. As of last month (Sept), the same ipad once again failed to open new raw files. The image appears momentarily as a dark image and then the screen goes blank. Ive changed no file format settings during this time. Bizarrely, I can still open the raw files (from my archive) that were generated back in June. The only changes that I can recall were a firmware upgrade for the camera and a couple of iOS updates. Is it likely / possible that a camera firmware / iOS upgrades could have ‘turned the clock back’? HAD a change to the Affinty app been made in Spring to handle Sony A1 raws which has now been scuppered by the latest Sony/Apple upgrade…or am I overlooking something? Will the raw developers be looking at the possible impact of these program upgrades on their raw converter for the A1? Can you also explain how I can still bring in the latest raw files as a stack (it skips development stage)…..but not the same individual raw files for development???