Version 3.0.x – Call for Feedback

In the past, I have released large feature updates about once a year, somewhat in line with Apple’s OS updates. This year, I fell far behind that schedule. I had a lot of improvements (like the UI changes) done almost a year ago, but there were too many essential features unfinished. Also, large features like Photo library support on Mac required Catalina (actually, it required a stable Catalina).

Now that 3.0 is in the books, I have begun a different approach to development and releases. Future versions will be smaller and come out more often. 3.0.1 and 3.0.3 had a bunch of bug fixes and some improvements. Version 3.1 will continue that; it won’t be a huge release, but I plan to add a mix of fixes, minor features and few mid-sized features as well (for example, a new adjustment or two). Brushing won’t be in that release, before you ask.  That requires more work than a 3.1 can absorb (and some time to think about it).

Many of you send me emails with requests or bugs, which is a very good way of getting feedback. There is also the forum which has been more active recently.

However, sometimes I get feedback from places like YouTube comments or App Store reviews, which are not good ways to give feedback. Same with Twitter, frankly.

Still, here is another way to give feedback. I have a large list of features, so I’m not looking for any more of those right now. Instead, I’m asking you to suggest small tweaks or report annoying bugs that you would like addressed. Include the issue and your suggested fix. It’s fine to email me instead if you prefer (support@gentlemencoders.com)

I’ll get you started. “When cropping on iOS, if I miss one of the corners in the crop box by just a little, the app will resize the box from one of the edges (like the left or right edge). Instead, it should just do nothing, and it should be more forgiving about how close I have to be to a corner.”

Version 3.1 already has a bunch of improvements (like the one with crop I just mentioned), as well as improvements to swiping and zooming on iOS, Favorites on Mac, and more).

Finally, if you were not on the 3.0 beta, but want to be on the 3.1 beta, email beta@gentlemencoders.com and let me know if you want to test Mac, iOS or both. Thanks.


Comments template here.

43 comments

  1. Mike
    May 31, 2020 at 8:28 pm

    Congratulations on producing a nice flexible product.
    I must admit I rarely use it but I am impressed by the progress you are making with its development.
    I will continue to study it with interest. Perhaps soon I will start to use it more.
    My main go-to on my PC is Lightroom 6 standalone but for final product I like DXO Photolab.
    On my iOS device I use ACDSee Mobile.

  2. Arnd Bronkhorst
    June 1, 2020 at 12:48 am

    My hope is that it will be a “real” Aperture replacement. I would love that, instead of having to use Lightroom. In order to replace LR, RAW Power needs to have local adjustments in some shape or from, preferably like Aperture had, like adjustable layers or blocks. I really dislike the way LR impends local adjustments with the dots, leaving you to figure out which block is for what.

    1. Nik Bhatt
      June 1, 2020 at 2:45 pm

      Brushing / local adjustments are planned. I had an implementation but ran into a show-stopping limitation in the Photos library. I have to redesign the implementation entirely 🙁

      1. John Driggers
        July 7, 2020 at 6:28 am

        Long been a fan of Raw Power from the early days to its current form. Like others report, the bit missing from version 3 are local adjustments.

        I’d be very happy with just graduated filters (including radial) that only included luminosity/contrast/brightness and color/hue that could be stacked for starters.

        I can wait for masks, brushes and layers and other more complex adjustments in a later version. But lack of even a simple graduated filter is currently the only thing keeping me from making RP3 my primary tool. And I’d so like to make it my primary tool because I like everything else about it.

        1. Nik Bhatt
          July 7, 2020 at 1:28 pm

          Thanks for the feedback. I do plan to add a graduated filter into the app. I don’t have an estimate for when – but it’s definitely on the list. Sorry I don’t have anything more concrete. Thanks for providing the specifics of what you are looking for that. That helps a lot.

  3. Jos Bex
    June 1, 2020 at 1:59 am

    Great work, you did in creating Raw Power.
    There are two things that I would like to be clarified or implemented, as a user who likes to place the files in the filesystem. First is having control over the sidecar files with adjustments. At the moment the sidecar files are located in the user’s home directory. Problems arise when when having a huge library. It would be nice to have the possibility to store the sidecar files on another location, like an external drive.
    Next is working sort of offline, when disconnected from your main image storage. for example when traveling. It would be convenient if there were a solution to move files to another directory tree or disk, without losing the adjustments made.
    Just keep up the good work.

    1. Nik Bhatt
      June 1, 2020 at 2:47 pm

      Sidecars are only created for images that have edits, so I figure that is a small percentage of all images. Ratings and flags are stored in a database, also in the application’s sandbox. I would like to add a feature to export sidecars + ratings, etc. and import them as well. That would allow a travel or other workflow like you described.

  4. Markus
    June 1, 2020 at 6:40 am

    Hi Nik,

    I think, you did a good job with the version 3.x. I was looking for a solution of RAW development on my iPad pro and not using the adobe stuff. But i‘m missing something:
    I would like to see the possibility to add some graduated filters f.e. for overexposed skies.
    The other thing is the possibility, to syncronize my edits and my RAW files over the icloud with your desktop app.

    Best regards
    Markus

    1. Nik Bhatt
      June 1, 2020 at 2:47 pm

      Graduated filters are on the list, but I do not have an ETA for them.

  5. David Redfearn
    June 1, 2020 at 9:27 am

    I appreciate the improvements and fixes – but actually, I would prefer fewer (and, I assume, larger) updates to the software – at least the app pushed out by the stores. If you want to continue to run a beta version, with frequent updates, that would be fine, and then I could decide whether I really needed to look at the changes now, or could wait for the App Store release.

    David

    1. Nik Bhatt
      June 1, 2020 at 2:48 pm

      The advantage of larger updates is less churn, but then valuable features are stuck in the labs for long periods. Many customers are uncomfortable running beta software. I don’t plan to release weekly or monthly. Perhaps quarterly.

  6. Susan
    June 1, 2020 at 2:12 pm

    I am very much enjoying using RAW Power and recently downloaded your newest update. I am very grateful to have a program to use that approximates Aperture. Thank you! Also, I am very glad that you plan to have smaller and more frequent updates. That works great for me out here in the country where internet speeds can get very slow. Large files sometimes never even make it, but small ones are no problem.

    Now I may be displaying some of my ignorance, but, in the search for information, what does that matter, right? 😉 I cannot detect any changes occurring when using the RAW Processing section, I select “RAW Sharpen” or “RAW Contrast” tools and slide the dot back and forth. This happens (or rather DOESN’T happen) even if it is the first edit I try. Are the changes so slight they don’t show, or what am I doing wrong?

    ~Susan

    1. Nik Bhatt
      June 1, 2020 at 2:49 pm

      Those adjustments can be subtle – it depends on the camera. Please email support@gentlemencoders.com and send me a RAW that doesn’t seem to respond to those sliders and I’ll take a look. Thanks.

  7. Andy Plumlee
    June 1, 2020 at 2:39 pm

    Thank you for getting this going !! Im an old Aperture 3 user and was hoping someone would get this going!! I stumbled across this program a few months back and I started using it because I am looking for a replacement for LR. So far I really enjoy the program and the LUTs !!
    My request for improvement would be (unless I have missed something), able to have a visible copyright signature and/or the ability to add to the metadata to protect the artist. If the options are there please send me a note on how to get it done.
    Thank You

    1. Nik Bhatt
      June 1, 2020 at 2:50 pm

      I would like to improve the export function in a near-term release. That would include adding copyright and author to the exported image. Is that what you are asking for?

  8. Paul Alexander
    June 3, 2020 at 11:38 pm

    Loving the software. Thanks for making it happen. Could I suggest that RP provides the option to edit raw or jpg when they are paired in Photo Library. Currently only raw is available to edit (unless I have missed something). Therefore if for a pair, I want to do a crop or something simple on the jpg, I have to go to Photos. This is OK, but there seems to then be some confusion between RP and Photos as to what has been edited and what shows.

    1. Nik Bhatt
      June 4, 2020 at 10:25 am

      Yes, a switch for R+J editing is on the list. The biggest problem is actually finding a place to put it.

      On the Mac, it could be in a menu, kind of where Photos puts its “RAW as Original” menu item. On iOS, though, it’s more difficult to find a spot. Have any suggestions?

  9. BobShaw
    June 4, 2020 at 6:30 am

    Hi Nik,
    Enjoying the ride. Almost there as an Aperture replacement.
    As you know, cropping is a big need for me.
    When I crop an image the Crop and Straighten HOD is too far down, so I need to close all of the White Balance, LUT, Tone etc Triangles to move the Crop And Straighten up.
    I make the adjustment and go to the next image and have to do it all again. They do not remain closed for the next image.
    I also need an easy way to bring up the crop guides. In Aperture you just type C. A lock to hold a horizontal or vertical origin would be good too.
    Bob

    1. Nik Bhatt
      June 4, 2020 at 10:23 am

      Hi Bob,

      You can reorder the adjustments to fit your workflow order. It does not change the order they are applied – that is fixed. To do that, go to the Adjustment menu in Edit and pick Reorder Adjustments. There is a bug where the app opens adjustments too aggressively. Since you did not find that reordering feature, I must not have done a good job of making it visible. Did you look for the feature and not find it? Where did you (or where would you have) looked for it?

  10. Mark
    June 4, 2020 at 12:33 pm

    Excellent progress. What amazes me is how responsive the App is, even on an old 2012 MacBook Pro.
    In terms of the current user interface I’d like to see “solo mode” added to the Adjustments panel to reduce the need to keep collapsing and scrolling the right-hand panel. The perspective control also seems to cause excessive “stretching” towards the edges and doesn’t work smoothly.

    Looking further ahead I’d love to be able to ditch my Adobe subscription to LR & PS, but can’t do that until local adjustment features are included, namely heal, clone and local contrast, saturation and levels adjustments.

    Mark

    1. Nik Bhatt
      June 4, 2020 at 5:26 pm

      Other people have suggested a solo mode; I’m looking into it. If you have used the iOS version, it has such a thing (especially on iPhone in landscape screen orientation) – it’s a little different on iPads.

  11. Nik Bhatt
    June 5, 2020 at 2:35 pm

    I started tweeting improvements as I make them. You can view them at @gentcoders, or by accessing this URL: https://twitter.com/gentcoders

    1. Jim Justiss
      June 5, 2020 at 10:45 pm

      I would like to be able to adjust the size of an exported picture. For example, exporting from Photos has different sizes and different levels of compression, so the file can be KB to several MB.
      Also as with Photos, it would be nice to be able to export several selected pictures. (I know, you can’t edit multiple pictures. That would be nice, too!)

      1. Nik Bhatt
        June 6, 2020 at 7:59 am

        There is control over size of exported images – you can pick from a range of built-in sizes and also a custom size. That’s based on pixels. There isn’t a way to pick a maximum file size in KB or MB. You can also export multiple images as well (and even apply presets or paste adjustments to multiple images at once. There are videos on my YouTube channel that show how to do that:

        IOS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM8vrmv6xoM

        Mac: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvBtnhEXuX4%5D%5D

  12. Robert Sager
    June 7, 2020 at 11:05 am

    I’m very impressed with how responsive Raw Power both as a standalone and under Photos for raw editing. I was a content Aperture user for many years and quite upset when it was discontinued. My photography focuses mostly on plants, flowers, fungi and birds. I loved Aperture’s hierarchical keywords so I hope that is on your todo list. I use the keywords to easily find photos of a particular species or even a higher classification such as all finches. This is doable in photos by adding a great many keywords. It was far easier in Aperture.

    1. Nik Bhatt
      June 7, 2020 at 12:36 pm

      Hierarchical keywords are possible, but right now, the app cannot read or write keywords at all (in a Photos library). I have asked Apple to provide a way for apps to do that (in a supported fashion). I don’t know if that will allow hierarchy or not.

  13. jfsipley
    June 7, 2020 at 3:09 pm

    I also am a former Aperture user that was sad to see it go. I was also hoping for a replacement which included the ability to edit EXIF data. As I have been unable to locate a way to access & edit EXIF I am concluding it is not available in RP.

    Is it a future possible?

    Thanks again for all your efforts they are much appreciated.

    1. Nik Bhatt
      June 7, 2020 at 4:24 pm

      It depends on what you want to edit in EXIF and how you access your photos. The Photos library currently offers very little EXIF editing options for apps – only the capture time and location. There is no supported way to add a copyright, for example (which is actually IPTC, not EXIF, but still). The File Browser could have more EXIF / IPTC editing and it’s something I’d like to add. If Apple adds the ability to manipulate more fields in the Photos library, then I can add features there too.

      1. jfsipley
        June 7, 2020 at 7:32 pm

        Thanks for the reply and education. Accordingly, I would like to have access to the IPTC for the purpose of adding copyright etc.

  14. BobShaw
    June 7, 2020 at 4:27 pm

    Thanks for your ongoing help, Nik.
    When Exporting images you appear to have only one Custom option where you can enter a pixel dimension for the longest side. Is it possible to save presets here? I have many different requirements for competitions and customers that are all different. eg 2400×1600, 1024 x768, 1200×1600, etc that I can name with the customer name or the competition name or Facebook etc, as I don’t remember the numbers. Can saveable be Presets be made and also restriction by both sides so that either dimension does not exceed the allowed, please?

    1. Nik Bhatt
      June 7, 2020 at 5:13 pm

      Export presets already have the side restriction you are referring to – the number you enter is the longest side’s dimension (not specifically horizontal or vertical side). Then it calculates the other side based on aspect ratio and that side will be smaller than the other. So if you pick 2048 and your original is 4:3 aspect, you will get either 2048 x 1536 or 1536 x 2048 depending on the orientation of your image. I tried to explain that in the export dialog, but perhaps it was unclear. Custom presets are certainly possible; I’ll put them on the list.

  15. BobShaw
    June 11, 2020 at 3:55 pm

    Hi again Nik,
    My Aperture Library and Photos Library etc are currently on the same external hard drive as my Original files. This is good because I can plug it onto another computer if needed and nothing changes. My Aperture Library is currently 289GB with 106K referenced files. Raw Power “standalone app stores adjustment information in its “sandbox container” which is located at:
    (Home)/Library/Containers/com.gentlemencoders.RAWPower/Data”
    This means not only is it on a fixed computer but also a fixed user. Can this be moved please to the external drive as my internal drive space is limited?

    1. Nik Bhatt
      June 11, 2020 at 9:07 pm

      Hi Bob,

      I had not considered that as an option, but it’s certainly possible. I guess it could be analogous to the iTunes library – it’s usually in ~/Music, but you can put it wherever you want. Please note that the sandbox isn’t very large – it’s only storing edit data (very small) and previews for edited images [and a small database]. I’ll make a note of your request.

      1. Gary D
        June 18, 2020 at 5:46 am

        I’ld like to second the request to relocate the “sandbox container” to another location and would add the ability of the IOS version to be able to use it for its editing data as well. That would allow us to edit on iPad and pickup on Mac with out having the PHOTOS library in the middle.
        Gary

        1. Nik Bhatt
          June 18, 2020 at 9:59 am

          Yes, this would be a great thing to have.

          Syncing the sidecars and previews is straightforward. The biggest obstacle is the small database in RAW Power 3. The database is used for two things: badges and filtering, so it stores ratings, flags, edit state, etc.

          Databases are not easy things to synchronize over iCloud – it’s certainly possible to do, but there are some gotchas that have to figured out first.

  16. David Redfearn
    June 14, 2020 at 12:15 pm

    Nik:
    I’ll post here as I think the question might be of interest to others. This concerns the Raw Processing “Boost” control. Say that I want to see the image without _any_ adjustments. Is is sufficient to move the boost control to 0 or do I also need to move the other RAW Processing controls to 0? Per your Help Boost seems to mostly affect Contrast – to create more “punch” than the very flat RAW image. I have tried moving the other controls to 0 and it seems to mostly affect exposure (it darkens the image). I think some discussion of the theory of RAW processing would be very helpful (and how Boost works) – it’s a very confusing topic. DxO PL3, for example, has a preset “No Correction” but they note that “PL still performs demosaicing using all the basic settings that are optimal for your camera.” If you output the PL3 “No Correction” and the RP3 “A7RM4 RAW No RAW Adjustments” the images are different. RP3 seems much closer to what I expect the RAW images to actually “look like”. PL3 is still doing some image processing.

    David

    1. Nik Bhatt
      June 14, 2020 at 3:42 pm

      You would want to move all the sliders to the left. That will turn off most everything (there are a few very esoteric things that don’t have controls exposed). Boost will affect the look the most, but you can also turn off sharpening, noise reduction, gamut map, etc. Gamut Map has a big effect on saturated images.

      Yes, a detailed description of RAW processing works would be valuable, though that’s different from a discussion of Apple’s RAW (boost being an Apple-specific algorithm).

      To make it easier to turn things off, you can create a preset that has all the sliders moved left and then make it a camera preset that applies to your specific cameras (in the Manage Presets interface).

      Here is a link to a such a preset. You can import it through Manage Presets and then set it to be a camera preset – then it will always apply it to unadjusted RAW images from that camera.

      https://www.dropbox.com/s/usf5t91xuyu30q8/RAW%20Develop%20Disabled.rawPowerPreset?dl=1

      1. David Redfearn
        June 15, 2020 at 11:28 am

        Nik:
        Thanks. I’m not sure I would ever need to use “turn everything off” but I keep running into photographers who say that is the way they want to start editing. That came up in a DxO PL3 Forum discussion – but as I noted, even using the PL3 preset “No Correction” yields an image that still looks like it has had the contrast and exposure increased. This seems to be another unique capability of Raw Power – you really can turn off a lot of the RAW conversion changes. Even Fast Raw Viewer (designed to show the “RAW” image applies image adjustments by default.
        David

  17. Jan Neumueller
    June 24, 2020 at 5:38 pm

    I use RAW Power as a replacement for LR6 and am quiet happy with it – reminds me of the Aparture days. I’m missing one feature often: split and/or side-by-side view while developing to get a quick comparison between original and edited version. Would be great if that gets added.

    1. Nik Bhatt
      June 25, 2020 at 10:51 am

      I’m looking into a few different options:
      1) The ability to view two different images at the same time
      2) The ability to see before and after side-by-side.

      I’m personally not a fan of A|B curtains, but many people seem to like them. I don’t like them because they show me two different parts of the image – I want to see the same part of the image, but before and after.

  18. TeddyG
    September 17, 2020 at 8:06 am

    Besides the obvious brush adjustments, etc. already mentioned above, I’d love to see export enhanced such that I could create a rename template for adding custom text after the file name. You currently allow custom text, but it’s a complete replacement, not a pre/post addition. As an example, I’d like to be able to add “-RAWPwr” on the end of the exported filename such that MyFile123.ext exports as MyFile123-RAWPwr.ext.

    Keep up the gr8 work!

  19. TeddyG
    September 25, 2020 at 8:08 am

    How about changing the location of the sidecar files such that they’re stored where the RAW files are stored? That way, we can use RP more like a “Session editor” instead of a “Library editor”. Specifically, when using On1 RAW, I put all new RAW files in a folder, edit them, then move them (along with their sidecar files) to a NAS drive for storage. Later, if I want to re-edit them, I just copy the RAW with its sidecar back to the ON1 local folder and continue editing where I left off.

    1. Nik Bhatt
      September 25, 2020 at 11:15 am

      Yes, I would like to offer more options for storing the sidecars, including next to the image.


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