Affinity 2.6 released

[Digital Nigel]

AI has finally arrived in Affinity Photo (but the AI selection tools are optional, and the pre-built models need to be downloaded)! No AI generative fill, but lots of UI improvements.

It’s another free upgrade for anyone with 2.n.

Unsupported client

It seems you are using an old or unsupported browser. To continue enjoying our product, please update to a recent version of one of the following browsers:

affinity.serif.com

 

[Annie Ng]

AI has finally arrived in Affinity Photo (but the AI selection tools are optional, and the pre-built models need to be downloaded)! No AI generative fill, but lots of UI improvements.

It’s another free upgrade for anyone with 2.n.

https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/whats-new/

I just saw your post and installed AP 2.6. Impressive showing of AI Selection as a free update.

 

[120 to 35]

AI has finally arrived in Affinity Photo (but the AI selection tools are optional, and the pre-built models need to be downloaded)! No AI generative fill, but lots of UI improvements.

It’s another free upgrade for anyone with 2.n.

https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/whats-new/

The "Photo Usability Improvements" section of the version 2.6 "what's new" link lists several improvements in the use of a linked raw file layer combined with brushes and other types of tools and personae. There were some interoperability blockers in these areas in the previous versions. The latest version looks more seamless.

 

[Foxjet]

I used the new object selection tool this morning and am very pleased. Next is the subject selection tool!

 

[IanYorke]

AI has finally arrived in Affinity Photo (but the AI selection tools are optional, and the pre-built models need to be downloaded)! No AI generative fill, but lots of UI improvements.

It’s another free upgrade for anyone with 2.n.

https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/whats-new/

The "Photo Usability Improvements" section of the version 2.6 "what's new" link lists several improvements in the use of a linked raw file layer combined with brushes and other types of tools and personae. There were some interoperability blockers in these areas in the previous versions. The latest version looks more seamless.

here's the list for peopel to read on here:

A number of usability improvements have been made to Affinity Photo, something especially beneficial for users familiar with other image editors. Updates include:

• Image and RAW layers can now be used with raster selections when deleting and duplicating
• Merge Down / Merge Selected commands now work with Image and RAW layers
• ⌘/Ctrl-click drag with marquee selection now works on Image and RAW layers
• Image layers can now be used to enter the Develop Persona
• Image and RAW layers can now be used to enter the Liquify Persona
• Image and RAW layers can now be used to enter the Tone Mapping Persona
• When using a brush tool on an Image or RAW layer, perform a non-destructive behaviour instead of rasterising
• Inpainting Brush Tool and Patch Tool now remember sampler option between sessions/documents
• Raster brush tools now have a “Reset” button to reset to the default round brush
• Map Live Perspective filter to ⌘+T / Ctrl+T (only in Pixel/Photo workspace)
• Rectangular Marquee Tool has a “From Centre” option
• Standardise modifiers across selection tools and avoid the need for a quaternary modifier (which was right mouse on Windows)
• Standardise toggle modifier for marquee select intersection (with Move Tool)
• Ctrl+⌥ / Ctrl+Alt modifier for brush tools added to hint line
• Antialiasing enabled by default for Flood Select / Marquee / Freehand Tools
• Brush hardness override for iPad removed
• Clear Mask and Fill Mask added to right click mask layer context menu
• Edit>Inpaint can be used with Image and RAW layers
• PDFs with no raster content now import at 300 DPI by default
• TIFF: Unassociated Alpha is now imported correctly, and a toast is displayed informing the user
• Plugins can now be used on Image and RAW layers
• Parameterised macros no longer rasterise non-pixel layers when run
• Prevent non-pixel layer rasterisation when using Ctrl+⌥ / Ctrl+Alt brush modifier
• Curves will render greyscale result immediately when colour model is changed to Grey

Ian

 

[CAcreeks]

AI has finally arrived in Affinity Photo (but the AI selection tools are optional, and the pre-built models need to be downloaded)! No AI generative fill, but lots of UI improvements.

It’s another free upgrade for anyone with 2.n.

https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/whats-new/

Thanks for the news, Nigel. Easy download and install.

Affinity is the best application I have to develop Raw (DNG) files from cellphones. One of the listed new features involves Raw development, but I'm not exactly certain what is new.

 

[SoCalAngler]

AI has finally arrived in Affinity Photo (but the AI selection tools are optional, and the pre-built models need to be downloaded)! No AI generative fill, but lots of UI improvements.

It’s another free upgrade for anyone with 2.n.

https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/whats-new/

A $3K update cost for me

Need a new Mac to use the AI selection tools. I had that budgeted for this year anyway.

Still a welcome update for the other improvements. Installed this morning at no cost of course, minus the AI tools.

--
If cameras and lenses can have autofocus then why can't I?

 

[ishwanu]

Need a new Mac to use the AI selection tools.

Where did you see that information? What's missing from your computer? In the Windows version there's an option to use the CPU only, so a GPU is presumably not required, though things would run slower, of course.

 

[SoCalAngler]

Need a new Mac to use the AI selection tools.

Where did you see that information? What's missing from your computer? In the Windows version there's an option to use the CPU only, so a GPU is presumably not required, though things would run slower, of course.

https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/photo/full-feature-list/#ml

Requires Apple Silicon and Ventura or later for the ML selection tools per notes when you scroll down and expand the version 2.6 features. It is in a footnote. This was also stated in notes for the beta release.

All of my Macs (iMacs and Minis) are intel based.

iPad versions also require Apple Silicon for the new ML selection tools

--
If cameras and lenses can have autofocus then why can't I?

 

[CAcreeks]

Requires Apple Silicon and Ventura or later for the ML selection tools per notes when you scroll down and expand the version 2.6 features. It is in a footnote. This was also stated in notes for the beta release.

All of my Macs (iMacs and Minis) are intel based.

Bummer. For the rest of the winter (assuming you are in the northern Hemisphere) you will have lost a good source of home heating.

 

[SoCalAngler]

Requires Apple Silicon and Ventura or later for the ML selection tools per notes when you scroll down and expand the version 2.6 features. It is in a footnote. This was also stated in notes for the beta release.

All of my Macs (iMacs and Minis) are intel based.

Bummer. For the rest of the winter (assuming you are in the northern Hemisphere) you will have lost a good source of home heating.

I'm in coastal southern California. Don't need the heat - the sun warms up my office pretty well.

My newest intel based Mac Minis are only 3 years old. My newest iMacs 5 years

 

[Night Pixel]

AI has finally arrived in Affinity Photo (but the AI selection tools are optional, and the pre-built models need to be downloaded)! No AI generative fill, but lots of UI improvements.

It’s another free upgrade for anyone with 2.n.

https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/whats-new/

Affinity Revolution demonstrates some of the new features:



This video covers the entire suite so only parts are of interest to photographers. The rest is about Publisher. See time codes:

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

0:10 Object Selection Tool

3:55 Multi-Page Spreads

4:41 Anchor Toward Spine

6:04 Reflow Pages

8:39 Pencil Smoothness

9:08 Auto Close

9:39 Node Tool Improvement

10:05 Auto Apply Color Picker

10:34 Searchable Brushes

10:53 New RAW Formats

11:04 Move Pages

11:24 Page Thumbnails

12:43 Reading Order Panel

12:18 QR Code Data Merge

13:40 Master Tags

--
"A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know." - Diane Arbus

 

[ATP62]

The new object selection Tool is a huge step forward

 

[Box Brownie]

The new object selection Tool is a huge step forward

Thx for sharing that one.

His coverage though very quick to keep up was insightful especially in regard to wildlife subjects

The new tool does look like a bit of a game changer for Affinity Photo.

Oh, I noted on that video he only install one part of the available tools models. In the other video posted she installed both parts. Has anyone got any insights about each subset of the installable machine learning models downloads ?

 

[Digital Nigel]

The new object selection Tool is a huge step forward

Thx for sharing that one.

His coverage though very quick to keep up was insightful especially in regard to wildlife subjects

The new tool does look like a bit of a game changer for Affinity Photo.

Oh, I noted on that video he only install one part of the available tools models. In the other video posted she installed both parts. Has anyone got any insights about each subset of the installable machine learning models downloads ?

The Saliency model (which helps decide what’s important) is only needed for subject detection whereas the Segmentation model is needed for both tools.

Incidentally, these AI selection tools are also available in the iPad version. Is that common in tablet editions?

 

[Night Pixel]

The new object selection Tool is a huge step forward

Thx for sharing that one.

His coverage though very quick to keep up was insightful especially in regard to wildlife subjects

The new tool does look like a bit of a game changer for Affinity Photo.

Oh, I noted on that video he only install one part of the available tools models. In the other video posted she installed both parts. Has anyone got any insights about each subset of the installable machine learning models downloads ?

Here is another good demo:

 

[IanYorke]

AI has finally arrived in Affinity Photo (but the AI selection tools are optional, and the pre-built models need to be downloaded)! No AI generative fill, but lots of UI improvements.

It’s another free upgrade for anyone with 2.n.

https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/whats-new/

Robin Whalley has an interesting comparison between Affinity and PS,

Ian

 

[grsnovi]

Works nicely and is a welcome addition.

 

[Ken53]

The new owners investing resources into Affinity is a good sign.

 

[Hustle76]

The new owners investing resources into Affinity is a good sign.

When the purchase was announced, it was said that there would be investment Affinity and also shared development between it and Canva - the latter that is pretty common as there’s usually greater return on investment than if just one team/company was involved.

Canva had said that its purchase would accelerate the rate that new features would be rolled out. Although it’s easy to be cynical with these things (and I think it’s fair to say a fair few articulated it here), there were strategic reasons for the purchase and from what was being reported, what Canva/Affinity said was going to make sense in terms of that overall strategy for the foreseeable future anyway.