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paristo

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Everything posted by paristo

  1. When I heard Affinity Photo, it was years ago and it just for my luck was in -50% sale. It was no brainer to pict it up for 25 € price tag. Then when Affinity Designer was released, I waited some time and it came as well in sale for -50% and I picked it up. It is my least used Affinity app, as I prefer for many things in Inkscape. Then when Affinity Publisher was released, again picked up in -50% sale. It is great when you need to do in horry some PDF's, but many ways I still prefer Scribus for layout. But what I dislike overall in almost all PDF layout apps, is that they are not fully compatible with all features that Adobe push to PDF format. Like example interactive PDF creation is severely lacking various levels across alternatives to Adobe Acrobat. Anyways, I am going to upgrade all Affinity apps to v2.0 ASAP, just to show more support for Affinity, as I have benefitted so much using their software. And almost what ever they are going to release (or just announce) on 9th for new.... I likely get it. The Teaser video was very well made. Exactly what such should be about.
  2. Adding my voice here. I am currently making multi-page contract template and was shocked that we can't add a form field. A so simple thing as that is missing? Sure a Affinity Publisher can be argued to be for publishing as a print medium tool, but at this digital era end when printers and scanners are more and more being left far behind the digital document management and publishing should be a high in a priority list. But there are temporary solution for the problem many has. It is to use the well known Open Source publishing software "Scribus" that is as well available for OS X as for Windows. So you can at least create there the forms in it.
  3. No.... As "Acrobat I love to use" is for many not true. What most people need (they are not content creators etc) is very few things. 1) Open the PDF and have a proper layout/fonts and all that. This is where Serif production comes to play. You get proper viewing experience. Index system is a bonus. 2) If the PDF has forms, then you should be able to fill them. This is requirement on today digital world where you need to get even simple form filled and printed. People don't even anymore know how to use a pen as they are so custom to use keyboard. Those two are the main two basic things that needs to be there. What other "special features" does some people need? 3) Insert or Remove a pages from PDF file and resave it. 4) Annotate/highlight the document text, pictures etc. 5) Sign the PDF file with digital signature (this is legal requirement, and not so critical really...) Preview does the most common required things. That is why it exist there as Apple understands that this way they provide user the basics. You can fill the forms and save the document for later use. The preview even supports signature with touchpad or even digital one. You can write your signature on the piece of paper and Preview will use the webcam to capture it and you can add it properly to PDF signature field with automatic white background removal. And this brings the main benefit of this, the publicity. The marketing effort. Affinity is pretty unknown among majority of the people. They become familiar with the Adobe with the Adobe Reader that they need to get. Microsoft strikes back with excellent PDF support in the Edge, so they can get more users from Chrome. Having a simple standalone and installable PDF reader from Serif would be beneficial to get people more aware of the Affinity Photo, Designer and Publisher (and up coming DAM). Affinity already needs to produce all the PDF features, they have the code and all.
  4. Almost all of them don't have the basic features only and even when trying to offer more doesn't do it so well. As you have explained the options are very few. Idea is that Serif already needs to develop lot of things for the PDF support in all their products, especially the Publisher. I don't see need for any major PDF specific application as addition to Photo, Designer and Publisher to allow people work with the PDF files. Instead put all that effort to core elements in those three applications. So if someone needs to work a lot with printshops, then buy these primary three versions as required. But the simple PDF reader that can nicely show the files without requirement to load Affinity applications (and hence to own them) and this way get more marketing for their primary products when people would get use to simple lightweight PDF application to open files. This is as well reason why Adobe maintains their free reader as they want to get people custom to their products, then get them to monthly fee business etc. Majority of the work is already done by Serif for their other applications, question is more really about selecting good set of basic features and make a dedicated reader so one application less from others to have installed to read PDF files and to create them with other Affinity applications.
  5. The Affinity Designer and Affinity Publisher are coming nicely together for producing PDF files for publication, but I see now in the patch notes like in 1.9 release, that lots of features has been added to support more advanced PDF features for the import and export. That gave an idea, how about if Affinity would offer a free (yes, a FREE) PDF reader? There is always the free Adobe Acrobat Reader (Acrobat Pro DC) that is marketing their other Adobe products. And now the Acrobat can as well sign, edit and of course view the PDF files. And this is something that Windows is still really lacking, a great lightweight simple PDF reader. So I have the wish that Affinity could offer their core PDF reader features as free reader, with very minimal user interface, support just some very minimal things like example filling the forms and signing the document digitally. But otherwise be a "stepping stone" for people to get aware about Affinity Publisher and Affinity Designer etc as suite. I really see a market potential to have small, lightweight installer for "Affinity Reader" that would support better then the Affinity applications when needed to quickly find the proper PDF files etc. As the Affinity Publisher is already the "Create and Edit PDF's" but it is terrible PDF reader. And if the "Affinity Reader" could be even a standalone exe, that you can just copy with your files to be able present them elsewhere without other applications, it could be great feature. It could even actually be a "Affinity Viewer" that can read and show all the Affinity suite supported files, but no editing possibilities. But I would really like to see a PDF reader that is fast, lightweight and very simple. Something that not even a "Foxit Reader" can not offer anymore as those has become pretty complex.
  6. Even if it would be a option in settings, it would be better than nothing.
  7. Came to check that does the Affinity support DDS files and was sad that not yet. Well, maybe in the 2.x series in the future.... With all the layers and mipmaps and all....
  8. For videoeditor I use Kdenlive, as it offers all that is required in easy manner. For video clippings I use commandline (you can just copy-paste video stream data inside the container for a new file) as it is 100% lossless process unlike the media cutter files (unless you use a lossless format). For 3D animations I use blender, as it offers more than needed. For 2D animations I use Synfig or Pencil2D and considering now to use ENVE. And here comes the BUT.... I would love to have a way to make an short animated files. Nothing serious, be it just "each layer is a frame" kind. Sure it would be very nice to have a timeline so one can go in time/frames to given position and then make a path that something moves between keyframes or morph the shape from round to box etc. Just very simple and basic ones. It could be used in Affinity Photo to morph even pixel images with its Liquify Persona. We do not need full animation studio suite. That is something that requires completely own level of features. We do not need full video editor suite. Again that is so complex subject that no reasons. We do not either need 3D modeling software. Again so complex subject that just no go. So what we do need? I support idea that we need a very simple short animation feature that allows someone to get a layer to move around a given path at X seconds or make a few seconds vector changing etc. If it even would be exporting a series of image files so we can use other editors to do the actual animation, and it would be great. But the challenge really is to get some image data to be changing its form from A to B in time of X. Very simple animation, movement etc. Challenge really is that how quickly something becomes "I want more" and it is can of worms situation.
  9. I don't really see a requirement for the automatic updating. As I find the download option to be very simple. What I would take in other hand, is to avoid clicking "OK" for each time I launch app when I do not want to update it. So having just a "Help > Check Updates" option would be better for me. I as well love the function now that "Download" directs automatically to proper site and there is link to latest one as well the few previous ones. So I can download the proper file and perform the update as I want. While small automation are nice here and there, this is not one of those that requires it.
  10. In landscape photography you are same way in hurry as in wildlife photography and bracketing shots or taking high speed sequences. Sports and wildlife ain't only area that benefits from 60 FPS. So does as well macro photography. And street photography ain't only area where quick deciding moment goes in time of raising camera for shot, it happens as well in landscape photography, and even more in macro photography. Wildlife and sports photography can be done very effectively with a single frame and using manual focus, it just requires more skill and talent. But same thing is applied for landscape, macro etc. But one limitation many does have is that they set artificial restrictions by using some custom ratios, instead being free to compose by best of the content and situation, freely. When browsing old photographs, one can see that prints comes in all kind various sizes and formats when done byself in darkroom. But so many got stuck to these specific sizes in quick development and services as well now the displays. If there just would be a way to set parameter settings as default.... Right? All settings should have profiles to be saved in drop down list, and set one of them as default, as well having the factory default to ever get back to Affinity default.
  11. While related to designer, it would benefit from a simple layer based animation, where each layer is a frame. Of course timeline would be preferable by using snapshot or some other for each keyframe, but something to allow making animations with vectors (designer) and pixelmaps (photo) is needed. Export as GIF and even as MJPEG and APNG.
  12. Common keyboards US layout vs another layout dilemma. The challenge is that all these special shortcuts should be in standard letters, not behind special characters. And brush size and its other adjustments should be possible be done easily with mouse itself that is used to use it. So ctrl+drag or ctrl+alt+drag. No [ or ] buttons or similar special characters.
  13. Resolution = how many pixels in digital image width and height. Example 1920 x 1080, 800 x 600 or 3000 x 2000. Definition = how many pixels per physical area by viewing distance. Example 1280 x 720 or 1920 x 1080 viewed from 43", 50" or 55" television at 1,5 m, 2,2 or 3,1 meters. (eye limited.) Pixel density = In physical material dimensions that how many pixels are to be scanned or printed per area. Example 72 PPI, 180 PPI or 300 PPI. (pixels per inch.) Printing definition = how many ink dots (picoliters is another topic) used per area to print a single pixel. Example 300 ink dots used to print 72 pixels on inch, so 300 DPI (Dots Per Inch). (another discussion for printing) Scanning definition = how many pixels scanner reads per physical area from physical medium. Example 150 PPI, 300 PPI or 600 PPI. There is a big difference what people means with "resolution" as most do not know that digital image has no dimensions, only a resolution. And it is up to printer and scanner capabilities and settings to be used in conjuction with the physical measurements that creates a dilemma for many. And 72, 270, 300, 600 pixels/dots per inch is nothing more than a multiplier to be used with actual pixel resolution to translate physical dimensions or vice versa. And Adobe products started from movie industry where film was scanned and each frame was manipulated, and then re-exposed again for distribution to movie theaters. It as well got quickly to photoshops where printing was done. So print industry and scannin industry used it a lot, that lead to confusing use of "Resolution" and image size as physical dimensions. While image processing, storage etc is done without physical dimensions and with pure data as resolution, where individual pixel is smallest value digitally stored. In a nutshell, one works with either physical dimensions and needs to use a multiplier called "resolution" to translate between physical media, like "I scan this postcard (A6) of 148x105 mm at 300 PPI, and when I print it at 300 PPI, it will come out on paper as size of 146x105 mm. If I instead use 150 PPI then print size is A5 as it will be double in size, so dimensions are twice larger 210x148 mm and surface area is four times larger. And it will look as good so on twice further viewing distance. Why one might want to set a specific DPI/PPI value regardless physical dimensions but without changing resolution? Because they are taught to "300 DPI is high quality", but it is multiplier to resolution to inform what is input/output dimensions values.
  14. Your analogy just goes wrong, as nowhere it is discussion to port the Affinity from iOS to Windows, because that is already done. It is called Affinity Photo for Windows. The wish was about the interface, and the interface is not at all as complex as is the overall application like would be porting Affinity Photo for OS X to Windows (if that wouldn't have been already done). The Affinity Photo for iOS has own small features, but it is from its core the same code. If you have well done GUI, then you can port it cross different platforms. That example is the idea of the Qt and Java how you can fairly easily move apps across as you have one platform. The real limitation really is Windows touch functionality, it simply is terrible. But if it can be somewhat overcomed by the interface changes To make it simply better to be used touch (larger icons, functions how pop-up menus etc are shown, docked panels, new tool adjustment panels etc, there is no need to write new ways how you process image data, how filters and other functions work etc. It is after all mainly the graphical user interface change. If one has not used the iOS version, 9-to-5 mac site has fairly good presentation: https://9to5mac.com/2018/03/21/affinity-photo-for-ipad-guide-25-getting-started-tutorial-tips-video/
  15. First of all, nothing that Serif programs doesn't include about operating systems, in fact all these applications are very high level programming and closest they really get operating system is to use the GPU drivers and even that is higher level with metal etc. Secondly, "porting" doesn't mean that you have difficulties or not, as it is depending your own programming that how well did you isolate your interface (it can be well made independent from the program core features and easily portable across different systems) and they already are using lot of same functions, so much that the OS X is closer to Windows version and both are different from iOS interface. After all if you are supporting multiple platforms, you want to share as much as possible. If the program is well designed, well programmed etc, it is fairly easy after all to port around depending the scale of your application. The main question really is that would it be possible to port the iOS interface to desktop version and so on get two separate GUI's switchable depending the usage (even if requiring reboot), but I consider that the main challenge really is that the Windows doesn't support such a touch screen interface support as required, why even Microsoft has severe problems to make their Windows Explorer work with touch screens as everything is still designed like mouse input is primary method.
  16. This was a nice gesture from the Affinity part. I lost directly least 4000€ in first month, and that as well made me to reconsider many new workflows and one of them was complete move to Affinity. It was inevitable change but now it was better to do at once. The good side in this COVID-19 situation is that, as lensrentals own survey had results that 19% of the photographers considered career change because this, that it is now easier to recommend people try these Affinity applications as there is this great 90 day trial period. And some has decided to buy them all once they saw how easy it was to produce actual print materials with graphics etc. The workflow how easy it is in Affinity to move work between three different applications is just amazing. I demoed in ten minutes how to create PDF files with photos, add some graphics and then crate the layout quickly and go back and worth to edit the corresponding parts was really effective way in the eyes of Adobe users. It is little shameful to say that world would need more of the episodes like these where people would learn to get out of their old habits and concentrate more to what is happening around them and see if they can make things better or if there are tools and ideas that helps everyone.
  17. Sorry to negromance this thread, but has there been any changes to this? Is the Surface tablets still considered as Windows apps for the future? IMHO if it would be easy to port the iPad interface to Windows when it is in Tablet mode, it could boost the Affinity even more among artists who use Windows tablets.
  18. I found that Affinity is offering all their applications for -50%, and decided to purchase the Publisher so I would get rid of another software that doesn't work so great on Windows, and made purchase via my phone. And I didn't see that it was for OS X version instead Windows as I have completely forgotten that those serial keys are different, and it is easy thing as when I pressed the "-50% off" link on main page after coming to site with google using "Affinity Publisher Windows" link, I saw only this: And as you can see, there was nothing on the screen about Windows or OS X but just "Buy now €27.99" and didn't notice any other point question for that for which one it was as I went straight to the payment method. And after I went to my account, I noticed it was for OS X and not for Windows. I haven't downloaded or activated the serial, so is there a change to get that changed to Windows version, or do I need to withdraw it through my credit card company and buy a Windows version instead? IMHO, the Software version should be drop-down list in each application and it should default to "Choose" and not allow to purchase anything until all software in the basket are selected for a wanted platform version.
  19. There are four assumptions here: That files itself that contains all the data are modified. The image data that is being processed in memory (files opened in editor) are lost. The process to change the image data values (contrat, brightness, saturation etc) are losing data. The specific process to change the image data value (curves vs levels vs exposure slide) are losing data while some not. As everyone knows, the first one is lossless. No data is modified unless you rewrite the raw file (some editors can do that). The second is question about how the application does the process. In the current way (1.6.x) the AP will convert the raw file to own form in RAM to process it, and that conversion is lossy for that session. So unless you reload the raw file and perform new conversion, you have lost the data. I am not sure about AP new 1.7 version does it allow return to raw conversion and adjust settings without reopening the file (lossless performance). The third is just wrong if the adjustments are in own layers, like default in AP, and in Photoshop called "Smart layers". Meaning the adjustment only stores metadata that how the image is to be shown to the user, no image data is modified. The fourth is then per application based, like there are plugins that requires that image editor will export the file first (it combines all the layers etc) and then outputs it as input to the plugin. And then plugin does perform its own edit to the image and outputs it back, either replacing the layer or getting added as new layer or even opening a new image. Like example in Affinity Photo using a DXO plugins, it is better to first stack all visible layers in AP and make copy of it, and then open that new layer in the plugin. You don't modify the existing layers than the new stacked layer. And it is lossy task as you can't go back later in the DXO plugin to readjust it, but you need to rerun the plugin from scratch to the copy layer you made and delete the previous one. Now, does the Exposure adjustment in AP perform a lossy adjustment to layer, instead being a adjustment layer modifying the view and being only applied on the export? If it is not in the layer adjustment list, and become as adjustment layer among other layers, then it is destructive adjustment to the layer you apply it, but not the the original file but to that layer. But as you can see in Affinity Photo, Exposure adjustment in layers is non-destructive (lossless), so you can go back later and readjust it. But other question is, is it destructive (non-readjustable) when you convert raw file (open raw file) in to Affinity Photo? Likely once you hit "Develop", it is what it is. In some other applications, you might be able to just click the original layer and get the conversion settings again to modify it and then all your previous layers etc are applied normally again.
  20. Just to throw a thanks. As I was having this challenge all the time when on computers without digiKam. And I was forced to use a some third party apps etc to get around the problem. Now I can just use the AP as I didn't never open the "New Batch" function....
  21. Yeah, it is 4K limitation as you don't have any scaling set for it via Windows. Want to override it? Set screen resolution to Full HD from 4K.
  22. Would be nice if the Affinity Photo would allow to produce the wanted print marginals to wanted print size. What is required is first user selects New Document that is set to the final print size. Then user can choose to add margins of three bleed trim safe And all those are not going to come over the chosen final print size in New Document, but would enlarge the created document size with additional empty space and with correct marginal lines as chosen to overlay. So if user selects a final print size to be A3 in "New Document" then the document size is exactly the A3. If user selects then to add a margins, the document is enlarged by the amount of chosen bleed margin size like +6mm on each side. If the user then choose to add trim margin visible, then that margin gets overlaid the document as that is the final print size (the chosen A3). And then if user choose to add safe margin, it will be the only margin that is inside the final print just showing the final safe side. This would allow super much easier producing the print out to offset printing when one doesn't need to care at all about anything else than just slap the file inside the document and check it is fitted just outside of the trim (final) and then get out the file that has correct bleed and trim markings overlaid outside without creating those by user himself. The other additional nice additions would be to allow to resize the layer in pixels as in any other way as the document is possible to be just by going Layer > Resize Layer. So if a photographer needs to prepare files for off-set printing, it would be super easy to just produce the files from photographs. Open image file Select the final print size (document size) Input bleed margins and safe margins Resize image to overlap the trim margin as wanted. Set the layer (image) wanted rasterization (enlargement etc) Export as PDF / TIFF
  23. When I was considering Affinity Photo purchase, I put it against focus stacking etc things as those were main reasons to get it. I used all kind macro photos as well landscape etc and Affinity Photo came almost always superior to Helicon Focus. The halos you are seeing is from applying the data from images (layers) that has the detail out of focus. And in some situations it can be very challenging try to get it fixed as some lenses nodal point changes when focus is changed, so perspective changes as well and that means objects position in space moves and they ain't anymore where they should be. But Affinity Photo always could offer more controls to do stacking...
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