iPad App of the Year 'Affinity Photo' Updated With RAW Improvements and Limited-Time Free Add-On Brush Packs

Affinity Photo, which Apple named the iPad App of the Year for 2017, was today updated with a suite of "more powerful professional features," according to developer Serif. To celebrate the new update, users can also download three add-on brush and filter packs for free starting today.

Specifically, version 1.6.7 of Affinity Photo lets users shoot direct in RAW or HDR video from within the iPad app, and introduces upgrades for RAW processing so that the clarity of RAW images has improved. There's direct integration from the iOS Files app, enhancements to Drag and Drop, the ability to add personalized fonts, and much more, which you can glimpse in the Version History on the iOS App Store.

We've listed a few updates below:

- Save overwrites back to the same location, without needing to create a copy
- A new ‘Solo Layer View’ mode, allowing you to isolate individual layers instantly
- A new ‘Show Touches’ option to create more detailed screen captures – great for users who create tutorials
- Added ‘Average blur” filter from desktop
- Brand new shadows / highlights algorithm in Develop
- Brand new clarity algorithm in Develop
- New “Solo” layer option in layer properties panel
- New preferences option to show touches - good for screen recording
- Enhanced angle / tilt support for Apple Pencil
- Snapping candidates can be selected by hovering over them whilst in a drag

Starting today and lasting for the next two weeks (expiring March 8), Serif is also offering a trio of packs for free, available for Affinity Photo owners to download on the web. These include the Luminance Brush Pack (normally $9.99) with 13 light effect brushes, the Retouch Brush Pack ($9.99) with 20 retouch brushes, and Live Filters Macro Pack (already free) with 28 "non-destructive" live filter layers.

The base Affinity Photo for iPad app costs $19.99 on the iOS App Store [Direct Link] and is compatible with the 9.7-inch, 10.5-inch, and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, iPad Air 2, and iPad from 2017. For users with an iPad Pro, Serif notes that the app has been optimized for use with the Apple Pencil.