DAM Please!!

[Bpilgrim93]

If you guys could please release the Digital Asset Manager that I know you guys are working on so hard, I and I'm sure many other people would greatly appreciate! It would make the Affinity experience completely perfect I believe.  It is the one major thing lacking, and the only reason I would think about using something from Adobe now (especially with their rent-an-app model). I believe in you guys!

 

[Patrick Connor]

Bpilgrim93,

 

Welcome to the Serif Affinity forums :)

 

We do plan to add a DAM as explained here https://affinity.serif.com/about but as that page explains it is unlikely to appear soon.

[Travelling Man]

Why not use Adobe Bridge as a DAM it is free. Personally I do not see any additional value in using an Affinity DAM unless it has a decent raw editor included in it. I have to admit t I hate the raw conversion tool in Affinity, it is nowhere near the quality of ACR and to be honest I think the likes of Macphun are now taking the lead. I had high hopes for Affinity but am now not so sure. Just my opinion of course.

[Keith Reeder]

Why not use Adobe Bridge as a DAM it is free. 

 

Bridge isn't really a DAM, though - it's just a file manager/browser. 

 

Faststone Image Viewer - or even Google Picasa - would do that job as well, not to mention being much easier to actually get hold of.

[Travelling Man]

Bridge isn't really a DAM, though - it's just a file manager/browser. 

 

Faststone Image Viewer - or even Google Picasa - would do that job as well, not to mention being much easier to actually get hold of.

 

You can categorise, rate, have collections, create stacks, search, tag, run filters and work on meta-data etc. What else do you want? Some will argue that not having a dedicated database is preferable. And Bridge is not hard to get hold of! It also supports "open with"which means you can use any editor you like.

 

Don't know how you can say it is not a DAM!

 

Some definitions from the internet -

Adobe Bridge is a digital asset management app developed by Adobe Systems and first released with Adobe Creative Suite v2.

 

Adobe Bridge software is a powerful, easy-to-use media manager for visual people. Adobe Bridge helps clear the clutter and lets you focus on what's critical with features such as the Filter Panel, which lets you quickly locate assets by attributes such as file type, camera settings, and ratings.

[v_kyr]

Honestly I always wonder what people here in the forum call Digital Asset Management (DAM) and think it to be. - Nowadays a real DAM solution goes much bejond what people here are suggesting, it's not just for local tagging/classifying/importing/exporting/catalog/browsing/searching/finding/sorting/sharing of images and videos. A real DAM additionally handles and has to deal instead with pretty much all sort of digital media data, it needs/uses enormous flexible metadata, offers collaborative team and huge flexible inquiry features.

 

In short, it is something which is more meant to be used by big agencies, newspapers, companies and the like. It's not something the common single user or casual single photographer uses, thus it goes feature and usability wise much bejond of that what common single user image catalog, browsing software or some RAW converters (things as Lightroom, Aperture etc.) do offer!

 

However, I don't know if Affinity plans to develop what I call a DAM software, or instead something like a single user image and video cataloging software (?).

 

@Travelling Man

 

I too wouldn't call Adobe Bridge to be a real DAM, instead the Adobe Experience Manager comes much closer to my personal understanding of a DAM system!

[Travelling Man]

Honestly I always wonder what people here in the forum call Digital Asset Management (DAM) and think it to be. - Nowadays a real DAM solution goes much bejond what people here are suggesting, it's not just for local tagging/classifying/importing/exporting/catalog/browsing/searching/finding/sorting/sharing of images and videos. A real DAM additionally handles and has to deal instead with pretty much all sort of digital media data, it needs/uses enormous flexible metadata, offers collaborative team and huge flexible inquiry features.

 

In short, it is something which is more meant to be used by big agencies, newspapers, companies and the like. It's not something the common single user or casual single photographer uses, thus it goes feature and usability wise much bejond of that what common single user image catalog, browsing software or some RAW converters (things as Lightroom, Aperture etc.) do offer!

 

However, I don't know if Affinity plans to develop what I call a DAM software, or instead something like a single user image and video cataloging software (?).

 

@Travelling Man

 

I too wouldn't call Adobe Bridge to be a real DAM, instead the Adobe Experience Manager comes much closer to my personal understanding of a DAM system!

But you are taking DAM outside the confines of this single interest forum. This is a photography group and people are interested in a DAM system that will support their browsing/management of images. LR/Bridge are without doubt DAMs, although they may not be universal in the type of files they can handle. Indeed Bridge has been developed as the hub of the entire Adobe creative suite. It is completely illogical in my mind to suggest that something cannot be what if claims to be just because it is not as functional as something that is used by "big agencies". That is like saying a car is not a car because it is not used by a racing driver! 

 

Image files are media assets therefore the likes of LR are media managers/DAMs. if you believe otherwise then fine but perhaps you should inform Affinity devs before they launch something that is not what it is claimed to be! Whilst you are at it there are other organisations that might also find your observations interesting!

[v_kyr]

That's why I wrote a real DAM system, the term DAM is generally (...maybe I should better say sadly here) used by people very stretchable, especially it seems here by a lot of people from the photography domain. Meaning here, even if something just supports a minimalistic subset (like browsing, tagging, indexing and searching photos) it's a DAM. According to that lax definition even the Mac Finder or the PSE Organizer would then be a DAM. Though in case of Adobe PSE here, their used term organizer fits much better for what it really does and offers. - But don't take just my opinion on that theme, instead you might want to look at this more up to date explanation or instead look for other sites actual definitions or explanations about nowadays DAM systems!

 

Personally I think the term "image manager/organizer/cataloger" fits much better here, to what most of those photography related software tools finally really do only offer!

[Travelling Man]

There is no such thing as a "real" DAM in my books for a DAM is a DAM and each variant will be designed with a specific end game in mind. You are just playing on words (sadly) but if that makes you happy then enjoy and have a nice day. For the majority of us a DAM is a piece of software that is designed to allow us to manage our digital asset libraries - the clue here is 'manage' and 'digital asset'. Incidentally, Bridge browses more than just photos.

 

The link you provided is Wikipedia states the main functions of a DAM as being as below. I cannot see much, if anything, here that Bridge cannot do or indeed LR on a lesser number of media file types.

 

• Import and export of files, possibly with format conversion
• Enrichment of binary files with meta information for research purposes (eg IPTC-IIM standard )
• Search for files using metadata, filenames, or other properties
• Viewing, viewing (possibly listening and viewing) of files
• Combine files into packages (usually referred to as collections, collections, albums)
• Archive and version files

[v_kyr]

Ok then let's call it a DAM ...

 

With new DAM systems, the focus is on integration in the enterprise environment, for example the provision of assets in content management systems , webshop systems, product information management systems and Web2Print systems.

 

While older DAM systems were primarily understood as containers for media assets, modern systems are mainly used for the production of media files. For this purpose, widespread application and authoring programs such as Microsoft Office , the Adobe Creative Suite , video-editing systems and others are linked via links or addons to be installed. In the foreground is the function to load files for processing from the DAM system (usually referred to as "checkout"), to edit and to import them again (usually referred to as "check-in").

 

 

... and get productive again!

[Travelling Man]

Ok then let's call it a DAM ...

 

 

... and get productive again!

 

 

I really do not see what you are trying to prove other than perhaps indirectly claiming you are some sort of super person who is better qualified to define a DAM. It is very boring really so yes I agree there is no need to change the common understanding of the definition, and especially so given the nature of this forum.

 

I am now productive again and will move on.

[v_kyr]

@Travelling Man

 

You got me wrong, those aren't my definition (I just quoted little portions from that link I added before). And there they seem to call/name those former file/datastructure based systems DAMs too. So what you meant before seems to be right here, that things like Adobe Bridge etc. or even lesser functionality subsets are per definition too DAM systems or do fall as a common definition into this category of software.

 

Furthermore, it is not worth to quarrel about such things, there are much more important things in life!

[Travelling Man]

@Travelling Man

 

You got me wrong, those aren't my definition (I just quoted little portions from that link I added before). And there they seem to call/name those former file/datastructure based systems DAMs too. So what you meant before seems to be right here, that things like Adobe Bridge etc. or even lesser functionality subsets are per definition too DAM systems or do fall as a common definition into this category of software.

 

Furthermore, it is not worth to quarrel about such things, there are much more important things in life!

If I misunderstood then I apologise. This is a place to make friends not create enemies. No hard feelings :-)

[grriffy]

I won't get involved in what a DAM is, all I want is a replacement for Google Picasa.

Good features of Picasa:

• Face recognition
• Stores face recognition data in XMP in the jpg file (So can be read by DS photo for example - see below)
• Enables placing of a location.

Not so good features

• No longer supported
• Requires a separate database, which has therefore to be backed up and causes problems when moving files to a new computer
• Not for use on a network.
• Cannot amend person details (possibly because of the link to uploaded Google photos)

I haven't used Lightroom but have DS Photo on my Synology network storage.

Good features:

• Picks up face data from XMP
• Free (with Synology drive!)
• Has location data
• Use on a network
• Mobile apps available

Not so good

• Must be used through a browser for all features (I think)
• Not as many features as Picasa.

I would therefore hope that the release for Affinity:

• Stores all data (metadata) in the file (even if a separate database is used for indexing)
• Can be used on a network
• Picks up data (including face recognition) from XMP data
• Has face recognition facility
• Good search facility
• Opportunity to amend and add to metadata
• Can be easily moved to a new computer, without loss of data

Good luck with the new program. Although I'm using free programs at the moment, I'd be happy to pay for a good organizer.

 

Incidentally, if you want to view metadata attached to a file, try Exif Pilot http://www.colorpilot.com/exif.html

[pixelrain]

Personally, I'm more than happy with using other applications for "managing" my images so I would rather not bloat the Affinity app with "DAM"; if its is being developed, please make it external and optional; my two cents. Thanks.  

[grriffy]

Pixelrain. I agree with you. I was assuming it would be a separate app.

 

I think one group of people who would find a comprehensive "DAM" useful would be family historians, who would not necessarily want Affinity Photo.

 

Regards

[tzoumaz]

my first priority is the quality of Affinity Photo near PS and the bug fixes  not a DAM. A DAM is nice to have, but not actually nessesary.

[ChristianPoulton]

my first priority is the quality of Affinity Photo near PS and the bug fixes  not a DAM. A DAM is nice to have, but not actually nessesary.

For me personally DAM is very important and I'm desperate for a replacement for my ageing Aperture which I totally rely on to organise my extensive photo library. I'm very eager to take the plunge with Affinity Photo but am waiting until a DAM companion is released.

[squeezer]

I want Affinity to release its DAM asap, most of the other software are weighed down with duplications of photo editing software, this I don't want. What I would like to have is a DAM dedicated to photography but concentrating on catalogues, tags, key words searches etc. not red eye, cropping and contrast etc. This is what we bought affinity for.

 

Dave

[Fixx]

most of the other software are weighed down with duplications of photo editing software, 

 

I don't think you can avoid duplicates (raw-tif or raw-apf) using ADAM either. Though it would be enticing idea that AP would be totally nondestructive and use file format of raw-APmeta combination.

[GrahamMYC]

I want Affinity to release its DAM asap, most of the other software are weighed down with duplications of photo editing software, this I don't want. What I would like to have is a DAM dedicated to photography but concentrating on catalogues, tags, key words searches etc. not red eye, cropping and contrast etc. This is what we bought affinity for.

 

Dave

Yes!

[v_kyr]

I believe there is a common standard set of functions all these solutions share, one looks at the others feature set and applies the same here, so they support at least the same on paper specs. - Also there might be other people who don't use AP and would instead like to see such common things to be added here.

 

Personally I would need and demand, that it can cook coffee and wash the car! ;)

[pdussart]

Dear all, 

 

An Affinity DAM would be welcome, for sure.
But what is the point of an enormous program requiring artistic and librarian skills ?

 

Personnally, I would just:

 

1) add to Affinity Photo the capability of registering basic EXIF/IPTC/XMP metadata. No frills.

Say a limited set of 15 metadata fields, like date taken, date processed, title, description, author, country, city, keywords, category.
All this in UTF8 format, in order to deal with special characters and to be a real global product that is usable by anybody on earth, in any language.

 

2) In a separate product, called Affinity DAM I guess, we would have a 50 USD/UKP/EUR tool with a data base, powerful dictionary and search feature, complete matadata fields management, picture versions, import/export of metadata lists, conversion tools, etc.
May be the ability to share the data base would be an extra option to offer.
If you work with agencies or the press, it can make the difference, but this is complex for a small shop or a standalone photographer.

 

Good DAM systems like StudioLine Photo Basic 4 (free), IMatch 5 (40 USD/EUR) and Daminion (depends on license set) will be hard to be beaten. 

Nice challenge for Serif.

 

Regards, Philippe

[PeterBull]

I have a very large archive of images built over many years, and Adobe Bridge is a very useful DAM, largely because it works with my files and folders wherever I store them, I don't need to copy or import them into Bridge, and also because it's now free to download and use without an Adobe subscription - but it won't display icons or previews of Affinity Photo files, which makes it less useful if you want to use Affinity instead of PS.  Instead of the image, Bridge just displays the Affinity logo. You can export images as .psd files or something else that Bridge recognises, but that's an unnecessary extra step every time.

Does anyone know of a visual file manager which will display and preview Affinity format files as well as all the other standard formats?  It doesn't need to be any kind of editor, just a visual Finder.

Thanks, Peter

[Fixx]

58 minutes ago, PeterBull said:

Does anyone know of a visual file manager which will display and preview Affinity format files