Affinity Photo Editor for iPad

[Ryn S]

I've been thinking of a new iPad Pro but with the new models coming out in just a few months it seems best to wait a while. Or buy into instant old models. It's so frustrating to think that in a few months all our shiny new iPhone 7 Plus phones will be the "old" models.

Yes, but I'm hoping to stay with my 7+ until iPhone 10....hoping I can make it

Also, with what I've seen so far, the newer, slightly larger iPad Pro doesn't appear to offer enough "more" to make it worth what will likely be a large price tag. This might be a good time time to buy old technology cheap and wait for a bigger set of reasons to go up. From what I've seen, iOS 11 is where the major changes take place and I'm dreading the upgrade because it looks like I'll be losing some time worn and well loved apps that won't work with the new iOS. I wish they'd stop fixing what isn't broke and let us catch our collective breath.

 

[ImageArt]

From what I've seen, iOS 11 is where the major changes take place and I'm dreading the upgrade because it looks like I'll be losing some time worn and well loved apps that won't work with the new iOS. I wish they'd stop fixing what isn't broke and let us catch our collective breath.

Amen to that but they wouldn't make any money would they? It's hard for us because we have so many apps. A friend of mine stopped upgrading her iPhone 5. She only has the basic apps and the thing runs like lightening on the old iOS but I wasn't able to load a backup app to help her backup her photos.

 

[ImageArt]

My 365 for today uses Affinity.

I'm liking the spotlight Lighting effect in Affinity. Naturally my thoughts turned to the theatre. I thought I'd use a photo as a painted backdrop, create the stage floor in Reflect, add the curtain with shadow and lighting in Affinity.

View attachment 94974

Good example. I've been having trouble with it crashing. Haven't been able to save anything I've done lately. I decided to delete it and reload but I haven't been able to load it again with my lack of wifi. I do worry that it might end up being a very buggy app. I was able to save my existing files with all the layers to Documents. Again there was a quirky way of doing it but it works well with Documents. I think my Sandisk iXpand would also work well for backup and want to give that a go.

 

[Starzee]

Good example. I've been having trouble with it crashing. Haven't been able to save anything I've done lately. I decided to delete it and reload but I haven't been able to load it again with my lack of wifi. I do worry that it might end up being a very buggy app. I was able to save my existing files with all the layers to Documents. Again there was a quirky way of doing it but it works well with Documents. I think my Sandisk iXpand would also work well for backup and want to give that a go.

I had a couple of crashes, also. I'm working on a work flow. I have a bunch of topaz labs plug ins that make it super easy to tweak any layer in Photoshop. I have to plan better with Affinity. I slipped back into using Leonardo and app jumping this week.

 

[juryjone]

Good example. I've been having trouble with it crashing. Haven't been able to save anything I've done lately. I decided to delete it and reload but I haven't been able to load it again with my lack of wifi. I do worry that it might end up being a very buggy app. I was able to save my existing files with all the layers to Documents. Again there was a quirky way of doing it but it works well with Documents. I think my Sandisk iXpand would also work well for backup and want to give that a go.

I had a couple of crashes, also. I'm working on a work flow. I have a bunch of topaz labs plug ins that make it super easy to tweak any layer in Photoshop. I have to plan better with Affinity. I slipped back into using Leonardo and app jumping this week.

May I ask the size of your image and how many layers you're using? (Not including adjustment layers, since they should be negligible in terms of size.) I haven't had any crashes, but I haven't gone beyond 2 or 3 layers.

Affinity, like Photoshop, seems to care as much about passing images back and forth to the desktop more than just saving to the Camera Roll. It is convoluted to have to go to Export>Share>Save.

 

[ImageArt]

May I ask the size of your image and how many layers you're using? (Not including adjustment layers, since they should be negligible in terms of size.) I haven't had any crashes, but I haven't gone beyond 2 or 3 layers.

Affinity, like Photoshop, seems to care as much about passing images back and forth to the desktop more than just saving to the Camera Roll. It is convoluted to have to go to Export>Share>Save.

I agree.

Only two layers. Nothing complicated at all. I was just playing around with the Selections trying to work out how each one worked.

 

[juryjone]

I agree.

Only two layers. Nothing complicated at all. I was just playing around with the Selections trying to work out how each one worked.

I know that it always bugged me when I would write a tutorial on an app, saying it was stable, and then would hear about it crashing when others were using it for something simple. All I can say is it has only crashed once for me, and that was after moving up and down repeatedly through history and adding multiple filters, only to go back and change parameters on some. I kinda would be surprised if it didn't crash, the way I was abusing it.

 

[ImageArt]

I know that it always bugged me when I would write a tutorial on an app, saying it was stable, and then would hear about it crashing when others were using it for something simple. All I can say is it has only crashed once for me, and that was after moving up and down repeatedly through history and adding multiple filters, only to go back and change parameters on some. I kinda would be surprised if it didn't crash, the way I was abusing it.

I think it started happening after I upgraded the iOS to 10.3.2 come to think of it.

 

[Starzee]

May I ask the size of your image and how many layers you're using? (Not including adjustment layers, since they should be negligible in terms of size.) I haven't had any crashes, but I haven't gone beyond 2 or 3 layers.

Affinity, like Photoshop, seems to care as much about passing images back and forth to the desktop more than just saving to the Camera Roll. It is convoluted to have to go to Export>Share>Save.

I've deleted a couple of projects, but the two I've been working on currently have 5 and 9 layers. I change my mind a great deal and have a huge history on both. The size, I'm not sure where to find that.

I know it crashed twice when I was working on type, but I've deleted that one.

 

[JillyG]

I agree.

Only two layers. Nothing complicated at all. I was just playing around with the Selections trying to work out how each one worked.

Agh. I was reading about your crashes, thinking "Well, mine hasn't crashed. What are they on about?" And guess what, I spent ages masking out an image and then refining it, and it crashed and I was left looking at my home screen. I'm not happy.

 

[FundyBrian]

So... what do you think? If you were in possession of an aging MacBook Pro and older iPad, what about replacing them both with a new iPad with keyboard? Of course I couldn't run the type of programs that are on my MacBook Pro - Final Cut Pro X, Photoshop, InDesign, etc. And I wouldn't have a 750GB SSD.

 

[JillyG]

So... what do you think? If you were in possession of an aging MacBook Pro and older iPad, what about replacing them both with a new iPad with keyboard? Of course I couldn't run the type of programs that are on my MacBook Pro - Final Cut Pro X, Photoshop, InDesign, etc. And I wouldn't have a 750GB SSD.

I love my Pro with keyboard and Pencil. Can't imagine life without it now.

 

[ImageArt]

So... what do you think? If you were in possession of an aging MacBook Pro and older iPad, what about replacing them both with a new iPad with keyboard? Of course I couldn't run the type of programs that are on my MacBook Pro - Final Cut Pro X, Photoshop, InDesign, etc. And I wouldn't have a 750GB SSD.

It's a no brainer, Brian. You can't upgrade the first two can you? Don't know much about InDesign. So keep your old Mac Pro as it is and use those programs if you need to. Go buy yourself an awesome iPad Pro and Pencil - and yes, I am with Jilly, I can't imagine life without mine - and if you need high end apps, buy the amazing stuff coming out on the iPad. You already have LumaFusion which I believe to be a perfect substitute for Final Cut Pro X and if Affinity settles down, I believe this and all the other wonderful apps easily make up for Photoshop. In fact, I actually can't imagine ever going back to Photoshop.

The two areas that you would then need to worry about are backup and printing. You should still be able to use your old laptop for these functions.

 

[ImageArt]

Agh. I was reading about your crashes, thinking "Well, mine hasn't crashed. What are they on about?" And guess what, I spent ages masking out an image and then refining it, and it crashed and I was left looking at my home screen. I'm not happy.

I did three manips that all crashed. Fortunately I hadn't spent too much time on them. I still haven't been able to reload the app. However, I am wondering if it isn't a good idea to exit a project soon after you have created it so that it saves it and then continually throughout the project to make sure that each step is saved. It seems to be that if it crashes without you returning to what I would call the gallery, it doesn't do a proper save.

As I have mentioned once before I do worry about Serif products. The PC ones I worked with in the past were always a bit buggy and I fear Affinity may be the same.

 

[juryjone]

However, I am wondering if it isn't a good idea to exit a project soon after you have created it so that it saves it and then continually throughout the project to make sure that each step is saved. It seems to be that if it crashes without you returning to what I would call the gallery, it doesn't do a proper save.

I would definitely recommend that. Everything I've seen says any kind of auto save doesn't work, so frequently exiting to the gallery is a good idea. If you've got a complicated selection it would be good to save it as a channel or mask before exiting to the gallery.

 

[JillyG]

I did three manips that all crashed. Fortunately I hadn't spent too much time on them. I still haven't been able to reload the app. However, I am wondering if it isn't a good idea to exit a project soon after you have created it so that it saves it and then continually throughout the project to make sure that each step is saved. It seems to be that if it crashes without you returning to what I would call the gallery, it doesn't do a proper save.

As I have mentioned once before I do worry about Serif products. The PC ones I worked with in the past were always a bit buggy and I fear Affinity may be the same.

I would definitely recommend that. Everything I've seen says any kind of auto save doesn't work, so frequently exiting to the gallery is a good idea. If you've got a complicated selection it would be good to save it as a channel or mask before exiting to the gallery.

Good idea. Thanks for that tip.

 

[FundyBrian]

It's a no brainer, Brian. You can't upgrade the first two can you? Don't know much about InDesign. So keep your old Mac Pro as it is and use those programs if you need to. Go buy yourself an awesome iPad Pro and Pencil - and yes, I am with Jilly, I can't imagine life without mine - and if you need high end apps, buy the amazing stuff coming out on the iPad. You already have LumaFusion which I believe to be a perfect substitute for Final Cut Pro X and if Affinity settles down, I believe this and all the other wonderful apps easily make up for Photoshop. In fact, I actually can't imagine ever going back to Photoshop.

The two areas that you would then need to worry about are backup and printing. You should still be able to use your old laptop for these functions.

The only thing about this is that the iPad still needs the computer to complete a number of basic functions. I suppose it will come eventually but requiring a computer as well reduces the appeal.
How about burning video content to DVDs?

 

[JillyG]

Affinity have just done a fix update. Hopefully, this has fixed the crashes.

 

[ImageArt]

The only thing about this is that the iPad still needs the computer to complete a number of basic functions. I suppose it will come eventually but requiring a computer as well reduces the appeal.
How about burning video content to DVDs?

DVDs. Vintage. . Save them to a Sandisk iXpand and link your ipad to the TV. Any BBC/ITV stuff I watched in Hong Kong, I did by linking my iPad to our TV.

Actually I have a special media player box that you use to connect any portable hard drive to a TV using a HDMI cable. I think it cost about 30GBP. It obviously has the software to play all the different types of video, music and photos. Some TVs do certain formats anyway.

 

[ImageArt]

Affinity have just done a fix update. Hopefully, this has fixed the crashes.

Geez, if only I could get a powerful enough internet connection to reload the darn thing.

 

[RoseCat]

Agh. I was reading about your crashes, thinking "Well, mine hasn't crashed. What are they on about?" And guess what, I spent ages masking out an image and then refining it, and it crashed and I was left looking at my home screen. I'm not happy.

 

[idieuwke]

This was a wonderful excuse for me to get the new ipad pro 10.5 Snuck in the apple pencil too
Still studying all the youtube vid's I can find. I'm being drawn to composites and this app will be fabulous to work with. Many functionalities are similar to Photoshop and I have been eagerly anticipating an app with these capabilities on the ipad. Little miracles, both of them

 

[ImageArt]

This was a wonderful excuse for me to get the new ipad pro 10.5 Snuck in the apple pencil too
Still studying all the youtube vid's I can find. I'm being drawn to composites and this app will be fabulous to work with. Many functionalities are similar to Photoshop and I have been eagerly anticipating an app with these capabilities on the ipad. Little miracles, both of them

Did you have the older iPad Pro. If not, you are so in for a treat. Can't do without mine!

Yes. I have been waiting for an app that has Photoshop level selections for composites too.

 

[Starzee]

This was a wonderful excuse for me to get the new ipad pro 10.5 Snuck in the apple pencil too
Still studying all the youtube vid's I can find. I'm being drawn to composites and this app will be fabulous to work with. Many functionalities are similar to Photoshop and I have been eagerly anticipating an app with these capabilities on the ipad. Little miracles, both of them

I will be awaiting your take on the 10.5. I am considering the 12.9 for my next electronic super purchase, but I wonder if it will be too big?

 

[ImageArt]

The only thing about this is that the iPad still needs the computer to complete a number of basic functions. I suppose it will come eventually but requiring a computer as well reduces the appeal.
How about burning video content to DVDs?

Gosh, been reading the reviews of the new iPads and they just seem amazing. Apparently they have the same camera as the iPhone 7! Wow. Time to get one, Brian. But what size.......