Photomator introduces full HDR support with advanced features for editing HDR photos captured with iPhone

[Aurelija]

Photomator 3.2 with full HDR support is here!

Unlock all-new creative workflows with full support for opening, editing, and sharing HDR images, including those captured with iPhone, or convert any photo to HDR with Smart HDR.

Learn more in our blog.

[afen261]

Amazing update!It is hoped that can be updated to support the output jpeg-xl and HDR gain map of heic.

[Sylwester]

The biggest limitations right now, as I see it, are:

1) Lack of support for separate editing of "base" and final HDR image used for computation of gain maps (similar to how it works in Lightroom)
2) Lack of support for gain maps in HEIF files

Still impressive update and hopefully just a beginning in terms of support for true HDR content.

[vett]

There is a grammatical error in the Russian localization of the function. The correct spelling is "Конвертирование в HDR", not "Конвертировка в HDR"

[Sean Eves]

Updated app on Mac and some NEF raw images appear very dark after opening. The thumbnails in the Photos browser look correct. I’m looking forward to the new HDR support!

[iSJ]

Wait, what about for Pixelmator Pro?

[Samanta]

Amazing update!It is hoped that can be updated to support the output jpeg-xl and HDR gain map of heic.

Thanks! Currently, Photomator supports gain maps for JPEGs, and implementing it was already a big challenge. As for HEIC files, we'll see what we can do with future HDR updates.

There is a grammatical error in the Russian localization of the function. The correct spelling is "Конвертирование в HDR", not "Конвертировка в HDR" <p><img src="//support-cdn.pixelmator.com/uploads-new/cuf_1700684514_IMG_4831.jpeg" class="postimage is-shown is-visible" alt="Image" width="218" height="229"></p>

Updated app on Mac and some NEF raw images appear very dark after opening. The thumbnails in the Photos browser look correct. I’m looking forward to the new HDR support!

Thanks for letting us know! We'll look into these issues. Regarding the problem with dark RAW photos, it is possible that this issue may arise if your display has limited HDR support. While we are actively working on resolving this, in the meantime, please consider disabling the Load HDR Content button in Photomator settings. This should allow you to continue working with RAW images as you did before.

Wait, what about for Pixelmator Pro?

HDR support will also be available in Pixelmator Pro. However, because Pixelmator Pro is a layer-based editor, there are some issue we need to address when it comes to working with HDR layers.

[duckbill360]

The exported HDR files are so huge.
Is it possible that we can get a smaller file size in the future?

[Martin Chalifoux]

Could you please explain the HDR button in the image editor. Sometimes it is just HDR, other times is show HDR+ or something similar. When we mouse over no explanation shows and nowhere in the documentation it is explained. I believe the + shows when the image is not HDR capable and ML just run to extract some HDR out of it, essentially for JPG. When editing a RAW which contains all the necessary HDR information, there is no + and no HDR ML processing is needed to reveal the details .Anyhow this must be documented because you sort of combined two functions that are very different in the same button. I expected HDR+ to be a menu option under ... like the other smart features such as Denoise and Deband. I think it would have been more consistent with the existing UI.

[afen261]

update for this

[Martin Chalifoux]

update for this<p><img src="//support-cdn.pixelmator.com/uploads-new/cuf_1700753765_______2023_11_23_23.33.01.png" class="postimage is-shown is-visible" alt="Image" width="288" height="121"></p>

Indeed if the histogram had that kink of information it would me useful as it would show what the HDR option adds to the picture.

[Joseph0111]

Loving the new update, I wanted to test it out exporting to HDR HEIC from a RAW file from my Sony Camera but once the photo is exported, the metadata is completely gone (I would like to preserve it) is this a bug?

[iSJ]

HDR support will also be available in Pixelmator Pro. However, because Pixelmator Pro is a layer-based editor, there are some issue we need to address when it comes to working with HDR layers.

That's awesome to hear, excited to see it implemented!

[dryfirewood]

The exported HDR files are so huge.
Is it possible that we can get a smaller file size in the future?
Friday Night Funkin

thank for it!

[Samanta]

The exported HDR files are so huge.
Is it possible that we can get a smaller file size in the future?

Depends on the format you have in mind. The size of HDR AVIF, HDR HEIC, and HDR JPEG files should be rather fine – the files can be slightly bigger than non-HDR files. HDR PNG and Photomator formats have larger file sizes because these formats preserve all the data, so no improvements can be made here.

However, if you have an HDR AVIF, HDR HEIC, or HDR JPEG file of an unusually large size, please drop it to us at support@pixelmator.com, so we can take a look at it.

Could you please explain the HDR button in the image editor. Sometimes it is just HDR, other times is show HDR+ or something similar. When we mouse over no explanation shows and nowhere in the documentation it is explained. I believe the + shows when the image is not HDR capable and ML just run to extract some HDR out of it, essentially for JPG. When editing a RAW which contains all the necessary HDR information, there is no + and no HDR ML processing is needed to reveal the details .Anyhow this must be documented because you sort of combined two functions that are very different in the same button. I expected HDR+ to be a menu option under ... like the other smart features such as Denoise and Deband. I think it would have been more consistent with the existing UI.

You're totally right about the functionality of the button. You can find more information about it in Photomator's in-app tips. On Mac, choose Help > Tips for Photomator > What's New.

Essentially, HDR and Smart HDR serve the same purpose, so we didn't want to put the Smart HDR button in the More menu.

update for this<p><img src="//support-cdn.pixelmator.com/uploads-new/cuf_1700753765_______2023_11_23_23.33.01.png" class="postimage is-shown is-visible" alt="Image" width="288" height="121"></p>

We're actually working on something similar.

[afen261]

Why can't I export exr format and HDR Still Image Video using iphone13 pro and iPad pro m2？I think the device can support it

[Samanta]

Why can't I export exr format and HDR Still Image Video using iphone13 pro and iPad pro m2？I think the device can support it

Mostly due to memory constraints, we implemented these options only on Mac.

[294790756@qq.com]

我们需要水印和exif编辑，这些小工具真的很重要

[Ben DePaz]

Is HDR support coming to Pixelmator Pro soon? I had some images I was editing and they looked beautiful in the photos app with their HDR. I was doing some fine tuning, and afterwards switched over to the Pixelmator Pro extension to use the brushes to get the image just right. But it wiped out the HDR when I opened the extension and then saved back! Fortunately, my publishing target was going to be in SDR anyway, but it was a letdown.

I’ve been doing a lot more of my photo workflows using photos for Mac and the Pixelmator Pro extension, and only going to photoshop if I need some heavy-duty specialized tool that I can only get in Adobe apps. Otherwise I love Pixelmator Pro - especially its Mac Photos integration.

[Joshua Hamilton]

I tried to create a workflow that allows me to covert many photos to HDR at once, but this doesn’t seem possible right now. Will this be added to the batch editing workflows section eventually?

[Andrius]

Is HDR support coming to Pixelmator Pro soon? I had some images I was editing and they looked beautiful in the photos app with their HDR. I was doing some fine tuning, and afterwards switched over to the Pixelmator Pro extension to use the brushes to get the image just right. But it wiped out the HDR when I opened the extension and then saved back! Fortunately, my publishing target was going to be in SDR anyway, but it was a letdown.

I’ve been doing a lot more of my photo workflows using photos for Mac and the Pixelmator Pro extension, and only going to photoshop if I need some heavy-duty specialized tool that I can only get in Adobe apps. Otherwise I love Pixelmator Pro - especially its Mac Photos integration.

We're finalizing this update at the moment – hopefully, it shouldn't be too long before it's available!

I tried to create a workflow that allows me to covert many photos to HDR at once, but this doesn’t seem possible right now. Will this be added to the batch editing workflows section eventually?

Yep, we'll be adding this in a future update.

[Andy SP]

When I export a 10-bit raw to HDR HEIF, it saves as 8-bit. Is this a bug?

Btw - saves fine if I choose 10bit HDR AVIF.

[294790756@qq.com]

我们需要水印和exif编辑，这些小工具真的很重要

[George Poon]

I am happy that Photomator finally makes HDR photo editing and export coming true in iPadOS. I tried to process several 14-bit DNG files and exported to HDR JPEG and HDR HEIC files. They looked good on iPhone and iPad with XDR display and Samsung device with HDR display.

Thanks for fixing in v3.2.6 --> So far, the only strange thing is Sharpen tool in Photomator. I opened a 14-bit DNG file in HDR mode. Everything looked good on iPad Pro XDR display after I tuned highlight and shadow. However, once I used Sharpen tool, the photo was darkened in mid-tone and shadow areas. This occurred even if I used 1% sharpening. This "darkening" occured in Photomator app and the exported HDR JPEG and HDR HEIC files.

Please help.

[Martin Chalifoux]

Feedback on the UI. HDR processing is great and I am grateful it is there. However I do not like the UI choices that were made.

1. When I open a RAW photo, HDR is automatically enabled. Since most of the time I do not want it first thing I do is press the HDR button to turn it off. It should not be enabled by default, that is the wrong choice. When we want it we can turn it on ourselves. I doubt most photo edits want this turned on when a RAW is opened, quite the contrary.
2. HDR and Smart HDR are on the same button. However they are two very different processes. HDR make use of the dynamic range already stored in the RAW or HIF file. Smart HDR (HDR+ icon) take a JPEG and make-up dynamic range using intensive computing. Both produce an HDR image but the quality is very different. The HDR button should only work to enable HDR in an image that have the necessary data (>10bits). The Smart HDR should be in the ... menu along with Denoise and Deband, which are similar functions that process the bitmap to improve the quality. The choice of putting HDR and SmartHDR on the same button is bad. They are not the same function and the end result is far from equivalent.