Apple releases Aperture 2.1 with new plug-in architecture
Apple on Friday released Aperture 2.1, an update to its post-production photography workflow software that introduces an open plug-in architecture allowing photographers to more easily use specialized third party imaging software directly from within the application.
Available today as a free update, Aperture 2.1 includes the Apple-developed plug-in, Dodge & Burn, which adds brush-based tools for dodge (lighten), burn (darken), contrast, saturation, sharpen and blur.
Over the coming months, third party software developers will deliver image editing plug-ins for localized editing, filters and effects, noise analysis and reduction, fisheye lens correction and more, according to Apple.
“The image quality in Aperture 2 has won over the most demanding photographers,” said Rob Schoeben, Apple’s vice president of Applications Product Marketing. “Now, thanks to our open plug-in architecture, users can access an entire industry’s worth of imaging expertise without ever leaving Aperture.”
By clicking on one or more images within Aperture 2.1, users can choose from a menu of installed plug-ins and apply specialized imaging operations to either TIFF or RAW images. Apple is also working closely with key developers to bring the most requested plug-ins to Aperture such as:
Nik Software’s Viveza plug-in, powered by U Point technology, which provides a powerful, precise and easy way for photographers to selectively control and adjust color and light in their digital images
PictureCode’s Noise Ninja plug-in that delivers advanced high ISO noise analysis and reduction
Digital Film Tools’ Power Stroke plug-in that features a simple, stroke-based interface to quickly mask and intuitively perform targeted adjustments
The Tiffen Company's Dfx plug-in that provides an expansive suite of creative filters and effects
dvGarage’s dpMatte plug-in, which is a high performance chroma key tool for creating seamless composites, and the HDRtoner plug-in that enables the selection of multiple photos to create a single high dynamic range (HDR) image and
Image Trends’ plug-ins that include Fisheye-Hemi to quickly and effortlessly correct fisheye lens distortion, ShineOff which automatically removes shine from faces and PearlyWhites that automatically whitens and brightens teeth.
Aperture 2.1 is available immediately as a free software update to current Aperture 2.0 users. Full system requirements and more information on Aperture can be found at here. Information and availability for third party imaging plug-ins can be found here, here and at the Aperture community site AperturePluggedIn.
Available today as a free update, Aperture 2.1 includes the Apple-developed plug-in, Dodge & Burn, which adds brush-based tools for dodge (lighten), burn (darken), contrast, saturation, sharpen and blur.
Over the coming months, third party software developers will deliver image editing plug-ins for localized editing, filters and effects, noise analysis and reduction, fisheye lens correction and more, according to Apple.
“The image quality in Aperture 2 has won over the most demanding photographers,” said Rob Schoeben, Apple’s vice president of Applications Product Marketing. “Now, thanks to our open plug-in architecture, users can access an entire industry’s worth of imaging expertise without ever leaving Aperture.”
By clicking on one or more images within Aperture 2.1, users can choose from a menu of installed plug-ins and apply specialized imaging operations to either TIFF or RAW images. Apple is also working closely with key developers to bring the most requested plug-ins to Aperture such as:
Nik Software’s Viveza plug-in, powered by U Point technology, which provides a powerful, precise and easy way for photographers to selectively control and adjust color and light in their digital images
PictureCode’s Noise Ninja plug-in that delivers advanced high ISO noise analysis and reduction
Digital Film Tools’ Power Stroke plug-in that features a simple, stroke-based interface to quickly mask and intuitively perform targeted adjustments
The Tiffen Company's Dfx plug-in that provides an expansive suite of creative filters and effects
dvGarage’s dpMatte plug-in, which is a high performance chroma key tool for creating seamless composites, and the HDRtoner plug-in that enables the selection of multiple photos to create a single high dynamic range (HDR) image and
Image Trends’ plug-ins that include Fisheye-Hemi to quickly and effortlessly correct fisheye lens distortion, ShineOff which automatically removes shine from faces and PearlyWhites that automatically whitens and brightens teeth.
Aperture 2.1 is available immediately as a free software update to current Aperture 2.0 users. Full system requirements and more information on Aperture can be found at here. Information and availability for third party imaging plug-ins can be found here, here and at the Aperture community site AperturePluggedIn.
Comments
I found the trial version of Aperture 2 horribly slow compared to version 1. Sticking with Adobe.
Strange... Pretty much every reviewer has stated the exact opposite, and from personal experience and the people I know who use it regularly (about 8 of us), we've found the exact same thing. General consensus around the internet has people actually using Aperture 2 now that it's been significantly sped up, as Aperture 1 was unusable for a lot of people... *shrug*
I found the trial version of Aperture 2 horribly slow compared to version 1. Sticking with Adobe.
Odd considering that v2 is supposed to be much quicker than v1. Are you sure it wasn't rebuilding the thumbnail and preview databases while you were testing it out? One of the new (?) things about v2 is that it can now do those things in the background instead of making you wait for it to complete. After importing a large number of photos the interface was definitely sluggish (an a MBP) for a few minutes while building the previews. I've never used v1; but once the previews and thumbs were built, in v2 I couldn't really imagine how the application could be faster than it already is.
I found the trial version of Aperture 2 horribly slow compared to version 1. Sticking with Adobe.
I thought this was discussed before, weren't you the one with the first rev of the dual G5? I think having one of the older G5s, the limitation being with the oldest video card.
iPhone wallpapers still look like crap when they are synced from Aperture.
Oh wow! I was just so not thinking about this when I saw Aperture 2.1 upgrade in the headline. Thank you for filling me in on this massively important dilemma.
Oh wow! I was just so not thinking about this when I saw Aperture 2.1 upgrade in the headline. Thank you for filling me in on this massively important dilemma.
I don't think it's irrelevant. I think the Touch and the Phone are about the most convenient and best way to show off one's photos in a pocket device. That will be one of the reasons I get one when or if I do get one. If Apple's software in conjunction with Apple's hardware can't do a good job of that, then what's the point? It's Apple's home turf here.
"Buy Bye Photoshop"
Ok now for the obligatory
"Buy Bye Photoshop"
Them's fighten' words for Mel!
Them's fighten' words for Mel!
It really depends on what is meant, and whether it was sarcastic.
A lot of photographers don't need photoshop, but photoshop isn't only for photograpers.
I don't think it's irrelevant. I think the Touch and the Phone are about the most convenient and best way to show off one's photos in a pocket device. That will be one of the reasons I get one when or if I do get one. If Apple's software in conjunction with Apple's hardware can't do a good job of that, then what's the point? It's Apple's home turf here.
Hate to pee in your wheaties, Jeff, but Aperture isn't iPhoto and being used in the numbers that iPhone iPod Touch are being bought.
I'm sure Apple will be glad to make sure this is improved, but this Open Plugin Architecture is, by far, more important.
Hate to pee in your wheaties, Jeff
By your first post, I'd say that maybe you actually take much joy in doing so.
I don't think it has to be a high priority, I just don't see it as something that should be hard for them to get right. Or rather, if it's really a problem, I don't understand why it would really be so, if their photo software is any good.
It really depends on what is meant, and whether it was sarcastic.
A lot of photographers don't need photoshop, but photoshop isn't only for photograpers.
I made my comment in jest. But we all know Mel's admiration for Adobe and PS.
Them's fighten' words for Mel!
Heh, heh, heh!
It really depends on what is meant, and whether it was sarcastic.
A lot of photographers don't need photoshop, but photoshop isn't only for photograpers.
That's a very good reply.
I made my comment in jest. But we all know Mel's admiration for Adobe and PS.
I figured it was.
PS is best for those who need to do commercial work. The tools are required.
For everyone else, it's a crapshoot.
Lightroom is great because it duplicates the PS toolset of CR, which is important.
But, Aperture has gotten better. The biggest problem is Apple's own crappy tools. Sharpen isn't close to Adobe's in quality, and the same is true for several others.
But, this 2.1 release is a very important one. With an open plug-in architecture, which we've been asking for since the beginning, others will be able to supply those high quality pro level tools Apple isn't.
And, to answer BjK, there will be free, as well as commercial plug-ins, just as for PS and other programs with a compatible plug-in architecture.
I thought this was discussed before, weren't you the one with the first rev of the dual G5? I think having one of the older G5s, the limitation being with the oldest video card.
Yes, this is true. But it's also true that Photoshop CS3 runs great on my system. So, go figure.
Yes, this is true. But it's also true that Photoshop CS3 runs great on my system. So, go figure.
I don't think CS3 uses the video card to do its work, such as the filtering and so on. Aperture does, and a 5200 is probably not up to the job to do it acceptably quickly.
I don't think CS3 uses the video card to do its work, such as the filtering and so on. Aperture does, and a 5200 is probably not up to the job to do it acceptably quickly.
It doesn't. CS3 is still CPU bound. A faster graphics card will get the rendered pixels on the screen faster, sometimes noticeably so, but isn't involved in the processing much.