Affinity Photo 2 Review: Is It Worth Using or Buying

Part 1: What Is Affinity Photo 2?

Affinity Photo 2 is a powerful professional photo editing software for creatives and photographers. Made by Serif, it’s fast, precise, and has innovative tools. Available on macOS, Windows, and iPad, Affinity Photo 2 is an update to the original Affinity Photo with advanced features and a new user interface to speed up your workflow.

Unlike subscription-based software, Affinity Photo 2 is a one-time purchase, so it’s a cost-effective solution for those who need professional-grade photo editing tools. With real-time adjustment layers, flawless photo retouching, and full RAW development, Affinity Photo 2 lets you bring your creative vision to life.

⚖️ Affinity Photo 2 vs Photoshop

While Photoshop has long been the industry standard, Affinity Photo 2 competes with a compelling combination of affordability and performance. Photoshop requires a monthly subscription, Affinity Photo 2 is a one time payment. Both have layer management, advanced selection tools and RAW processing but Affinity Photo 2 has live filters and custom brushes that match Photoshop.

System Requirements

• Operating Systems: macOS 10.15 Catalina or later, Windows 10/11, iPad OS 15 or later
• RAM: 8GB or higher recommended
• Disk Space: 3GB
• Graphics Support: Metal or DirectX 12 for optimal performance

Part 2: Main Features of Affinity Photo 2

Affinity Photo is a great tool for editing and enhancing landscapes. It’s for photographers of all levels so it’s a versatile and affordable option. Here are the main features:

Affinity Photo has non-destructive editing, so you can experiment with adjustments without altering the original image data. This is perfect for nature photographers, as you can try things out without the risk of permanent changes.

Affinity Photo handles RAW files easily and lets you optimize dynamic range, color detail, and overall image quality. The RAW processing tools give you stunning results and keep your landscape shots authentic.

The HDR Merge feature combines multiple bracketed exposures to create high dynamic range (HDR) images with great detail and contrast. Perfect for capturing the full tonal range of landscapes.

Focus Stacking is a game-changer for landscape photographers who want edge-to-edge sharpness. By merging multiple images taken at different focus distances, Affinity Photo creates one image with incredible sharpness from foreground to background.

Affinity Photo has a range of tools for landscapes:

• Sky Replacement Tools: Enhance or replace skies.
• Lens Correction: Correct lens distortions.
• Selective Color Adjustments: Fine-tune colors.
• LUT Support: Apply Look-Up Tables (LUTs) to transform image style and mood.

With a full layer-based editing system, you can isolate, blend, and apply selective adjustments. This allows for intricate compositions and detailed editing while keeping your original image intact.

Affinity Photo’s masking tools allow for selective edits and smooth transitions between elements. Create feathered or hard-edged masks to get professional-level blending and avoid harsh edges.

Luminosity masking makes selective adjustments based on brightness levels. You can target highlights, midtones or shadows for adjustments so you have precise control over brightness, contrast, and other image attributes.

Affinity Photo has user-friendly interfaces for HDR and Focus Merge so you can fine-tune dynamic range and depth of field.

Import and apply LUTs, and you can experiment with color grading and get unique looks for your work.

Why Affinity Photo

Affinity Photo’s ease of use, powerful tools, and ability to handle complex edits make it perfect for landscape, wildlife, and macro photography. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, Affinity Photo has everything you need to create unforgettable and professional images.

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Part 3: Is Affinity Photo 2 Free? – Affinity Photo 2 Price

Affinity Photo 2 is not free, but its pricing model offers excellent value for money. Below, we provide a detailed comparison of its free trial and pro version, along with pricing and benefits.

The free trial and pro version both have full feature access, advanced photo editing tools, and nondestructive editing. However, the trial is limited to 30 days. The pro version is a one-time payment and gives you permanent access and updates. So, the pro version is perfect for professionals who need a long-term editing solution.

Part 4: Affinity Photo 2 Tutorial for Beginners

Affinity Photo 2 is a great tool for beginners and professionals who want to edit photos like a pro. Here are the steps to get started.

• Visit Affinity Photo. Click "Buy Now" or "Free Trial". Select your OS (Windows/macOS/iPadOS), download, and install.

• Open Affinity Photo, choose File, then go to “New” to create a new document. Set your document size and other settings.

  

• Go to “File”, click “Open” to import your image, or drag and drop an image directly into the workspace.

• Use the “Crop Tool” to change the composition and size of your image and the Straighten Tool to fix any tilted images.

• Use the Brush Tool, like Inpainting Brush, Blemish Removal, Healing Brush, etc. to remove unwanted objects or spots by painting over them.

  

• Organize your edits with “Layers”. Each adjustment or element gets its own layer, making future changes easier.

  

• Enhance colors and tones using “Adjustment Layers” such as brightness/contrast, curves, or HSL to modify the image’s look.

  

• Make specific edits by using the Selection Tool to isolate areas you want to adjust.

Part 5: Pros and Cons – Real User Experience

Affinity Photo 2 is perfect for those who want professional-grade photo editing software without the hassle of subscription fees. Its nondestructive editing and affordability make it a favorite among photographers and designers. However, there is no built-in DAM system, so you may need to use third-party software like DXO Photolab. And while powerful, the interface may be a learning curve for beginners.

Real User Reviews to Affinity Photo 2

Pros and Cons

Affinity Photo 2 is a fantastic option for creative professionals seeking powerful tools without ongoing subscription costs, though beginners may face a learning curve.

Part 6: Issue Fix: Affinity Photo 2 Buggy on Windows 11

Some users have found that Affinity Photo 2 is buggy on Windows 11, with problems like slow performance, crashes, or freezing. Here are some easy fixes to try:

Solutions for Affinity Photo 2 Issues on Windows 11

• Update Software: In Affinity Photo 2, go to Help, then Check for Updates.
• Adjust Compatibility: Right-click the app icon, select Properties, then go to Compatibility, and enable compatibility mode for an older Windows version.
• Update Graphics Drivers: Update via Device Manager or GPU websites (e.g., NVIDIA, AMD).
• Disable Hardware Acceleration: Go to Edit, Preferences and then go to Performance in the app and uncheck Hardware Acceleration (GPU).
• Install Windows Updates: Go to Settings, then go to Windows Update and install all updates.
• Reinstall App: Uninstall and reinstall Affinity Photo 2 from the official website.

These steps should help resolve most issues and improve the software's performance on Windows 11.

Part 7: Best Affinity Photo 2 Alternative to Enhance Photo Quality without Bugs

While Affinity Photo 2 is a strong contender in the editing space, some users may experience performance issues or require an easier, bug-free alternative. 4DDiG AI Photo Enhancer is an exceptional solution for enhancing photo quality with advanced AI technology. This AI-driven software simplifies photo enhancement. It offers superior-quality restoration, upscaling, and noise reduction without the complexities of traditional editing software.

• AI Powered Enhancements: Automatically enhance and sharpen images for clarity and detail.
• Upscale Images: Scale images up to 4K and higher resolution without losing quality.
• Awesome AI Models: Offer General, Face, Colorize, and Denoise AI models.
• Photo Colorize: Add suitable and realistic colors naturally to black-and-white photos, restore old or faded images.
• Noise Reduction: Remove graininess for sharper images.
• Batch Processing: Enhance multiple images in bulk at once.
• User Friendly Interface: Designed for all levels of users with simple navigation.
• Wide Format Compatibility: Support multiple formats, such as JPG, PNG, TIFF, WEBP, RAW, SVG, and more.
• Multiple Usages: Deal for all users in any field across any scenario. Suitable for any photo type, such as product photo, portraits, etc.
• Photo Resize: Can enlarge and zoom out images with losing quality.

• Get the software installed on a PC or Mac. On its home screen. click “AI Enhancer” from the left and pick “Photo Enhancer” afterward.

  
  Note:

  To colorize photos, please select the bottom-right “AI Colorizer” from the “AI Enhancer” section.

• Proceed to hit the middle button “Add Photos” to import the images you want to enhance. You can select one or multiple images for batch processing.

  

• Choose from the available AI modes, such as General, Denoise, or Face, based on your editing needs. It is recommended to set the Resolution as X4, which will increase the resolution to 4 times the original one.

  • General Mode: Enhance, sharpen, and denoise photos overall to improve resolution and clarity. Best for all types of photos
  • Face Model: Optimize facial details and features, making face more natural and out-look. Best for portraits, resume pictures, etc.
  • Denoise Model: Focus on removing unwanted noise, blemish, and grain from photos. Best for high-ISO and night pictures.
  • Colorize Model: Add natural and realistic color to images. Best for old, faded, and B&W photos.

• Adjust the settings menu's noise reduction, sharpness, and resolution for more control. Use the Preview to see before and after. Once happy, click “ Save” to save your image.

  

With 4DDiG AI Photo Enhancer, you can easily edit your photos and get professional results without the complexity or bugs of traditional software. Try it now to turn your images into masterpieces!

Conclusion

Affinity Photo 2 is a versatile and affordable alternative to Photoshop, offering a range of powerful tools and AI capabilities. However, for users seeking enhanced photo quality without bugs, 4DDiG AI Photo Enhancer is an excellent choice. Its intuitive features and advanced AI make photo editing effortless and effective.