ACDSEE PHOTO STUDIO 2024 VS AFFINITY PHOTO 2: WHICH IS THE BETTER RAW EDITOR FOR 2023

In this video we have another exciting RAW editor shootout as pit the newly released ACDSee Photo Studio Professional 2024 with its new AI masking with the ever reliable Affinity Photo 2 Which one gives the best bang for the buck? Watch the video to find out!

[@librarycollection3795]

I am subscribed to your channel. I know your intent for this video was good, but this video sort of missed the mark. The basic version of ACDSee, I my opinion, was not the right version to use for the comparison. All of the shortcomings you "exposed" in the Studio version of ACDSee, do not exist in the Ultimate version. The studio version is more suitable for BEGINNERS. For a bit of an extra cost, professionals can get the Ultimate version, which is loaded with advanced masking tools for precise adjustment control that will easily equal their competition. ACDSee will release its 2025 version by the end of September 2025. Personally, I own the 2023 version, but I can tell you it's pretty sophisticated

[@takebetterphotos8132]

I actually do have acdsee ultimate 2022 and the ACDSee Photo studio 9 for the mac version. Looking forward to review 2025 with the AI masks. However, don't you find ACDSee a bit slow opening RAW files? That was my experience, hopefully they can address.

[@arievanderwyst9371]

A very one sided comparison, from the beginning you know already Affinity is going to win. But you show lots more options that Acdsee has than Affinity with its few sliders. And still you just announce the latter to be the winner. It doesn't make sense.

[@takebetterphotos8132]

Do you think it should be ACDSee winning?

[@alejandroceppi3707]

@@takebetterphotos8132 I do, but it is only an opinion and I guess that in this respect, the waters might be divided. At least when it comes to developing Raw files, for which task I think ASDSee is better for its versatility, management of colour, amount of filters and masking capabilities. Of course, some people might prefer Affinity Photo now that once processed a Raw file in the Develop mode and loaded in the edit mode, it allows returning from there to the Develop mode as many times as you might need, as the resulting layer from the conversion becomes kind of an intelligent object.
Differently if comparing the edit mode of both, where maybe Affinity Photo might be better in some respects, and more conventional. ACDSee Ultimate has some AI selection tools that Affinity Photo hasn't, and it allows to directly work with DNG files also in the Edit mode, but it all depends on which kind of edits you want to apply to an image, and Affinity Photo Edit mode is very complete.
ACDSee has an incredibly powerful file management capability, but an advantage with Affinity Photo is the possibility to open an image or open or creat a file in Publisher, and then work with it indistinctively with Publisher, Designer and/or Photo if one has the whole Affinity's software suite which comprehends three programs. This programs in conjunction are incredibly powerful. Both programs, Affinity Photo and ACDSee Ultimate are very good, and both have different strengths (being the reason for which I have both).

[@alejandroceppi3707]

​@@takebetterphotos8132 I do, but it is only an opinion and I guess that in this respect, the waters might be divided. At least when it comes to developing Raw files, for which task I think ASDSee is better for its versatility, management of colour, amount of filters and masking capabilities. Of course, some people might prefer Affinity Photo now that once processed a Raw file in the Develop mode and loaded in the edit mode, it allows returning from there to the Develop mode as many times as you might need, as the resulting layer from the conversion becomes kind of an intelligent object.
Differently if comparing the edit mode of both, where maybe Affinity Photo might be better in some respects, and more conventional. ACDSee Ultimate has some AI selection tools that Affinity Photo hasn't, and although it can't save as DNG, it allows to directly work with DNG files (if converted to such with a different program) also in the Edit mode, but it all depends on which kind of edits you want to apply to an image, and Affinity Photo Edit mode is very complete.
ACDSee has an incredibly powerful file management capability, but an advantage with Affinity Photo is the possibility to open an image or open or creat a file in Publisher, and then work with it indistinctively with Publisher, Designer and/or Photo if one has the whole Affinity's software suite which comprehends three programs. This programs in conjunction are incredibly powerful. Both programs, Affinity Photo and ACDSee Ultimate are very good, and both have different strengths (being the reason for which I have both).

[@sexysilversurfer]

You have to use the Light EQ to tone down highlights and raise shadows for precise control in ACDSEE. I’m using the 2020 version and I find that ACDSEE can’t get enough detail out of high ISO raw CR2 files.

[@noobdaddyraces]

my experience as well. 2024 is not much better, i'm afraid ACDSee is just not good enough for RAW development

[@takebetterphotos8132]

Thanks for your comment. The light EQ does not work with RAW data directly only the processed output. That's the reason you can't get the detail you want. What they should do is fix their fill light and highlight sliders to make their product more useful.

[@takebetterphotos8132]

They need to speed it up as well. The lag is the most problematic aspect.

[@achilleprz2325]

@@takebetterphotos8132 What you mean with "processed output"? I use both ACD Photo Ultimate, Affinity Photo plus some other apps and find that every one has its strenght and its weakness, but the light equalizer for me is great. P.S. Im not a professional photographer, only an hobbyist. Bye and thank for your tutorials.

[@takebetterphotos8132]

I mean the lighteq adjustment is not performed ion a raw file natively but after the raw file has been developed. Its just like in Affinity there is a difference in editing latitude if you adjust toned in photo persona (non raw) vs develop persona (raw)

[@noobdaddyraces]

Great compare as always

[@takebetterphotos8132]

Thanks glad you found it useful 👍