Affinity Joins Canva: I wonder what this will mean for Affinity as it joins the Canva group. Hopefully, the move will not have a negative effect on the popular processing program. I...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I wonder what this will mean for Affinity as it joins the Canva group. Hopefully, the move will not have a negative effect on the popular processing program. I haven't used Affinity in a while, but it is a good program.

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

jerryc41 wrote:

I wonder what this will mean for Affinity as it joins the Canva group. Hopefully, the move will not have a negative effect on the popular processing program. I haven't used Affinity in a while, but it is a good program.

The last versions have started giving me trouble. I can't correctly load NEF files for example and I've been getting some strange behavior in other areas, like masks and such. Hard to nail down the problems as each time I get a Win10 update, my system gets a little more strange. Add to that my mental acuity ain't what it used to be, so there's that. Is it Win10, Affinity, my PC, my self? I suspect it's NOT Affinity as I've heard no rumblings in the ether about it. I've been very suspicious of win upgrades for many many years, and they always seem to cause problems after a new version of Win is released.

Not sure about Canva Groups. Never participated and have not a clue how it's implemented or how it could have a negative affect on Affinity?

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

There was an article in a business news journal this morning suggesting this will be viewed as threating big deal by Adobe! It is not so much about photography and photographers but more about the people that use photographs to make graphic arts things. The two key components are Canva and Adobe Express.

Dennis833 Loc: Australia

Affinity has actually sold out to Canva and I'm predicting that they will introduce a subscription model in the future.

Delderby Loc: Derby UK

Dennis833 wrote:

Affinity has actually sold out to Canva and I'm predicting that they will introduce a subscription model in the future.

Do you know whether it is just the Affinity suite going to Canva, or is it Serif itself? I'm wondering what might happen to Serif's legacy programs.

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

Dennis833 wrote:

Affinity has actually sold out to Canva and I'm predicting that they will introduce a subscription model in the future.

Just yesterday after reading Jerry's post a YouTuber I follow posted about the same thing.

Historically, this type of thing doesn't go well. Think of SketchUp, the 3d CAD program or NIK. If/When they go subscription they will lose a lot of business I think, at least they will lose mine. I personally will likely go back to PS because I think Affinity is a very close clone of PS yet still not in first place. If I'm going to pay rent (may go to GIMP) I might as well pay for the first place app.

Not being a professional, $120/year for PS is not a good deal. I just went 6 months w/o using an editor at all, and paying rent all that time would irk me a bit. I left PS precisely because of their marketing scheme and the fact Affinity was almost a clone of PS w/o the rental nonsense. Actually I was always irked by PS marketing/pricing being designed for the professional. Affinity perfectly fit the amateur/non-professionals needs both in function and pricing. I figure that is about to change.

TucsonDave Loc: Tucson, Arizona

Delderby wrote:

Do you know whether it is just the Affinity suite going to Canva, or is it Serif itself? I'm wondering what might happen to Serif's legacy programs.

According to both Serif and Canva, Serif was purchased by Canva for about 1 billion US dollars. I use Affinity's suite of programs and they sent a second joint notice this morning that said they would maintain all of the 90 employees of Serif and also they pledged to continue provide fairly priced programs. Schools and other organizations will be given Affinity for free, as well

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

BigDaddy wrote:

Just yesterday after reading Jerry's post a YouTub... (show quote)

"Not being a professional, $120/year for PS is not a good deal."

Did you ever have to buy film for an SLR? Did you ever see that as a "good deal"?

One way I see software subscriptions as a good deal is that the provider has established a steady and predictable income stream. That allows them to actively manage development and maintenance of their products. The old school model of licensing creates a boom and bust cycle that turns product development into a gamble.

Cwilson341 Loc: Central Florida

I saw that and was encouraged!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

TucsonDave wrote:

According to both Serif and Canva, Serif was purchased by Canva for about 1 billion US dollars. I use Affinity's suite of programs and they sent a second joint notice this morning that said they would maintain all of the 90 employees of Serif and also they pledged to continue provide fairly priced programs. Schools and other organizations will be given Affinity for free, as well

That sounds good.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Jerry, precisely today I sent an email to Seriff Co. regarding their software and I mentioned that I was very disappointed in their sky replacement, laborious and not always satisfactory to say the least. I told them that I expected the new company will look more into AI like so many other software manufacturers have done.

I had an unfortunate incident by which I lost all of my editing programs. I have been able to recover some of them but Affinity Photo version I was not one of them. I have been considering if it will be worth to recover the software again because to make the basic editing that I do I do not need Affinity any more. I have a technician coming to repair the computer and I am glad that at least I can communicate with my fellow photographers at Ugly Hedgehog.

SteveFranz Loc: Durham, NC

bsprague wrote:

"Not being a professional, $120/year for PS i... (show quote)

How about Photoshop Elements? You get nearly all the PS capabilities for a one time payment for about half of what the PS annual subscription costs. And you can use it for as many years as you wish.

Drbobcameraguy Loc: Eaton Ohio

Delderby wrote:

Do you know whether it is just the Affinity suite going to Canva, or is it Serif itself? I'm wondering what might happen to Serif's legacy programs.

It is serif itself. I hope they don't go to a subscription model. If so I'm out.

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

bsprague wrote:

"Not being a professional, $120/year for PS is not a good deal."

Did you ever have to buy film for an SLR? Did you ever see that as a "good deal"?

Only for 25 years. I never paid a monthly fee. If I used my camera, I paid, if not, I didn't.

bsprague wrote:

One way I see software subscriptions as a good deal is that the provider has established a steady and predictable income stream. That allows them to actively manage development and maintenance of their products. The old school model of licensing creates a boom and bust cycle that turns product development into a gamble.

Plenty (the overwhelming majority) of software developers do NOT do subscriptions, and plenty of those got very rich when they had a good product. PS has always priced their product for the professional and provided the average Joe damaged goods. It's their product, they can rent it, over price it or whatever they want. I, as a consumer can reject it.

Affinity made it rather easy to write off PS marketing schemes and enjoy a fine product at a very reasonable one time price with free upgrades. Hopefully this won't change but if/when it does, I'll again be looking for alternatives.

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

SteveFranz wrote:

How about Photoshop Elements? You get nearly all the PS capabilities for a one time payment for about half of what the PS annual subscription costs. And you can use it for as many years as you wish.

Elements is a full blown PS product that PS put a lot of work and effort into just to disable enough of the real product to make seem like a good idea to spend less money on an editor. This is a tactic I despise. They actually put a lot of money and effort into diminishing a product to sell it cheaper. It's not like it cost more to develop PS, it actually cost time and money to dumb down to PSE.

Of course I recognize the marketing tactic, but I don't like the attitude. Affinity took full advantage of offering a very viable alternative. Hopefully this will not change, but I'm not holding my breath...