Color Profiles in Affinity Designer

[LionelD]

When you make a new document, the choices AD offers for color space does not include ProPhoto.  At first I assumed this was just an implementation choice by the developers, but then I noticed that “Convert Document” does offer it (see attached screenshot).  Is there a reason AD does not offer ProPhoto at the time you create a document?

Regards

Lionel

[Dan C]

Hi LionelD

I've tried to replicate this and unfortunately I can't see the ProPhoto option when converting my document and your screenshot does not show this either.

See my screen recording attached and let me know if I'm missing something here!

[LionelD]

Thanks for  your response and video.  Reproducing the behavior I’m describing requires two steps: a) create a document, and then b) convert document.  

I opened a document I created a day or two ago in AD; the document is empty - no graphic elements, just an easy way for me to experiment (attached as Default A0).  Then I went to the Convert Document operation. I’ve attached 2 screenshots.

First one (68B7617F.... below) shows the context menu for “Convert Document” before doing anything in the context menu; I believe this screenshot shows that the document was born in sRGB, and that ProPhoto is an option.

Second (BA3AC44E... below) shows ProPhoto selected in the context menu and (I guess) applied.

My interpretation is that “Convert Document” converts a document from one color space to another; is that correct?

Regards

Lionel

 

Default A0.afdesign

[LionelD]

Ok, I just tried this again and I can now choose ProPhoto at the time I create a new document.  Must be that bug at my keyboard.

Regards

Lionel(Best bug in town, but it’s a small town)

[Dan C]

Thanks for your further description, could you please confirm, have you manually imported the ProPhoto ICC Profile into AD? I've checked multiple iPads & iOS versions and I can't see the ProPhoto Profile as an option when creating a new document or converting!

If you did manually add the profile then I'm glad to hear it's displaying in both the new document and convert document options, I'll keep an eye out for this in the future  

[LionelD]

Hi, Dan, hope you’re well because I’m confused now.

I did NOT import ProPhoto into AD.  In fact, I did not know that one could do that.

More interestingly, I just tried to create a new document in that space, and now ProPhoto is not available anywhere - not at time of create, nor via Convert Document. Not sure what to do next; I can’t repeat it, and if it were not for the screenshots from yesterday I’d be inclined to put it down to operator error.  Both hardware and software have come a long way, so I don’t expect this behavior in modern software.

The screenshots are now the only evidence I have that AD knows anything about ProPhoto (it’s the core of my photographic endeavors).  I’m running the latest version of AD from the App Store, bought it about 10 days ago.  Is ProPhoto a standard component in that release?

Regards

Lionel

[Dan C]

7 minutes ago, LionelD said:

hope you’re well because I’m confused now.

You and me both! 

I'll have to speak with one of our devs regarding this, afaik it shouldn't be an available option by default. It may have been 'hidden' in our code and a bug allowed it to show temporarily, but without further information this is purely speculation.

Have you opened/imported an image or document that may have been using this profile, or have the profile embedded at any point?

Any information you can provide is helpful, I'll continue to investigate this internally but it appears to be a UI anomaly. 

[LionelD]

Dan, yes, I did import a PSD image with that color profile into AD on my iPad.  I created that image in Photoshop on my MacBook Pro, have been experimenting with it in AD where I have modified it extensively.  I have subsequently copied some PNG, JPG and PSD images derived from this source file back to the MBP where Bridge reports they have that profile embedded.  Given my workflow, that’s to be expected, even though I had not thought about it until now.

On the MBP I create all new images in ProPhoto, and I tag all RAW images with that profile at the time I move them onto the MBP.  When I save an image on the MBP, I specify that the profile should be embedded in the image file.  I do convert some files to sRGB, but tat always happens at the last possible moment.

Is there a way I can make ProPhoto available on AD?  Or should I just create a predefined doc in Photoshop, and copy that into AD?

I know this off topic, but a) Symbols are magic!, and b) I’d really like export to PSD to export all layers with their content, even if they’re not marked as visible in AD.

Regards

Lionel

[Dan C]

Perfect, that answers why the profile was temporarily available in the app, I'll speak with our developers regarding expectations for the app to retain (or even offer) this profile if it's embedded in a document, not imported into the app. Personally I don't believe the option should show outside of the document it's embedded in, unless of course the ICC profile has been imported to the app directly.

20 minutes ago, LionelD said:

Is there a way I can make ProPhoto available on AD?

You certainly can! Download a copy of the ProPhoto ICC profile, then please open Preferences (cog icon on the home screen)>Colour. Here you can import ICC profiles for use within Affinity

[LionelD]

Thanks.  Now that we’re talking about preferences, I’d like to see ProPhoto as a standard component in AD for all platforms.

Now I’m going to download and install that profile.

Thanks again!

Regards

Lionel