Apple Releases Aperture 2 with improved interface
Apple today introduced Aperture 2, the next major release of its photo editing and management software with over 100 new features aimed at making it faster, easier to use and more powerful.
With a streamlined user interface and entirely new image processing engine, Aperture 2 (free trial) also introduces new imaging tools for highlight recovery, color vibrancy, local contrast definition, soft-edged retouching, vignetting and RAW fine-tuning, and lets users directly post their portfolios on the .Mac Web Gallery for viewing on the web, iPhone, iPod touch and Apple TV.
"Many of the most respected photographers on assignment all over the world trust Aperture to organize, edit and deliver their images," said Rob Schoeben, Apple's vice president of Applications Product Marketing. "With its simpler interface and lower price, anyone can take full advantage of Aperture's power."
"At the end of the day, it's all about the quality of the image," said Sports Illustrated contributing photographer David Bergman. "Even before I begin making adjustments, Aperture's new RAW processing gives me better images with more visible detail and better color rendering than any other program I've tested."
Priced at just $199 and featuring a new, easier user interface designed to be more intuitive and accessible, Aperture 2 now lets users navigate between Viewer and Browser modes with a single key command. Screen real estate is maximized for images with an all-in-one heads up display that allows users to toggle between library, metadata and adjustment controls in a single tabbed inspector. The All Projects view, modeled after iPhoto's Events view, provides a poster photo for every project and the ability to quickly skim through the photos inside, and the integrated iPhoto Browser offers direct access to all the events and images in the iPhoto library.
Performance has also been enhanced in Aperture 2 so it's faster to import, browse and search large volumes of images. Embedded previews let photographers caption, keyword and rate images as they are being imported, and with the ability to export images in the background, photographers can continue working while images are processed to JPEG, TIFF, PNG and PSD file formats. Quick Preview allows users to browse RAW images in rapid succession without having to wait for files to load, and the Aperture library database has been re-architected to provide fast project switching and near instantaneous search results, even when working with extremely large libraries of 500,000 images or more.
Apple's next-generation RAW image processing is at the core of Aperture 2 offering uncompromising image quality and precision controls that let users fine-tune the image profile for each of their cameras. New tools for improving and enhancing images include Recovery for pulling back "blown" highlights, Vibrancy for selectively boosting saturation without adversely affecting skin tones, Definition, which offers local contrast for adding clarity to images, Vignette & Devignette filters for providing professional visual effects and a true soft-edged Repair and Retouch brush for quickly and easily removing blemishes, cleaning up sensor dust and cloning away problem areas.
Aperture 2 works with Mac OS X, iLife, iWork, .Mac and Apple print products, so any image in the Aperture library can be accessed directly from within other applications, such as iMovie, Keynote and Pages, and even from within Leopard Mail. Now with .Mac Web Gallery support, Aperture users can publish their photos once to view them on the web, iPhone, iPod touch and Apple TV. Books in Aperture 2 feature new theme designs, layout tools, customized dust jackets (including full-bleed) and foil stamped covers.
Pricing & Availability
Aperture 2 is available immediately for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) through the Apple Store, Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. Owners of previous versions of Aperture can upgrade to Aperture 2 for just $99 (US). Full system requirements and more information on Aperture 2 can be found at Apple's Aperture Website.
With a streamlined user interface and entirely new image processing engine, Aperture 2 (free trial) also introduces new imaging tools for highlight recovery, color vibrancy, local contrast definition, soft-edged retouching, vignetting and RAW fine-tuning, and lets users directly post their portfolios on the .Mac Web Gallery for viewing on the web, iPhone, iPod touch and Apple TV.
"Many of the most respected photographers on assignment all over the world trust Aperture to organize, edit and deliver their images," said Rob Schoeben, Apple's vice president of Applications Product Marketing. "With its simpler interface and lower price, anyone can take full advantage of Aperture's power."
"At the end of the day, it's all about the quality of the image," said Sports Illustrated contributing photographer David Bergman. "Even before I begin making adjustments, Aperture's new RAW processing gives me better images with more visible detail and better color rendering than any other program I've tested."
Priced at just $199 and featuring a new, easier user interface designed to be more intuitive and accessible, Aperture 2 now lets users navigate between Viewer and Browser modes with a single key command. Screen real estate is maximized for images with an all-in-one heads up display that allows users to toggle between library, metadata and adjustment controls in a single tabbed inspector. The All Projects view, modeled after iPhoto's Events view, provides a poster photo for every project and the ability to quickly skim through the photos inside, and the integrated iPhoto Browser offers direct access to all the events and images in the iPhoto library.
Performance has also been enhanced in Aperture 2 so it's faster to import, browse and search large volumes of images. Embedded previews let photographers caption, keyword and rate images as they are being imported, and with the ability to export images in the background, photographers can continue working while images are processed to JPEG, TIFF, PNG and PSD file formats. Quick Preview allows users to browse RAW images in rapid succession without having to wait for files to load, and the Aperture library database has been re-architected to provide fast project switching and near instantaneous search results, even when working with extremely large libraries of 500,000 images or more.
Apple's next-generation RAW image processing is at the core of Aperture 2 offering uncompromising image quality and precision controls that let users fine-tune the image profile for each of their cameras. New tools for improving and enhancing images include Recovery for pulling back "blown" highlights, Vibrancy for selectively boosting saturation without adversely affecting skin tones, Definition, which offers local contrast for adding clarity to images, Vignette & Devignette filters for providing professional visual effects and a true soft-edged Repair and Retouch brush for quickly and easily removing blemishes, cleaning up sensor dust and cloning away problem areas.
Aperture 2 works with Mac OS X, iLife, iWork, .Mac and Apple print products, so any image in the Aperture library can be accessed directly from within other applications, such as iMovie, Keynote and Pages, and even from within Leopard Mail. Now with .Mac Web Gallery support, Aperture users can publish their photos once to view them on the web, iPhone, iPod touch and Apple TV. Books in Aperture 2 feature new theme designs, layout tools, customized dust jackets (including full-bleed) and foil stamped covers.
Pricing & Availability
Aperture 2 is available immediately for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) through the Apple Store, Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. Owners of previous versions of Aperture can upgrade to Aperture 2 for just $99 (US). Full system requirements and more information on Aperture 2 can be found at Apple's Aperture Website.
Comments
EDIT:
Aperture2 is on the online store page, but not in its brochure page. Due to the graphics requirements the iMac G4 cannot run Aperture 2, but the 1.25GHz PowerBook G4 can.
let the whining begin
Another great and beautifully priced Apple product.
let the whining begin
You mean let it end.
An avalanche of Aperture users unhappy that 10.5.2 didn't provide RAW support for cameras released in the past 3 months or so has descended on any forum willing to listen. Then just a few hours after 10.5.2. is released, Apple shuts them all up.
Priceless.
let the whining begin
Are you referring to those waiting for a new MBP?
Otherwise I understand that this update was greatly needed and anticipated. I read at MW that there was quite a bit of disappointment it wasn't released at PMA.
Another great and beautifully priced Apple product.
Kind of middle-ground between Lightroom and the likes of Bibble.
Seems like the whole site isn't ready yet - the mailer sends out serial numbers for 1.5.6 and there are no videos.
Can't download it! Damn. I've been really waiting to try it.
Seems like the whole site isn't ready yet - the mailer sends out serial numbers for 1.5.6 and there are no videos.
No problem here. Loaded and working fine.
No videos? Are you talking about these: http://www.apple.com/aperture/tutorials/
Anyway, it's still the good ole Aperture with a facelift. I mean, the image controls are the same. Maybe something has changed image-handling wise but I don't care. Somehow Lightroom results look so much better, take for example its auto white balance - it *really* gets things right. But do it in Aperture and you get that artificial nonsense correction that doesn't cut it at all. Anyone else experienced this? I tried to like Aperture, but Lightroom with all its quirks does image correction just so much better. Maybe it's because I use film and not digital... who knows.
What are your opinions?
What are your opinions?
I'm just a hobbyist with a Canon 350D and the stock lens, but I tried the demos of both Lightroom (1.1) and Aperture (1.5).
I liked Aperture better in nearly every respect, from the interface/workflow through to image quality. I particularly liked the exposure correction tool in Aperture for landscape shots. I'm always careful to not blow the highlights, but despite that the sky is often washed out. With aperture I can get the sky back to a nice natural blue with nice fluffy clouds, without doing any harm to the shadows.
Both programmes kick the pants off Canon's DPP.
Sadly, I'm not sure I can justify the expense of either. For that money I could buy a Metz flash and a 28/f2.8 lens, which would probably do far more to improve my photos than either piece of software.
I'm also UK based. Aperture previously cost £230 - maybe $199 will tranlate in to something more affordable. It's not on the UK site yet, so I'll have to wait and see. It might be tempting at £130.
Anyway, it's still the good ole Aperture with a facelift. I mean, the image controls are the same. Maybe something has changed image-handling wise but I don't care.
The folks over at Inside Aperture seem to disagree. As for the auto-white balance tool, I know you just used this as an example, but I have always seen auto-correction tools as a good place to start, but never as a single "please fix me" button.
Both programmes kick the pants off Canon's DPP.
I haven't even bothered trying out the Pentax software yet, although I hear there is some concern that no third-party software can tackle everything the OEM software can, as often times the camera manufacturer does not release every single detail of their RAW format. I'm quite pleased with the results I get from Aperture however, and see no reason to add to my workflow.
Sadly, I'm not sure I can justify the expense of either. For that money I could buy a Metz flash and a 28/f2.8 lens, which would probably do far more to improve my photos than either piece of software.
I'm also UK based. Aperture previously cost £230 - maybe $199 will tranlate in to something more affordable. It's not on the UK site yet, so I'll have to wait and see. It might be tempting at £130.
I would assume it will be comparable in price to Logic Express and Final Cut Express, both of which recently dropped from $299US to $199.
I think that purchasing an external flash and a fast prime portrait lens would do wonders for your photos, but they're still not going to prevent hot spots and underdefined shadow spots. This is also just a hobby for me, but I think that $199 (or £130 as the case may be) is a small price to pay to ensure my hobby is that much more productive and enjoyable! (Of course I'm also lucky that Pentax chose to ensure compatibility with their classic lenses and I have been able to pick up fast primes for dirt-cheap: A 50/f2.0 and 135/f2.5 both for about $140)
Anyone?
Kind of middle-ground between Lightroom and the likes of Bibble.
Wow...Bibble's that good?