Anyone using ON1 Photo RAW 2018?

[macuser453787]

Hi all,

Just curious if anyone has been using ON1 Software's Photo RAW 2018.

The other thread about the Affinity apps reminded me of this question along the line of alternatives to Adobe CC, in this case specifically an alternative to Photoshop, which ON1 is claiming their Photo RAW 2018 to be.

I currently have (but haven't used very much) ON1's Photo 10 software. I originally upgraded to their Photo 8 software from a Genuine Fractals v4 or v5 license I purchased many years ago (ON1 had previously bought the rights to the Genuine Fractals software).

I'm asking because I no longer have a CC subscription as of last year, and the most recent previous version of Photoshop that I own is CS2, which is on a separate 10.6.8 boot drive. I'd prefer to have something viable to use on my main boot drive without paying a monthly fee.

So, if anyone here is using Photo RAW 2018, do you think ON1's claim is valid?

 

[MCAsan]

Precisely what claim is that?

I had On1 apps for years. I got tired of commitments being broken. Dan promised that they would do auto corrections for m43 cameras based on the data in the raw files. Adobe, Phase One, and Silkypix do that. But no, they decided to use LensFun as their library for all lens corrections. the LensFun library has been missing some lenses, such as Olympus 300mm Pro, years after the lenses are introduced. They also were to redo the Layers and Resize modules as non-destructive. Those have not happened.

With the improvements in Lr Classic, I went back to it as my DAM and raw converter and use Luminar, Aurora, and Topaz Studio as plugins. If you want 100% non-destructive and don't need a DAM, look at Topaz Studio or Pixelmator Pro (only for Mac).

 

[macuser453787]

Thanks for the info!

I don't need DAM, so I will take a look at Topaz Studio and Pixelmator as well. So in your opinion these two apps are good substitutes for PS?

In answer to your question, I was referring to ON1's claim that with the 2018.1 release of Photo RAW, it is now a viable replacement for Photoshop.

Hadn't used their Photo v8/v10 much myself, mainly here and there for the Photo Resize feature (which is based on the Genuine Fractals algorithm but IIRC improved since they acquired it, according to them).

 

[MCAsan]

Remember that PS is a pixel editor. If you bring in a raw image, PS will have to render it. Both Topaz and Pixelmator do all their adjustments/edits non-destructively. So the image is rendered only at the end of the workflow....if you need to output a TIF or jpg or other non-native format. Topaz Studio with around 10 adjustments is free. You pay for all the optional 20+ adjustments. Pixelmator Pro uses the MacOS raw engine and is one price for the entire app. There is likely a free trial.

Another choice is Luminar from Skylum (former Macphun). They will be releasing a DAM for it later this year. Their target is to be a Lightroom replacement. But their adjustments go well beyond what Lr can do. The missing things in Luminar are luminosity and color range masking. You can do a free trial with it as well.

 

[AlaskaMoose]

Hi all,

Just curious if anyone has been using ON1 Software's Photo RAW 2018.

The other thread about the Affinity apps reminded me of this question along the line of alternatives to Adobe CC, in this case specifically an alternative to Photoshop, which ON1 is claiming their Photo RAW 2018 to be.

I currently have (but haven't used very much) ON1's Photo 10 software. I originally upgraded to their Photo 8 software from a Genuine Fractals v4 or v5 license I purchased many years ago (ON1 had previously bought the rights to the Genuine Fractals software).

I'm asking because I no longer have a CC subscription as of last year, and the most recent previous version of Photoshop that I own is CS2, which is on a separate 10.6.8 boot drive. I'd prefer to have something viable to use on my main boot drive without paying a monthly fee.

So, if anyone here is using Photo RAW 2018, do you think ON1's claim is valid?

My present setup is CS6, plus OneOne's PhotoRaw 2018, plus NIK's effects bundle. I haven't found PhotoRaw to be as interesting and as easy to use as NIK's. In fact, NIK's all I use these days (within CS6). However, Google sold the NIK's software package to this company, and this sounds quite promising:
http://www.dxo.com/us/photography/p...collection&utm_medium=referral&content=button

Just keep in mind that in no way am I advertising DXO. I am just keeping an eye on it because I love the NIK's effects, and because I hope that someday I can entirely switch to a standalone application that is as good or better than CS6, and...without having to pay online monthly fees.

 

[Freida]

Precisely what claim is that?

I had On1 apps for years. I got tired of commitments being broken. Dan promised that they would do auto corrections for m43 cameras based on the data in the raw files. Adobe, Phase One, and Silkypix do that. But no, they decided to use LensFun as their library for all lens corrections. the LensFun library has been missing some lenses, such as Olympus 300mm Pro, years after the lenses are introduced. They also were to redo the Layers and Resize modules as non-destructive. Those have not happened.

With the improvements in Lr Classic, I went back to it as my DAM and raw converter and use Luminar, Aurora, and Topaz Studio as plugins. If you want 100% non-destructive and don't need a DAM, look at Topaz Studio or Pixelmator Pro (only for Mac).

Is Pixelmator Pro good for photo editing and tweaking? I couldn't find basic masks etc. just for skin smoothing etc. as Pixelmator Pro does look more like a photoshop editor. I come from Aperture and used ON1 Photo Raw 2017 but got fed up with their upgrade policy so I'm looking for alternatives that are not subscription based.

How do you use Pixelmator Pro that you are suggesting it, please? I kinda hope I can find true alternative to Aperture and move on. I don't really care about DAM to be honest so the lack of it is fine.

 

[MCAsan]

Try the Pro trial version for yourself and see if fits your functional requirements (that you have not listed).

 

[Freida]

Try the Pro trial version for yourself and see if fits your functional requirements (that you have not listed).

I have tried that but trials never work for me as I don't know how to use the software so its only frustrating to look for stuff. In order for me to actually know is to invest the time and learn the software first in order to make the call if it fits me or not but that is a lot of time investment so thats why I prefer to ask more experienced people who maybe find it more intuitive than me and can guide me in the right direction. I'm beginning with editing photos so I'm learning how to edit photos correctly and on top of that learning new software and making the call if its a good one or not is just too hard.
I like Aperture as I would open it, select a photo, used the masking tool brush to paint "skin smoothing" on the model to fix the skin, then I would make eyes more pop, clean the teeth and adjust colour/filters and i would pretty much be done.
But I wanna learn more and do more in the future but these basics things need to be easy to use and when I used pixelmator pro i somehow was able to sharpen overall image or brush it but I couldn't find colour overlay etc. It just seem a bit more complex so I questioned my ability as well as the software. Aperture and ON1 Photo Raw was quite simple but I confess that I may miss a lot

 

[macuser453787]

used ON1 Photo Raw 2017 but got fed up with their upgrade policy so I'm looking for alternatives that are not subscription based.

I don't think ON1's software isn't subscription based...? As far as I know they use the conventional model of charging for major updates just like Adobe used to do (i.e. upgrading from CS2 to CS3, then to CS4, etc.).

Right now I have Photo 10 and my price to upgrade to RAW Photo 2018.1 would be $99 (actually as of a few days ago they had a sale for $79 upgrade).

 

[MCAsan]

Suggest you start a new thread describing where you now...Aperture with managed library (?), using what plugins if any.

Do you want the replacement DAM/Library to managed by the app (IE Aperture, Photos, Lightroom CC) or referenced like Lightroom Classic, DxO Photolab, Photo RAW, and most other editors with DAMs.

If you move from manage library to referenced library folders, you can then import/browse those folders with a wide choice of apps. So think about where (local drives vs cloud) you want your images stored. If in a cloud that will be a managed library. If local storage, most apps will work with referenced folders.

 

[Freida]

Suggest you start a new thread describing where you now...Aperture with managed library (?), using what plugins if any.

Do you want the replacement DAM/Library to managed by the app (IE Aperture, Photos, Lightroom CC) or referenced like Lightroom Classic, DxO Photolab, Photo RAW, and most other editors with DAMs.

If you move from manage library to referenced library folders, you can then import/browse those folders with a wide choice of apps. So think about where (local drives vs cloud) you want your images stored. If in a cloud that will be a managed library. If local storage, most apps will work with referenced folders.

Will do that. Actually, I don't really care about DAM. That is the last damn (intended) thing I need. I actually just want a good, intuitive and easy to use photo editor/tweaker for portrait photography.

 

[v3rlon]

I tried On1 photo raw on a max spec 2014 MacBook Pro. Browsing photos on the SSD was much slower than Apple Photos, Lightroom, Capture 1 (demo), Darktable, or any other DAM I tried. While I liked some of the features, the slowness was irritating enough that it was not my solution.

It may be faster now. I am trying DXO now and waiting on the DAM update to Luminar.

 

[MCAsan]

That the DAM that was supposed to be released in 2017? So much for Skylum commitments with Saturday being the end of Q1 18. If they are waiting to first fix Luminar and Aurora for Windows....that could be a long wait.

 

[v3rlon]

Yes, the DAM that slid from 2017. I am well aware that the date slipped. If I refused to use software from anyone that was ever late, I’d have to upload my paintings to an abacus.

It’s late. I get it. Everyone else has been, also. If it gets released and is the absolutely most perfect software and the history of photography and does everything exactly how you want, would you refuse to use it because it is late or just take the best tool you could find?

 

[MCAsan]

If it gets released and is the absolutely most perfect software and the history of photography and does everything exactly how you want, would you refuse to use it because it is late or just take the best tool you could find?

Not a dilemma I have to resolve today or likely tomorrow. Today they let slip the Feb update that was supposed to be in March is now mid April. Of course they did not say 2018.