AP Confused On RAW workflow

[Husbandman]

I am using a trial version of Affinity Photo. I currently using Lightroom and PhotoShop. I am confused about the workflow. I can open a RAW file and edit it, but there is no way to save it. It says I have to develop it. Once I developed it, it saves it as an afphoto file. Then when I open either file again and go back to the develop persona the adjustments are not there. I cannot revert back to the original settings. Does this mean I cannot save a RAW file with adjustments for later use?

[Przemysław]

I might be wrong, but I don’t think AP allows to overwrite raw files. You can save your developed document as .aphoto and go back to develop persona when needed.

In principle raw files should be always raw as they come from camera, no?

[Ulysses]

Unlike Lightroom, Capture One Pro, and other dedicated raw image processors, Affinity Photo does not create a catalog or sidecar files to preserve your changes. It is not a raw workflow tool in the sense you may be accustomed.

Because of this, I only use AP for occasional raw conversion rather than bulk work. It is more a replacement for Photoshop than for a cataloged raw system.

The Develop persona only creates an .AFPHOTO file if you opt to save the image.

[Husbandman]

53 minutes ago, Przemysław said:

I might be wrong, but I don’t think AP allows to overwrite raw files. You can save your developed document as .aphoto and go back to develop persona when needed.

In principle raw files should be always raw as they come from camera, no?

It does not appear that the .aphoto has the ability to go back to the development persona in a meaningful way because the original raw settings are gone. In other words, you have to keep the raw file if you want to go back to the original.

[Husbandman]

Well, that means don't want to purchase this software. I use the Mac so I can't get by using the finder and Smart folders as a catalog. Not being able to develop my raw files and saving them kills the deal.

[John Rostron]

2 minutes ago, Husbandman said:

Not being able to develop my raw files and saving them ...

Many graphics programs will save your edits in a sidecar file, but none of them will overwrite (save) your raw file. If you re-open the raw file, they will apply the edits saved in the sidecar file. This can have the appearance of having saved a raw file, but it isn't. The original raw file is unchanged.

In Affinity Photo you can develop RAW files. After developing them you can save them in a wide range of formats, jpg, png, tiff or in afphoto format. If you develop a raw file, then save it as a tiff or afphoto file, you will have almost the the same practical result as in the other graphics software.

John

[Husbandman]

17 minutes ago, John Rostron said:

Many graphics programs will save your edits in a sidecar file, but none of them will overwrite (save) your raw file. If you re-open the raw file, they will apply the edits saved in the sidecar file. This can have the appearance of having saved a raw file, but it isn't. The original raw file is unchanged.

In Affinity Photo you can develop RAW files. After developing them you can save them in a wide range of formats, jpg, png, tiff or in afphoto format. If you develop a raw file, then save it as a tiff or afphoto file, you will have almost the the same practical result as in the other graphics software.

John

Yes, I am aware of the sidecar file and what is what I meant by saving a developed RAW file. I have tried saving the photo an afphoto and then going back to it. The "almost the same" is not the same. If a client does not like your edit you can just revert to the original and start over. This seems like a simple fix for Affinity and should have never been overlooked, just write the development settings to file. 

[John Rostron]

1 minute ago, Husbandman said:

Yes, I am aware of the sidecar file and what is what I meant by saving a developed RAW file. I have tried saving the photo an afphoto and then going back to it. The "almost the same" is not the same. If a client does not like your edit you can just revert to the original and start over. This seems like a simple fix for Affinity and should have never been overlooked, just write the development settings to file. 

Th Affinity developers are rumoured to be thinking about doing as you suggest, but we are not holding our breath. You should post your constructive criticism in the Feature Requests forum.

You say: "if a client does not like your edit you can just revert to the original". As I said, the original raw file is unchanged, so you can do just that in Affinity.

John

[Pšenda]

16 hours ago, John Rostron said:

Affinity developers are rumoured to be thinking about doing as you suggest,

-Non destructive Develop Layer