Photoshop Compatibility

[Hangman]

Apologies if this has been asked before... I'd like to know/understand, with the 1.8 versions of Affinity Photo and Affinity Designer, what the current incompatibilites are when exporting a file created entirely within either Affinity Photo or Affinity Designer in PSD format, e.g. are live filters lost and is text still not editable once the PSD file is opened in Photoshop and more importantly, what other limitations would someone opening an Affinity generated PSD file likely experience when attempting to edit the file in Pohotoshop.

I don't have an Adobe subscription hence my question but I have a potential project that would require providing a client with editable PSD files and I would like to fully understand any issues I might encounter if exporting the PSD files from Photo or Designer so I can work around the issues and pre-empt any problems.

A simply list of incompatibilites would be hugely helpful if anyone happens to know what these are.

[wonderings]

The list is going to be massive and I doubt there is one list that just lays it all out for you. If you have a job that requires you to provide PSD files the best, and in my opinion only solution, is to use Photoshop. You are creating so many potential headaches trying to collaborate with 2 different pieces of software.

You can subscribe for a single Adobe app, I think it is around $30 USD, give or take a few bucks. Use it till the job is done then go back to using Affinity Photo for work that does not require Photoshop. 

[MichaDE]

Same opinion on my side. 

😜 Option: Make a gift to the client: Photo-Licence with the afphoto-file… 😜

[Medical Officer Bones]

Agreed. I find myself in a similar situation with InDesign projects: I rent it for a month whenever I need it for a particular client who returns with a particular job every year. Otherwise I opt to work in alternative software, since mostly clients want PDF files, and have no need for the source files.

If you have to collaborate with others using Photoshop and PSD files, there is really no other choice but to work in Photoshop (unless specific circumstances allow to do so such as agreeing with the team to limit/flatten the use of certain PS functionality).

[Hangman]

Thanks to all for your feedback, it's pretty much what I anticipated but it's always good to receive clarification on a thought process. I agree that 'renting' photoshop for a month is the sensible solution to ensure complete compatibility, even if that does mean having to adjust the Affinity Photo generated PSD files in Photoshop in the process and I think, in this instance, is the approach I will adopt...

Many thanks to all for taking the time to reply.

[walt.farrell]

15 minutes ago, Hangman said:

even if that does mean having to adjust the Affinity Photo generated PSD files in Photoshop in the process

Or, you could just start a project like that in Photoshop, and you wouldn't need any "adjustment" of the PSD files.

[Hangman]

Hi Walt,

I could of course do that, though it sort of negates the idea of using Affinity Photo as my 'software of choice'. To be honest I think the majority of what I need to do with the files will 'likely' be compatible with how the relevant layers and effects work in Photoshop but until I've created the files and tested them I won't know for sure which was the reason for my original question.

I guess my question really realted to how much it is possible to rely on the PSD export option within Photo for file compatibility and whilst I appreciate there is never going to be 100% compatibility between the two programs, in my mind I would like to understand where the real issues and incompatibilities lie so I know what I can and can't reasonably expect. The whole idea is really ideally 'not' to have to 'invest' or 'rent' Photoshop as it makes the move to Affinity Photo kind of redundant (although I do use it for other projects) but I do understand there is no one easy answer to my original question but maybe as a result of this project I can build my own list of incompatibilities and share with the forum.

[wonderings]

1 hour ago, Hangman said:

Hi Walt,

I could of course do that, though it sort of negates the idea of using Affinity Photo as my 'software of choice'. To be honest I think the majority of what I need to do with the files will 'likely' be compatible with how the relevant layers and effects work in Photoshop but until I've created the files and tested them I won't know for sure which was the reason for my original question.

I guess my question really realted to how much it is possible to rely on the PSD export option within Photo for file compatibility and whilst I appreciate there is never going to be 100% compatibility between the two programs, in my mind I would like to understand where the real issues and incompatibilities lie so I know what I can and can't reasonably expect. The whole idea is really ideally 'not' to have to 'invest' or 'rent' Photoshop as it makes the move to Affinity Photo kind of redundant (although I do use it for other projects) but I do understand there is no one easy answer to my original question but maybe as a result of this project I can build my own list of incompatibilities and share with the forum.

It does negate the idea of wanting to use Affinity Photo, but if your clients need and require PSD then maybe you need to rethink the move to Photos and stick with Photoshop. It will always be a gamble, both companies are going to keep developing and both want to have features that are unique to their software to get users. You will always be on that end of hoping things will open right in the other software, be it Photoshop to Photos or vice versa. 

I am not a fan of the rental idea, though there are some great things that come with it like everyone being on the same version and not worrying about collaboration. I think people would answer if there was some sort of master list. The best I think you can hope for is individual experiences about compatibility issues and you would get that in drips and drabs. 

[uncoy]

For those recommending paying into the Adobe Borg, the recommendation of gifting a copy of Affinity Photo makes more sense. That's a single month's subscription cost (when Affinity Photo is on sale). Affinity could consider a special gifting license available at promotional prices to existing owners of an Affinity Photo license.

[walt.farrell]

34 minutes ago, uncoy said:

For those recommending paying into the Adobe Borg, the recommendation of gifting a copy of Affinity Photo makes more sense. That's a single month's subscription cost (when Affinity Photo is on sale). Affinity could consider a special gifting license available at promotional prices to existing owners of an Affinity Photo license.

Gifting a license is not currently possible. Licenses are tied to the emai address of the purchaser.