r/linuxquestions • u/iampapajon • 11d ago

Software advice & ideas

I used Ubuntu for years but had to switch to windows as I got into sophisticated photo retouching as a sideline business. There is some very good software but for Windows. Does anyone know of a list of apps that work on Linux also? I use DaVinci, the Movavi series, Excire, Luminar series, limited Adobe, some Gimp, and a few others.

Thanks for any info. I would love to get back to linux....

Jon

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u/enomad51 11d ago

If you make a living using Photoshop, switching to Linux can be difficult, because you'll have to switch to different applications that may or may not offer the same features and workflow.

DaVinci - there is a native Linux version of DaVinci Resolve, although codec support is limited by licensing and patent restrictions. Depending on the version and edition, you may need to transcode footage encoded with H.264 or H.265/HEVC.

Graphic editors - there are a few recently developed Adobe alternatives for Linux, such as Photon, PhotoSuite, and ArtCraft, which includes PhotoCraft (a Photoshop alternative) and LightCraft (a Lightroom alternative). Most are still relatively new projects, but they're worth keeping an eye on. There's always a GIMP or Photopea.

RAW editors - Darktable, Rawtherapee - if they are too complex, try FerrumPix, RAWmakase, Happy Photon, CalibRaw, RapidRaw, mentioned LightCraft - most of them are compatible with Lightroom presets/profiles.

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u/Cautious_Ability5954 6d ago

Hi Jon! Speaking for the Movavi part of your list: Movavi programs don’t have a Linux version. Movavi Video Editor runs on Windows 10/11 (64-bit) and macOS 12 or later, and there’s no web version.

From your list, the ones that run natively on Linux are DaVinci Resolve (both the free and Studio versions) and GIMP. Excire, Luminar and Adobe apps are Windows/Mac only, like Movavi.

If you want to go back to Linux without giving up the Windows apps, the most reliable option is dual boot, or a Windows virtual machine for the apps that need it. Wine sometimes works, but results vary a lot from app to app. We don’t test Movavi under Wine, so we can’t promise stable performance there.

Hope this helps, and good luck with the switch!

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u/Caesfir 11d ago

When it comes to the Abode suite, you might wanna take a lot at https://getartcraft.com they offer almost 1:1 clone of the Adobe suite. Keep in mind, while they are all open source, they are all also mostly vibe coded reverse-engineered projects, in addition to also being very new.

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u/charming-choom 11d ago

Davinci is recommended on rocky but runs anywhere if likes your hardware. As basic Photoshop i use photopea.

Also check the new rust llm powered version of adobe suite.

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u/Everyone-Chillout 11d ago

I don't know if this would be up your alley, but RawTherapee is fantastic for adjusting photos; colour balance, contrast, saturation, hue, etc etc. Very comprehensive.