Affinity

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Paul
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Currently using PS Elements 13, and am relatively happy, but I'm reading good reviews regarding Affinity.
Affinity offers pano stitching, focus stacking and HDR merge which I believe my software lacks.
The reviews I've read seem impressive and with a one-off price of under £50, it seems an option.
Any users here, happy or otherwise, or can advise if the transition has similarities.
I'm using a Canon 5D3, so I'm guessing the RAW files are accommodated in the software.
 
I use Affinity Photo and really like it. I have a Canon 60D and haven't had any problems with Affinity accepting the raw files from it. It's the trial for Affinity still available?
 
Affinity Photo is excellent. I do not do a lot of pixel level editing - other editing I do with Lightroom - but when I do, I use Affinity. It is a lot better than Photoshop Elements.
 
Another vote for Affinity, top notch software (y)
 
I upgraded from elements to affinity and am very pleased. I used the pano stitch function for the first time yesterday and it was a very simple process.
 
Affinity is a very powerful program and for me, somehow seems more "user friendly" than Photoshop.

One of the biggest drawbacks with "Elements" was it's inability to work with 16-bit layered images, although it's a while since I tried Elements and things may have changed.
 
Thanks to all above for your inputs, very much appreciated.
It seems the update is a no-brainer.
 
Only just made the switch to Affinity but so far I'm happy, it does Stacked, Panos, and HDR. which is all I need really. And the occasional content aware fill.
 
Dave70D said:
AP is is great as I use it side by side with C1 Pro12.
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.... That's exactly what I am about to do by first trialling AP to replace Photoshop CS6 in my workflow.

Because AP can also convert RAW files, it could theoretically even replace C1 but I do like a lot about C1 which currently has the reputation of having the best RAW conversion engine out there < Not so surprising when you remember that C1 is a PhaseOne product developed for processing their medium format cameras.
 
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RedRobin said:
.... That's exactly what I am about to do by first trialling AP to replace Photoshop CS6 in my workflow.

Because AP can also convert RAW files, it could theoretically even replace C1 but I do like a lot about C1 which currently has the reputation of having the best RAW conversion engine out there < Not so surprising when you remember that C1 is a PhaseOne product.
Click to expand...
Let us know whar you think to the raw processing Robin.also be aware in settings you have either apples raw conversion or AP
 
RedRobin said:
.... That's exactly what I am about to do by first trialling AP to replace Photoshop CS6 in my workflow.

Because AP can also convert RAW files, it could theoretically even replace C1 but I do like a lot about C1 which currently has the reputation of having the best RAW conversion engine out there < Not so surprising when you remember that C1 is a PhaseOne product.
Click to expand...

I love using it side by side with C1, as I have all my plugins set up now in AP.
 
SsSsSsSsSnake said:
Let us know what you think to the raw processing Robin.also be aware in settings you have either apples raw conversion or AP
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.... Rather than throw too many balls in the air at once to begin with, I shall use Affinity (instead of Photoshop CS6) to <Edit with...> from within C1 on a 'round trip' workflow having first imported my RAW files into C1 for conversion and local adjustments. Also I am soon going on another 6-day wildlife trip to Bulgaria and then Finland soon after and so I want to get any new workflow under control before I leave the UK.

Then later when I am more familiar with Affinity I might consider doing my RAW conversions and local adjustments all in Affinity, but I might only try this if the Capture One updates start getting expensive. C1 RAW conversions are much better than Adobe's or Apple's. Thanks for the heads-up on RAW conversion settings.

I could also use ON1 2019 as it is also quite capable but I don't like its interface and don't find it at all intuitive. Currently I only sometimes use ON1 Effects on layers as a Photoshop Filters plug-in. I don't think ON1 filters can currently be accessed from within Affinity like a plug-in. As an aside, ON1's continual marketing email bombardment is very irritating!

As many others have already said, Affinity Photo needs to develop and extend its ability to host third-party plug-ins.
 
Dave70D said:
I love using it side by side with C1, as I have all my plugins set up now in AP.
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.... I have downloaded a 10-day trial of Affinity Photo but my essential Filter third-party plug-ins (piccure+, imageonic, ON1) which work in Photoshop CS6 don't work in Affinity and so that would significantly add time and tedium to my workflow by me not being able to do a smooth round trip with Capture One as the main host and RAW converter.

Having at last managed to activate my perpetually licenced Adobe Creative Suite on my new Mac running macOS 10.14 Mojave, for my purposes I have no need to update beyond CS6 to the CC subscription model. Affinity Photo might be my substitute for Photoshop if necessary in the future but only if they support my plug-ins.
 
I do the majority of my editing in a standalone Lightroom 5 with CS6 for layer blending/masking etc if required.

If I was looking for a CS6 alternative I think I would seriously consider Affinity for the cost even if I'd hardly touch the surface of it's potential.
 
LeeRatters said:
I do the majority of my editing in a standalone Lightroom 5 with CS6 for layer blending/masking etc if required.

If I was looking for a CS6 alternative I think I would seriously consider Affinity for the cost even if I'd hardly touch the surface of it's potential.
Click to expand...

Why would a CS6 Alternative be Affinity? CS6 is nearly 30 versions old. Many hundreds of patches/improvements. Not saying Affinity isn't good but you're talking about comparing a horse and cart to a ford fiesta.
 
DanielPSAC said:
Why would a CS6 Alternative be Affinity? CS6 is nearly 30 versions old. Many hundreds of patches/improvements. Not saying Affinity isn't good but you're talking about comparing a horse and cart to a ford fiesta.
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.... Affinity Photo would be a CS6 alternative for me too. I only use it as part of a round-trip from Capture One (where I convert and adjust my RAW images) and as a host for 3 third-party plug-ins and to resize and save as a TIFF back to Capture One for final output. I then trash the PSD file. I simply don't need or use what else CS6 might have to offer and certainly not Adobe's RAW conversion engine.
 
Affinity is half price at the photography show, not sure if you have to purchase there or they give you a code, i forgot to go back as I was on way to a talk when passing.
 
DanielPSAC said:
Why would a CS6 Alternative be Affinity? CS6 is nearly 30 versions old. Many hundreds of patches/improvements. Not saying Affinity isn't good but you're talking about comparing a horse and cart to a ford fiesta.
Click to expand...

A Ford Fiesta may aswell be a horse & cart... ;)

Anyway, I use CS6 (as I said above) for the odd bit of layer masking/blending exposures, resizing if needed, maybe a little spot removal/cloning......

Can Affinity not do those things? And if it can, can it also not do those things at a fraction of the price?
 
DanielPSAC said:
Why would a CS6 Alternative be Affinity? CS6 is nearly 30 versions old. Many hundreds of patches/improvements. Not saying Affinity isn't good but you're talking about comparing a horse and cart to a ford fiesta.
Click to expand...
Because it was the last version you could buy rather than rent, and most of the improvements aren't of that much interest to many of us? At work, I would still buy CS6 if it were available for new PCs (we used to have a good deal on the Design Standard bundle). In fact, I would probably buy CS3. But we can't justify the cost of ongoing CC subscriptions, so now I'm using Affinity on my work computer.
 
DanielPSAC said:
Why would a CS6 Alternative be Affinity? CS6 is nearly 30 versions old. Many hundreds of patches/improvements. Not saying Affinity isn't good but you're talking about comparing a horse and cart to a ford fiesta.
Click to expand...

Was feeling really really old when I (mis)read that! 30 years old !?!?!
Then I read it again :)

Luckily, CS6 is only around 7 years old so I'm not loosing my marbles just yet (well not those ones anyway). But as you say, 7 years is a long time in software.
 
AgentOrange76 said:
Affinity is half price at the photography show, not sure if you have to purchase there or they give you a code, i forgot to go back as I was on way to a talk when passing.
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.... Did anyone get a discount code they can share please?
 
Furtim said:
Luckily, CS6 is only around 7 years old so I'm not loosing my marbles just yet (well not those ones anyway). But as you say, 7 years is a long time in software.
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.... I can report that the whole Design Standard bundle which includes Photoshop CS6 runs well on macOS 10.14 Mojave on a brand new Mac Mini. Whether this Adobe software is too out of date for anyone depends entirely on how they need to use it.
 
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RedRobin said:
.... I can report that the whole Design Standard bundle which includes Photoshop CS6 runs well on macOS 10.14 Mojave on a brand new Mac Mini. Whether this Adobe software is too out of date for anyone depends entirely on what they do.
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I haven't yet found a version of Windows that Photoshop 7.0, now 17 years old, won't run on (though because it pre-dates >1TB hard disks, it needs a small partition for its scratch disk).
 
DanielPSAC said:
Why would a CS6 Alternative be Affinity? CS6 is nearly 30 versions old. Many hundreds of patches/improvements. Not saying Affinity isn't good but you're talking about comparing a horse and cart to a ford fiesta.
Click to expand...
If you have to ask that question then you've not tried Affinity.

Having owned both, I can say that Affinity can do most of the things that CS6 does, with a much less cluttered, refined interface, so you're right, CS6 does seem like a horse and cart compared to something more modern.

I've not yet found anything that Affinity cannot do compared to CS6.
 
Brian G said:
Having owned both, I can say that Affinity can do most of the things that CS6 does, with a much less cluttered, refined interface, so you're right, CS6 does seem like a horse and cart compared to something more modern.

I've not yet found anything that Affinity cannot do compared to CS6.
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.... It's the User Interface of CS6 which seems somewhat ancient rather than what it does.

I haven't used my trial copy of Affinity Photo enough yet but I particularly like how the designers have made their UI easier for Photoshop users.

BUT ! ... The third-party plug-in limitations of Affinity is unfortunately a deal breaker for me while my (free) CS6 continues to work well in my individual RAW workflow based in Capture One.

However, I might activate my Affinity Photo and use it primarily for further editing some of my JPEGS - Until the plug-ins limitation is solved.
 
I have affinity but never use it.
I use the canon supplied software but then I don't do photo editing as such.
In fact all I do is get raw files looking the way I remembered the subject at the time of shooting.
 
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