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Good paid photo editing software

anjanesh

anjanesh

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 20, 2010
190
21
Navi Mumbai
What is a good photo editing software for mac not for professionals like Photoshop ? I am using GIMP now but I don't mind paying a one-time fee for a good software but I definitely don't want to pay a subscription like for Photoshop.

Something that's available for both Intel (I currently have MBP 15") and M1/M2 (I intend on getting the 2022 MacBook Air)
 
I am looking at Serif's Affinity Photo too - it has pixel-level preview + editing too which is something I want like the way I used to edit images in MS Paint in the 2000s.
1. Is Pixelmator Pro relatively simpler to use than Affinity ? I am not a heavy designer - just for editing images for websites and some basic photo edits for general use.
2. Do I need to buy an additional license for more than one of my own laptops ? Or one license like Sublime Text Editor ?
 
Amateur myself, I dropped Photoshop essentials and went for affinity. Quite a lot of info on their website and forums are helpful.

Edit. Also have RAW power by gentlemen coders. Though I prefer Affinity. Both link out of Apple Photos when you want to edit.

Also with a look at Canon software if you use a Canon (think you need a canon serial number for the download?)
 
anjanesh said:
I am looking at Serif's Affinity Photo too - it has pixel-level preview + editing too which is something I want like the way I used to edit images in MS Paint in the 2000s.
1. Is Pixelmator Pro relatively simpler to use than Affinity ? I am not a heavy designer - just for editing images for websites and some basic photo edits for general use.
2. Do I need to buy an additional license for more than one of my own laptops ? Or one license like Sublime Text Editor ?
Click to expand...
I have Affinity Photo as well, and my personal feeling is that Pixelmator is simpler. My perception might be affected by the fact that I use Photoshop professionally and I'm so used to it by now that it's second nature, while Affinity Photo - with a lot of functionality packed in - feels daunting simply because it's different enough. If I dropped Photoshop and went full-on AP I'm sure it would start feeling just as natural, but that's not in the cards for now.

For the much simpler editing needs I have in my private life Pixelmator has been perfectly fine, without feeling daunting.

A single Pixelmator Pro license can be used on multiple computers. It's tied to your Apple ID when you purchase it from the App Store.
 
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anjanesh said:
What is a good photo editing software for mac not for professionals like Photoshop ? I am using GIMP now but I don't mind paying a one-time fee for a good software but I definitely don't want to pay a subscription like for Photoshop.

Something that's available for both Intel (I currently have MBP 15") and M1/M2 (I intend on getting the 2022 MacBook Air)
Click to expand...

Acorn. https://flyingmeat.com.
 
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Since I consider GIMP to indeed be a "good" photo editing software and use it all the time, I'm curious as to what you found lacking in it that caused you to look for an alternative.
 
GIMP slows down my machine - it takes a lot of time to perform something - maybe because I have other apps like Chrome and VSCode open.
 
Well for clients i do use Capture One. You can purchase standalone license and its now cheaper with camera brand focus, and you get software which is used by fashion pros.
For home and family pictures i do use apple photos, which i find very usefull.
Nikon has free software NX studio and i am sure Canon has something too. Affinity is good software, for heavy edits and retouching.
 
anjanesh said:
What is a good photo editing software for mac not for professionals like Photoshop ? I am using GIMP now but I don't mind paying a one-time fee for a good software but I definitely don't want to pay a subscription like for Photoshop.

Something that's available for both Intel (I currently have MBP 15") and M1/M2 (I intend on getting the 2022 MacBook Air)
Click to expand...
There are two programs I use most of the time - DXO PhotoLab for for overall edits (crop, exposure, sharpening, etc.) and Affinity Photo for pixel level manipulation (restoration, spot corrections, panorama merging, focus stacking, astrophotography, etc.).

Here is my response to a similar question from the DPReview Retouching forum. There are many answers to photo editing on that forum.

Need Help Choosing A Photo Editor

So a layered approach. DXO PhotoLab first and then Affinity Photo if more labor required on an individual image. Also, I dropped Photoshop a long time ago. It does not have a cost/benefit return for my level of photography.

Cheers.
 
anjanesh said:
GIMP slows down my machine - it takes a lot of time to perform something - maybe because I have other apps like Chrome and VSCode open.
Click to expand...

Didn't realize you had replied to me because you didn't hit the reply button ;) That's odd that you experienced that, as even on my previous 2012 iMac I never experienced GIMP slowing anything down, and I also had Chrome and various other apps open. Hopefully this new app you're tryin will work better for you.
 
usagora said:
Didn't realize you had replied to me because you didn't hit the reply button ;) That's odd that you experienced that, as even on my previous 2012 iMac I never experienced GIMP slowing anything down, and I also had Chrome and various other apps open. Hopefully this new app you're tryin will work better for you.
Click to expand...

Maybe GIMP is a good for complex tasks like Photoshop is - but I don't do heavy editing - just basic ones for which I thought GIMP was too heavy. Pixelmator Pro has been good so far - just getting used to the controls.
 
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