A simpler "export": any hope?

[jimh12345]

I'm just a photographer, not a designer, so Affinity Designer is vast overkill for me.  But I'm using AP, the core functionality, very productively; it's great.   The one thing that I don't like, as a photographer, is AP's Export function.  It's too limiting; it doesn't save my settings, it just does one export at a time.  Typically, I want to export 2 or 3 versions at different sizes and locations.  I'm so tired of pounding in my dimensions, and hunting around with File Explorer, 2 or 3 times, on every export.   

It's sooo simple in Capture One, for example; create any number of export profiles that specify size, sharpening, destination etc.,  then when you export, just check the profiles you want used.   Done.

Yes, I know about Affinity's Export Persona.   It's a rare piece of software that can make me cry, but I think tears were rolling as a gave up after an hour of floundering around in slices, layers, Batch Builder, Export Presets, and 100 other options I don't need.  I don't even know what a "slice" is.     This is just way, way too complicated for a photographer trying to get JPGs of a photo.

I've posted on this before - but is there anything new in the pipeline?  Some new way to do multiple jpg exports that doesn't lead down a rabbit hole of complexity?

 

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[jimh12345]

44 minutes ago, Red Sands said:

I agree with you (which is one of the reasons I never use Photo, but Photoshop CC 2023 and Capture One Pro and DxO Photolab, all worth the money), and instead of ending up in a never-ending discussion with random people you don't have preferences and workflow to share with about how you can use features you already know don't suit you, your only hope is to make an argued feature request with the things from e.g. Capture One you recommend that Affinity implement, and always with illustrations.

Here:
https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/forum/122-feedback-for-the-affinity-v2-suite-of-products/

There is a lot to suggest that Serif has not taken customers and the industry into consultation when developing these export personas, where I know you can't add output sharpening in a regular export or export persona, and that's already where I'm leaving.

But to summarize, you ask if there is something better on the way, and I recommend that you requester and describe what better is for you.

To be completely honest, I personally will probably always continue with Photoshop CC 2023 and Capture One Pro and DxO Photolab, which delivers on a higher technological level and has also worked directly with customers and industries to improve workflows. I know this for a fact. It's not a claim. That's why Photo is only a supplementary program to what I do in Designer.

If Serif wants to make decisively better versions of Photo and Affinity as such, they need to get closer to customers than a forum.

 

Seems like Serif originally aimed Affinity at designers, not photographers, but hey... it's called Affinity "Photo" so presumably they want us on board.  And workflow is king.

They've tried to up their raw processing game, but really, they're starting from far behind, and most of us already have that covered with other software.  We need Affinity to do things that we can't do in something like Capture One.    So my wish would be for them to go slow on raw processing and put more effort into supporting photographers' workflow - and Export would be a major target for that effort. 

 

[R C-R]

15 minutes ago, jimh12345 said:

Seems like Serif originally aimed Affinity at designers, not photographers...

FWIW, according to what the developers have said about it, Affinity was from the beginning intended to be an integrated suite of apps that interoperate without the need for conversion. They have said that is the origin of the Affinity name; suggesting the similarity of characteristics among them.

Make of that what you will.

[jimh12345]

It's excellent software, I'm really impressed, especially considering the price.  It's made me forget all about Photoshop Elements.   I actually don't have a lot of complaints, I'd have to say that Export is at the top of that list right now.  

[Old Bruce]

13 hours ago, jimh12345 said:

 I actually don't have a lot of complaints, I'd have to say that Export is at the top of that list right now.  

 

18 hours ago, jimh12345 said:

  It's too limiting; it doesn't save my settings, it just does one export at a time.  Typically, I want to export 2 or 3 versions at different sizes and locations.  I'm so tired of pounding in my dimensions, and hunting around with File Explorer, 2 or 3 times, on every export.   

With a bit of work you can set up various sizes and locations if you use the Export Persona. Locations is going to take more time than various sizes. You can have three file types (JPEG, PNG, TIFF for example) and various sizes for each type. Then it is a simple click on the Export slices button and you're done.

[R C-R]

2 hours ago, Old Bruce said:

With a bit of work you can set up various sizes and locations if you use the Export Persona. Locations is going to take more time than various sizes. You can have three file types (JPEG, PNG, TIFF for example) and various sizes for each type. Then it is a simple click on the Export slices button and you're done.

After setting it up, you can even enable the "Continuous" option so it automatically does exports if the document is changed.

[R C-R]

43 minutes ago, LondonSquirrel said:

Very subjective.

More than that. Since Adobe could raise the subscription price whenever they want, it is also speculative regarding if it will always be worth that price.

[R C-R]

39 minutes ago, Red Sands said:

... and I'm adult enough to understand the difference and to pay the more expensive price often when necessary.

I wonder if you would feel the same way if you had to keep paying month after month for a meal you had already eaten at a restaurant, & could not even be sure how much you would have to keep paying for it....

[jimh12345]

I use Capture One, and their Export is truly a model of logic, simplicity and easily discoverable functionality.  It does what photographers need and want, no more, no less.