Why do my JPG/PNG exports look so bad compared to Photoshop?

[jboozybooz]

No matter what I export, Affinity Photo renders as blurry, with weird color profiles.

Here's Save For Web as JPG at 75 quality with Photoshop (topmost pic), and then a bunch of different export options from Affinity (#2 is png, #3-6 are jpg with different resampling options at 100 quality)

https://imgur.com/a/u7ZUMrL

Photoshop renders the text sharp and clear, Affinity always renders it blurry no matter what option and even in PNG.

And here's another test, #1 (top) is Affinity, #2 is Photoshop. Same settings as above, but for Affinity I only tested Bilinear resampling.

https://imgur.com/a/vnRmNIH

Why is it so much worse in Affinity? How can I get it to not be blurry even at 100 quality?

[firstdefence]

You can upload your images here you don't need a linked image

[Alfred]

1 hour ago, firstdefence said:

You can upload your images here you don't need a linked image

As an anti-spam measure, attachments are disallowed for the first post or two.

[R C-R]

1 hour ago, αℓƒяє∂ said:

As an anti-spam measure, attachments are disallowed for the first post or two.

However, it isn't a very effective anti-spam measure ...

[Medical Officer Bones]

Be careful when scaling down images in Photoshop and comparing the results with other applications: Photoshop always applies a bit of sharpening after downscaling with the default settings. That is the main reason why the results in PS looks sharper.

[jboozybooz]

Ah, the degradation and blurring happens when you resize an image. It actually doesn't have to do with downscaling or resampling, it's happening when resizing an image (i.e. making a 2000x2000 file size down to a 1000x1000, using cmd+option+i). If I un-check "resampling" when resizing the image, it won't even let me resize the image. How can I size an image down without resampling and blurring, like in Photoshop?

[firstdefence]

1 hour ago, jbootybuttz said:

Ah, the degradation and blurring happens when you resize an image. It actually doesn't have to do with downscaling or resampling, it's happening when resizing an image (i.e. making a 2000x2000 file size down to a 1000x1000, using cmd+option+i). If I un-check "resampling" when resizing the image, it won't even let me resize the image. How can I size an image down without resampling and blurring, like in Photoshop?

Changing image size (scaling and resampling)

In Affinity Photo there are options to change a document's or image's pixel dimensions and/or print resolution.

You can change the 'size' of an image by scaling or resampling it. These can be undertaken independently or simultaneously.

Scaling

Scaling will embed a specific print resolution into an image's metadata to force it to print at a specific dpi (e.g. 300 dpi). The image's pixel dimensions remain unaffected.

Resampling

Resampling will do one of the following:

• increase the number of pixels in an image (i.e stretch it) to make its overall pixel dimensions bigger. This is known as upsampling. This will also increase the image's file size.
• decrease the number of pixels in an image (i.e compress it) to make its overall pixel dimensions smaller. This is known as downsampling. This will also decrease the image's file size.

When you resample an image, you have the option to:

• Maintain the image's aspect ratio or resize unconstrained.
• Select from a variety of interpolation methods (see note below).
• Simultaneously scale your image.

Resampling may be carried out to:

• Enlarge an image to specific dimensions in preparation for printing.
• Reduce an image for on-screen display and to optimize file size.

To scale an image:

1. From the Document menu, select Resize Document.
2. Ensure the Resample option is switched off.
3. Change the DPI to control the number of pixels (dots) which will be printed per inch when your document is printed. Set higher values (e.g., 300dpi) for professional printing.
4. Click Resize.

You will see no change in the image on the page as this procedure only affects the image's metadata.

To resample an image:

1. From the Document menu, select Resize Document.
2. Ensure the Resample option is switched on.
3. Enter your new document dimensions in the Size boxes—left box for width, right box for height.
   • To resize the width and height independently, click the lock icon (to unlock) between the Size boxes.
4. (Optional) Select a different measurement unit from the Units pop-up menu. Rulers will update to the new measurement unit.
5. Change the DPI to control the number of pixels (dots) which will be printed per inch when your document is printed. Set higher values (e.g., 300dpi) for professional printing.
6. Select a Resample method from the pop-up menu.
7. Click Resize.

Resampling methods

The following resample settings are available:

• Nearest Neighbor—simple resampling which has the fastest processing time. Use for hard-edge images.
• Bilinear—algorithmic resampling for use when shrinking images.
• Bicubic—algorithmic resampling for use when enlarging images. Resampling is smoother than Bilinear but has a slower processing time.
• Lanczos 3—complex algorithmic resampling which gives the best results but with the longest processing time. Available as 'separable' and 'non-separable'; the latter gives marginally better results, but is slightly slower than 'separable'.

Instead of adding absolute input values you can enter expressions instead. See Expressions for field input for details.

[R C-R]

2 hours ago, jbootybuttz said:

How can I size an image down without resampling and blurring, like in Photoshop?

You can't change the size of an image without resampling it, including in Photoshop. From this Photoshop help page, note the following (emphasis added):

Quote

Changing the pixel dimensions of an image is called resampling. Resampling can degrade image quality. Downsampling decreases the number of pixels in the image, while upsampling increases the number.

You might also want to browse through some of the articles linked to from that page, like Adobe's About pixel dimensions and printed image resolution. The same principles apply to resizing/resampling all raster images.

[jboozybooz]

So in order to get it to be the same as resizing to smaller pixel dimensions in Photoshop, I'm going to have to add an unsharp mask every time.

Of course, then I'm going to have to waste time playing with the unsharp mask settings back and forth to get it to look the same as before I resized it, which is near impossible because of Affinity's automatic overzoom craziness when you resize an image.

Is there no way to make a task as simple as resizing an image (and have it look good) to be as easy and effortless as it is in Photoshop? This is a large portion of my work and I was stoked to switch to Affinity, but if it can't handle something like that without creating a ridiculous workflow for me then it doesn't really fulfill its purpose.

We can talk for days about how resizing an image naturally downgrades it, but at the end of the day I want practicality and efficiency.

I'm still within my 30 day refund period at least, so if there's no way around this then I'm not SOL.

[jboozybooz]

Is there no way to make a task as simple as resizing an image (and having it look good) to be as easy and efficient as it is in Photoshop?

[Alfred]

18 hours ago, jbootybuttz said:

I'm still within my 30 day refund period at least, so if there's no way around this then I'm not SOL.

The refund period for purchases from the Affinity Store is 14 days.

34 minutes ago, jbootybuttz said:

Is there no way to make a task as simple as resizing an image (and having it look good) to be as easy and efficient as it is in Photoshop?

You can’t resize (i.e. change the number of pixels in) an image without resampling it. You can only rescale, which is an output function; e.g. changing the number of pixels per inch from 150 to 300 so that the image looks exactly the same on screen but its printed dimensions are halved.

[jboozybooz]

I didn't ask if you could resize an image without resampling it. Please re-read what I wrote. Holy shit @ the 14 day refund period, not surprised it's such a short window as it's rife with problems, though I did order through the App Store rather than through the Affinity Store (whatever that is?), so I'll try my luck through Apple.

[SrPx]

Photoshop does have a bunch of different algos to reduce or enlarge an image (bicubic smoothing, bicubic sharpening, nearest neighbor, bilinear, etc). I always hated the one that introduces an unsharp mask.  As I prefer doing it in my own with my much more preferred settings (a tad slighter ones than PS's). If handling a bunch of images (ie, frames of animation, for games or whatever, been at that situation a lot of times) I would actually make an action (macro) for the sharpening (if needed, as lanczos is quite good enough, and overdoing the sharp stuff looks very non profesional), also because in the same Action I'd introduce other batch operation(/s).  So, perhaps making a macro for it ? This way you'd keep also a source of the reduced ones, pretty handy and safe, then have freedom for whatever (with some batch external utility, for example) to do with them in the future. IE, maybe most look nice with a sharpening, but some images definitely do not.

BTW, we are just users trying to help u, not the company... (thus the "confused" emoticon....)

[R C-R]

2 hours ago, jboozybooz said:

I didn't ask if you could resize an image without resampling it.

It is clear enough what you asked. The answer to that question is if you want to make it that simple, then use Photoshop & pick one of its built-in methods for doing that.

However, those methods may be no better & sometimes significantly worse than what can be accomplished by manually adjusting sharpness, clarity, blur (yes, blur), & so on if the goal is to produce the best looking results. To understand why, & to make the best choice for any particular image, it is important to understand what resampling is, how it differs from resizing without changing image resolution, how each resampling algorithm works & what it is best suited for, the tradeoffs that make one method a great choice for certain end uses but a bad one for others, & so on.

If you are not interested in that, then you have your answer & we can all move on to more productive ways to use our time. No harm, no foul, right?

BTW, the refund period for any apps bought through the Mac App Store ("MAS") is 90 days, & you must have a valid (to Apple) reason for requesting a refund. (See for example, this iMore article for more info on how to request a refund.) This refund policy is set & controlled by Apple. No third party developer selling their products through the MAS, Serif/Affinity included, have any control over this.

[Chosen Idea]

You could be creating a tile floor in Affinity Photo from tiles cut and scaled from the same image into a new document, and you'll get a whole hodgepodge of sharp and blurry tiles. You'll never know what you get. It's just not a very good tool for precise work. I have to do a lot of this sort of thing, and it's just infuriating to use a tool that doesn't work at the standard I do. I'll overlook some of the minor bugs that still exist from three years ago (that I repeatedly report), but I've had to redo way too much stuff in Photoshop.

[PaoloT]

I find that reducing the size of a bitmap file with the Lanczos options produces results similar to Photoshop (CS6). At the same file size, Photoshop is still a bit sharper. With slightly bigger size than Photoshop, the result appears comparable. Non-separate makes the resulting image harder/sharper than the separate mode.

Paolo

[Chosen Idea]

On 11/25/2020 at 5:15 PM, PaoloT said:

I find that reducing the size of a bitmap file with the Lanczos options produces results similar to Photoshop (CS6). At the same file size, Photoshop is still a bit sharper. With slightly bigger size than Photoshop, the result appears comparable. Non-separate makes the resulting image harder/sharper than the separate mode.

Paolo

Thanks PaoloT. I've switched back to paying for Photoshop in Sept 2020 for the third time since owning Affinity Photo (2018), I'll have to think about what to do. There are actual bugs I've reported for three years that are still in both Mac and Windows versions across all their software, and they drive me nuts.

[All Media Lab]

Can you upload the original image? I work with both Photoshop and Affinity, but never noticed that big difference! I like to test what you say!

[zignorp]

I've noticed the same issue, mostly on saving for web. It does seem like 80 jpg option in affinity is like 60 in ps, but it still doesn't look as good in affinity. It's frustrating.The Lanczos option does seem to look a little better, thanks for that.