Updates and roadmap for PM

[Max Lemesh]

After a year of thinking if I should do it, trying out betas, I finally went and upgraded to latest PM. Perpetual license.

Now, two months into using it, not a single update was released, even a minor one that addresses case sensitive search issue. What are you guys currently working on? What features are being implemented?

We all know that the core of PM is great, nothing comes close to code replacements and metadata workflows. But with everything else is a big time catch up game for Photomechanic. Shortcuts, QoL improvements, AI features, customization of interface... some new feature maybe?

Please share your plans just a little. I doubt there anything ground breaking that competitors don't already have. But it would be great to know that PM will have it soon as well.

[Kirk Baker]

Max,

I can speak to what we're about to release for the macOS (Universal Binary).

This is from the ReadMe for the next build:

Added: Customizable keyboard shortcuts.  See the Keyboard Shortcuts page in the Settings (formerly: Preferences) dialog.
Added: New Metal-based Slide Show with better performance and stability.
Added: Uploader for new Zenfolio API.
Added: {filesizebytes} / {sizb} shows file size in exact bytes.
Added: Preference to enable/disable Recent items in metadata dialog popup menus.
Added: Open 'XFVC' folder when automatically opening Contact Sheets from camera disks via drag and drop.
Added: Support for Sony alpha 1 Mark 2 maker notes.
Fixed: Navigator crash when renaming a folder outside of PM.
Fixed: Check for updates on Universal Binary would inform you that you were up-to-date even when a newer build is available.
Fixed: ICU Normalizer Inconsistencies.  This could cause the wrong Unicode normalizer to be utilized.  This affected the Find / Find and Replace dialogs and caused them to be able to perform case-insensitive searches.
Fixed: Do not create a "Photo Mechanic Catalogs" folder if other catalogs exist.
Fixed: Color matching is inconsistent.
Fixed: Pressing 'D' in the Preview window removes the item from the selection but does not advance to the next image.
Fixed: Certain Affinity Photo files fail to render a preview.
Fixed: PM Basic Gallery exporter contextual menu download original (large) image.
Fixed: Reduce frequency that user is notified of a failure to check licensing server.
Fixed: Very high-resolution JPEG images fail to render in Preview when zoomed.
Fixed: Remove image file type choice from "Text Exporter" exporter template.
Fixed: Change preference page title from Preferences to Settings.

The Windows version will have a subset of these changes.  The Intel-only macOS version will have a subset of these changes.

[Jeff Vogan]

Customizable keyboard shortcuts sounds like a nifty feature. Looking forward to that one.

[Max Lemesh]

Added: Customizable keyboard shortcuts.  See the Keyboard Shortcuts page in the Settings (formerly: Preferences) dialog.

This feature alone is super awesome! Can't wait for the release now!

[Kirk Baker]

Release candidate available now: https://forums.camerabits.com/index.php?topic=16811.0

[runner]

For me it's just a matter of letting the guys at Camera Bits work their magic the product and support is incredible, in the past they've seemed to let the tail wag the dog, which if that was the case it wouldn't have been a nice position to be in.

[Max Lemesh]

HQ, requesting update. What's coming up? ))

[DanY]

I'm an owner of the last perpetual license before the company made the shift to subscription. I check in every 6 or so months to see if its worth my money to buy another license. Seems not. Seriously why do you guys not do feature parity between OSX and Windows?

Also if Affinity can offer perpetual licenses with the latest version lasting many years before "upgrades" I don't see why Camera Bits can't. Affinity is only on version 2 and they've been offering lots of improvements, features, and bug fixes. Recently they even added AI features which they've implemented in a very thoughful way... its an optional additional download.

Affinity's tutorial and learning resources are top notch and easy to access. The UI is modern and attractive. Gosh CB, you need to see things from your customer's perspective. For many the $$$ you're asking on a regular basis is just ridiculous.

Max,

I can speak to what we're about to release for the macOS (Universal Binary).

This is from the ReadMe for the next build:

Added: Customizable keyboard shortcuts.  See the Keyboard Shortcuts page in the Settings (formerly: Preferences) dialog.
Added: New Metal-based Slide Show with better performance and stability.
Added: Uploader for new Zenfolio API.
Added: {filesizebytes} / {sizb} shows file size in exact bytes.
Added: Preference to enable/disable Recent items in metadata dialog popup menus.
Added: Open 'XFVC' folder when automatically opening Contact Sheets from camera disks via drag and drop.
Added: Support for Sony alpha 1 Mark 2 maker notes.
Fixed: Navigator crash when renaming a folder outside of PM.
Fixed: Check for updates on Universal Binary would inform you that you were up-to-date even when a newer build is available.
Fixed: ICU Normalizer Inconsistencies.  This could cause the wrong Unicode normalizer to be utilized.  This affected the Find / Find and Replace dialogs and caused them to be able to perform case-insensitive searches.
Fixed: Do not create a "Photo Mechanic Catalogs" folder if other catalogs exist.
Fixed: Color matching is inconsistent.
Fixed: Pressing 'D' in the Preview window removes the item from the selection but does not advance to the next image.
Fixed: Certain Affinity Photo files fail to render a preview.
Fixed: PM Basic Gallery exporter contextual menu download original (large) image.
Fixed: Reduce frequency that user is notified of a failure to check licensing server.
Fixed: Very high-resolution JPEG images fail to render in Preview when zoomed.
Fixed: Remove image file type choice from "Text Exporter" exporter template.
Fixed: Change preference page title from Preferences to Settings.

The Windows version will have a subset of these changes.  The Intel-only macOS version will have a subset of these changes.

[jmc]

There's simply no accountability here, and it starts with the owner. From 2 years ago...embarrassing Dennis. 

"Why is Camera Bits doing this?

Camera Bits has big plans for how to add modern workflow capabilities to Photo Mechanic. The best way for us to bring new features to Photo Mechanic in a timely manner is through a subscription model. We note the success of other products in the photographic software space in making this transition. We truly believe this will benefit our users.
[...]
Improving the workflow experience for our customers is the #1 priority for us at Camera Bits, and we look forward to sharing these new updates and the options they will provide to Photo Mechanic users. Thanks for being here with us. We look forward to sharing our roadmap with you in 2024!

–Dennis Walker"

[jrp]

Agreed. Even spending our subscriptions on keep up to date with the latest apple / Microsoft releases would be something making the application faster still (its USP) and adding some AI features such as AI-based keywording using the various publicly available APIs would be something.

[Kirk Baker]

Dan,

I'm an owner of the last perpetual license before the company made the shift to subscription. I check in every 6 or so months to see if its worth my money to buy another license. Seems not. Seriously why do you guys not do feature parity between OSX and Windows?

We strive to make the two platforms as similar as we can.  The primary reason for lack of feature parity is because of differences that the two OSes provide for developers to utilize when building an application.  For instance, Apple offers a feature called AirDrop that Microsoft does not.  We cannot implement the AirDrop integration that we did on the macOS version on the Windows version.  Likewise, there are features on Windows that do not exist on macOS.  For instance, Windows offers right-click drag and drop.  We've taken advantage of that on Windows and we cannot implement a similar feature on macOS.

Other differences that are temporary come from having to develop the two platforms in parallel and having platform-based differences.  It is for this reason that PM.2025 offered customizable keyboard shortcuts on macOS first.  The next build of PM.2025 on Windows will also offer customizable keyboard shortcuts.  In this regard they will once again be equal.

-Kirk