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@Xavier Roga thanks for the suggestion, but this is rather off-topic. I did not ask about buying a different product for photo editing to replace Affinity.

Thanks, agree with your understanding but I've pinged support too to get the official word on the software. I assume I'll probably just end up selling the books if they confirm the software is totally non-transferrable.

Hi, I am interested in selling properly licensed v1.7x copies of Aff Photo and Designer, and the Serif official workbooks that go with them. $100 for all as a set, which is half the current retail price. Is it allowed to sell the software, and if so, can I post here and sell to a forum member?

^That makes sense given you're out of Canon stuff. I think for a Canon CR3 user, if you want a single tool that can convert your CR3's, process raw, and function as a DAM, ON1 has gotta be high on the list. If you don't need CR3, from everything I've seen DT or RT, or increasingly even Digikam with its RAW processor, are the equal of most of the commercial offerings in terms of output quality. One note for CR3 users: As I mentioned above, I was interacting with the devs on Digikam, and just pinged them about the fact that the OSS libraw library added CR3 support. So they patched the Digikam 7.0 beta, now you can directly import CR3 files into Digikam's RAW processor and work with them in the program. If you want to download Digikam beta and use it together with Affinity Photo as a DAM, they work great together.

@AlainP, since you were recently using ON1 Raw, I'm curious if you've compared ON1 2020 version with DT 3.0 "rc" version that was just released? I am a big fan of both Rawtherapee and DT, using both for a couple years along with Digikam. But this last week I started trying On1 2020 and found it had a few things I need, which might also be things you need: 1. Better integration with AP. In the ON1 settings, you can specify one or more external editors that On1 will hand off a file to in TIFF, PSD, or JPG format. 2. Imports Canon's raw CR3 file format. Something I need, otherwise I was just having to use Adobe DNG converter to convert CR3 > DNG. Another thing DT doesn't have and won't commit to, although I know for a fact the FOSS libraw library already has CR3 support, because I'm *using* it in the Digikam 7.0 beta version on Windows, just integrated last week. 3. Strong metadata support. Another area that DT doesn't have anything beyond the bare bones. Bottom line: ON1 has a *lot* for a DAM feature set and integrates nicely with AP, much better than DT. So I'm wondering if you had a chance to compare the quality of the RAW conversion output of On1 2020 against DT 3.0.

I'm looking for the most simple, repeatable method to remove green 'pet eye' from photos in AP 1.7/1.8. Searched older threads discussing how to remove green 'pet eye' in AP, but did not find a method that takes account of the latest tools in AP. Here's an example:

Hey @Chris B, What I meant by that statement is that, when I've added IPTC metadata in another program (such as Adobe Bridge, or Exiftool) for an attribute that AP 1.8 does not yet allow editing for (such as XMP subject code), AP 1.8 does not overwrite or destroy that data. It just passes it through and leaves it in the file. Which is exactly what should happen.

Hi, running 1.8x, the metadata panel and implementation are great so far! The support for editing basic IPTC/XMP fields, and reading/writing IPTC/XMP data written by other programs even if editing in AP is not supported, is great. I'd like to request adding support for editing additional XMP/IPTC metadata fields, which are not currently editable in Metadata panel. To give one example, I use the IPTC/XMP subject code field, using the controlled vocabulary of numeric subject codes found on the IPTC server (http://show.newscodes.org/index.html?newscodes=medtop&lang=en-GB&startTo=Show). This field is currently not editable in AP 1.8. Requesting that the AP dev team review a few of the competing products, and add editing support for some more of the commonly used fields. To give an idea and generate discussion about the available meta fields, I've attached a .gif screen recording show a set of meta fields in another editor, and how they're arranged.

Very interested to learn a few things about how folks are handling RAW files. As in the poll: Are you using Affinity Photo (AP), commercial app of some type, or an open source app? What are the main reasons that led you to use AP, or another app, for your RAW processing? Currently, I use the AP RAW feature for most files. In a few cases that need more nuanced RAW handling, I use darktable--it has richer settings and options for a variety of things, including denoise and dehaze, that I find harder or impossible to do in AP. It also enables you to save non-destructive edits to RAW DNG files in an .xmp sidecar file. I've tried all the leading open source RAW handlers, as well as ON1 RAW 2020 (free trial version), Paintshop Pro (2019 version), and a few others. In general, AP RAW gets very good results on probably 90% of my files, and I like its cleaner interface, it's just simpler to use. Also, it's convenient to not have to use a separate RAW processing app in my workflow, if I don't have to. A few random thoughts about AP RAW handling in 1.8: The Batch feature in AP handles RAW files quite well. Current simple workflow: use Adobe DNG convertor to bulk convert my Canon .CR3 files to DNG. It's extremely fast, and high quality output. Then use Adobe Bridge as my DAM, to tag the DNG files with all the IPTC metadata I use, and create collections. Bridge has all the IPTC/XMP metadata fields I use, and it'll save the metadata in the DNG source files where I want it. I can load a bunch of the tagged DNG files into AP 1.8 beta, it'll batch convert all those to my preferred output types and preserve all the metadata from the DNG source files into the output, so that I have fully tagged .afphoto, .tiff, or .jpg files. It's great to see the improved metadata editing capabilities in 1.8 beta. These work quite well so far. They also don't destroy metadata written by other programs. One suggestion I'd make is integrating more metadata editing capabilities into the batch processing module. Another suggestion is expand the number of IPTC fields that can be edited---the IPTC subject code field is missing, to give just one example. And finally, it would help to make metadata edits on DNG source files and save the metadata IN the file itself, as Adobe Bridge enables. One other feature I hope AP 1.8 will add: non-destructive editing of RAW and DNG files. Save the edits in an open standard XMP file (like darktable and other apps do). This enables saving basic photo processing edits to the much smaller standard DNG files, rather than forcing you to save in .afphoto format (where file sizes can be up to 10x larger) just to save your non-destructive edits.

I know that--I've been using it. However it is not locked into a released version, is missing metadata fields, and is not complete yet. It's work-in-progress.

Thanks--didn't know if you saw my post a couple of posts up, earlier today, I'm using Adobe DNG. Also using Bridge as a DAM and metadata tagger. Between those freebie tools, Darktable for RAW processing, and AP for everything else, pretty good toolset. Would love it if now a few more things happened: AP 1.8 adds the improved metadata editing they're working on. And in the future, a DAM application, or integration with an existing DAM application. Darktable adds native support for CR3.

The point was only that the manufacturers should ALSO--along with their proprietary RAW format--make an open format such as DNG available for output. They can definitely do that, with ease. They don't want to, because (1) It'd take a modest extra effort and cost, and (2) They LIKE proprietary lockin and want to get you permanently hooked into their platform--as does almost every hardware OEM I can think of. That's not evil, but they won't necessarily go broke if they just provide users some extra output options. In fact, all things equal between two good cameras, I'd pick the one that gave me an open format RAW output option.

I work in software development and I believe strongly in the value of having highly used data formats follow standards. It's incredibly short-sighted for these companies, when it comes to RAW files where it's just an aggregation of bits from the camera, to keep shipping proprietary-ONLY files formats without offering an export option in a standard format, be it DNG or something else. I just bought a Canon EOS M6 and love the camera, but am kind of disgusted with their shipping only a proprietary RAW file format. I can just imagine a Canon developer on this thread saying, But we want to keep pushing the envelope even in the RAW file formats, adding new capabilities and features, and don't want to be held back in development and innovation by the open source process. OK, do that. But keep collaborating with the standard formats too. Innovate with your proprietary format, and then submit proposed changes to the standard format to make it better. And with your cameras and software tools, provide an output format in the standard formats like DNG, in addition to your proprietary one. At least do that, it seems like it would save users SO much hassle because then we don't have to go out and find all new or different software tools to process RAW images.

New to Canon and CR3 files. I have the latest 1.8x beta, just tried, it will not import the CR3 from a EOS M6 Mark ii. Which is ok, I realize it's in beta and under development. Just reporting the facts on the ground for today. For the time being, I'm using Adobe free DNG converter to convert CR3 > DNG.

I will just mention that although I like DT too and currently use it, if you want INTEGRATION between AP and a competent raw editor, try current version Rawtherapee (5.7). It has an option in settings to set the path to an external image editor. I tried setting that to AP 1.8 beta and it works great. Do your edits in RT, click the external image editor button, and the image loads as a .TIFF in AP with your edits intact.

Yes I see that now in the 1.8 beta. That is great!

@Patrick Connor, I want to respond to your comment about the metadata. Installed 1.8 beta, indeed, there are metadata edits available now on an individual image. When i open a standard .png image, here are the options I see for metadata: * EXIF (not editable) * File (editable: Title, author, description, keywords, rating, etc.) * IPTC image (editable: various details about the image itself) * IPTC contact (editable: details about the author) * Rights (editable) * Detail (not editable: looks like it displays a collection of attributes including some existing XMP attributes if values were previously set) I have not tested extensively yet across image types, and checking the values set in AP as to how they interact with other programs. One thing I noticed is the meta options on the "File" are the XMP attribute options vs setting the Windows sytem file options. That is great, and IMHO the right thing to do. I would hope for richer options here including full XMP support since that is the future. It's like you need IPTC today to be compatible with everything, but XMP is where it's all going. This is a great start, thank you!

I just tested an alternate workflow, quickly: * RT edits to DNG file, including added IPTC metadata. Export to Gimp 2.10.14. * Gimp add layers and edits, save in Gimp format. No touches to the metadata, didn't even look at it. * Gimp export to these formats off the base image: tif, jpg, png. Result: All the IPTC metadata tags I added in RT are viewable through the entire workflow, including in the exported images. If I open Xnview, I can see the IPTC tags retained on all the exported images. Xnview does not read the IPTC metadata in the native Gimp XCF format, though it does allow viewing and other handling of the file. What I'd love to see in the near future, in an AP 1.8 beta, just for starters: * The ability to save/edit all the standard IPTC/XMP tags in both the native AP format, and all the universal file formats. * Respect IPTC data created by other apps. * Give the option to store the metadata internally in the image files, or externally in a sidecar .xmp file in the standard Adobe specification format. This would make AP a well nigh 'universal' editor for me, even without DAM functionality, it wouldn't matter much. You could use AP for nearly your entire workflow, from RAW handling, to metadata tagging even at batch level, to exporting all your assets, to later updating your working file in afphoto format, then again pushing all those changes to your exported asset formats without ever again having to touch the metadata. All you'd use a "DAM" for would be stuff like bulk searching, sorting, viewing, renaming operations. But I'd be perfectly happy using an external DAM, provided AP handles my metadata well.

That is a helpful comprehensive list. I had tried a few tools on that list previously, along with Digikam for Windows, Adobe Bridge (free) and XnviewMP. Overall from what I've tried, Adobe Bridge or Xnview seem the most compelling as comprehensive DAM + metadata solutions that are free, run well on Windows, and can handle large file sets efficiently. The problem you run into, of course, is that when your image editor strips off metadata you've added at any stage in your workflow, it's kinda' disruptive. I'm open to suggestions. Currently I'm using a workflow that begins with raw edits and looks something like this: Rawtherapee 5.7 (edits to DNG files stored in .pp3 sidecar files, add IPTC metadata, then export to AP for further development) AP 1.7x (work with the 16/32-bit .tif exported by RT, add layers, etc., save a copy of this 'working image' in Afphoto' format) Use AP to export images I'll use for various other things: a lossless tif or PNG for passing around/printing, a lossy JPEG for web albums/email, etc. The last step is where it gets annoying: AP strips the metadata added in RT from all the exports, so now I have to go use a DAM/tool to add it back, manually. Rather than add it once to the RAW file and then the metadata "sticks" throughout the workflow to all the exported files, I have to wait to the end of the process, and add metadata to all the files via DAM. And, when I later want to work with the working afphoto file and make further changes, then re-export, I'll have to re-tag the metadata on the exported files because again, afphoto will strip it off every time you save/export. Has anybody come up with a good workflow workaround for that?

That's fair, thanks for reply. Glad to hear it! Given that it's planned in 1.8, I will probably stay onboard and try to get by with Xnview for tagging my assets.

Me too, I own AP/AD and love them, but this is a showstopper for me to use them going forward. I will come back to Affinity when they add basic metadata support. At a minimum, do not destroy metadata that has been added to the file, just pass it through when saving and exporting. And for better support: full support for IPTC/XMP reading, editing, and saving IN the file. And best of all: the option to either read/edit sidecar files, OR save the metadata in the image. This would expand the compatibility with other applications that do it one way or the other.

I just recently decided to start using metadata and tagging the thousands of photos in my collection. I was impressed that Gimp, Rawtherapee, Xnview, many other freeware and open source programs--along with the big guys like Photoshop, and newcomers like ON1--have added metadata editing capabilities. Imagine my surprise to find that my favorite image editor--Affinity--has no ability to edit metadata at all! And worse, when I add metadata with another program first in my workflow (in my case, in Rawtherapee), then push it to AP, AP strips the metadata I added when I save the file in AP. Unbelievable! This is a rather stunning oversight on the part of Affinity. I mean really, really bad. Although I have already paid for 1.7 of both products (AP and AD), I'm re-evaluating whether I will be using this software going forward. I don't have a lot of confidence in a company that could have software that's this far along in its development, and overlooking something that seems so basic to the industry and any competent image editing app--the ability to tag assets in a very detailed way for finding and sorting.

That makes sense--everybody has to know what their requirements are and if those include a file format that's unsupported, that has to factor into your decision. In fairness, sounds like very few RAW processing apps, whether OSS or commercial, support CR3 yet. Those that do will have a leg up for users of newer Canon cameras like yours and the upcoming 2019 models, but it's highly likely that all these popular apps that handle RAW processing will add CR3 support soon. Not suggesting this would change your mind in the short term, and I'm not evangelizing for Digikam at all, it's just what I happen to use. But I just checked their forum, it sounds like Libraw (the OSS library that Digikam and other open source apps use to handle RAW formats) plans to add CR3 support. I see similar comments in forums for Rawtherapee, and some of the commercial app forums. The takeaway being, if you have a DAM app that you like (not just Digikam, but *any* DAM app) and it hasn't added CR3 yet, it might be worth considering a workaround until support for CR3 is added, so that you can use whatever DAM app that you like, feature-wise, versus having to switch apps strictly due to support for CR3. For instance, I would expect that there's a utility app by Adobe, maybe even Canon's own RAW software, that would allow you to bulk-convert from CR3 to DNG format. Which would get you by until one of your preferred apps supports CR3.

Well my thinking there is Affinity allows you to use many file formats, including the 'open' ones that are non-proprietary. I don't use the Affinity formats at all. As long as whatever DAM I'm using can handle the common open image formats, then I can use it with Affinity.

Yes totally true, Digikam lacks support for .afphoto format. For me, this was not a requirement. I've been avoiding storing files in any proprietary format so that, well, I don't have to deal with the limitations of proprietary formats. :-) I've been trying to work with generic raw format like DNG, and using jpg or PNG respectively for web artifacts or quality archival copies, or .tif if needed for higher res printing or even a 'working' copy of an image with layers intact. Also XnviewMP has very poor file format output quality and control options, for me at least, and I personally was looking for a FOSS app for my DAM and RAW processor, whereas XnViewMP is neither truly freeware nor is it open.