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Affinity Photo for Windows ok but still no match for Photoshop CS6


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Hello all.  Affinity Photo Windows beta ok so far though not quite as intuitive or as customizable as Photoshop CS6.  Maybe they could work on making your own custom actions or tool presets.  Feel lost without Adobe Bridge or some other type of file browser too.  Hopefully in time they will add this type of functionality.

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Hello all.  Affinity Photo Windows beta ok so far though not quite as intuitive or as customizable as Photoshop CS6.  Maybe they could work on making your own custom actions or tool presets.  Feel lost without Adobe Bridge or some other type of file browser too.  Hopefully in time they will add this type of functionality.

 

Have you compared the price?

 

As I have only had a few tries with Affinity Photo I can't comment yet, but what it does it does well.

I am used to PaintShop Pro X9, which is quick, can be highly customised, but has a lot of annoyances.

Users have made similar comparisons between PSP and PS. 

 

I for one would never pay the outrageous amounts Adobe charge.

Am having fun testing Affinity :-)

 

Grenou

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I'm guessing half of this is what you just want to do "as in PS CS6", I have the same with PhotoPlus, where I assume something should be done as it was or really similar. Now I'm trying to avoid this attitude and it gets to be much easier.

"I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK, I sleep all night, and I work all day..."

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I use Photoshop CS6 for a variety of things:  Video, Print, some web images.  Was hoping for a decent alternative to the Photoshop Creative Cloud subscription which is outrageous and alienated quite a few hardcore Photoshop fans.  Maybe A.F. will get better in time but at least you can "own" the software at a decent price which Adobe doesn't allow any more.

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Hello all.  Affinity Photo Windows beta ok so far though not quite as intuitive or as customizable as Photoshop CS6.  Maybe they could work on making your own custom actions or tool presets.  Feel lost without Adobe Bridge or some other type of file browser too.  Hopefully in time they will add this type of functionality.

 

Intuitive is an abstract word, what someone finds intuitive can be a real pain to figure out for someone else.

Perhaps you find PS intuitive because you are used to it. People who work with node based software finds Adobe's logic very cumbersome ;)

I've been using it for 20 years now, so it feels simple to use. But I guess for a new user must still look confusing, despite the efforts Adobe is doing in order to make it look simpler (and personally I think they are failing).

 

Custom Actions and tool presets: I don't think this will make AP any more intuitive, but as a feature request, I agree.

 

For what concerns the browser, there are a lot of alternatives, many free and very good too.

 

A few for you to start playing with (in no particular order):

  • XNview, does a great job. It also comes with a Shell Extension, which allows you to view and convert files on the fly. Super handy!
  • Fastone, I never used this too much, but it seems another solid alternative.
  • Irfan View, another great viewer, press T for the browser. I think is not as streamlined as XNview, but maybe it's just a matter of habit.
  • Diffractor: this is my default RAW browser. It's just super fast, but you can use it for video as well.
  • Picasa: despite it's been discontinued, it works just fine, on Win 7, and 10 (didn't test it on 8). It's fast, a good organizer, I use it for quick searches.

 

The only thin you might miss is the vector preview. The workaround is the very useful FastPictureViewer codec, which I use at home and couldn't live without it now, also super cheap. But if you don't want to spend 9 bucks, there are alternatives:

  • Media Preview
  • Argus Viewer
  • Sage Thumbs

 

I don't remember which one of the three above I did install at work, in the end, it worked and now I have the preview in explorer for all type of media files (not sure about the vector though).

 

Hope that helps,

Andrew

Andrew
-
Win10 x64 AMD Threadripper 1950x, 64GB, 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD + 2TB, dual GTX 1080ti
Dual Monitor Dell Ultra HD 4k P2715Q 27-Inch

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I find Affinity Photo to be way more "intuitive" than Photoshop. Probably because I've never used Photoshop. :o

 

Seriously though, evaluate Affinity Photo on its own merits. Don't compare it with Photoshop, or whatever software you've used before. Of course it won't work exactly the same. Of course it will have some learning curve. Treat that as an excuse to re-evaluate the way YOU do things - don't limit yourself to the way your existing software does. Who knows, you might learn something new, discover new opportunities, and enjoy yourself along the way.

 

Len

Len

--------------------

Over the hill, and enjoying the glide.

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I myself feel at home (professional PS veteran here). Easy and well thought UI.. And can't remember a single company where I used Bridge (and I can tell you I know every little bit and depth of Photoshop...) just used my own previewers (mentioned above), quite more snappy, and allowing me to preview while not yet launched any 2D package. 

 

I can tell you I don't feel lost at all with A. Photo, and that for what a freelancer needs (once polished some beta edges) is way more than enough what it gives you. It has professional level there where it's needed (formats, export, professional delivering specs), for an image editing software for print, web, screen. What might yet lack in features, is easily substituted using some techniques using core functionality, the essential one, which is definitely there. And IMO, with a much more direct interaction and help from an artists' community, it can definitely reach fast higher levels.

AD, AP and APub. V1.10.6 and V2.4 Windows 10 and Windows 11. 
Ryzen 9 3900X, 32 GB RAM,  RTX 3060 12GB, Wacom Intuos XL, Wacom L. Eizo ColorEdge CS 2420 monitor. Windows 10 Pro.
(Laptop) HP Omen 16-b1010ns 12700H, 32GB DDR5, nVidia RTX 3060 6GB + Huion Kamvas 22 pen display, Windows 11 Pro.

 

 

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I find Affinity Photo to be way more "intuitive" than Photoshop. Probably because I've never used Photoshop. :o

 

Seriously though, evaluate Affinity Photo on its own merits. Don't compare it with Photoshop, or whatever software you've used before. Of course it won't work exactly the same. Of course it will have some learning curve. Treat that as an excuse to re-evaluate the way YOU do things - don't limit yourself to the way your existing software does. Who knows, you might learn something new, discover new opportunities, and enjoy yourself along the way.

 

Len

 

Good points.

Andrew
-
Win10 x64 AMD Threadripper 1950x, 64GB, 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD + 2TB, dual GTX 1080ti
Dual Monitor Dell Ultra HD 4k P2715Q 27-Inch

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As for custom actions - it is there already. I asked about it couple of days ago - just go to View -> Studio -> Macros and View -> Studio -> Library. Instead of "Action" it is called "Macro". Same principals.
When it comes to gfx/photo browser the worst it was out there was for me Bridge. I got thousands of pictures in catalogs. Before that thing even started took ages. And that is IF it didn't closed unexpectedly. In any case - I was using all 3 first mentioned by @verysame . Every single one was better then Bridge - most notably speed wise. I have finally settled with Faststone Viewer and boy its a pleasure to work with. BTW when we are talking about browsers - Bridge is a separate software, its not a part of Photoshop ;) And thanks goodness because that would kill me.
I was working with Photoshop professionally since version 4. Before I was excited about every single update. Lately Adobe updates are simply a joke. And I am not willing to pay monthly for same software for ever. Affinity may not be quite there 100% yet but it is already hell of a good software. I am giving it a serious try to replace Adobe with it. Its not the same - but in a few releases it will be better while Adobe will keep on adding some "cloud nonsense" and "face recognition" gimmicks.

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I have been a PS user for many years and never liked neither used Adobe Bridge. Faststone Image Viewer has been my photos browser of choice. You can even edit your raw files with it. Click on a photo, tap "E" and your favorite photo editor starts with the photo opened.

 

And I don't see why we should not compare AP tp PS.... the more I use AP, the  more I'm sure that it could fulfill the needs of many PS users.

-- Window 11 - 32 gb - Intel I7 - 8700 - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
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[..]

And I don't see why we should not compare AP tp PS.... the more I use AP, the  more I'm sure that it could fulfill the needs of many PS users.

 

AlainP,

 

If you are referring to lenmerkel's post, I guess what he meant is that, in order to understand and take full advantage of AP, it might help to tune oneself to AP's paradigms and workflow rather than thinking in terms "How would I do this in PS?".

Yes, there are definitely similarities, which is the reason why AP is an alternative in the first place. But now that I'm start looking at it closer, I find many aspects where the two differs.

For instance, in AP I can add a Curve Adjustment layer, and switch between RGB, CMYK, LAB!! I didn't fully explore the possibilities neither checked how consistent the results are. But already the very idea of working in a different color mode without having to commit the current status in order to switch to a different one, it's beyond PS's capabilities.

Also, adjustment layers they have already their own masks. Live filters, you can change the mask blending mode. Files from AD are imported with the full support of layers in AP. And I'm just scratching the surface :)

Andrew
-
Win10 x64 AMD Threadripper 1950x, 64GB, 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD + 2TB, dual GTX 1080ti
Dual Monitor Dell Ultra HD 4k P2715Q 27-Inch

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Picasa is my goto Library for the last 4+ years. I have 100,000 plus (GPS logged) images in it. Fast, free and GPS in it.

Kudos to a small Nottingham company who are taking on the Adobe behemoth. I for one will be buying PHOTO the moment it releasea (having used PS for 5+ years). Shame that PS has conditioned many users to believing that the Adobe menu and UI is the only 'way' to do it. Keep doing what you do SERIF!

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IMO, for the good future and success of the application, keeping some UI common ground with PS, at least in essential operations and feel, IMHO is crucial. Let's admit it, PS is absolutely dominant in every field, at least in companies, and a large mass of independent professionals, in every field, from games, to film, fashion, even medical !  The triumph IMO is offering an alternative powerful enough where old veterans, or even people with already 2 to 3 years of intensive PS training, can at least feel at home, and from there learn the variations AP will offer compared with PS ways. But you need to at least give them some welcoming. If they find a different UI, the inertia of keeping inside PS is too strong, with all the market dominance, and as it would mean a big extra effort. Just i find just Adobe Bridge and other very very specific easy to adapt differences not reasons enough to say cs6 (or cc) is the only route. But not keeping UI common ground with PS: A failure, IMHO. But is not the case, you might not notice, but i do see this UI VERY similar to PS, which is good. I know has important differences, but it meant zero learning adaptation for me (am ps all the way). There's a lot of people looking for an alternative to a subscription model, but if you do what Gimp did (and I absolutely LOVE Gimp, but I am a freak and adapt to any UI) , or what Blender 3D did in its start (people don't know that Blender later on has adapted to a lot of easier UI ways. And I mor ethan love Blender. Is my everything tool for 3D these days) , then will happen what with those... They were successful to a certain degree, but never grabbed the majority. A lot of PS users, and 3DS Max users wont even touch it just reading in so many forums : "is hard, is too different". UX in general is not going in that route, like when one designs web pages, tends to follow some standards, more than "creatively" mess the poor visitor. Usability is also put things where the people expect it, and am afraid that the key thing is to first realizing what a dominance PS has. Adobe uses kind of similar UI philosophy for most of their tools, too. (Illustrator, PS, etc)

AD, AP and APub. V1.10.6 and V2.4 Windows 10 and Windows 11. 
Ryzen 9 3900X, 32 GB RAM,  RTX 3060 12GB, Wacom Intuos XL, Wacom L. Eizo ColorEdge CS 2420 monitor. Windows 10 Pro.
(Laptop) HP Omen 16-b1010ns 12700H, 32GB DDR5, nVidia RTX 3060 6GB + Huion Kamvas 22 pen display, Windows 11 Pro.

 

 

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"Not a match for Photoshop 6" ... come on :)

 

I have been a Photoshop user all my life, using it for both to create artwork for digital and print. I have stopped buying it since CS4 - as I never had the need to buy each and every version, so the Adobe CC thing is completely useless for me. I have been hoping that a new product comes along which is a good alternative the PS affordable, and can handle Pantone and CMYK. Affinity Photo is exactly what I want. Sure it is still a bit rough around the edges, has bugs, and is still a way off, but what the heck, at the price it is a steal! Cannot wait until it goes gold :) (any idea when this is planned to happen?)

 

PS. Affinity team if you are reading this, please consider an Adobe inDesign alternative :)

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Everblue, I think they have a Publisher tool in the works, in several months from now.

AD, AP and APub. V1.10.6 and V2.4 Windows 10 and Windows 11. 
Ryzen 9 3900X, 32 GB RAM,  RTX 3060 12GB, Wacom Intuos XL, Wacom L. Eizo ColorEdge CS 2420 monitor. Windows 10 Pro.
(Laptop) HP Omen 16-b1010ns 12700H, 32GB DDR5, nVidia RTX 3060 6GB + Huion Kamvas 22 pen display, Windows 11 Pro.

 

 

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Nezumni, verysame,

 

Thanks for the reference to the FastStone viewer. I had not been aware of it. It seems very useful.

 

Doug

While you're there, look also at Faststone Capture. Quick and flexible with a lot of drop-down options and a color picker! It is amazing how many items and colors I have loaded into my graphics programs using Faststone Capture.

♥  WIN 10 AD & AP  ♥  Lenovo Legion Y520 15.6" Laptop

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  • Staff

...Cannot wait until it goes gold :) (any idea when this is planned to happen?)

 

PS. Affinity team if you are reading this, please consider an Adobe inDesign alternative :)

 

Hi Everblue,

Welcome to Affinity Forums :)

You will not have to wait much. Regarding InDesign, there will be a desktop publishing app called Affinity Publisher (scroll down a little for more info).

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I personally don't like Bridge much.

What I can highly recommend (in addition to XNview) is XYplorer (https://www.xyplorer.com/product.php) & the http://www.fastpictureviewer.com/codecs/ package.

Together they cover 90% of my preview needs and XYplorer beats the Windows Explorer by about 10000000000% in speed and depth ;-) A large folder that takes explorer 20 seconds to show sorted by date is instantly there in XYplorer.

And it has a beautiful thumbnail view (highly configurable), so with the codec pack, you can preview most file formats, even many raw files right inside your file browser fast.

If you enable "mouse-down-blowup", you get to see a full size preview of your image if you click and hold the icon of an image file - very fast and intuitive.

 

Highly recommended - XYplorer replaced file explorer for me since Vista made the Windows Explorer into a slow toy.

 

Cheers,

 

Tom

ScreenDream   |   Windows 8.1 x64 - 64 GB Ram - i7 6 core @ 4.1 GHz - GeForce GTX 1080 TI & GTX 980 Ti

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