iPad Simple iPad photo app

[MrMister111]

Looking for a simple easy to learn photo app. I have all my photos in iCloud, and find I’m not using my Mac anymore really, so think I need an app on my iPad.

It’s for basic stuff like stitching photos together, maybe wide and 360? cleaning up some photos etc. I’m no expert, basic user and won’t do fancy stuff, is just for my personal photos.

Pixelmator and Affinity seem to be the ones I see about a lot. Pixelmator which one though as seem to hand so many apps and it’s not clear which is which as no clear comparison, even on their website. Both around some price for iPad at moment to.

What I would like as a basic user is to have it integrated into the Photo app on my iPad where you can click edit, then open the app direct from within the Photo app so the changes are saved to the camera roll so will reflect on all my iOS devices over iCloud. Not sure if they both do this?

Be nice maybe in future if there is a Mac app that I may go on to chose in the future and thy be integrated as well.

Also looks like they are iPad only, although my iPhone 12 is pretty powerful probably not ideal for editing with screen size, be nice if the app is iPhone but not essential.

So Pixelmator? Which app, or Affinity, or another as long as has above please

Thanks

 

[Slartibart]

Affinity Photo offers something like “the full Photoshop”-experience. Of the programs you mention at the moment only Affinity Photo allows stitching of panoramas.

Pixelmator is a lighter, more more closely in iPadOS integrated, “Photoshop”.

Pixelmator Photo offers everything for RAW development/Image and Photo adjustments similar closely integrated in iPadOS (taking advantage of some advanced Apple technologies like machine learning based super resolution sampling or healing brush).

If integration with Apple Photos is the most important, consider RAWPower developed by former Aperture development lead Nik Bhatt - here is some review.
RAWPower offers everything for RAW development/Image and Photo adjustments closely integrated in iPadOS and Apple’s Photos app. Additionally it is a DAM like Lightroom.

 

[MrMister111]

I don’t use RAW photos tbh all of them are just JPEGs or iPhone HEIF/HEVC.

Does affinity photo integrate with Photo for iOS app? I mean can you click edit, and it shows up as an extension? I’ve tried to Google and YouTube but can’t confirm.

I would prefer the more integration with iPadOS though, purely as I’m a light editor. However I definitely want stitching of photos for panoramic pics, so maybe I don’t have a choice if Pixelmator doesn’t do it. I thought this would be a standard feature tbh in today’s editing apps.

I’ll have a look at the other app you suggest, as long as it does the above.

Have to add I don’t like subscription types, I’d rather buy once for it as well, and preferably a company that will keep updating and not disappear so when a new iPadOS comes out it doesn’t work as not compatible.

Thanks

 

[Slartibart]

RAWPower, Pixelmator Photo and Pixelmator integrate with Apple’s Photos.

There isn’t any functional restriction when you use JPEG or HEIF/HEIC (besides the format intrinsic differences aka technical advantages HEIF/HEIC offers in that case)

Affinity Photo is function-wise the most complete (it is a Photoshop competitor).

I started using Pixelmator Photo and Affinity Photo (and Snapseed). This combo allows to do about everthing most people probably need.
Later I discovered RAWPower which offers additionally a much better management of my photos - as well as using LUTs (which Affinity Photo offers too).

None of the apps has a subscription.

 

[MrMister111]

RAWPower, Pixelmator Photo and Pixelmator integrate with Apple’s Photos.

There isn’t any functional restriction when you use JPEG or HEIF/HEIC (besides the format intrinsic differences aka technical advantages HEIF/HEIC offers in that case)

Affinity Photo is function-wise the most complete (it is a Photoshop competitor).

I started using Pixelmator Photo and Affinity Photo (and Snapseed). This combo allows to do about everthing most people probably need.
Later I discovered RAWPower which offers additionally a much better management of my photos - as well as using LUTs (which Affinity Photo offers too).

None of the apps has a subscription.

Thanks will look into them. Can you confirm a few things please.

All of the above when you open the Apple photos app, when you press edit, can you then see those listed to open them from within the photos app? Extension think it’s called, or do you have to open the above apps independently?

Do they all do a stitch for a pano, I know Affinity does, not sure on Raw power.

I’m not bothered on management tbh, I’m happy with it all organised in iCloud photos though so don’t want that affected.

Also the simpler the better! I don’t know what LUT is sorry!

Thanks

 

[Slartibart]

Only Affinity Photo can stitch.

Pixelmator can be accessed via “Edit” in Apple Photos.

RAWPower and Pixelmator Photo can be accessed via the icon bar in the “Share”-menu of Apple Photos.

RAWPower implements additionally a “Send to RAWPower” in the “Share”-menu of Apple Photos

 

[Slartibart]

Pictures and Photos in Apple Photos can be imported/opened in Affinity Photo. No direct “Share”, “Send to” or “Edit” out of Apple Photos to Affinity Photo. But of course you can open anything from Apple Photos in Affinity Photo.

Same for the free Snapseed - which creates an additional “Snapseed”-Album in Apple Photos (if one wants).

 

[Derekq]

In my opinion, so far Snapseed is the easiest but most efficient photo editing app for simple use. It has so many tools but everyone of them is really easy to apply. It gives you clear-cut edited photos on ipad. You can play with the fun filters and also get ravishing results.

It has healing, HDR, Crop, Brush and many more tools. It is one of best photo editing tools for amateurs.

 

[Slartibart]

In my opinion, so far Snapseed is the easiest but most efficient photo editing app for simple use. It has so many tools but everyone of them is really easy to apply. It gives you clear-cut edited photos on ipad. You can play with the fun filters and also get ravishing results.

It has healing, HDR, Crop, Brush and many more tools. It is one of best photo editing tools for amateurs.

I completely agree. It is very good... and free. Must have.

 

[Deanna Z]

Snapseed, for sure. For some fun with your photos, try Prisma. If editing tool names like Brilliance, Vibrance, Lightness etc. are confusing, you may find this primer useful.

 

[MrMister111]

Thanks all.

Still can’t find that one app it seems! Missing seems to be the stitch function from the more expensive apps which is strange.

I’m still wanting an app that integrates with inbuilt Photos app, can stitch photos and ideally be cross platform to a Mac, although if it integrates with Photos for iOS, as I use iCloud Photo Library, I presume the changes will go across to that.

Just would be great if I get back on my MacBook that I can buy the same app on it and have the same interface and be able to save changes etc the same.

Thanks