Review: Affinity Photo 2 (iPad)
The Affinity Photo desktop photo editing app has been around since late 2015, with the parent company Serif's first iPad version of Affinity Photo first appearing in the Apple app store in 2017.
At release it was an immediate hit with pro photographers, and with Serif being recently acquired by Australian tech darling Canva, we figured it was time to take a closer look at an app that has not only been widely lauded for its immense capability, but also for its reasonable one-time price of US $18.49.
At the same time, with many photographers seeking an alternative to the Adobe subscription system (me included) I decided to give it a whirl to see if it is as good as it’s mooted to be, and if it could help me break free from Adobe's shackles.
The tech and features
Version two of Affinity Photo for iPad was launched in 2022, but it has had many updates since, including a major spruce up mid 2024. Up until now all updates have been free, however when version three is eventually launched there will a paid upgrade option.
At its core, Affinity is a non-destructive raster and layer based fully functional pro level photo editing app, which is very similar to Photoshop for iPad in capability terms but takes up a lot less in terms of system resources.
It’s really hard to know where to start when it comes to features – as it has them all – well – almost. From RAW conversion to full layer-based non-destructive editing, image stacking, HDR merging, panorama stitching, colour channel swapping (for infrared), as well as some text and design features too, you're well covered for the most common editing tasks.
The feature list is pretty much on par with the company's desktop app, but with a few necessary adaptations and differences to make it iPad compatible, such as touch screen control. It's also compatible with iCloud and Dropbox for backup and storage.
What Affinity doesn’t have is asset management and cataloguing capabilities, which is what has kept many of us stuck with Lightroom.
In use
Straight up, there is a steep learning curve with Affinity, and one which will vary in severity depending on your level of editing experience and tech mastery – both of which are weak spots for me!
This is not a tool for the one stop batch edits like many of us do in Lightroom, instead this is a pro level app that needs time to learn.
After starting out with early versions of Photoshop on a desktop I soon ditched it when Lightroom came around, and even now only switch from Lightroom to Photoshop for a few occasional tasks – such as colour reversal for infrared, and perhaps stitching panoramas.
The advantage for when you do need to switch between programmes is Photoshop is part of the Adobe Creative Cloud, and moving images between programmes is relatively seamless.
Once you introduce a programme like Affinity however, you'll need to find a workaround if you wish to do the same. At the same time, you'll also need to grasp the different platform terminology (such as personas for modes/modules) if coming from Adobe.
Luckily, Affinity does offer a great learning portal on its site and YouTube channel. But even then, to get past the first few stops with this app will take some time to learn.
Layer based editing is something I’d long since left behind, but using Affinity has reminded me of its great power – if you want or need it.
The results
Capability ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
This app is capable of great things when it comes to high level photo editing, and is also of great use to those with a graphic design interest, especially when combined with the capabilities Affinity Designer 2 and Publisher 2.
App performance and reliability ★ ★ ★ ★
Even on my 8th generation iPad the app runs sweetly and without any hitches or delays. It is very robust and comparatively light on resource demands compared to Photoshop. On a newer iPad it would, of course, run much faster too.
Features ★ ★ ★ ★
This is a full featured professional photo editing app, which has all of the features and tools you would expect and is comparable on spec to the desktop version.
Output results ★ ★ ★ ★
Once you master the basics you can develop and edit images as you would expect with a pro level app.
Value for Money ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
The app, and the desktop version offer amazing value for money for a fraction of the cost that you would pay for most subscription-based alternatives, and for one-time payment too.
The Wrap-up
Affinity Photo, in both iPad and desktop terms, is a very powerful pro grade editing tool, which is easily a match for the Adobe equivalents. It comes at a superb one-off price too (the full suite across all platforms costs US$165), and it is lighter on system resources as well.
Although it will not completely replace Lightroom for me, it is definitely an app worth investing time in. Where I see its value is when I want to take those “special” images a step further, and with the iPad and touch screen editing abilities it makes if far more fun too.
You can download Affinity Photo from the Apple App Store or via www.affinity.serif.com.