Pixelmator for Mac Updated With El Capitan Split View Feature and Photos Extension

[MacRumors]

Popular photo editing app Pixelmator for Mac was today updated to version 3.4, adding full support for Apple's latest operating system, OS X El Capitan. The new version of Pixelmator supports the Split View feature in El Capitan, allowing Pixelmator to be used in full screen mode alongside another app at the same time.

The Pixelmator Photos Extension, which can be used directly within Apple's own Photos app, introduces Metal-based Distort tools for editing images. With these tools, areas of the image can be reshaped in Photos to retouch them or add artistic effects. The extension was built using Apple's powerful graphics-processing technology, Metal.

"Pixelmator always takes advantage of the latest Mac and OS X features and technologies, and today we're thrilled to introduce Pixelmator 3.4 Twist with full support for new OS X El Capitan, the ability to work in Pixelmator and a second app without any distractions via Split View, and a new, Metal-based Pixelmator Photos Extension," said Saulius Dailide, one of the founders of the Pixelmator Team. "Pixelmator Photos Extension features a collection of powerful distort tools, which allow users to distort images with stunning quality and incredible speed right inside the Photos app."

Other improvements added today include Apple's San Francisco font as the new user interface font and enhanced support for the Force Touch trackpad, which is designed to make painting with the trackpad a smoother experience.

Pixelmator can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for $29.99. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Pixelmator for Mac Updated With El Capitan Split View Feature and Photos Extension

 

[bbeagle]

The developers of Pixelmator are really quick. They're usually one of the first products to support anything new in Apple's OSes. Plus, Pixelmator is just an amazing graphics editing program. So much like Photoshop, but 95% cheaper. I've been using it for about 2 years now. Love it.

 

[Archty]

Affinity Designer still far away better

 

[jwm]

The developers of Pixelmator are really quick. They're usually one of the first products to support anything new in Apple's OSes. Plus, Pixelmator is just an amazing graphics editing program. So much like Photoshop, but 95% cheaper. I've been using it for about 2 years now. Love it.

Got to love anything that puts pressure on the Adobe machine!

 

[Merode]

Pretty disappointed as I was waiting for Repair Tool. The one found in Photos is primitive and Pixelmator's one is amazing.

 

[Keane16]

Great app, great dev support. One of my Mac favourites.

 

[NazgulRR]

Awesome! Just waiting for the discount to jump on it Loving the iOS app.

 

[2457244]

Nice.. Only a bummer we can't update because the App Stores and iTunes are down again!

I'm a long time Pixelmator user and fan, almost from the beginnings but I think it's about time the Pixelmator developers start developing something for real and fresh. This Pixelmator version is clearly a 2007 app that got tweaked here and there to make it more fancy and playful towards the latest version of OS X.
They should rebuild or release a massive update for Pixelmator. Of course we have to pay again for this update or new version after so many years and free updates but the current version isn't worth 30,- as an Mac App when you can buy Affinity Photo for 50,- which is, -or comes very close to a real Photoshop alternative based on features..

When I'm using any app on my Mac and I can't even increase or decrease the input value ( 20% to 30% ) by using my UP and Down keyboard keys I think you are in trouble as an app developer today.

 

[OneZweiThree]

I want to get a little into photography (mainly with iPhones and maybe later with a dslr). Can you guys and girls recommend Pixelmator? Or is there a better alternative out there at a similar price point?

 

[2457282]

I got Pixelmator after Apertures death was confirmed. Generally, I have found it to give me everything I need. Two things however -- the interface on the ipad seems better and easier to use than on the mac; they should reconcile the UIs a bit so they are more consistent. With Photos and Pixelmator, I am not able to update the metadata for things like GPS location or date; this feature should get added soon -- PLEASE.

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

Much needed update.

 

[Mr. Chewbacca]

Affinity Designer still far away better

It is but it is hard to use with the photos app, each picture you want to edit has to be saved separate form your photo library. Not a big deal for a pro but a pain for novice users.

 

[Even Longer]

Thanks, MR! I was just thinking: its about time for Pixelmator to be updated.

Read MR news -> checked AppStore for updates -> installed -> happy again .

 

[WaxedJacket]

I haven't switched over to Photos yet. iPhoto is still my goto but I'm a huge fan of Pixelmator.

 

[r.harris1]

It's been interesting to play with all of the Photos extensions that have come out in the last week or so, and while they are all still very much 1.0 (if that) releases, it's been nice to get some local edits back plus letting developers who know what they are doing add their expertise to Photos. Macphun's Snapheal, Tonality, Intensify, Noiseless, FX Photo Studio are all available as extensions, as is Affinity Photo (retouch with dehaze), and Pixelmator (distort). DXO is working on theirs too.

One annoyance is that none of the developers seem to be able to retrieve the last edit that they did so there's no history. In other words, if I go into Intensify and set the exposure to a certain value, save and go in again, it doesn't display my previous setting but acts as if I am starting from scratch. I know that this capability is available in the extensions API so I hope this gets added.

Otherwise though, the ability to not have to do round trips is great and Macphun (some ex Nik folk there), Affinity Photos and Pixelmator are all doing great work on their respective platforms and creating true alternatives and a more vibrant market place. Looking forward to more and better.

 

[Donka]

Apple need to get Photos updated to fully support external editors and not just by way of an extension. Only then can Photos realise its potential.

 

[joueboy]

So is this the moment I've been waiting for? Photos extension and I hope it's not like the iOS that only supports filters. I'm hoping something like Lightroom working hand in hand with Photoshop.

 

[Donka]

So is this the moment I've been waiting for? Photos extension and I hope it's not like the iOS that only supports filters. I'm hoping something like Lightroom working hand in hand with Photoshop.

Unfortunately not. Until Apple introduces an 'Edit in third party application' feature for Photos, these extensions will only likely provide a subset of the parent applications functionality which is the case here.

 

[TMRJIJ]

Been waiting for this update as soon as I heard that El Capitan Photos would have Extensions.
I love Pixelmator so much that I forgotten that I had Adobe Photoshop in my Applications folder.

 

[doelcm82]

Unfortunately not. Until Apple introduces an 'Edit in third party application' feature for Photos, these extensions will only likely provide a subset of the parent applications functionality which is the case here.

I get the impression that the only edits that are allowed by extensions are those that are "non-destructive", meaning you can come back months or years later and undo them, because the underlying photo file was not actually changed. That's why we get mostly filters, and now these metal-based distortions, but not Pixelmator's repair tool, which changes the actual pixels of the image.

 

[r.harris1]

I get the impression that the only edits that are allowed by extensions are those that are "non-destructive", meaning you can come back months or years later and undo them, because the underlying photo file was not actually changed. That's why we get mostly filters, and now these metal-based distortions, but not Pixelmator's repair tool, which changes the actual pixels of the image.

There are extensions (Snapheal for example) that do exactly those sorts of changes. Pixelmator is simply at this stage releasing something similar to what they already have on iOS. Check out some of the other extensions if you have any of the Macphun products, for example.

 

[rick987611]

Do any of these new extensions correct lens distortion? I'd like to dump my Lightroom subscription, but I want something that can do what I need through a photos extension. Correcting lens distortion is one thing I haven't found in any of these.

 

[r.harris1]

Do any of these new extensions correct lens distortion? I'd like to dump my Lightroom subscription, but I want something that can do what I need through a photos extension. Correcting lens distortion is one thing I haven't found in any of these.

None do this at this point. However, DXO is working on an extension and it may be that they will work that functionality in.

 

[peglegjack]

Can someone tell me if the Pixelmator extensions work in Non-Metal based Macs? I'm not able to see at the moment.

 

[dyn]

Have you enabled it in the System Preferences > Extensions > Photos?