MiroMiroThe Photo Editing Software Problem Nobody's Really Solved. (🧵)
1/ Finding good, affordable photo editing software is getting genuinely frustrating.
2/
After Apple acquired Pixelmator and Photomator, updates quietly stalled. VSCO used to be great — now it feels more like a social platform cosplaying as an editor. You can't even export your edited work in full quality. What's the point?
After Apple acquired Pixelmator and Photomator, updates quietly stalled. VSCO used to be great — now it feels more like a social platform cosplaying as an editor. You can't even export your edited work in full quality. What's the point?
3/
I'm not interested in Lightroom's forever subscription. CaptureOne is arguably the best tool out there, but it's priced for working professionals, not hobbyists.
I'm not interested in Lightroom's forever subscription. CaptureOne is arguably the best tool out there, but it's priced for working professionals, not hobbyists.
4/
I've poked around Digikam - the interface is rough, and the workflow isn't smooth. Affinity Photo recently went free, which sounds generous until you realise it's probably just a warm-up for a future paid model.
I've poked around Digikam - the interface is rough, and the workflow isn't smooth. Affinity Photo recently went free, which sounds generous until you realise it's probably just a warm-up for a future paid model.
5/
My wishlist isn't complicated. Native folder-based catalogue navigation. Clean, essential editing and masking tools without the bloat. Solid RAW processing. Film emulations that actually look good. And straightforward, high-quality export. That's it. Photomator gets some of it right.
My wishlist isn't complicated. Native folder-based catalogue navigation. Clean, essential editing and masking tools without the bloat. Solid RAW processing. Film emulations that actually look good. And straightforward, high-quality export. That's it. Photomator gets some of it right.
6/
Capture One gets other parts right. Film emulations that actually look good — the kind VSCO and AgBr do well. Nobody's put it all together at a sane price.
Capture One gets other parts right. Film emulations that actually look good — the kind VSCO and AgBr do well. Nobody's put it all together at a sane price.
7/
Every option comes with a catch. Too expensive. Too social. Too clunky. Too suspicious.
So I'm asking genuinely — what are you actually using? Any hidden gems that balance quality and price without making you feel like you're compromising one for the other? I'd love to know.
Every option comes with a catch. Too expensive. Too social. Too clunky. Too suspicious.
So I'm asking genuinely — what are you actually using? Any hidden gems that balance quality and price without making you feel like you're compromising one for the other? I'd love to know.
Spiralnebel@xmiromiro I am using digikam. It works for me, and as a Linux user, the number of options is not so big.
Harald@xmiromiro I still use Capture, but it’s gotten pretty expensive. In fact, it’s actually the only reason I still use a Windows computer, because otherwise I work exclusively on Linux. Unfortunately, I haven’t found a replacement yet. For image management (but not image editing), I now use digiKam. Some other people are now using darktable (Linux, Windows, Mac), and I’m going to give that a try as well.