Aperture is messed up. Anyone use Affinity Photo?

normhead · 11-19-2018, 08:08 AM

Looking for new mac PP solutions. I'm still using Aperture, My 2010 27" i7 will not install Mojave, so, I will continue with Aperture. Tess did install Mojave on her iMac, and Aperture jas become unusable. A brief look on line got her interested in Affinity Photo.

So she's wondering what folks have to say about it. It's got 4.5 out of 5 in it's on-line reviews and was Mac App of the year last year. So far it has a lot going for it in theory.

Anyone else gone from Aperture to Affinity?

stevebrot · 11-19-2018, 08:19 AM

I use the Windows version as a Photoshop replacement for raster editing, but do not use it for RAW conversion...too clunky and slow. My purchase decision was driven by colorspace support and full high bit-depth workflow, rare attributes at its price point for products with high compatibility to PS conventions. My main criticism has been the rather opaque work flow and poor documentation for same.

I can't compare to Aperture, however and suggest spending some time with the demo version.

Steve

**pepperberry farm** · 11-19-2018, 09:14 AM

never used Aperture, but did use LightZone before moving to Luminar - and love it...

Breakfastographer · 11-19-2018, 10:23 AM

I tested 23 RAW converters for Mac:
23 RAW converters compared, including On1 Photo RAW 2019 – breakfastographer

Affinity gave the brightest default exposure of the field.

I also looked at fine detail/sharpness:
23 RAW converters reviewed, part 2: fine detail – breakfastographer

Let's just say that if sharpness is something you are keenly interested in, you may have to find your own settings in Affinity, or apply a filter in the Photoshop-like part of the app before you export. All that said, I'm actually still testing it myself.

brofkand · 11-19-2018, 12:01 PM

Affinity is not a DAM, so it is not a replacement for Aperture.

Affinity is a replacement for Photoshop.

I find the combo of Apple Photos (as inadequate as it is) + Affinity has been working okay but I am not fond of it. I loathe Apple Photos.

You may want to bite the bullet and migrate to Lightroom. There is an Aperture to Lightroom migration plugin available, to make it seamless.

**boriscleto** · 11-19-2018, 12:55 PM - **1 Like**

Luminar finally gets it's DAM on December 18th (Luminar + Libraries). I don't think they are offering compatibility with Aperture libraries, but it is supposed to support Lightroom libraries...It doesn't have all the same features as Lightroom, but it will be enough for me to drop the Adobe tax...

Luminar - The Best Photo Editing Software for Mac & PC | Skylum

They promised the DAM for the 2018 version of Luminar but failed to deliver. So Luminar 3 will be a free update...The new Sky Enhancer is amazing...

**Alex645** · 11-19-2018, 01:45 PM

Originally posted by normhead

Anyone else gone from Aperture to Affinity?

I don't think you will find too many people who have gone from Aperture to Affinity. I loved Aperture (RIP) and the closest application to it is Lightroom. In fact, it was probably Lightroom that killed Aperture. They both have their pros and cons, but I preferred the more intuitive interface of Aperture.

**NZ_Ross** · 11-19-2018, 06:54 PM

I went from Aperture to Capture One, which works ok for DAM as long as you keep your filing disciplined. I have found Capture One similar enough to Aperture that the transition was not too hard.

Lightroom is also the other option - I didn't go that way because I wanted to keep my images on my own system, with software control, and not be locked into monthly licensing.

Similarly I have Affinity as a Photoshop replacement. I don't use it that much but it does work well when I do use it. The Capture One and Affinity combo works ok, although I suspect the workflow is not quite as smooth as the Lightroom/Photoshop combo.

Cheers

Ross

**boriscleto** · 11-19-2018, 07:49 PM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by Alex645

I don't think you will find too many people who have gone from Aperture to Affinity. I loved Aperture (RIP) and the closest application to it is Lightroom. In fact, it was probably Lightroom that killed Aperture. They both have their pros and cons, but I preferred the more intuitive interface of Aperture.

Originally posted by NZ_Ross

I went from Aperture to Capture One, which works ok for DAM as long as you keep your filing disciplined. I have found Capture One similar enough to Aperture that the transition was not too hard.

Lightroom is also the other option - I didn't go that way because I wanted to keep my images on my own system, with software control, and not be locked into monthly licensing.

Similarly I have Affinity as a Photoshop replacement. I don't use it that much but it does work well when I do use it. The Capture One and Affinity combo works ok, although I suspect the workflow is not quite as smooth as the Lightroom/Photoshop combo.

Cheers

Ross

Adobe products are a non-starter for Norm...

Lack of a DAM isn't a show stopper for Affinity as Affinity has extensions for Apple Photos including an Edit in Affinity extension...

pixie · 11-20-2018, 01:08 AM

Originally posted by normhead

Tess did install Mojave on her iMac, and Aperture jas become unusable.

Weird, if her Mac was suitable for the Mojave upgrade, Aperture should stay solid. Mine did.

Breakfastographer · 11-20-2018, 03:11 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by pixie

Weird, if her Mac was suitable for the Mojave upgrade, Aperture should stay solid. Mine did.

Right - so the next question would be whether she runs version 3.6 of Aperture, because I believe that was the compatibility update that made it work with later versions of the operating system.

jddwoods · 11-20-2018, 01:11 PM

I use Affinity photo as an add in for photos on my Macs. I have not used Aperture in a while. I like the combination of photos (quick and easy) with Affinity photo as an add in. This combo works fine for me. I will be replacing my iMac sometime around Christmas and New Years timeframe. My iMac 21.5 inch is an older computer which has served me well for the last 9 years, but it is time for something newer. If we can find the desktop space for a new 27 inch retina version I will go for that, otherwise I will just get a new 21.5 iMac. Over the last few years Apple has been adding new features to photos which is gradually catching it up to Aperture was when it was discontinued. With the Affinity as an add in it should meet or exceed what you could do in Aperture. I got Affinity as a download from the App store.

normhead · 11-20-2018, 02:20 PM - **1 Like**

You might want to wait and see if Aperture is actually broken. I've identified other issues on Tess' computer that may be responsible for her difficulties. She claims the problem was caused by the upgrade, and she's currently cleaning up her files for a back-up and reinstall of the older OS, but, I've had problems before when the drive is close to full and her Aperture Library is way over the 120 GB I recommend for an active library, so, hang in for a few days before you decide it won't work on your new computer.

When we shared a computer I used to secretly throw out stuff. Now she has her own, stuff is piling up.

**acoufap** · 11-21-2018, 12:19 PM

When Aperture 3 came to market I immediately bought and used it some years. Then, when no more functionality that I hoped for wasn't offered I changed to Capture One Pro. Think it was version 7. A very very good raw converter - unfortunately a bit expensive. Version 11 now also contains a IMO good DAM. I'd always recommend this software although there are some points that may speak against it from a Pentax camera point of view. It runs fast on my old Mac Mini Late 2012 quad core i7.

Affinity Photo is more like Adobe Photoshop, offering layers and such.

I bought it to have a good raw converter on my iPad Pro. And it really works surprisingly good and fast on that platform - raw development ok but not overwhelming.

Later I also bought the Affinity Mac version. Compared to Capture One Pro or Apple Aperture that version is really slow on my Mac. I don't really have fun using it. And it is significantly different to work with compared to Aperture or Capture One Pro. I much more love the results I get from Capture One Pro and i love to work with it. Both are important for me. So I very seldom use Affinity on the Mac - to say the truth, only when I need HDR or special development using layers that's not possible in Capture One Pro.

Breakfastographer · 11-21-2018, 05:18 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by acoufap

[...] Later I also bought the Affinity Mac version. Compared to Capture One Pro or Apple Aperture that version is really slow on my Mac. I don't really have fun using it. And it is significantly different to work with compared to Aperture or Capture One Pro. [...]

In the upcoming v1.7 of Affinity, there will be a completely overhauled RAW import module and speed improvements that the developers have said will sometimes make it ten times faster. I think that upgrade will still be free for anybody that's bought Affinity thus far, so it should be free for you, too.

11-19-2018, 08:08 AM	#1
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,448	Aperture is messed up. Anyone use Affinity Photo? Looking for new mac PP solutions. I'm still using Aperture, My 2010 27" i7 will not install Mojave, so, I will continue with Aperture. Tess did install Mojave on her iMac, and Aperture jas become unusable. A brief look on line got her interested in Affinity Photo. So she's wondering what folks have to say about it. It's got 4.5 out of 5 in it's on-line reviews and was Mac App of the year last year. So far it has a lot going for it in theory. Anyone else gone from Aperture to Affinity?

11-20-2018, 02:20 PM - 1 Like	#13
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,448 Original Poster	You might want to wait and see if Aperture is actually broken. I've identified other issues on Tess' computer that may be responsible for her difficulties. She claims the problem was caused by the upgrade, and she's currently cleaning up her files for a back-up and reinstall of the older OS, but, I've had problems before when the drive is close to full and her Aperture Library is way over the 120 GB I recommend for an active library, so, hang in for a few days before you decide it won't work on your new computer. When we shared a computer I used to secretly throw out stuff. Now she has her own, stuff is piling up. Last edited by normhead; 11-21-2018 at 06:16 AM.

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11-19-2018, 08:19 AM	#2
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	I use the Windows version as a Photoshop replacement for raster editing, but do not use it for RAW conversion...too clunky and slow. My purchase decision was driven by colorspace support and full high bit-depth workflow, rare attributes at its price point for products with high compatibility to PS conventions. My main criticism has been the rather opaque work flow and poor documentation for same. I can't compare to Aperture, however and suggest spending some time with the demo version. Steve

11-19-2018, 09:14 AM	#3
pepperberry farm amateur dirt farmer Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 41,625	never used Aperture, but did use LightZone before moving to Luminar - and love it...

11-19-2018, 10:23 AM	#4
Breakfastographer Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2018 Posts: 673	I tested 23 RAW converters for Mac: 23 RAW converters compared, including On1 Photo RAW 2019 – breakfastographer Affinity gave the brightest default exposure of the field. I also looked at fine detail/sharpness: 23 RAW converters reviewed, part 2: fine detail – breakfastographer Let's just say that if sharpness is something you are keenly interested in, you may have to find your own settings in Affinity, or apply a filter in the Photoshop-like part of the app before you export. All that said, I'm actually still testing it myself.

11-19-2018, 12:01 PM	#5
brofkand Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: North Carolina Posts: 836	Affinity is not a DAM, so it is not a replacement for Aperture. Affinity is a replacement for Photoshop. I find the combo of Apple Photos (as inadequate as it is) + Affinity has been working okay but I am not fond of it. I loathe Apple Photos. You may want to bite the bullet and migrate to Lightroom. There is an Aperture to Lightroom migration plugin available, to make it seamless.

11-19-2018, 12:55 PM - 1 Like	#6
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,473	Luminar finally gets it's DAM on December 18th (Luminar + Libraries). I don't think they are offering compatibility with Aperture libraries, but it is supposed to support Lightroom libraries...It doesn't have all the same features as Lightroom, but it will be enough for me to drop the Adobe tax... Luminar - The Best Photo Editing Software for Mac & PC \| Skylum They promised the DAM for the 2018 version of Luminar but failed to deliver. So Luminar 3 will be a free update...The new Sky Enhancer is amazing...

11-19-2018, 01:45 PM	#7
Alex645 Site Supporter Join Date: May 2015 Location: Kaneohe, HI Photos: Albums Posts: 3,526	Originally posted by normhead Anyone else gone from Aperture to Affinity? I don't think you will find too many people who have gone from Aperture to Affinity. I loved Aperture (RIP) and the closest application to it is Lightroom. In fact, it was probably Lightroom that killed Aperture. They both have their pros and cons, but I preferred the more intuitive interface of Aperture.

11-19-2018, 06:54 PM	#8
NZ_Ross Kiwi Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Timaru Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,225	I went from Aperture to Capture One, which works ok for DAM as long as you keep your filing disciplined. I have found Capture One similar enough to Aperture that the transition was not too hard. Lightroom is also the other option - I didn't go that way because I wanted to keep my images on my own system, with software control, and not be locked into monthly licensing. Similarly I have Affinity as a Photoshop replacement. I don't use it that much but it does work well when I do use it. The Capture One and Affinity combo works ok, although I suspect the workflow is not quite as smooth as the Lightroom/Photoshop combo. Cheers Ross

11-19-2018, 07:49 PM - 2 Likes	#9
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,473	Originally posted by Alex645 I don't think you will find too many people who have gone from Aperture to Affinity. I loved Aperture (RIP) and the closest application to it is Lightroom. In fact, it was probably Lightroom that killed Aperture. They both have their pros and cons, but I preferred the more intuitive interface of Aperture. Originally posted by NZ_Ross I went from Aperture to Capture One, which works ok for DAM as long as you keep your filing disciplined. I have found Capture One similar enough to Aperture that the transition was not too hard. Lightroom is also the other option - I didn't go that way because I wanted to keep my images on my own system, with software control, and not be locked into monthly licensing. Similarly I have Affinity as a Photoshop replacement. I don't use it that much but it does work well when I do use it. The Capture One and Affinity combo works ok, although I suspect the workflow is not quite as smooth as the Lightroom/Photoshop combo. Cheers Ross Adobe products are a non-starter for Norm... Lack of a DAM isn't a show stopper for Affinity as Affinity has extensions for Apple Photos including an Edit in Affinity extension...

11-20-2018, 01:08 AM	#10
pixie Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: California Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 873	Originally posted by normhead Tess did install Mojave on her iMac, and Aperture jas become unusable. Weird, if her Mac was suitable for the Mojave upgrade, Aperture should stay solid. Mine did.

11-20-2018, 03:11 AM - 1 Like	#11
Breakfastographer Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2018 Posts: 673	Originally posted by pixie Weird, if her Mac was suitable for the Mojave upgrade, Aperture should stay solid. Mine did. Right - so the next question would be whether she runs version 3.6 of Aperture, because I believe that was the compatibility update that made it work with later versions of the operating system.

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11-20-2018, 01:11 PM	#12
jddwoods Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,035	I use Affinity photo as an add in for photos on my Macs. I have not used Aperture in a while. I like the combination of photos (quick and easy) with Affinity photo as an add in. This combo works fine for me. I will be replacing my iMac sometime around Christmas and New Years timeframe. My iMac 21.5 inch is an older computer which has served me well for the last 9 years, but it is time for something newer. If we can find the desktop space for a new 27 inch retina version I will go for that, otherwise I will just get a new 21.5 iMac. Over the last few years Apple has been adding new features to photos which is gradually catching it up to Aperture was when it was discontinued. With the Affinity as an add in it should meet or exceed what you could do in Aperture. I got Affinity as a download from the App store.

11-21-2018, 12:19 PM	#14
acoufap Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Munich, Germany Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,184	When Aperture 3 came to market I immediately bought and used it some years. Then, when no more functionality that I hoped for wasn't offered I changed to Capture One Pro. Think it was version 7. A very very good raw converter - unfortunately a bit expensive. Version 11 now also contains a IMO good DAM. I'd always recommend this software although there are some points that may speak against it from a Pentax camera point of view. It runs fast on my old Mac Mini Late 2012 quad core i7. Affinity Photo is more like Adobe Photoshop, offering layers and such. I bought it to have a good raw converter on my iPad Pro. And it really works surprisingly good and fast on that platform - raw development ok but not overwhelming. Later I also bought the Affinity Mac version. Compared to Capture One Pro or Apple Aperture that version is really slow on my Mac. I don't really have fun using it. And it is significantly different to work with compared to Aperture or Capture One Pro. I much more love the results I get from Capture One Pro and i love to work with it. Both are important for me. So I very seldom use Affinity on the Mac - to say the truth, only when I need HDR or special development using layers that's not possible in Capture One Pro.

11-21-2018, 05:18 PM - 1 Like	#15
Breakfastographer Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2018 Posts: 673	Originally posted by acoufap [...] Later I also bought the Affinity Mac version. Compared to Capture One Pro or Apple Aperture that version is really slow on my Mac. I don't really have fun using it. And it is significantly different to work with compared to Aperture or Capture One Pro. [...] In the upcoming v1.7 of Affinity, there will be a completely overhauled RAW import module and speed improvements that the developers have said will sometimes make it ten times faster. I think that upgrade will still be free for anybody that's bought Affinity thus far, so it should be free for you, too.