First look: Pixelmator 3.3 with support for 5K iMac, Handoff, Repair extension, more
Popular image editing software developer Pixelmator on Thursday released version 3.3 of its eponymous Mac app, bringing a host of new functions that take full advantage of Apple's latest OS X Yosemite features.
Dubbed "Limestone," Pixelmator 3.3 sports a refreshed user interface, tie-ins with tentpole OS X Yosemite Continuity features, iCloud Drive integration and support for Apple's latest high-resolution iMac with Retina 5K display. AppleInsider was able to test drive the latest Pixelmator software prior to release.
Compared to the previous Pixelmator 3.2 Sandstone, version 3.3 adds a bit of polish to the already easy-to-use interface, though not much was changed in the way of usability. Like OS X Yosemite, Pixelmator ditches shaded drop-down menus in favor of transparent panes, while other menus are now scrollable within the main tool windows, such as the Effects Browser.
Menus are now integrated into tool bar panes.
Pixelmator 3.3 brings back the same set of powerful editing tools, including the amazingly fast and accurate Repair Tool. Introduced in version 3.2, Repair lets users paint over an object they want removed with a resizable paintbrush cursor. The software uses specialized algorithms to process the surrounding area, remove the unwanted section and stitch together a cohesive background, making the image whole.
According to Pixelmator, the code is streamlined to be easy on system resources and users can choose from "quick," "standard" and "advanced" levels of processing depending on the editing situation. Most recently, the company introduced the Repair Tool as the highlight feature of its first foray into mobile image editing, Pixelmator for iPad.
Repair Tool used to delete objects within red boxes.
On the topic of mobile utility, the latest Pixelmator for Mac bakes in support for Handoff, an OS X Yosemite Continuity feature that allows users to start a project on Mac and hand it off to an iOS device, or vice versa. Other image editors with cross-device support, like Adobe's Lightroom series, use proprietary cloud services for syncing.
Unfortunately, Handoff was disabled on our preview version of Pixelmator, though the app icon did appear to the left of the dock in OS X. Clicking on it brought up a window telling us to enable iCloud storage, which was already turned on for both devices. Pixelmator has confirmed that the feature will be enabled in the Mac App Store version.
The preview app also did not have extensions enabled, so we were unable to test out the Repair Tool's capabilities in Mail or Text Editor. The idea is great in theory and we have no doubt it will be a valuable addition to Apple's own Markup utility.
Syncing with iCloud Drive did work, however, allowing for easy storage and access across Apple's range of products. Like other apps, Pixelmator builds in iCloud Drive integration as a "Save" option.
Finally, the app adds support for the new iMac with Retina 5K display, allowing for a huge work canvas, large native file handling and multiple open projects.
Pixelmator version 3.3 is available from the Mac App Store for $29.99 or as a free update for existing users. Those new to the software can try it out free for 30 days by visiting Pixelmator's website.
Dubbed "Limestone," Pixelmator 3.3 sports a refreshed user interface, tie-ins with tentpole OS X Yosemite Continuity features, iCloud Drive integration and support for Apple's latest high-resolution iMac with Retina 5K display. AppleInsider was able to test drive the latest Pixelmator software prior to release.
Compared to the previous Pixelmator 3.2 Sandstone, version 3.3 adds a bit of polish to the already easy-to-use interface, though not much was changed in the way of usability. Like OS X Yosemite, Pixelmator ditches shaded drop-down menus in favor of transparent panes, while other menus are now scrollable within the main tool windows, such as the Effects Browser.
Menus are now integrated into tool bar panes.
Pixelmator 3.3 brings back the same set of powerful editing tools, including the amazingly fast and accurate Repair Tool. Introduced in version 3.2, Repair lets users paint over an object they want removed with a resizable paintbrush cursor. The software uses specialized algorithms to process the surrounding area, remove the unwanted section and stitch together a cohesive background, making the image whole.
According to Pixelmator, the code is streamlined to be easy on system resources and users can choose from "quick," "standard" and "advanced" levels of processing depending on the editing situation. Most recently, the company introduced the Repair Tool as the highlight feature of its first foray into mobile image editing, Pixelmator for iPad.
Repair Tool used to delete objects within red boxes.
On the topic of mobile utility, the latest Pixelmator for Mac bakes in support for Handoff, an OS X Yosemite Continuity feature that allows users to start a project on Mac and hand it off to an iOS device, or vice versa. Other image editors with cross-device support, like Adobe's Lightroom series, use proprietary cloud services for syncing.
Unfortunately, Handoff was disabled on our preview version of Pixelmator, though the app icon did appear to the left of the dock in OS X. Clicking on it brought up a window telling us to enable iCloud storage, which was already turned on for both devices. Pixelmator has confirmed that the feature will be enabled in the Mac App Store version.
The preview app also did not have extensions enabled, so we were unable to test out the Repair Tool's capabilities in Mail or Text Editor. The idea is great in theory and we have no doubt it will be a valuable addition to Apple's own Markup utility.
Syncing with iCloud Drive did work, however, allowing for easy storage and access across Apple's range of products. Like other apps, Pixelmator builds in iCloud Drive integration as a "Save" option.
Finally, the app adds support for the new iMac with Retina 5K display, allowing for a huge work canvas, large native file handling and multiple open projects.
Pixelmator version 3.3 is available from the Mac App Store for $29.99 or as a free update for existing users. Those new to the software can try it out free for 30 days by visiting Pixelmator's website.
Comments
Jokes aside, has Adobe updated their apps to Yosemite? Do they include any of the new options Pixelmator does (Handoff, 5K support and iCloud Drive)? I use Pixelmator and Acorn and haven't touched Photoshop in years. No, I no longer deal with "professional" publications but I can do many of the things I used to do in Photoshop for a whole lot less money and agony waiting for Adobe to fix things.
Since I refuse to research it for myself, does Pixelmator have a CMYK mode and if so, does it also incorporate PMS ink colors for print?
Since I refuse to research it for myself, does Pixelmator have a CMYK mode and if so, does it also incorporate PMS ink colors for print?
Quick answer, no to CMYK although you can define a color in CMYK. Checking on defining PMS colors. From Pixelmator help (I'm not making a judgement on this, only reporting on what's there):
Understanding color modes and color spaces
The concept of the color model describes how colors in images are stored and processed. Pixelmator supports the RGB color model, which means that every dot in an image is described by three colors - red, green and blue. The RGB color model is universal, and it is used in computer displays or for storing digital photos.
A color space is a specific color model variant. It defines the gamut (the range) of color. For example, Adobe RGB, sRGB, Device RGB, ProPhoto RGB and so on are all unique RGB color model color spaces.
Each device - for example, your display - has its own color space and reproduces colors only in its gamut (space). So if your display has a narrower gamut, an image with wider gamut colors may change, given that each device interprets color values according to its own color space.
Therefore, color management is used to ensure that most colors are the same or similar enough when an image is transferred from one device to another.
Other Color models: Other well-known color models are CMYK, Lab, and Indexed Colors. Though Pixelmator understands images saved using these color models, it will convert them to sRGB when opening an image.
CMYK Myth: There is a myth that if you want to prepare an image for print, you have to work in the CMYK color model. That is not true. Being a naturally narrow color model for printing devices, CMYK has less image editing capabilities and usually produces a poorer quality. When working with images for print, one should edit them in the RGB color model and then rely on RGB-to-CMYK converting applications.
Alternately, if an image is being prepared for professional printing, RGB-to-CMYK conversion should be carried out by specialists.
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Color menu showing CMYK settings. Can also enter hex code for any color, even PMS if you have an RGB mapping table. I'm sure the developer could add a PMS color selection if requested. Just send them an email and see what he says.
Yes and no.
Pixelmator still does not support CMYK color mode. Yes, I agree...a head scratcher for me. I still have a major need for 4-color process production for our packaging artwork. Therefore I'm limited in using Pixelmator for these purposes.
It does incorporate Pantone color libraries, though limited to Coated, Uncoated, Pastel and Metallic. Those libraries do not seem to include the recent Plus and Bridge additions Pantone added in the last couple of years.
Jokes aside, has Adobe updated their apps to Yosemite? Do they include any of the new options Pixelmator does (Handoff, 5K support and iCloud Drive)? I use Pixelmator and Acorn and haven't touched Photoshop in years. No, I no longer deal with "professional" publications but I can do many of the things I used to do in Photoshop for a whole lot less money and agony waiting for Adobe to fix things.
5K: Yes, Photoshop will use as many pixels as your Mac can output.
Handoff: Sort of Yes, in Adobe's own way since Handoff wasn't a thing when Adobe developed the feature. Each major Creative Cloud Desktop App has a corresponding iOS App where files can be passed back and forth. This is powered by Adobe's Creative Cloud, not using any Apple-specific OS/iOS framework. Having not upgraded my production Macs to Yosemite, I imagine that there is no enhancement to this workflow based on Apple's Continuity framework, but that is just a guess.
iCloud Drive: I Don't Know, but why would Adobe rush to support this when they offer their own Creative Cloud storage service. I haven't updated any of my Macs with CC to Yosemite to test...I have my own sync service for graphic files using a Synology NAS and CloudStation so I'm in not hurry for iCloud Drive. I'll wait until my client's are all running Yosemite.
Remember: Creative Cloud is a cross-platform software suite, so while it is POSSIBLE Adobe will bake in MacOS/iOS-specific features for their Mac/iOS Users, I consider it far more likely that they will develop their own cross-platform solutions based on their own technology.
I'm totally happy that Pixelmator is a thing and that it is being improved. I do get tired of people characterizing Pixelmator as more advanced or feature-complete than Photoshop.
If you need Photoshop, you need Photoshop. You will know why you need it. Photoshop seems like a good value.
If you don't need Photoshop, perhaps (quite likely?) Pixelmator will accomplish your goals nicely. This doesn't make Photoshop or Adobe bad.
I think Pixelmator and Adobe hatched some kind of non-aggression pact early on.
It's the only reason not to include a CMYK mode. They clearly have the expertise to do it, and their user base/potential users have been begging for it since day one.
This whole excuse that "CMYK isn't the future" is either a really weak cover for the pact or a giant "we don't care what you want" from the developers. I think it's the former.
Yes and no.
Pixelmator still does not support CMYK color mode. Yes, I agree...a head scratcher for me. I still have a major need for 4-color process production for our packaging artwork. Therefore I'm limited in using Pixelmator for these purposes.
It does incorporate Pantone color libraries, though limited to Coated, Uncoated, Pastel and Metallic. Those libraries do not seem to include the recent Plus and Bridge additions Pantone added in the last couple of years.
https://affinity.serif.com/about/ ;
Mac Affinity Photo should support CMYK. I think they're going offer a nice complement to Pixelmator and other apps.
Jokes aside, has Adobe updated their apps to Yosemite? Do they include any of the new options Pixelmator does (Handoff, 5K support and iCloud Drive)? I use Pixelmator and Acorn and haven't touched Photoshop in years. No, I no longer deal with "professional" publications but I can do many of the things I used to do in Photoshop for a whole lot less money and agony waiting for Adobe to fix things.
Originally Posted by polymnia
5K: Yes, Photoshop will use as many pixels as your Mac can output.
Handoff: Sort of Yes, in Adobe's own way since Handoff wasn't a thing when Adobe developed the feature. Each major Creative Cloud Desktop App has a corresponding iOS App where files can be passed back and forth. This is powered by Adobe's Creative Cloud, not using any Apple-specific OS/iOS framework. Having not upgraded my production Macs to Yosemite, I imagine that there is no enhancement to this workflow based on Apple's Continuity framework, but that is just a guess.
iCloud Drive: I Don't Know, but why would Adobe rush to support this when they offer their own Creative Cloud storage service. I haven't updated any of my Macs with CC to Yosemite to test...I have my own sync service for graphic files using a Synology NAS and CloudStation so I'm in not hurry for iCloud Drive. I'll wait until my client's are all running Yosemite.
Remember: Creative Cloud is a cross-platform software suite, so while it is POSSIBLE Adobe will bake in MacOS/iOS-specific features for their Mac/iOS Users, I consider it far more likely that they will develop their own cross-platform solutions based on their own technology.
I'm totally happy that Pixelmator is a thing and that it is being improved. I do get tired of people characterizing Pixelmator as more advanced or feature-complete than Photoshop.
If you need Photoshop, you need Photoshop. You will know why you need it. Photoshop seems like a good value.
If you don't need Photoshop, perhaps (quite likely?) Pixelmator will accomplish your goals nicely. This doesn't make Photoshop or Adobe bad.
Sorry to characterize Rob53 as one of the people I am tired of. Your comment is perfectly reasonable, I am referring to other commenters in the last couple lines of my comment. I kind of get on a roll on this topic sometimes
I think Pixelmator and Adobe hatched some kind of non-aggression pact early on.
It's the only reason not to include a CMYK mode. They clearly have the expertise to do it, and their user base/potential users have been begging for it since day one.
This whole excuse that "CMYK isn't the future" is either a really weak cover for the pact or a giant "we don't care what you want" from the developers. I think it's the former.
Actually, I can see a very good technical reason that there is no CMYK mode in Pixelmator.
Pixelmator operates in sRGB color mode only, from what I can tell. It will convert other color spaces into sRGB. Since it doesn't natively work in other color models, you can't say they have the expertise. Even f they do possess the expertise to develop this capability, they haven't done the work to make it happen. It's not just flipping a switch. One of the backbone technologies built into Photoshop and all of Adobe's creative software is the color engine that manages all of this. It doesn't get a lot of marketing attention, but it is a crucial and extremely complex piece technology that makes traversing color models possible.
Sorry to characterize Rob53 as one of the people I am tired of. Your comment is perfectly reasonable, I am referring to other commenters in the last couple lines of my comment. I kind of get on a roll on this topic sometimes
That's ok. I only started managing typesetting and publication systems in 1978, moving to Mac-based systems with Postscript imagesetters in 1989 so I really don't have that much background in anything. I also fought Adobe for years when managing corporate licenses, tried to keep my artists and photographers happy with features Adobe had and didn't have, as well as the reduction of professional photographers once they started letting everyone carry a camera at work. The majority of photo work is for electronic distribution, not print, and I had to deal with that as well. Web sites, video, etc., don't use CMYK, they use RGB. Pixelmator has a soft proof capability, which includes standard CMYK settings. I can set my color profile to a variety of settings as well. No, Pixelmator is not Photoshop and I never said it was but I get tired of professionals who constantly feel they are above everyone else and won't even think about trying something different. The interesting thing is we did everything in RGB (multi-purpose usage of same images) and let our CTP RIP handle the post processing. Not everyone does it this way but we did and our customers were happy with the printed output.
If only iCloud storage was as private as the devices tied to it (Apple still holds the crypto-keys.)
That's ok. I only started managing typesetting and publication systems in 1978, moving to Mac-based systems with Postscript imagesetters in 1989 so I really don't have that much background in anything. I also fought Adobe for years when managing corporate licenses, tried to keep my artists and photographers happy with features Adobe had and didn't have, as well as the reduction of professional photographers once they started letting everyone carry a camera at work. The majority of photo work is for electronic distribution, not print, and I had to deal with that as well. Web sites, video, etc., don't use CMYK, they use RGB. Pixelmator has a soft proof capability, which includes standard CMYK settings. I can set my color profile to a variety of settings as well. No, Pixelmator is not Photoshop and I never said it was but I get tired of professionals who constantly feel they are above everyone else and won't even think about trying something different. The interesting thing is we did everything in RGB (multi-purpose usage of same images) and let our CTP RIP handle the post processing. Not everyone does it this way but we did and our customers were happy with the printed output.
I don't think I'm above everyone else. I do know that my needs are very extensive and specific in an image editor.
I won't bore you with all the details of my career, but suffice it to say I've been making my money with Photoshop & the rest of the Adobe design tools since 1994. In the same way I am the professional in this discussion, I'm not going to go to an Adobe Premier or AfterEffects news item (Applications I am a hobbiest at best with) and suggest that the latest features of iMovie (and the lack of immediate Adobe buy-in of said Apple technology) somehow makes these Pro-level Applications irrelevant.
There is a strong anti-Adobe bias around here. I find it ironic that a community of people who would pay more for a better Apple product turn around ding Adobe for charging what they do for (what I value as) a better product. The arguments supporting the dings of Adobe reek of the same disses Apple products receive: half-ass updates, cost too much—I could build this myself out of X, Y & Z for $XXX or I hate that Apple makes so much money. These same arguments that none of us would apply to Apple are casually thrown at Adobe and few question the validity of these comments.
Adobe deserves a better rap. They have always stuck with Apple (well, the video stuff disappeared for a few years, I'll grant you that). There are certainly software manufacturers who have abandoned Apple in much more significant ways (Autodesk, Intuit). After some missteps in web technology that directly harmed iOS users (Flash, etc) Adobe has regrouped, realigned and is now steaming full-speed toward building a suite of web-standards-compliant development tools.
All that said, I'm glad that Pixelmator is around and improving. I feel it is entirely appropriate that a high-quality image editor is available with a simpler interface, streamlined feature set and manageable workflow that meets the needs of the consumer market. I've never been a big fan of Adobe's attempt to appeal to this market: Photoshop Elements. I've tried to teach people how to use it and it's difficult.
Perhaps as time goes on, users will be able to use Pixelmator in professional environments as well. In the meantime, I'll stick with Photoshop for my work.
Pixelmator can be used for work.
Lots of it.
At a far cheaper price than PS.
Adobe can keep their rental leech ware.
Lemon Bon Bon.
Just so I can write intelligently about Pixelmator specifically, I bought it and attempted to do the first step in the task I have been working on all day: Opening RAW images to be used as the starting point of a photo composition.
Pixelmator did open the CR2 RAW file i needed, however there was no RAW conversion screen presented as the RAW was opened. So my guess is that it extracts the JPG Preview in the RAW rather than an actual RAW conversion with options. Either way, I was not offered the opportunity to adjust any RAW settings, defeating the whole point of the RAW workflow. Am I missing something? How do I convert a RAW file with Pixelmator?
If I open a RAW in Photoshop, Adobe Cameras RAW is automatically launched, the current RAW settings are displayed and I can manipulate the RAW conversion prior to opening the image as a layer in my document. I can even save the RAW as a Smart Object Layer so I can double click the layer icon and re-convert the embedded RAW without going all the way back to find the original file and re-convert. I merely make my adjustments and the layer is updated to reflect my edits in-place in the Photoshop document and layer structure.
So, I'm sure the Pixelmator can be used for some work, as Lemon Bon Bon suggests. I can say, however, that for what I'm doing today, Pixelmator is no replacement.
I'll certainly grant you that at $30 its a little over half one month of CC subscription. That is pretty cheap. However, If I can't do what needs to be done expediently, I'm going to stick with CC.
My CC subscription is less than one hour of my billing rate, so I just can't see the subscription as a hardship for myself. I probably spend more on coffee shops in a month than I do on Creative Cloud.
Adobe has over 13,000 employees, Pixelmator is a team of about 20 in Lithuania and the software was originally based around ImageMagick. Their development resources differ a bit. The Pixelmator team has made millions from sales so they have enough revenue to support their team for a long time and what they've achieved with their team is commendable. I think it would be difficult for that size of team to manage millions of lines of code, Adobe has changed millions of lines of code between versions of their suite.
For them to say things like:
"CMYK Myth: There is a myth that if you want to prepare an image for print, you have to work in the CMYK color model. That is not true. Being a naturally narrow color model for printing devices, CMYK has less image editing capabilities and usually produces a poorer quality. When working with images for print, one should edit them in the RGB color model and then rely on RGB-to-CMYK converting applications."
suggests they aren't familiar with the workflow. Converting colors automatically isn't something you'd rely on. If a printer can't get close to the RGB version then a designer would choose different colors that worked well together. The closest match in a different color space isn't always the right choice.
Some people won't even do print output at all though, the web and any digital publishing is all RGB. Having options is good and before Pixelmator, there really wasn't a cheap fully native image editor and it fills that need well. In some ways, I think it would be good if Apple had it as a bundled image editor in the iLife suite beside Garageband, iMovie etc. Microsoft bundles MS Paint.