Affinity Photo 2 Reviewed - Pro's Only?

I picked up Affinity Photo 2 at launch and have been giving it a proper test over the last couple of months. Here are my thoughts on Serif's budget Photoshop killer.

[@ScottRex]

Personally, I like using affinity. I guess people complain about every little thing.

[@Andyhutchinson]

If it's working for you then stick with it :)

[@glorytogod6523]

@@Andyhutchinsonadobe paid him lol

[@SaintGabriel111]

Did you understand any of those little things? Because I did and very much appreciated Andy spending so much time becoming familiar with the software and evaluating it so that I didn't have to only to come to the same conclusion.

[@donnaintexas4406]

The best selling feature? NO SUBSCRIPTION. I'll learn to love the program and make it work. 🌺

[@Andyhutchinson]

100% - you really cannot fault them for their pricing.

[@jamesraykenney]

​@@AndyhutchinsonI would almost be willing to bet, that if they raise their price to $200 or so, that they would sell a lot more. I think people do not take the software seriously because of the cheap price.

[@macforme]

When Adobe opted for the subscription "feature" I bailed.

[@Andyhutchinson]

You weren't alone that's for sure :)

[@martinlennon4673]

The photo plan: Photoshop, two versions of lightroom and Adobe Express for the price of a cup of coffee every week ... Amazing value.

[@macforme]

@@martinlennon4673 I have no idea what coffee costs and I don't want to have them siphoning money out of me every month.

[@macforme]

@@martinlennon4673 I have no idea what a cup of coffee costs and I don't want them siphoning money out of me every month... till I die.

[@jamesraykenney]

​@@martinlennon4673Of course that also includes giving Adobe the right to use all of your pictures that you edit...

[@KingFearless]

Excellent review happy that I found your Channel it's good to find a non-biased honest opinion of the software. 👍

[@dcabral00]

I agree that the entire suite, not just Photo, needs refinements, functions, etc. However, considering that there have only been two versions that have been getting better with each update, and they are always being compared to Adobe in every way, it makes it worth looking into as a replacement for Adobe, which not only wants you to not own your own software but also wants to own your content for using the software to work on it.

[@Andyhutchinson]

Yea, but I've owned this from day one and I've been disappointed by pretty much every single update or new feature they've added. They need to start listening to their customers and not their internal engineers.

[@inshal6420]

Really nice review. I’ve been making music for a couple years and used the first version of this program to edit some song covers. Got some really cool results. Im honestly just thinking of upgrading because of how much I hate subscriptions. I like supporting developers who haven’t gone down that path. Although now it looks like even Apple is gonna move their pro apps to subscription so I wonder how much longer we have left until subscriptions are the norm. Whenever Apple does anything everyone follows.

[@Andyhutchinson]

Yea - subscriptions are a nightmare.

[@kimbeijar5702]

Affinity photo has an easy to use stacking motor ! I really love that.

[@KrunchyJD]

It needs to be said that its a photoshop alternative NOT a Lightroom replacement. You really need a good Raw Editor..

[@michabe9404]

Affinity 2 is amaaaaaazing!!!!!

[@Andyhutchinson]

It is a slippery slope :)

[@hywel3143]

Thanks for this detailed review, Andy. My review (abridged version after a trial): Affinity 2 confuses the heck out of me! Develop Persona? Photo Persona? Why the over-complexity? Its a shame really, because I think it could be much more user friendly with some major interface overhauls. The RAW processing and HDR quality issues that you mention are perhaps more fundamental issues... Do you rate Luminar Neo as a RAW editor in terms of rendering? It integrates well with Apple Photos, so I think it may be a good choice for me, as I think you mentioned previously...my main consideration for buying is quality of RAW processing and integration with Photos... Hope you don't think I am just using you as an unpaid personal consultant! Hopefully my comments will help steer hobbyist photographers to the right product...

[@Andyhutchinson]

Yes, it's a needlessly confusing app, which is a shame because it has some unique features. As to alternatives, in all honesty I don't think Luminar is a good choice for a RAW editor. It does the job, but is more focused on creating AI composites than providing a full, complete and useable RAW environment. If you have a Mac then Photomator does a better job.

[@davidbawden6567]

Affinity Photo 2, is like the Sony A7iii, the menu was at first, hard to understand! Until you used it more and more, now I know how too, I get great results, for what is in the software as well as the price there's not much out there, that can touch it ..l..

[@williambottaci5320]

Sir, I find that most of the opinions expressed here, whilst sometimes humorous, are unfounded. An understanding of the tools and raw photo processing in general is required. I'm about to purchase Affinity Photo 2 because all I've seen of it is very pleasing. A lot of the opinions of the tools expressed here mostly show not knowing how they work. I am experienced in raw photo processing and I'm impressed with the features - can't wait to get started. A good idea is to do an internet search on the features/tools in general, irrespective of the program, to see how they work, then you'll see that descriptions given of the tools here are too simplistic and incorrect.

[@Andyhutchinson]

Thanks William. I've been editing RAW photos for over 20 years now and certainly understand the processes, techniques and tools. If you've found that Affinity Photo is a good fit for you, then ultimately that's all that matters. :)

[@williambottaci5320]

@@Andyhutchinson Very good. I didn't properly appreciate your tongue in cheek humour (it was amusing); I'll go through the rest of your video to the end.

[@johnalexander7831]

Great review Andy, you get to the point and set out the relevant points beautifully. Cheers mate.

[@Andyhutchinson]

Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@frb_vfx382]

We work in VFX and had to adopt it because of its ability to work with 32bit images. its far FAR from perfect, but I got used to it and I hope they keep improving it

[@Andyhutchinson]

Interesting, thanks Felipe. :)

[@myketripp3838]

Lightroom/Photoshop already improved almost everything ... why go backward?

[@frb_vfx382]

@@myketripp3838 improved everything, except working/exporting with 32bit images with full features for the ACES pipeline

[@azarelthecreator7098]

@@myketripp3838 Because adobe is a terrible corporation using your cloud stored art to train their ai. And anyone charging monthly for software should be boycotted. This is how the entire own nothing and be happy crap is going to be in every aspect of our lives. Use adobe over a handful of years and you've paid triple the cost of the software to rent access to it. That is theft but people dont wanna call an apple and apple.

[@dibujemaestro]

The icons are terrible. I’m with you in that!

[@garycook5125]

There are three steps for me- flying the plane, taking the photos, and processing the images. Thanks for the helpful video. I quit Photoshop, and downloaded Affinity, today.

[@Andyhutchinson]

Nice one. :)

[@russphotog]

I did so want Affinity to work well as an alternative to Photoshop. The price point is great but after looking at your clip I don't think its worth the hassle yet. I also realised that £10 a month for Photoshop and Lightroom isn't that bad considering Adobe have some of the most talented people in the industry working for them, producing constant upgrades. As a professional I think I will stick with Photoshop .........for now! But that decision is always under review. Thanks for your vid.

[@Andyhutchinson]

Thanks and yes, I feel the same way.

[@raindroptimemain1651]

Thanks for the very good review on the weaknesses of Affinity Photo. However to my opinion you are giving the wrong advise, for a new buyer. For most buyers Affinity is the clear winner or the best alternative. I think Affinity is unmatched in value for money. Usability of Affnity is very high, especially the integration with its vector and DTP app. Affinity gives a comparable tool set to Adobe and has sometimes unique features not fond in Adobe. I appreciate your humorous examples on the interface. Affinity Photo does not have a Digital Asset Manager by design. Its retouching tools use AI. What you call technical, are advanced possibilities. Adjusting photos in a poster is a matter of seconds in Affinity. It is a tedious job in Adobe, and much more difficult to match the colors in Adobe. So which is better and quicker depends on the workflow and the desired end product. Affinity has a one month free trial, your review is great to use as input for the points to check during that trial. I appreciated your very enjoyable and knowledgeable review.

[@Andyhutchinson]

Thanks for taking the time to reply. You make some great points. I did review it in isolation without reference to the DTP and Vector apps because I'm a landscape photographer and so photo processing was my only interest in the software. As a bundle I think there's a much more compelling advantage to purchasing and if I wanted a subscription-free bundle it would definitely be near the top of the list. I don't think it's bad software - flawed definitely - but also with some extremely advanced features. Ultimately that was why I suggested it's probably better suited to photographers with advanced post-processing skills. :)

[@raindroptimemain1651]

Thanks, saw your AI videos, liked them much.

[@andrefelixstudio2833]

Great information well explained I also like your sense of humor. I tried to first affinity photo could not seem to get the hang of it, seem a little convoluted!

[@Andyhutchinson]

Thanks Andre. Yes, it's definitely a bit convoluted :)

[@Kalides]

the problem with luminar, is the greedy subscription service. software needs to be affordable to the regular person. it is why i gave up on PS whentheir greed overtook the value. in my opinion

[@Andyhutchinson]

Actually, you can buy Luminar Neo outright for a single subscription-free one-off fee. Admittedly, it's three times the price of Affinity Photo, but the option is there. skylum.com/checkout/luminar-neo/sub-special-offer

[@McQueenPaul]

I have the ultimate unlimited bundle of Photo, Designer & Publisher which I got during the $89.99 offer. I use the photo section for compositing, designer instead of Illustrator and Publisher like it says on the tin. The license allows me to put the programs on my iMac, Windows notebook and my iPad. For filters I use the free Topaz studio and for my Raw editing and cataloging I use On1.

[@Andyhutchinson]

I'd say that the Designer and Publisher apps were actually the best part of the deal. I only tried the trial version of Publisher and found it comporable to InDesign in most ways. :)

[@jamesraykenney]

​@@Andyhutchinsonthey have a special going on right now with all three apps on all three platforms, perpetual license, for around $50. And they have also extended their free trial period to 6 months. And reset everyone's account to start the trials over so if you had a trial before you can now try the 6 months again.

[@NicholasStein]

Thanks for the review. I am basically a newbie to digital photography. I knew Adobe is the market leader, but I have been dragging my feet on post processing because I did not want to spend $68/month on Adobe cloud. As a result of this video, I decided to go with photoshop/lightroom for $10/month with limited cloud storage. I have a 13TB drive locally, so cloud storage does not seem necessary. Your comments about the confusing UI is what turned me off about Affinity. I decided since the classic versions were available, I could get Adobe's AI stuff and come out ahead. Plus, there is a shit ton of how to use videos (including yours) on how to use photoshop. Thanks.

[@Andyhutchinson]

I think you made a wise decision there Nicholas. Adobe isn't going anywhere and the two apps in that bundle are a great bed-rock for building your photography and processing skills. :)

[@panagiotispantazidis2572]

best review so far thank you

[@Andyhutchinson]

Thanks for watching!

[@SerenyMor]

I have been using this product since one of the very first, Serif Photo 5 (or 6), and have never been tempted to go elsewhere? For me, starting out as an amateur but now a pro photographer, the amazingly low price was initially tops but then that changed to an appreciation of the quality of features. Yet one area that ALWAYS frustrated me with every "upgrade" was the very first thing I needed to do with a new version was find where all my old favourite commands/uses had been moved to or relabelled! Why? Surely "If it ain't broke - don't fix it!" Unbelievably one of my first headaches with v2.0 was that the default load didn't have any "grid"? Took me hours to find out how to put the damn thing on! I'm hoping the hints from Serif that purchase of the new version will get "new features" and by that they mean they've sorted out some of the bugs in this "v2.0" release. You know, I use Vegas Pro 20 365 for my professional video editing, yet I still miss the simplicity and power of the old Serif MoviePlus and mourn it being dropped from the Affinity range. 😭

[@Andyhutchinson]

Yea, one my pet peeves is when developers change stuff for no reason other than 'we wanted to'. :)

[@manti1923]

I have Affinity Photo but I found V2 confusing at times and I was always going back to my Photoshop Elements or On1...I doubt I'm gonna upgrade to V2 version...great review my man keep up the good work.

[@Andyhutchinson]

Thank-you - I will :)

[@NickDixon]

Nice review, Andy. I really wanted to like this product, because I'm nerdy enough to want low-level features in a raw editor and not jazzy presets. The quirks you mention are off-putting, but it's probably cheap enough to take a punt anyway and hope there's nearly forty quid's worth of value in the usable bits.

[@Andyhutchinson]

I'd definitely buy it again. The 360º pano editing feature is incredibly useful if you do 360º panos with a drone (as I do) and I'd happily spend the purchase price of this app on that feature alone. :)

[@steviem8466]

Enjoyed the honest review without the hype. I have been used to PS (as part of my Graphic design Bundle) for many years, but refuse to pay their subscription on the basis that I am charged for the multitude of other apps I have no use for, but Adobe refuse to price a 'Designers' Bundle (PS, Id, IL) only. I have also tried On1 over a number of years, preferring its earlier separate stand-alone suites to what I feel is now just lightroom under another name. Again, On1 is really just for photographers and for me, Afinity seems a good all-round alternative for a Graphic Design bundle without a subscription. Depending on what part you use most probably reflects your feelings about it. I am wondering though, is there perfect piece of software out there? Probably not.

[@Andyhutchinson]

Yea I think it makes much more sense as a bundle, that's true. The day job means I need the Adobe suite, but otherwise I would definitely give a lot of serious thought to the three apps in Affinity's bundle and would put up with its idiosyncrasies for the sake of a single non-subscription price. :)

[@tjphoto8943]

A lot what you said is true. I started off with Affinity one and really liked it. I always want the latest and want to support the developers. I even purchase the series but not sure if I’ll ever get into them. I have found photo 2 is more complex and confusing. I was surprised at this because I figure I know how to work Affinity one. You are correct on the icons and renaming the white adjustment. I found myself bouncing more to other older programs I have like 2020 PSE and Lightroom 5. I would love to know what you think of Pixelmator Pro. They have done a lot of work with this program and it does videos also. It does have some nice features. It’s not the old pixelmator of yesterday.

[@Andyhutchinson]

Thanks mate - I own and love Pixelmator Pro. However it kind of goes unused because I also have a full Adobe subscription and therefore tend to use Photoshop. But I think it's a superb app, beautifully coded, really well priced and excellent for all sorts of photographic and graphic design work. :)

[@rael1999]

Cheers Andy, food thought. I've got Affinity 1 and was thinking of investing in two but thought I'd check a few reviews out first. So I'll check a couple of those alternatives you mentioned out, particularly Pixelmator Pro as I've got a Mac.

[@Andyhutchinson]

Yea Pixelmator's turned into a powerful app - definitely worth a look. :)

[@TheNightwalker247]

i use Fast RAw viewer and Affinity 1 together quite neat

[@Andyhutchinson]

Sounds like a great workflow. :)

[@TheNightwalker247]

@@Andyhutchinson works well for me. Still need to learn some more shortcuts to make it faster

[@TheNightwalker247]

@@Andyhutchinson works well for me. Still need to learn some more shortcuts to make it faster

[@SaintGabriel111]

Thank you so much, Andy, for this wonderful review! I've been getting so immersed in that hyped-up crowd leaving Adobe and so excited with Affinity, but I needed exactly the hard look you gave the thing. Very much appreciated!

[@Andyhutchinson]

No worries. As I often say, we all have different ways of working with software and different expectations, so it's always best to give the trial a go. There's a six month trial for these apps currently running, so worth checking out with zero risk. :)

[@msmirandagirl]

Good to know this. I'm having enough challenges figuring out Affinity Photo 1.1 and was considering V2. Not any more.

[@Andyhutchinson]

No worries.

[@bullsharkreef]

Great jobe on the review. Personally,I use it for compositing, adding text, stuff of that nature. Since version 2 did not bring anything new in that regard, and there is no upgrade pricing, I'm still on version 1. If there were upgrade pricing, I would have bought the new version, just to encourage the develeoppers.

[@Andyhutchinson]

Ah ok - never really looked at that side of things because I'm just interested in photo processing. I'm on a Mac and Pixelmator Pro has similar compositing features which I sometimes wish I had a need for :)

[@novacalibur3520]

There is upgrade pricing.

[@bullsharkreef]

@@novacalibur3520 There is a rebate if you go from affinity photo v1 to the full suite(the full suite is a real bargain for graphic designer). There is no upgrade pricing going from AP v1 to AP v2.

[@hellssurprise9338]

Heya there people got a difficult question to ask about Affinity photo 2 you know where the layer bar is? How do I put adjustments there??? it's at the bottom of it currently I need it to be right by layers, channels and brushes hope people can help me out

[@Andyhutchinson]

Not sure - hopefully someone else will know the answer. :)

[@martineacott9330]

So glad I found this, thank you. I was tempted, I wanted something that offered a bit more than Capture One Express but without a big price tag. Still learning and this doesn't sound like something I need. Maybe Luminar? Express is OK, but I'd like a few more features, not a lorry load.

[@Andyhutchinson]

The best bet is to get the trial versions. Luminar is an amazing bit of software but you may find you don't like the interface or workflow - so take it for a test-run first. I found DxO Photolab 6 to be excellent software if you're looking for another option. :)

[@martineacott9330]

Thanks Andy.

[@ToddOgasawara]

I’m late to the Affinity game (June 2024 universal license 50% sale drew me in) and mostly focusing on Designer. However, your Photo comments resonated with what I’m finding in Designer too (still enjoying the learning process though). Also, thank for pointing out the 360 photo function in Photo. I need to try that out. Finally, I LOL-ed at your various pointed similes. Thanks for this vid.

[@Andyhutchinson]

Thanks Todd. Yea, that 360º feature is just brilliant - can edit the entire dome as if it was a regular bitmap so you get perfect alignment for the nadir patch.

[@SpudUna]

I have the first version on iPad. Everything you say is true. I won’t be upgrading anytime soon.

[@Andyhutchinson]

Cheers.

[@WinstonTLW]

I have affinity photo on the iPad. Is affinity photo 2 worth it

[@Andyhutchinson]

Give the trial version a go. It's not for me, but lots of photographers love it.

[@gregscarcella519]

I thought is was only ME that had issues working with Affinity. Your video made it clear that I am NOT alone. I share your same frustrations. I was tempted to purchase but am reconsidering. I actually used the trail version then gave up for another photo editor. Thanks for diving into this topic that others seldom talk about. I now feel better knowing others are revealing the flaws. You made an excellent point - the PRICE of Affinity would instantly attract people like me - serious photo hobbiest BUT I really don't need all the complex tools. I have never used Photoshop.

[@Andyhutchinson]

It's definitely a strange bit of software - not sure why people put up with its odd design. :)

[@mburkevidz]

Brilliant - so glad I found your review - I won't even waste time on the 30 day trial now - cheers matey, and happily subscribed to enjoy more of your straight talking

[@nikonrulz]

You mean to tell me you won't buy it due to this childish inane review!

[@davidellinsworth3299]

Most of the things described as problems in this review aren't actually problems in the real world. Most of the complaints I hear about it are from Photoshop veterans who can't understand why it isn't an exact copy of PS, and that ... hmm... shock.... it may have a slightly different layout. Honestly, I don't know how people create these "problems" in their mind

[@EElgar1857]

You tore it apart very well, and with humor! I use AP2 as a finishing app, as I can use my old PTLens as a plugin, (still the best lens correction tool I've ever seen), and I feel that AP2's High-Pass sharpening is just superb. The Inpainting Tool is also very good. But I start with Luminar Neo and/or Photomatix Pro for fusing multiple images, both of which are easier to use, just as you say. But I agree with you!

[@Andyhutchinson]

Thanks Edward. Yea it's a weird app for sure. I really think it shows its British origins really well - this kind of mad professor vibe :)

[@professorp9903]

couldn’t agree with you more…i love using raw therapee but it can become overwhelming & time consuming until you have overcome the steep learning curve (which i’m still doing a year in)…So, when i saw affinity offering 6 months free trial i said why not give a go…immediately i found myself facing another steep uphill learning curve bit of editing software…after watching a couple youtube vids i was glad i didn’t buy the damn thing…basically I 🤬 adobe every day for their subscription based BS! .. I long for darkrooms & trays of chemicals 😂

[@Andyhutchinson]

lol - well going back to film is always an option. I've inherited an Pentax ME Super from my late-dad and will be dabbling in film photography for the first time in ... 40-odd years!

[@PhiddyPford]

It’s painful and obvious that you’re an Adobe Lifer. Quite a few things that are easy for anyone caring to LEARN any software that you are reviewing. It took me two years to understand Photoshop in 2010. It took a couple of months to understand Affinity.

[@Andyhutchinson]

Nah - I'm not an 'Adobe lifer' at all - I just don't think this app is a viable alternative. I paid for Affinity Photo v1 and I also paid for the recent upgrade to v2. I use it all the time for fixing the 360 panos I shoot on my drone, a task I cannot easily accomplish in any other app. That said, it's painfully obvious that amongst many flaws, they went of their way to differentiate themselves from the competition for no good reason - for example by giving the various modules such unintuitive names. I also think it has one of the weakest demosaicing engines in the game - trialing behind ACR, Photolab, Capture One and even Photomator. I think it's an unnecessarily complicated app and I say that having been taking and processing RAW photos for three decades including professionally as a salaried journalist.

[@heddshot87]

Cringe

[@tykeflo8362]

Just stumbled across this video, love the attitude 😅😅😅, and the persona of the delivery. Total amateur tog here, who gets along ok with affinity, it does what I need from it, and I bought it at £25 , so not a bad price. Thanks for the video, now subscribed 👍

[@Andyhutchinson]

I appreciate it - thank you and welcome :)

[@Argyll9846]

I concur - weird interface, icons and editing facilities.

[@Andyhutchinson]

Thanks. Glad it's not just me. :)

[@remektekmedia6641]

Thanks for this review

[@Andyhutchinson]

No worries!

[@beegeorge1727]

What program would you recommend for organising managing over 10k photographs? Lightroom? Acdsee? Thx

[@Andyhutchinson]

Depends on how many bells and whistles you want. Adobe come in for a lot of flack, but the fact is that Lightroom Classic is the best asset management suite for photographs - I have over 220,000 photos in my current catalog and it is still speedy. If you have a Mac, then check-out Peakto by Cyme. As to ACDSee - it's a robust asset manager - if you're a Windows user I'd be more inclined to recommend it than for Mac. :)

[@werlder]

If you're just organizing, darktable is free and has robust sorting/rating features. I'm a novice but I'm told those features are on par with lightroom.

[@JustinThorts]

Correction: It's not the less serious photographer it's the less interested in highly/ over edited photos and not wishing to be an editor instead of a photographer

[@Andyhutchinson]

It's entirely possible to produce highly/over-edited photos in Affinity too. It mimics Photoshop's toolset so why would it not? Subtle and natural processing is down to the photographer, not the tools they use.

[@JustinThorts]

@@Andyhutchinson Indeed, yet your comment was on serious or less serious photographers but about the editing.Hence my comment.

[@tedfeld3118]

Hi Andy, I enjoyed watching your video as I was considering Affinity 2 as a replacement for CS3. CS3 stopped closing and then would not open in Windows 10 recently. It would not run in any compatibility modes so I rid my computer of it. Basically I was using CS3 as an extension of LR 5.7 to further add faux colour to my infrared photography. The channel mixer in CS3 was essential for performing channel swapping. Therefore I have been searching for a replacement software that can handle raw white balance adjustments (as in LR- I created a camera profile in Adobe DNG editor) that then could be edited with either presets in LR or channel swapping in CS3. I do use an old version of Viveza2 to alter hue and produce a simulated type of channel mixing. I was hoping Affinity would be intuitive, but having watched your critique, I'm not sure I have the patience to learn a complex software let along click on icons that don't resemble something familiar. If you are familiar with editing infrared ( I have 2 nikons modified to 590nm and 720nm IR) can you recommend a photoshop alternative that isn't brutally complex to learn. I'm running an older generation I5 -7500 CPU with 16gigs of Ram Windows 10 Pro.

[@Andyhutchinson]

You know what - in your situation - I'd say that Affinity Photo might be worth the effort. You clearly have specific requirements that are actually well suited to it. Also - it is reasonably priced and it's a one-off not subscription. Also Affinity is pretty forgiving of older hardware. I'd suggest you download the trial version and see how you get on with it because, while it's not suited to the casual hobby photographer you are clearly much more invested in photography (particularly from a technical perspective) and it's probably a good fit for you. :)

[@montycraig5659]

This salty old crock is so funny, I can’t stop watching him. Do I agree with him? Nope! I have used PS since the second version, and switched to Affinity 3 years ago. I still have both, and use them for different reasons. My take is this, Affinity needs to hire you as a consultant to ramp up their game.

[@Andyhutchinson]

lol - thanks :)

[@martineacott9330]

I really enjoyed this, except for the fact that I am that newbie, and yes, I'd already bought it! Thankfully very inexpensive and so I'll give it my best shot in the knowledge if it gets too tough, then Luminar Neo might be the better option. Didn't get on with Darktable, only tried Capture One in Express guise and don't want storage or subscription, so I guess I'm gradually homing in on the keeper.

[@Andyhutchinson]

It's certainly the only viable alternative to Photoshop. I'd say give the Luminar trial version a punt and see how you get on - it certainly have a far more logical photo processing workflow than Affinity Photo.

[@efsmart]

Well, as I near retirement, that answers the question about replacing CC with something less expensive.

[@Andyhutchinson]

Try Luminar Neo if you haven't previously - I think there's a trial version :)

[@BicycleTrekker]

I am retired and in my 70’s. You should have lots of time to figure it out. I have used the program for several weeks, and it has slowly come into focus. I think it’s a real bargain for what it can do. Just don't be in a hurry.

[@JaySilva88]

You pay for what you get. If Adobe is too expensive, Affinity is a cheaper alternative. But does the lesser quality product and frustration add negatively to your work? That's for you to decide.

[@Andyhutchinson]

True.

[@PeterBlach]

Thanks for the review. I've been using an old free version of Photo shop for decades but due to new Mac OS systems I had to drop the free version. I only used photo shop once a month for basic things and I refuse to pay the subscription fee and have been searching for an alternative. I wondered if Affinity would be suitable for me but this review made me realise that I don't need to explore it any further. For now I will continue with GIMP, a free photo editing software

[@BicycleTrekker]

I pretty much had the same experience, only with Windows. I used Adobe Lightroom. Windows got upgraded, and Lightroom went the subscription route. I never could figure out GIMP. I tried PhotoDirector. It’s simple to use but had some shortcomings. Don’t they all? It still has a lot of good capabilities. I struggled for a few weeks with Affinity 2. I like what it can do and probably will never use all its features.

[@silvertube52]

Yeah, it's confusing software. Maybe Affinity Photo 3 will be more intuitive.

[@paulhartmann926]

Is it just me or is Affinity very inferior in shadows and highlights? I have V1 and it doesn’t come closr to Photomator of Macphuin intensify pro. Boosting shadows also brighten higlights and bringing down highlights darken shadows too much in comparison. If you move the sliders much at all, the photo seems to be ruined too. Do you find this too? Has V2 improved this at all?

[@Andyhutchinson]

I could never get a look I liked when using Affinity to process photos. I found the same issue with badly targetted highlight/shadow selections with Nitro.

[@PhiddyPford]

It’s all about how you use curves, not just your slider’s. Modes are confusing for you because they tell you what they do. Reading the documentation from serif it’s not PS,Affinity is different.

[@KevinsHope]

Excellent review. Most of us watching this have probably already bought Affinity 2 and have discovered the surprising lack of improvements from Affinity 1 for ourselves. They still have not built in 3d meshing tools for doing lettering or adding 3d objects to your photos. This has been in Photoshop since probably 2002 and is very useful for book covers and art. One of the most infuriating things I've discovered though, is that, when you lock a layer, it's not really locked. You can still edit the layer! The lock only stops you from moving the layer up or down the layer stack. Which I really don''t see the need for, but locking layers so that they can not be edited is pretty damned important to me, as I often forget to switch layers when I need something on a layer underneath or above my reference layer. I feel like my money has been wasted, and releasing 2.0 was just a way to get more money out of us rather than provide a new, improved product. It seems that there is nothing 2.0 is doing that 1.0 could not have just been updated to do. I've been very disappointed by the switch from 1.0 to 2.0.

[@Andyhutchinson]

Yea - totally agree Kevin - there's been a lot of spin about this release but the reality is quite different :)

[@Eigil_Skovgaard]

Using (the free) Darktable in stead of Adobe Camera Raw (the first even being a better raw manager in certain areas), I only need Affinity Photo (2) for the more complex pixel editing, and for that it serves at the level of Photoshop (within the scope of my demands). I don't miss anything, and the new combination is a lot more payable. The primary reason for the swap though was, that Adobe's pushing the cloud and constant presence on my computer began to feel like a severe pain in my privacy. But after this.. the Affinity Photo product expert, James Ritson, is probably tearing a small Andy Hutchinson doll apart.

[@Andyhutchinson]

Not having a subscription model is a big plus when it comes to Serif's products, but the big (yearly) upgrades are paid, so if you want to stay current it's still an on-going cost. I think Affinity Photo 2 is a good app, but it has been designed by engineers who forget that many of the people using it might appreciate better design choices. :)

[@Eigil_Skovgaard]

@@Andyhutchinson Very diplomatic. 11th of January 2023 I paid close to 50 US dollars for Affinity Photo 2. I think it has been upgraded 2 times for free since then, at least once. So, in the meantime I would have paid Adobe 10 times 12 US dollars, which amounts to a difference of 70 dollars per October. If a paid upgrade becomes available next January, as you suggest, then the numbers are 144 to 50. Even with a small increase in the yearly payment, the difference is substantial. And on top of that, I am guarantied AI free at the creativity replacing level. Actually some of the new AI features in Photoshop are replacing human photographing, which makes any beginner an expert in soulless imaging. Darktable is AI free too due to a political decision. AI is good for noise reduction, masking, extrapolation into missing corners and replacement of unwanted minor objects. An important line has been crossed, when it can create image elements not present in the original photo, furthermore in a lousy quality in order to push this popular sickness towards genuine anarchy. It's shameless woke policy! (imnsho) and utterly destructive.

[@Andyhutchinson]

@@Eigil_Skovgaard no arguments from me about AI - I've got about six videos on this channel arguing strongly against the use of AI in any creative capacity. I'm happy to use it for the reasons you list - dealing with technical issues with photos but that's where it should end. Not sure it's woke though - cash grabs are not part of the woke agenda. 😀

[@Eigil_Skovgaard]

@@Andyhutchinson Good attitude. The woke question depends on who would be paying Adobe as an alternative to the daily blood sucking. George Soros heirs are probably likewise subversive, and if you can't say no to gold then... !

[@Sevil2024]

Thank you for recommendations.

[@Andyhutchinson]

Any time!

[@merv190]

Have you tried the ON1 software ?

[@Andyhutchinson]

I have inded Merv. I think it's great software. Very similar to the TopazLabs stuff and in fact the only reason I don't use On1's apps and the reason I've never bought them is because I already own the Topaz range and they both fill the same niche. That said, I will be reviewing On1 Photo RAW 2023 in the future. :)

[@macforme]

@merv... you didn't watch the video to the end, did you? 18:02

[@merv190]

@@macforme it was a yr ago , can’t remember, who cares ?

[@Martinbeef]

I'm finding it difficult to follow the tutorials. The basic ones seem complicated, whereas the original version was easy to follow. I'm just trying to make the best of my photos so I can get my own website together, but this is a bit depressing really.

[@Andyhutchinson]

It's just not a very beginner friendly app, unfortunately. Extremely capable - yes, simple - nooooo. Suggest you download the free trial of Luminar and see how you go with that :)

[@BicycleTrekker]

I found the tutorials very helpful with a big exception; the tutors had their desktop customized for their use, so when they said go here, do this, I couldn’t find it. I bought Affinity 2 to replace Adobe Lightroom when it became subscription only. I also used non-subscription Elements. My old computer would not run when Windows was updated to 10 then 11. It was painfully slow. I could not reinstall Lightroom on my new computer even though I had purchased it before for my other computer. My license was cancelled. A lot of the Affinity tutorials assume you already have substantial experience with it. For example, I inadvertently pressed Num Lock instead of shift, and that locked one of the tools. I had to search the Web for the answer, because I was stuck. . Built-in shortcuts can also cause selections and other things to happen, and I had no idea what was happening. As I said, the tutorial screens don’t look like yours after installation. There are basic tutorials, but I think they need to go back and look at them from a new-user’s perspective, provide a way to shutoff shortcuts, don’t use any personal add-ons, and explain the ‘whys’ until a new user has some experience. After a few weeks I have grown to like what I can do, but there was some pain in learning. It will sell a lot more product and stop the complaining, if this is done. I have tried other programs, and they all have their shortcomings. You just have to put in the time and study.

[@m.thorner7683]

Great review. Affinity Photo is becoming a product marketing zombie. They have not defined their target customer and risk to fall into the same trap as Adobe. In the mid-90s we created Photoshop LE (light edition) and later PS Elements to target the "normal" digital photographer. The price point of Affinity targets a casual photo editor, while the features focus on the professional. The overwhelming abundance of features is making an easy or casual photo edit impossible. Most users of Affinity Photo expected more auto-adjustments and a Lightroom from V2 and got some nice but irrelevant features. Working with the new version, I detected many half-finished and/or undocumented issues. To become a Photoshop killer is not a strategy. Aside from better pricing they should focus on better usability for both amateurs and professionals.

[@Andyhutchinson]

Totally agree. They definitely have to have a re-think for the next point release. It's obvious they have the skills to make it into an essential photo editor, but seem to be driven by the engineering time, rather than thinking about the useability for the punters. :)

[@BicycleTrekker]

I agree. Abundance of features can be good, but if they’re not easy to use, it becomes a real pain and nightmare to figure out what’s going on. A lot of bells and whistles, and wiz-bang stuff becomes tedious especially if it’s labor intensive to use. I’ve used CyberLink PhotoDirector which is super easy to use for adjustments, but it didn’t have the ability make the better photos that I wanted. Presets are much more easier to make and apply than Affinty Photo; process a photo and then just press create preset. It also has a great photo-library manager. You just import photos or folders to make them ready to select for processing. Menus also seem more intuitive to use and simple.

[@steviem8466]

Hey, nice to hear a Brit in Aus.

[@Andyhutchinson]

Cheers :)

[@raymond3020]

i like how you describe stuff! 🤣

[@Andyhutchinson]

Thank-you :)

[@michael-lt2lf]

From another one of your reviews: ' mad as a box of frogs...' ! Andy, you got this half baked, utterly weirdo confusing programme that despite it's denials to be a viable alternative to PS does just that so right, and the pathetic bleated out excuse of 'but it's so cheap!' WTF? Have these bargain spotters ever wondered why?

[@Andyhutchinson]

lol - spot on mate :)

[@hybrydsanity5857]

Exactly I want to do virtual tours and i like the 360 capabilities although I'm waiting for a refund from the App store because i couldn't create the account from affinity photo 2 i would't function.and get past the loading phase of the process the create the account !, and they couldn't let me set up an account outside the app ! , so now when i get the refund (as long as Apple doesn't turn it down after waiting 48 hours, Bloody mess ! ) I can buy it straight from the Affinity site , there you set up an account in the purchasing process , Wow ! speaking of flaws and inconsistencies ! Seeing this Vid makes me consider Lightroom or both Lightroom photoshop even more , I'm not a pro so cost is a concern the subscription thing is another WTF . It seems Lightroom is also good for 360 capabilities. I do have Pixelmator proI don't think it has 360 stuff , Please let me know.

[@Sevil2024]

I close my eyes and hear Alfred Hitchcock. Good evening!

[@Andyhutchinson]

lol - cheers :)

[@ArminSteiner]

Hi Andy, took me a while to crawl up on my chair again after I fell of it laughing after the ButPlug comment. Iagree 100% I tried Affinity twice and gave up on it twice. To confusing nothing is there where I expected it. I stick with Adobe and for quick edits I use Neo. Pixelmator Pro is nice, but I am just to used to Adobe, what can I say...

[@Andyhutchinson]

Yea, that's pretty much where I sit at the moment too mate - Photoshop and Neo along with the Topaz AI tools. :)

[@steviem8466]

Maybe, like others, yoou expect alternatives to PS to be the same as PS? what's the point in having an alternative out there that is the same as the others on the market. It's like expecting a Ford to drive look sound and feel like an Audi...

[@mwhite212]

@@steviem8466 Exactly. I'm so tired of this attitude. I'll take Affinity any day of the week over Adobe's offerings, and I do use both out of necessity for school. I am constantly frustrated by Adobe's interfaces, so I'm at a loss of this reviewer's criticisms of the Affinity interface.

[@petera379]

Oh good lord. Pros only? Really?

[@Andyhutchinson]

Sit the average non-technical photographer down in front of 1) Photomator and then 2) Affinity Photo 2 - and tell me how they get on with each app. Also - I was posing the question, hence the question mark, not stating a fact empirically.

[@wieli.]

I mean how is one supposed to take a video seriously that starts off with a minute long rant about the frigging order of some buttons..?

[@AndyHutchinsons]

If you were looking for confirmation bias about AP then yes you came to the wrong place. Plenty of other videos out there that will blow smoke up your arse, which is clearly what you’re looking for.

[@dakara4877]

All this could be resolved if Affinity didn't take the position they should not engage with the community. The community has been pleading with Affinity to be more transparent and open up dialog, but they refuse to do so. The only reason they cite for taking this position is that they don't want negative comments. Good grief, how can you run a company like that.

[@Andyhutchinson]

For sure. One thing's certain - they have a highly motivated userbase! :)

[@gabrielkarczewski4453]

Bought the first version, hoping that they'll finally bring non destructive editing. They did, but then I had to pay again. I got pissed off. I don't get why they don't make a cheaper subscription option, $5 for example - I'd gladly pay for that and try it out. I won't pay for incomplete software again just so they can release version 3 that'll have more of what I need just so I can pay again and still use software that's inferior to Lightroom.

[@Andyhutchinson]

I think the single price is what draws a big percentage of people to the app, but these annual updates are basically just stealth subscriptions in reality.

[@PhotoBrains]

Affinity Photo 2, so close yet so far. They lost me long ago with the "persona" labels. ?? Seriff, hire someone who can save you.

[@Andyhutchinson]

I sometimes wonder if they're being deliberately obtuse. :)

[@andre1987eph]

seems like a biased review

[@Andyhutchinson]

How is it biased? I paid for it with my own money and would have preferred to have a genuine alternative to Adobe Photoshop. I don't believe for a second that all the people jumping ship to Affinity Photo will stay there once the counter-intuitive design and limitations become apparent.

[@mariaxecho]

I thought it was only me, but AP2 looks like tried to gather adobe lover by mimicking photoshop UI, but its more confusing to use... AP1 is actually good because its simpler with the shortcut and I can even work by only using mouse when I lazy to use keyboard.. Well, as other also said, AP2 is downgraded version of AP1 which had its own idealism on its UI comparing to Photoshop.. so I'm back with AP1 of course.. 😿💔

[@Andyhutchinson]

Yea it's a shame it went wrong so quickly.