Moving to a Pixelmator workflow feasible?

[Razeus]

My Adobe Photoshop/Lightroom Cloud sub is up in December, so I'm thinking about making a few moves.

Given my processing history, I don't do whole lot of processing since I mainly do urban landscape/street photography other than:

White balance
Color correction
Crop and/or straighten
Remove blemishes from faces (but not on the level of a pro retoucher)
Apply filters such as Nik Software
Sharpening, noise/chroma reduction

Of course I shoot RAW, but have been experimenting with JPEG only unless I'm doing portrait work.

I'm thinking Pixelmator is good enough to handle my needs and with the iPad app, even better.

Does anyone here have a Pixelmator workflow? Do you recommend it. How does it handle RAW?

 

[bhtwo]

I've briefly dabbled with Pixelmator, mainly to replicate my PS workflow.

Seems to do okay, I shoot RAW NEF which it opens no probs, although the RAW handling is not as flexible as the PS plugin, no white balance adjust for instance.

Don't have an iPad so dunno about that.

 

[MCAsan]

I use Pixelmatr as a plugin to LR for the very rare times that I can't do what I want in Perfect Photo Suite. I deleted PS long ago.

 

[swordio777]

For your needs, it sounds like Pixemator will do just fine. You can do most of what you need in the raw converter & plugins, so if you don't use photoshop regularly then it's probably overkill.

That said, for anything serious Pixelmator just doesn't cut it. It still doesn't have some basic, but necessary, features such as channels, adjustment layers and automation. For this reason it's still nowhere near photoshop for regular / intense use.

If you only open 1 image per 100 in photoshop and do the rest in your raw converter, then pixelmator will serve you well.

If you open 20 images per 100 in photoshop and like simple tools like a curves adjustment layer, stick with CC.

Hope that helps.

 

[Razeus]

For your needs, it sounds like Pixemator will do just fine. You can do most of what you need in the raw converter & plugins, so if you don't use photoshop regularly then it's probably overkill.

That said, for anything serious Pixelmator just doesn't cut it. It still doesn't have some basic, but necessary, features such as channels, adjustment layers and automation. For this reason it's still nowhere near photoshop for regular / intense use.

If you only open 1 image per 100 in photoshop and do the rest in your raw converter, then pixelmator will serve you well.

If you open 20 images per 100 in photoshop and like simple tools like a curves adjustment layer, stick with CC.

Hope that helps.

Well I know Pixelmator 3.3 for Yosemite is due "early November" so I'm holding out for that and wait to see if it goes on sale.

I use Lightroom for pretty much everything, but move certain images to PS for blemish removal and skin smoothing (portrait work) as well as using Nik Plugins so they can use layers instead of creating a dozen tiffs like LR does.

So Pixelmator doesn't have curves? Curvers per channel?

 

[swordio777]

Well I know Pixelmator 3.3 for Yosemite is due "early November" so I'm holding out for that and wait to see if it goes on sale.

I use Lightroom for pretty much everything, but move certain images to PS for blemish removal and skin smoothing (portrait work) as well as using Nik Plugins so they can use layers instead of creating a dozen tiffs like LR does.

So Pixelmator doesn't have curves? Curvers per channel?

It does have a curves option, but it works more like "apply image" in photoshop - baking the changes in. You can't have a curves adjustment layer (or any kind of adjustment layer for that matter).

Pixelmator doesn't seem to feature channels at all. So curves per channel is definitely not an option. If you use channels at all when editing outside of the raw converter then photoshop is the only game in town. It's the main reason I still use PS - I've been hoping to get away from Adobe's grip for years but no other image manipulation apps come close.

 

[OreoCookie]

Pixelmator doesn't seem to feature channels at all. So curves per channel is definitely not an option.

Pixelmator certainly has curves per channel:

 

[Razeus]

Pixelmator certainly has curves per channel:
Image

Ok cool. I was about to call this whole thing off.

 

[ChristianVirtual]

For my Canon raw file processing I still use my trusted Bibble Labs Pro (now Corel AfterShot Pro); for all the rest Pixelmator. No need to any Adobe Subscription anymore. I had once PS many version ago but gave up based on price for my private use.

 

[Razeus]

I need to think of a RAW convert to use since I'll lose Lightroom. Suggestions?

 

[OreoCookie]

Personally, the feature which was missing for the longest time was support for 16 bit per channel -- something the Pixelmator guys have added in version 3.1 (for the Mac Pro only) and 3.2 (for all Macs).

 

[paolo-]

Give the trial a spin. For me, the lack of adjustment layers makes it unusable as a Photoshop replacement.

 

[swordio777]

Pixelmator certainly has curves per channel:
Image

Ah, thanks for clarifying Oreo - apologies if I caused any confusion to anyone else. Original post updated.

I need to think of a RAW convert to use since I'll lose Lightroom. Suggestions?

Capture seems to get praise from those who use it. Might be worth downloading a free demo to see how you get on with it.

Also remember that Apple Photos is likely to have a decent raw converter, although the editing options may fall some way short of what you're looking for. Just a thought.

 

[960design]

Pixelmator workflow is definitely workable!

It was VERY tough for me to drop PS, at the time I had about 15 years PS experience, needless to say, I could think PS. As soon as hints of the cloud based, monthly model came along I started looking for alternatives.

Would GIMP work, it had been so long since I had messed with GIMP. To be honest, it would work for most people, it has certainly come a long way. But then I saw found Sketch and Pixelmator.

I've been a Pixelmator only shop for about the last two years and the latest updates certainly move it in right direction. Learning a new workflow took some time, I complained about how PS does this and that better / faster. But now if I tried to go back to PS I'm sure I would have some complaints about how Pixlemator does this / that better.

 

[Meister]

I am thinking about the exact same thing here. My CC is also due in december and my needs are similar to yours. I find myself to be using Lightroom most of the time, so I don't have tok much need for Ps. So are you actually thinking about moving to pixelmator as a Lr and Ps replacement or buy Lr and pixelmator seperatly, because that's what I was thinking about.

 

[MCAsan]

Suggest you try a trial copy of the Layers module in Perfect Photo Suite. The suite can be a plugin to LR or Aperture and it can also be run as a standalone. Version 9 should be released tomorrow.

http://www.ononesoftware.com/products/layers9/

 

[Razeus]

I am thinking about the exact same thing here. My CC is also due in december and my needs are similar to yours. I find myself to be using Lightroom most of the time, so I don't have tok much need for Ps. So are you actually thinking about moving to pixelmator as a Lr and Ps replacement or buy Lr and pixelmator seperatly, because that's what I was thinking about.

They've got a trial version I'm going to mess with. I still need an asset manager like LR or Aperture unless I go Finder & Folders only. The problem with LR is that Lightroom 6 is due spring 2015, so I don't want to get stand alone LR 5 then have to pay again for 6.

 

[OreoCookie]

The problem with LR is that Lightroom 6 is due spring 2015, so I don't want to get stand alone LR 5 then have to pay again for 6.

Isn't the writing on the wall that Adobe will move LR6 to a subscription model anyway?

 

[Razeus]

Isn't the writing on the wall that Adobe will move LR6 to a subscription model anyway?

That's what I'm waiting to see. It will be a shame if they do.

 

[phrehdd]

Why not keep your NIK software and find a copy of Lightroom that can be purchased (rather than subscription)?

Consider Lightroom as a "home base" or a DAM and then the 3rd party plug ins as your set of finishing tools.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Funny I'm thinking of going the other way when LR 6 is announced. Taking up a CC subscription.
Currently have LR 5, and didn't want to pay twice. Things I want photoshop for? Mostly stitching shots together (or is that possible in Pixelmator?).
My current range of software is top heavy, but I got it all free except LR (not pirated).
OnOne perfect photo suite 7.5
DXO optics 9 Pro
Filmpack 4
Viewpoint 2
Nik complete collection
MacPhun Tonality Pro
Macphun snap heel.
Macphun Intensify.

 

[MCAsan]

I need to think of a RAW convert to use since I'll lose Lightroom. Suggestions?

The raw converter that came with your camera. It should be able to produce TIF or other formats.

 

[Razeus]

The raw converter that came with your camera. It should be able to produce TIF or other formats.

I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.

 

[OreoCookie]

That's what I'm waiting to see. It will be a shame if they do.

Adobe's strategy is to move all of their products to a subscription model, that much is patently obvious, so IMHO it's just a matter of time. Hence, if you don't like to subscribe to software, you know that you have stay away from Adobe's products. I don't think it's useful to buy Lightroom 5/6 just to find out that Lightroom 7 is subscription-only and you're boxed in.

Personally, I'll wait for Apple's Photo app. Given the Pixelmator guys' proclivity for cutting edge API, I expect that they bundle part of Pixelmator as an extension which loads within the Photos app. Depending on your needs, that may or may not be enough.

 

[kenoh]

Funny I'm thinking of going the other way when LR 6 is announced. Taking up a CC subscription.
Currently have LR 5, and didn't want to pay twice. Things I want photoshop for? Mostly stitching shots together (or is that possible in Pixelmator?).
My current range of software is top heavy, but I got it all free except LR (not pirated).
OnOne perfect photo suite 7.5
DXO optics 9 Pro
Filmpack 4
Viewpoint 2
Nik complete collection
MacPhun Tonality Pro
Macphun snap heel.
Macphun Intensify.

Same here. I have LR5. I have NIk and Macphun tools but no PS. I am considering CC as I can afford £8 a month for it instead of £700 up front... 3 year TCO model still puts it cheaper than perpetual license.

Only problem is I think I want it because I think I need it to do photos properly rather than needing it. Most of my workflow is in LR plus a plugin...

It does get on my nerves the way it creates a new version each time though.